LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
Manorial government. In 1294 the bishop of London claimed to have
possessed in Hornsey as member of his manor of
Stepney view of frankpledge, infangthief and outfangthief, the chattels of fugitives and outlaws and
waste of their lands, pillory, cucking stool, gallows,
amercements in local courts, and assizes of bread and
ale from time immemorial. Except for gallows his
right was admitted by a jury. (fn. 18) In 1318-19 there was
a separate court for Hornsey, (fn. 19) which may have met
at Stepney where the lord of Farnfields owed suit of
court in 1324. (fn. 20) By 1575 it was held at Highgate in
October. (fn. 21) In 1375 there was a court every three
weeks (fn. 22) and from the 17th to the 19th centuries
there was normally a view of frankpledge and
general court baron in April and sometimes a special
court baron. (fn. 23)
Between 1374 and 1885 there were also courts for
the manor of Topsfield. (fn. 24) Its court rolls were lost in
1703, when minutes and drafts from 1683 were
copied into a book in which subsequent courts were
recorded. The court baron was held from time to
time, but not annually, within the manor from 1750
to 1820, usually at the King's Head and sometimes
at the Three Tuns. Only after the longest gap of 20
years did it become active in local government
between 1820 and 1833, when the homage presented
encroachments and waste.
No courts were recorded for Muswell or Farnfields. The court for Brownswood, which was a
court leet and court baron from 1649 to 1795, (fn. 25)
existed from at least 1569. The last known enfranchisement occurred in 1870. (fn. 26) Under a demesne
lease of 1569 it was to be held quinquennially, (fn. 27) but
it met every three years by c. 1709 (fn. 28) and annually in
1795. (fn. 29) In 1649 it was held at the manor-house (fn. 30) and
in 1795 at Hornsey Wood House. (fn. 31) In 1682 the
lessee had custody of some court rolls over 60 years
old (fn. 32) but none is known to survive.
The court of Topsfield was concerned only with
the conveyance of copyhold land, (fn. 33) which was also
the main business of the courts of Brownswood and
Hornsey. In 1577 an ordinance of the Hornsey court
regulated lawsuits concerning copyholds. (fn. 34) Local
government was the preserve of the two principal
manors and probably the court of Brownswood
exercised similar jurisdiction to that of Hornsey. In
1318-19, 1375, and 1577 offenders against the lord's
woods were presented at the Hornsey court (fn. 35) but
later infringements were ignored. The homage still
protected communal rights in 1797, when it ordered
the reopening of two blocked footpaths; (fn. 36) dunghills
on the highways were denounced as late as 1728 (fn. 37)
and clearance of a ditch was decreed in 1717. (fn. 38) By
laws, each with a fixed penalty, were frequently
promulgated and offenders indicted. (fn. 39) From 1637
there were irregular appointments of overseers of
the commons; they were supported by a tariff of
fines, (fn. 40) as were the pound-keepers mentioned in
1617, when it was an ancient custom to impound
strays. (fn. 41) The Highgate pound mentioned in 1629
needed repair by the lord in 1676. (fn. 42) Another common pound existed at Stroud Green in Brownswood
in 1577. (fn. 43) The Hornsey homage also frequently
presented those who took gravel, loam, fern, turf,
or furze outside the manor; (fn. 44) in 1671 furze was to be
taken only for repairs to the highways. (fn. 45) Usually the
court ordered the frequent encroachments on the
waste to be laid open and unlicensed buildings to be
demolished. From 1786 encroachments were permitted on condition that the full purchase price
should be paid into the wastelands fund. (fn. 46) Such
activity suggests that the court's authority was
effective with tenants of the manor. The numerous
presentments may indicate inability to exact fines
from non-residents, who were the worst offenders,
rather than a level of fines too low to deter profitable
activities.
There were two pledges for Hornsey in 1406 (fn. 47) and
an ale-taster occurred in 1442-3. (fn. 48) In 1577 there
were two constables, two chief pledges, later called
headboroughs, and two ale-tasters, one of each being
elected for Hornsey Side, the other for Highgate
Side. (fn. 49) Those officers were appointed annually,
unlike the driver of the commons who occurred
irregularly from 1694. (fn. 50) By 1701 there was one
driver for Highgate Side (fn. 51) and from 1711 there
were two for the whole manor. (fn. 52) There was usually
only one after c. 1770, (fn. 53) who was paid by the parish
in 1803 and appointed by it from 1855 until 1868,
when the local board dispensed with him. (fn. 54) From
1637 to 1712 overseers of the commons were elected
intermittently: (fn. 55) in 1700 there was one for Hornsey
Side and another for Highgate Side. (fn. 56) No ale-tasters
were appointed after 1750. (fn. 57) Constables and headboroughs were elected by the court until 1840, when
they were superseded by the metropolitan police. (fn. 58)
The St. Pancras part of Highgate was administered
by courts of the prebend of Cantlowes, recorded
from 1479 and at which three headboroughs, two
rent collectors, two affeerers, an ale-taster, and a
constable were normally sworn. (fn. 59) It was rare for
officers to be assigned specifically to an area, as they
were on Hornsey manor from 1577. Some division
nonetheless existed within Cantlowes: several
officers were Highgate residents and there were
elections of constables for Highgate in 1531 and
1533 and of a headborough in 1624. (fn. 60) Eighteenthand 19th-century courts were often held at the
Angel, High Street, as well as in Kentish Town; (fn. 61) in
1768 the court met at the Flask. (fn. 62)
Hornsey manor court ordered the expulsion of
some sub-tenants in 1578 (fn. 63) and was active in enforcing
the poor law in the 17th century. A by-law of 1612
forbade any inhabitant to accept a tenant or inmate
unless he gave surety to discharge the parish of
relief. Between 1604 and 1674 the homage presented
at least 34 offences: in 1674 six families were involved and in 1676 a tenant was indicted for dividing
his tenement. (fn. 64)
It was probably to avoid paying expenses that
Hornsey vestry did not permanently take over the
appointment of officers, although it supervised them.
Probably in 1644, when there was no court leet, and
on occasions such as 1755 when those nominated
refused to serve, the vestry appointed constables. (fn. 65)
In 1742 it tried to compel those elected as constables to serve and in 1794 it decided to hold a
special vestry whenever manorial officials failed to
act. (fn. 66) In 1746 the vestry asked the justices to fine
the constables and headboroughs for not attending
the vestry but by the 1780s they were rarely present. (fn. 67)
The justices ordered the provision of a watch-house
in 1682, (fn. 68) and in 1687-8, when there were no stocks,
whipping post, or cage, the homage petitioned the
lord to provide timber for them. The vestry, however, was responsible for the cage in 1773 and the
stocks in 1792. (fn. 69)
Parish government to 1837.
Hornsey vestry was
mentioned in 1688. (fn. 70) Minute books from 1739 (fn. 71)
record meetings in the vestry room at the church and
occasionally at public houses or Highgate chapel.
From 1740, when there were 3 vestries a year, their
frequency increased. There were often as many as
7, in 1786 there were 12, but 3 or 4 were more
common from 1835. Attendance increased from an
average of 10 in 1740-5 to c. 20 in 1820. There were
exceptional years, such as 1855, when two vestries
attracted 56 and 47 parishioners. The rector normally
chaired meetings from 1830 but had rarely attended
before 1820, although his curate sometimes had
done so. Churchwardens were present most frequently, followed after 1820 by the overseers. Nonofficeholders were usually in a majority and in 1866
it was alleged that a minority of the well-to-do
dominated the morning vestries that most inhabitants could not attend: (fn. 72) after several motions,
evening meetings were at last introduced in 1889. (fn. 73)
Elections were often disputed, as during the years
1748 to 1751, particularly when they were remunerative: in 1833 a beadle was elected with 125 votes of
256 cast.
Minute books of St. Pancras vestry survive from
1718. (fn. 74) Meetings were announced at Highgate
chapel, (fn. 75) like those of Hornsey vestry, and occasionally took place near by at the Flask or the Fox and
Crown, (fn. 76) although more frequently in Kentish
Town. St. Pancras vestry gradually encroached on
the duties of the steward of Cantlowes manor, who
in 1775 was asked not to dispute the nominations
of constables. (fn. 77) Officers were appointed for the
southern and northern divisions of St. Pancras, the
second in 1718 being termed the Highgate division. (fn. 78)
Churchwardens for Hornsey occurred from 1421 (fn. 79)
and one was intermittently described as upper or
senior churchwarden from 1674 (fn. 80) until at least 1855,
when it was decided that the one for Hornsey Side
should be senior. Separate churchwardens for Highgate and Hornsey Sides were established by 1782.
Early churchwardens performed some of the functions of overseers, (fn. 81) who first occurred in 1612. (fn. 82)
Four overseers were elected in 1742 and eight in
1861 but from 1740 there was normally one each for
Hornsey Side and Highgate Side. The function of
deputy overseer was added in 1788 to that of vestry
clerk, mentioned from 1739, whose duties in 1774
embraced attendance, the preparation of accounts,
and legal business. In 1853 it was recommended that
all his duties should be included in his salary, as he
supplemented his income by performing the legal
business through his own firm, Thomas Tatham &
Sons. Instead, however, his salary, which had grown
from £20 in 1791 to £100 in 1832, was reduced. In
1861 the octogenarian Thomas Tatham, only the
second vestry clerk since 1788, was succeeded by
his son, who died in 1889. Only from 1889 did the
vestry clerk have an office in the parish. (fn. 83) The clerk
of Highgate chapel was paid from 1792 for posting
vestry notices and the Hornsey parish clerk was
salaried from 1739.
The Hornsey homage elected two surveyors of the
highways for Hornsey and Highgate Sides in 1606
but not afterwards. (fn. 84) Presumably the surveyor for
Hornsey Side mentioned in 1668 was elected by the
vestry, (fn. 85) like his successors after 1739. Four surveyors were nominated to the justices in 1740, three
in 1745, and thereafter generally two. In 1797, at the
request of the justices, ten were named, five for each
division. There had been a single salaried surveyor
between 1772 and 1777, an assistant surveyor in
1821, and two assistant surveyors, one for each
division, from 1825.
An apothecary for the poor occurred from 1750,
a master of the workhouse after 1743, and a beadle
from 1774. In addition to his salary, the beadle
received a new hat and coat every three years from
1788 and an allowance for brooms as church cleaner
in 1792. Initially responsible only for supervising
the poor in the workhouse, he was required from
1789 to keep order at church and in the village on
Sundays and from 1790 to attend vestries and assist
the officers. Separate beadles were appointed for the
two divisions in 1812. In 1825 the Highgate beadle
was to go to church every Sunday, escort the poor
from Highgate division, attend all meetings, and
execute orders. An engine-keeper was appointed for
each division from 1813, a collector of rates from
1817, and a public health inspector from 1853.
The cost of salaries increased from £42 in 1776
to c. £200 in 1836-7. Accounting was often slow: in
1821 the vestry ordered that officers should produce
their accounts within the statutory time limit and
should justify each item with a voucher; in 1853,
when it was impossible to audit any accounts, all
parish officers were directed to reveal their annual
balance.
In 1674-5 the churchwardens were passing the
poor and prevented the settlement of a pregnant
woman. (fn. 86) Small sums were paid to relieve the sick
and poor in 1664-5 (fn. 87) and in 1669-70 there were
apparently five regular pensioners. (fn. 88) Besides casual
relief, £37 of the total expenses of one churchwarden in 1680-1 consisted of pensions. (fn. 89) Poor-rates
levied up to three times a year amounted to between
2d. and 12d. in the £ in the years 1740 to 1749. By
1785-7 they had risen to between 2s. 2d. and 2s. 6d.
and by 1800-2 to between 2s. 9d. and 5s., but they
had fallen slightly by 1820-1. Over the period
receipts and expenses grew enormously. In 1749 a
rate of 8d. yielded the overseer of Hornsey Side c.
£110; between 1773 and 1823 the income of his
successors rose from £216 to £1,501 and that for
Highgate division from £170 to £1,248. (fn. 90) In 1834-5
expenditure by the whole parish was £1,576. (fn. 91)
It was only in 1730 that the parish leased a house
in Hornsey Lane as a temporary workhouse. (fn. 92) A
permanent site of 1 a. of copyhold land in Hornsey
High Street, with out-buildings, was acquired in
1735 (fn. 93) and by 1743 a workhouse stood there. (fn. 94) The
out-buildings were ruinous in 1778 and eight rooms
were added by 1779, when improvements were
made to the old building. In 1779, however, four
more rooms had to be added and in 1781 a further
extension was needed. A committee was appointed
to consider improvements in 1812. The population
of the workhouse increased from 60 in 1823 to 83 in
1827, when there were 104 others receiving outdoor
relief and an extension to house 50-60 was necessary.
After rejecting a proposal for a workhouse on a
different site, the vestry added a wing for c. 80 poor
in 1827-8.
The workhouse was directly administered through
a master and mistress and from 1812 it was supervised by a committee of the vestry, which met
monthly from 1813. The assent of the churchwardens or overseers had been necessary hitherto
for the admission or discharge of inmates. In 1753
the vestry wanted to keep the paupers as well as
possible and in 1783 they were provided with beer.
In 1744 a fence was built to prevent them from
wandering, in 1754 none was to live out, and in 1748
they were to be badged and in 1782 clothed in
uniform. In 1781 the clerk was to seek suitable
employment and receive the income from the work
of the able-bodied who refused to be discharged.
Several who did not work were referred to the
justices in 1782 and in 1804 an agreement was
reached to farm the idle and disorderly to the
master of the City workhouse in Islington. The
mistress was allowed 10 per cent of the issues of the
poor's work in 1785 and the master as much as 50
per cent in 1803.
By will proved 1608 James Skeffington devised to
the parish a cottage inhabited by two widows (fn. 95) but
in 1623 the homage presented that John Richardson
had no licence to devise his cottage on the waste to
the poor. (fn. 96) There was a parish house in 1668-9,
when the occupant was evicted by a churchwarden. (fn. 97)
Ten parish houses were occupied by the poor in
1697 (fn. 98) and five from 1725 to 1773, (fn. 99) when two stood
on the ½-a. site of the former manorial bowling
green in Hornsey High Street and the others in
Southwood Lane. (fn. 1) Repairs were made by the vestry
in 1758, 1766, and 1810. Two of the cottages in
Southwood Lane were demolished in 1815 and
replaced by one in 1818. Seven new cottages were
built in 1818 there and near by in Muswell Hill
Road, (fn. 2) three being for the poor of Highgate and
four for those of Hornsey. Two more were erected
in 1828. Unlike the older cottages, rent-free in 1795, (fn. 3)
the new ones were let cheaply. Four cottages at
Muswell Hill built by 1817 and devised to the parish
by James Wright were refused by the vestry, as they
were subject to fines at the will of the lord of Topsfield. The Southwood Lane cottages were paid for
out of the wastelands fund, established in 1786 from
fines for licences to inclose the waste. (fn. 4) The fines
were fixed in 1810 at £80 per acre by the vestry and
the fund was used for the poor under a trust deed of
c. 1790. In 1806 a lawyer advised that the proceeds
could not serve to reduce the poor-rate. One
suggested use had been to provide cottages: in 1803
the vestry asked the bishop of London for a site and
in 1806 trustees were admitted to 1 a. in Southwood
Lane. (fn. 5) The fund had grown to £730 by 1817,
mainly in stock, of which £600 was spent on building
the cottages; afterwards their rents swelled the fund.
As both cottages and fund remained the responsibility of the parish after the formation of Edmonton
union, their later history belongs with that of parish
charities.
Rates in 1750 occasioned an appeal to quarter
sessions. Assessment by 5 per cent of the purchase
price, although customary, was considered unfair
to owner occupiers. After an appeal to the justices
in 1793 the rate was quashed and the vestry appointed an impartial committee, which carried out
a general survey but overruled the objectors, for
whom in 1796 (fn. 6) another rate was quashed. A further
appeal occurred in 1803 and there were more disagreements about assessment in 1817. The vestry of
Hornsey also opposed the Bill to turnpike Green
Lanes in 1789 (fn. 7) and Bills to extend the metropolitan
sewer system in 1814 and 1822. (fn. 8)
Hornsey parish's cage stood on the west side of
Highgate High Street. In 1770 St. Pancras vestry
agreed to contribute towards its repair and in 1775
both cage and stocks were to be moved nearer the
watch-house, (fn. 9) presumably to the site later occupied
by no. 59, from which the cage was moved in 1811 to
the site of no. 61. (fn. 10) Offenders were also kept in the
Gatehouse. (fn. 11) Highgate residents subscribed to a
fund for the conviction of robbers from 1737, when
they bought stock which had doubled in value, to
£80, by 1761. Rewards were advertised and payments made for feeding and escorting prisoners
before trial. (fn. 12) Later the Highgate and Whetstone
turnpike trust maintained horse patrols: (fn. 13) on winter evenings they operated between Highgate and
Islington, whence another patrol led travellers to
and from London, and Kentish Town. (fn. 14)
In 1803 Hornsey decided to erect its own stocks
by the church and a cage in the workhouse garden. (fn. 15)
In 1825 the cage was repaired (fn. 16) but in 1833, after
prisoners had escaped, it was found unsuitable for
even temporary confinement. To make better use of
its restricted site, shared with the watch-house, the
vestry agreed to its rebuilding. (fn. 17)
From 1774 local trustees were responsible for
lighting and watching Highgate except Caen Wood
Lane, which had only to be watched. The trustees,
who had to own or occupy property in the village
worth at least £20 a year, initially numbered 48,
besides the minister of Highgate chapel. Five or
more were to appoint officers and fix an annual
rate not exceeding 2s. in the £, from which persons
paying rent of less than £6 a year were to be exempt. (fn. 18)
Local government after 1837.
On Hornsey's
inclusion in Edmonton poor law union from 1837
the parish workhouse was demolished and its site
was sold. (fn. 19) Hornsey tried unsuccessfully to join the
separate union formed by Hampstead in 1898 and
still had 66 paupers at Edmonton workhouse in
1903. (fn. 20)
A highway board (fn. 21) was established by the vestry
under the Highways Act, 1835. (fn. 22) Initially of 20
surveyors, it was reorganized in 1855 with 12
members representing equally the Hornsey, Highgate, and Stoke Newington divisions. It met 33
times in 1854-5 and had offices at no. 17 Highgate
High Street and in 1862 at Highgate post office. The
board appointed a salaried clerk, a rate collector,
and an assistant surveyor and public health inspector. In 1855 it claimed to be more efficient than its
predecessor, making a 6d. rate suffice for all purposes,
and promised continued improvements as well as
essential maintenance.
Rates still caused controversy. When in 1856 the
highway board tried to finance internal drainage by
assessing the beneficiaries, it was obstructed by
technical objections, forcing it to levy a highwayrate and exact payment by litigation, which served
as the test case for the Nuisance Removal Act
(1855). (fn. 23) A rate proposed in 1856 to balance the
churchwardens' accounts was defeated in vestry but
was subsequently approved in a poll. (fn. 24) When the
highway board petitioned against the Parochial
Assessments Bill, it feared that those with local
responsibility would be excluded from assessment
and that the right to appeal against the rate would
be curtailed. (fn. 25)
Hornsey's vigorous defence of communal rights
from 1848 was inspired by Joshua Toulmin Smith
of Wood Lane, Highgate (d. 1869), constitutional
lawyer and opponent of centralization, as member
of committees and chairman of the highway board
and local board. (fn. 26) In 1858 the highway board prevented the inclusion of the Stoke Newington division
in the metropolis for the purposes of paving, cleaning, and lighting. (fn. 27) It decided in 1857 not to adopt
the Vestry Clerk's Act in order to keep him answerable to the parish. (fn. 28) The vestry was unable to prevent
the filling-in of the New River and tried in vain to
stop the construction of the G.N.R. through the
parish. A Bill introduced in 1852 by the G.N.R. (fn. 29)
would have enabled it to close footpaths but Hornsey
succeeded in having the clause struck out and safeguards inserted. Footpaths were also preserved by
indicting the G.N.R. and the Archway Road Co.
The vestry carefully reviewed plans of the T. &
H.J.R. in 1857 and the highway board appointed a
railway committee to investigate proposed lines in
1860. (fn. 30) In 1860 Hornsey again petitioned against
a Bill to extend the metropolitan sewer system,
whereupon a clause saving its rights was substituted. (fn. 31) Apart from objecting to the Parochial
Assessments Bill, in 1861 the highway board opposed the Highway Bill, which threatened the
inhabitants' powers to manage affairs that required
local knowledge. (fn. 32) By such resistance Hornsey gave
a lead to neighbouring parishes.
The growth in population of the parts of Hornsey
imbedded in Stoke Newington led in 1855 to their
receiving equal representation in the vestry with
Highgate Side and Hornsey Side. From 1871 a third
overseer for South Hornsey was appointed. Ratepayers' meetings adopted the lighting provisions of
the Lighting and Watching Act, 1834, for one estate
in 1847 (fn. 33) and another in 1854; (fn. 34) the estates were
amalgamated in 1858 in the Hornsey (Stoke Newington) district, which covered all the parish south of
Hornsey Wood House. (fn. 35) Its lighting inspectors
considered adopting the Local Government Act,
1858, from 1861, with or without the rest of Hornsey, (fn. 36) and in 1865 South Hornsey local board of
health was established for the area south of Seven
Sisters Road. (fn. 37) Disputes with neighbouring authorities resulted in attempts to annexe the area to the
metropolis (fn. 38) but were resolved by a public inquiry
in 1873 and the Metropolitan Board of Works Act,
1874. (fn. 39) South Hornsey became a U.D. in 1894, a
separate civil parish in 1895, (fn. 40) and, under the London
Government Act, 1899, a ward in the Metropolitan Borough of Stoke Newington, whereupon
it was transferred to the county of London. (fn. 41) Under
the London Government Act, 1963, it was incorporated in Hackney L.B. in 1965, (fn. 42) when Brownswood Park became Brownswood ward and Clissold
Park was part of Defoe ward.
Hornsey escaped inclusion in the metropolitan
sewer system on several occasions. In 1848 the ratepayers of Highgate elected a sanitary committee (fn. 43)
and in 1851 the vestry appointed a standing drainage
committee, which was superseded in 1854 by the
highway board. In 1867 the parish had a bad system of drainage, apparently because the powers of
committee and board were insufficient, (fn. 44) the vestry
in 1864 having refused to adopt the Local Government Act, 1858. When South Hornsey local board
was established, a similar application by the district
of St. Michael, Highgate, failed because sewage
could not be disposed of within the district. (fn. 45) Early
in 1866 a similar proposal was rejected by Hornsey
ratepayers. (fn. 46) Under the Sanitary Act, 1866, Edmonton union appointed a committee to remove
nuisances and the vestry appointed a drainage
committee. (fn. 47) There were thus three committees
with overlapping functions, inadequate powers, and
authority to levy rates, and in 1867 the parish
adopted the Local Government Act. At that juncture
the Hornet considered Hornsey the 'worst governed
parish about London'. (fn. 48)
Hornsey local board consisted of fifteen members, who met fortnightly and had committees for
nuisance removal, sewers and water, for roads and
works, and for finance. It retained the highway
board's officers and appointed a treasurer, a clerk,
an assistant surveyor and inspector, and a rate
collector. (fn. 49) During the 1880s F. D. Askey, founder
of Hornsey radical association and town clerk
1890-1924, repeatedly attacked the board for extravagance but by 1903 it was considered efficient. (fn. 50)
Hornsey became a U.D. under the Local Government Act, 1894, and was divided into the 8 wards
of Highgate, Muswell Hill, Crouch End, Hornsey
(divided in 1903), (fn. 51) North and South Harringay,
Stroud Green, and Finsbury Park, each with 3
members. (fn. 52) The wards varied from 109 a. to 709 a.
and in population from 4,859 to 19,044 in 1901, (fn. 53)
when Clerkenwell detached was added to Hornsey
and Middlesex. (fn. 54) After a campaign started in 1897
Hornsey was incorporated as the second municipal
borough in Middlesex in 1903 (fn. 55) but it failed to
become a county borough in 1904 and 1915. (fn. 56) The
new borough had a mayor, 3 aldermen, and 27
councillors elected from 9 wards (fn. 57) and in 1907 there
were 30 councillors and 10 aldermen. (fn. 58) From 1936
there were 8 wards: Highgate, Muswell Hill,
Central Hornsey and Stround Green each returned
6 councillors, and Crouch End, North and South
Harringay, and Finsbury Park returned 3. (fn. 59) In 1956
councillors were elected for 3 years and aldermen
for 6, the full council met 8 times a year, and there
were 8 main committees. (fn. 60) At the first borough
elections there was a contest in 7 wards and a 63 per
cent poll. The first council included Liberals and
nonconformists but dominance was rapidly achieved
by the new Municipal Reformers (later Conservatives). There were 43 Conservative and 5 Labour
councillors in 1950. (fn. 61) In 1965 Hornsey joined
Tottenham and Wood Green in Haringey L.B.
Borough of Hornsey
Per chevron argent and gules, in chief two oak trees eradicated proper and in base two swords in saltire proper, the latter pommelled and hilted or [Granted 1904]
Hornsey local board used the old highway board
offices, (fn. 62) until in 1869 it moved into the purposebuilt no. 99 Southwood Lane (fn. 63) on land leased from
the London Diocesan Penitentiary. The offices were
greatly enlarged in 1885 and 1916 (fn. 64) but were considered ill situated by 1894 and unsuitable in
1934-5. (fn. 65) A more central town hall, which would
also house the school board, was accordingly built
at Crouch End. (fn. 66) Designed by R. H. Uren, it won
the bronze medal of the R.I.B.A. in 1936 for the
best street frontage built in London during the
previous three years. It is of pinkish grey bricks with
dressings of Portland stone, forming two freely
grouped blocks linked by a slim 80-ft. tower and
including an assembly hall for 1,000 people. (fn. 67) In
1976 it housed Haringey's departments of town
planning and electoral registration, the offices of the
borough architect, surveyor, engineer, town safety,
area housing and youth employment officers, the
registrar of births and deaths, and the school welfare
clinic.
London Borough of Haringey
Sable, eight rays issuing from the fess point throughout or [Granted 1965]
Under the Parliamentary Reform Act, 1885, the
Hornsey Division of Middlesex was established. (fn. 68)
In 1918, under the Representation of the People's
Act, (fn. 69) Hornsey became a parliamentary borough. (fn. 70)
Both constituencies have returned only Unionist and
Conservative M.P.s, (fn. 71) although in 1945 Hornsey
was one of three constituencies where a Communist,
despite Labour opposition, won more than 20 per
cent of the votes. (fn. 72)