Local Government.
Manorial Government.
In 1294 the dean and chapter of St. Paul's
established their title to view of frankpledge, the
assize of bread and of ale, and other liberties in
Willesden as in their other estates in Middlesex. (fn. 52)
No record of the exercise of that jurisdiction has
been found. In 1552 they were indicted at the
Middlesex sessions for failing to hold an annual
court at Willesden, as had been the custom, and
for not maintaining a pound. (fn. 53) Some of the dean
and chapter's jurisdiction appears to have been
exercised in the courts of the several prebendal
manors, to which all the freehold tenants owed
suit of court, but the records are very few. For
Bounds manor courts leet and baron were in
theory held every three years; the single court roll
that survives, for 1422, records presentments for
breaking the assize of ale. (fn. 54) No record of manorial
jurisdiction in Brondesbury has been found
beyond the mention in a sublease of 1799 of the
manorial pound and of waifs and strays. (fn. 55) For
Mapesbury 16th-century leases mentioned not
only waifs and strays but courts and their perquisites. (fn. 56)
At Chambers manor, for which a court was
held in 1510, the lessee in 1570 had the right to
hold a court and take the profits, (fn. 57) and his
successors in 1649 and 1717 were instructed to
hold a court baron every seven years. A value of
£1 was put on the manor's courts leet and baron
in 1649, including waifs, strays, and felons'
goods. (fn. 58) In 1598, for which a transcript of a court
roll alone survives, the court was held in the
prebendary's name by the steward of All Souls
College and fined defaulters within the view of
frankpledge. (fn. 59) In 1729 and 1847 it was recorded
that in spite of the wording of the leases no court
had been held. (fn. 60)
At Harlesden in the early 16th century the
right to felons' goods was exercised on behalf of
the prebendary. (fn. 61) The lease of the manor in 1576
conferred the right to hold courts, (fn. 62) and the view
of frankpledge and court baron, with waifs and
strays, were valued at £1 5s. in 1649. (fn. 63) For
Oxgate a single court roll survives for 1330,
recording only essoins, a distraint for non
attendance, and a rental; (fn. 64) in 1649 the profits of
the court leet, including waifs and strays, were
valued at 5s. (fn. 65) For Neasden a view of frankpledge
and court were held in 1510, (fn. 66) and in 1649, with
waifs and strays, they were valued at 6s. 8d.; (fn. 67) the
right to hold a court was mentioned in the lease of
the manor in 1544. (fn. 68) At East Twyford a court leet
was mentioned in a conveyance of 1597. (fn. 69)
Manorial pounds were thought to belong to
Brondesbury in 1799 (fn. 70) and to Harlesden in
1847, (fn. 71) but the three pounds that existed at
inclosure in 1823, near Neasden House, near the
Crown inn in Harlesden, and in Petticoat (later
Pound) Lane in Chapel End, (fn. 72) were presumably
controlled by the vestry. The vestry in 1828
ordered a pound to be set up in Petticoat Lane,
probably the brick building dismantled in 1895,
and from 1828 regularly appointed a poundkeeper. (fn. 73)
Parish Government. (fn. 74)
Churchwardens were
mentioned in 1510 when they held chantry
property. (fn. 75) There were two from 1552. (fn. 76)
A constable of Willesden was mentioned c. 1580
when he was ordered to put the lessee of Brondesbury in the stocks. (fn. 77) From c. 1641 to 1853 there
were two constables. (fn. 78) A collector for the poor
was mentioned in 1608. (fn. 79) There were two overseers of the poor from 1678 and a salaried deputy
or assistant overseer in 1794, 1798, 1826,
and 1830. From 1678 there were usually two
surveyors of highways although in 1706-7,
1711-14, and 1771 there were three. The parish
clerk, mentioned in 1708, was paid in 1774 for
doing the vestry clerk's work and in 1789-90 and
1802 the two offices were held by the same man. (fn. 80)
William Twyford (d. 1826), dismissed for incompetence as vestry clerk in 1813, continued as
parish clerk in 1818 and 1824 although unsatisfactory. Other officials included a beadle (1703), a
dog-whipper (1778), an apothecary or surgeon, (fn. 81)
appointed in 1809 and 1818 and dismissed for
neglect in 1833, a sexton, whose office was
combined 1806-26 with that of parish clerk, two
examiners of weights and measures (1826), and
a poundkeeper from 1828. Appointments were
mostly annual, although one churchwarden
served continuously from 1787 to 1793. From
1816 one churchwarden was appointed by the
parish and one by the vicar. In 1826 there was
a struggle between the vestry and the vicar over
the appointment of the sexton.
From 1678 the assembled inhabitants were
acting as a vestry although not by that name until
1693. Early vestries were held at irregular intervals, but by the early 19th century there were
monthly meetings, usually attended by the vicar
or curate, the churchwardens and overseers, and
a few others. There were occasional larger attendances, 15 for example in 1798. During the
19th century attendances became larger and
there were 64 present in 1847 when the church
was threatened. A vestry house was mentioned in
1708 and 1735 but for most of the 18th and the
early 19th century meetings were held at the Six
Bells or in the church. In 1815 a vestry room was
built on the north side of the church. By 1856 it
had become too small and meetings were held in
private houses until a vestry hall was built in 1857
in the churchyard.
Besides poor-law matters the vestry's deliberations included law and order in 1749, 1757, 1810,
and 1820, straying cattle in 1821, and starting
a parish school in 1809, a benefit society in 1811,
and an association to prosecute offenders in 1820.
Church rates, normally 3d. in the £ in the 18th
century and 2d. in the early 19th, were used for
a variety of purposes not necessarily connected
with the church, particularly in the 18th century,
including the repair of buildings, the purchase of
two constables' staves in 1796, and payments to
the sick poor, especially in times of smallpox.
From c. 1840 payments were confined to church
repairs and salaries.
A poor rate was levied, usually twice a year,
from 1678. The annual total rose from £57 in
1678 to £90 in 1730, £140 in 1770, £303 in 1803,
£564 in 1821, and £844 in 1831. The income was
augmented by rent payable from enclosed waste
land, of which there were 31 parcels in 1792. The
overseers spent a small part of it on repairing
bridges (1682) and constables' expenses (1688,
1779). Expenditure on the poor included weekly
pay and sums for specific purposes like apprenticing, sickness, burial, clothing, brandy for
a woman in labour in 1708, and port for a widow
on the doctor's order in 1801. The poor were
badged in 1706. Edgware Road brought in many
poor from elsewhere including, in the 1730s,
disabled soldiers, a sailor, and Turkish prisoners;
the overseers were forbidden in 1736 to make
casual payments to outsiders. In 1801 relief was
given to 94 women and children travelling with
passes. Gypsies and vagrants were causing
trouble in 1820. In 1800 the overseers bought
potatoes, herrings, split peas, and barley, and
distributed coal and potatoes in 1801 and 1823.
Following the end of the Napoleonic wars, the
series of bad summers, and agricultural depression, (fn. 82) the overseers were ordered in 1818 to
employ all the men who wanted to work, and in
1824 to purchase flax or hemp to employ poor
women. By 1834 some 49 able-bodied poor were
receiving relief. Women and children were employed in spinning and the able-bodied men were
set to work on the roads, without supervision.
Money was given to induce men to seek work
outside the parish. About half the poor were nonparishioners and probably many were Irish; the
ease with which they obtained magistrates'
orders for relief was resented.
Willesden had no workhouse but cottages in
the churchyard were being used to house the old
and widows by 1704. It may have been one of
them that was referred to in 1781 as the church
house. There were six in 1828, (fn. 83) one being used
by the parish clerk, and seven in 1834.
Willesden became part of Hendon union under
the Act of 1834 and the poor houses were
converted in the 1840s into larger ones for the
parish officers. They were replaced by the engine
house and vestry hall in the 1850s and 1860s. (fn. 84)
The parish continued in a much more limited
way its care for the poor: in 1847 an association
was set up to improve the condition of the
labouring classes, and some 3 a. were leased for
allotments; in 1857 a vestry committee reported
on the state of the dwellings of the poor; in 1861
some ladies were organizing soup kitchens during
the winter.
The vestry continued to appoint officers: in
1837, for example, overseer, constables, surveyors, assessors of land, sexton, and beadle. A
keeper for the fire engine was appointed in 1840
and a poundkeeper in 1842; in 1857 a headborough was mentioned. One man often combined several offices, in 1857 for example as
constable, poundkeeper, sexton, beadle, and
engine-keeper. The Vestry Clerks Act was
adopted in 1856. (fn. 85) In 1835, to avoid becoming
part of the Metropolitan police district, the
vestry adopted the Lighting and Watching Act,
1833, and in 1849 it adopted the lighting provisions for part of Kilburn. (fn. 86) Increasingly the
work of the vestry was done by committees.
By 1857 there were committees for allotments,
parish charities, building a vestry hall, the state of
the poor, and nuisances. In 1863 Willesden
became part of Edgware highway district. (fn. 87) By
1871 a separate sewer rate was being levied, (fn. 88) to
deal with problems that eventually led to the
formation of Willesden local board.
Local Government After 1874.
Under an Act
of 1874 (fn. 89) Willesden became an urban sanitary
district, divided into four wards and governed by
a local board of 15 members. South Kilburn had
six members, North Kilburn, East Willesden and
West Willesden three each. There was a constant
struggle between the councillors for Kilburn,
where development and its problems were most
marked, and the minority led by George Furness
for the more rural districts. (fn. 90) The board appointed a clerk, a surveyor, a medical officer of
health, and a sanitary inspector. Their work
increased as building, especially jerry-building,
spread. In the decade after 1875 the expenditure
of the engineer and surveyor's department increased fourfold but there was still only one
building inspector in 1887. In that year an Act (fn. 91)
empowered the board to appoint additional
building inspectors at the expense of the builders
themselves. (fn. 92) By 1890 there were three building
inspectors, a road inspector, a treasurer, a rate
collector, and assistants to the surveyor, sanitary
inspector, and clerk. (fn. 93) Board meetings were held
at White's Hotel in Shoot-up Hill, from 1882 at
Hampton House (no. 297 High Road, Kilburn),
and after 1891 at the new offices opened in Dyne
Road and enlarged in 1900. (fn. 94) The board, sometimes in conflict with the Metropolitan Board of
Works and Edgware highway board, made up
streets, built a sewage farm, took control of the
fire brigade, and opened free libraries and a
public park. (fn. 95)
By 1894 the enmity between Kilburn and the
rest of Willesden was lessening, and under the
Local Government Act of that year Willesden
became an urban district divided into seven
wards, each represented by three councillors:
North, Mid, and South Kilburn, Willesden
Green (including Cricklewood), Kensal Green,
Harlesden, and Church End (including Neasden
and Stonebridge). In 1909 the wards were increased to eleven with the creation of Cricklewood and Brondesbury Park from Willesden
Green, Stonebridge from Church End, and
Roundwood from Harlesden. From 1925 each
ward was represented by four councillors. (fn. 96)
Voting in elections was apathetic. Between 12
and 22 per cent voted in 1919 and only 7 per cent
at North Kilburn in 1920. The controversy over
health policy in 1922 led to a particularly high
vote, between 33 and 44 per cent. Voting was
increasingly on party lines. (fn. 97) A Willesden ratepayers association was established in 1878 and
one in Harlesden in or before 1901. (fn. 98) The local
Conservative association was formed in 1879
with a branch at Kilburn by 1900 and at Stonebridge by 1910. There was a constitutional club
and a Radical club in Harlesden by 1895, a Liberal
club in Church End by 1895 and one in Kilburn
by 1900, and a Radical club at Willesden Green
by 1900. By 1910 there was a constitutional club
at Kensal Rise, a progressive club in Church
End, and a social democratic club at Willesden
Green. An Independent Labour Party club was
established in Harlesden by 1918. (fn. 99)
The U.D.C. was at first dominated by a few
individuals like Charles Pinkham, a developer
who was elected to the local board in 1888,
became chairman of the U.D.C. for the fifth time
in 1918, and was Unionist M.P. for West Willesden 1919-22. (fn. 1) Another Conservative, George
Sexton, a member of the U.D.C. 1901-28 and
five times chairman, was an architect. (fn. 2) From
1907 there were 14 Conservative, 6 Liberal, and 1
Independent councillor although they did not
use those labels. (fn. 3) The first election to be held on
party lines was in 1910, when 20 Municipal
Reform (Conservative) and 13 Progressive and
Labour members were returned. (fn. 4) Church End,
Stonebridge, Kensal Rise, and Harlesden were
represented by a new class of councillor, railwaymen and engineers. Percival Bond, elected as a
Progressive in 1910, continued as a councillor for
many years. (fn. 5) Labour had 15 council members in
1921 and although still in a minority was, by
tactical voting, implementing its policy on a
variety of issues, notably in public health. (fn. 6) An
alliance between the ratepayers association and
the British Medical Association in 1922 brought
an increased poll and the reduction of the Labour
members to 7, compared with 25 of the ratepayers association. (fn. 7) By 1930 the parties were
more evenly balanced, (fn. 8) and in 1933 Labour took
control. The first woman councillor was co-opted
in 1917. (fn. 9)
Willesden U.D.C. assumed more powers
than those of the local board, including police
services. (fn. 10) Under the Housing Acts the U.D.C.
had by 1931 built 744 houses and 262 flats on
estates at Brentfield and Neasden. It was responsible for 90 miles of public roads, 3 fire
stations, 5 public parks, 2 hospitals, 6 libraries,
26 council and 2 special schools, 112 a. of
allotments, and 3 burial grounds. (fn. 11) It had encouraged the growth of industry and housing in
the 1920s but had not attempted to curb building
speculation or to buy land for public buildings
and open spaces. (fn. 12) The increased work required
staff, (fn. 13) and a separate finance department was
formed in 1909. (fn. 14) The number of staff employed
on maternity and child welfare was one cause of
conflict in 1922. (fn. 15) In 1925 there were 979 council
employees. (fn. 16)
In 1896 the U.D.C. was empowered to appoint
overseers of the poor. For a time Willesden
paupers continued to be sent to the workhouse at
Hendon, and later lived in houses leased to the
U.D.C. until a large building at Park Royal was
opened as an infirmary in 1903 and a workhouse
was built next to it in 1908. In 1910 there were
1,000 people in the workhouse. (fn. 17)
When, after unsuccessful attempts in 1908,
1909, and 1919, (fn. 18) Willesden became a municipal
borough in 1933 it was the most populous noncounty borough in England. (fn. 19) Changes in the
ward boundaries and representation during the
1930s yielded 13 wards and 39 councillors in
1937. The boundaries of all the wards were
altered, Carlton and Kilburn corresponding
roughly to the old South and Mid Kilburn wards.
Two new wards were created, Manor out of
Harlesden and Kensal Green, and Neasden out
of Cricklewood. (fn. 20) In 1952 further adjustments
were made, including renaming Neasden as
Gladstone and the creation of Brentwater ward
out of the northern part of Cricklewood. (fn. 21)
Borough of Willesden
Gules, a chevron or between in chief an orb or with a band sable, ensigned with a cross-crosslet or, and two swords saltirewise proper, pommelled and hilted or; and in a pot or; all within a border or charged with eight roundels sable [Granted 1933]
The borough consistently had a Labour
majority from 1933 except in 1947. (fn. 22) The
Conservatives called themselves Moderates in
the 1930s and lamented the intrusion of party
politics into local government, but they adopted
party labels after 1945. In 1937 antagonism
between the parties erupted in brawling at council
meetings but apathy was more characteristic and
in the election of the same year there was no
campaigning by candidates. Polling was consistently low. In 1937 a fifth of the electorate
voted in municipal elections, (fn. 23) in 1956 and 1960
less than a third. (fn. 24)
Housing was the major problem facing the
council, which adopted a town planning scheme
for three areas in 1933 and tried to limit density of
housing in the remaining unbuilt districts,
especially in the north and at Stonebridge. (fn. 25) For
the areas long built over, especially the south-east
with its overcrowded houses, a slum clearance
plan was formulated in 1937, and by 1939 some
500 families had-been moved from Kilburn into a
new council estate at Roundwood. (fn. 26) War interrupted the scheme and added bomb damage to
already dilapidated property; the pressure of
population was intensified by problems associated with immigrants from Ireland and the new
Commonwealth. Following a comprehensive
survey of Willesden in 1947 (fn. 27) the council in 1954
began to redevelop South Kilburn. Through the
1950s and 1960s the council also bought property
elsewhere in the borough, built council houses,
made improvement loans, and encouraged
housing co-operatives. (fn. 28) While the council's 30year record on housing was attacked by a Tory
M.P. in 1963, (fn. 29) one of the leading policy makers
was Reg Freeson, elected to the council in 1952,
Labour leader 1958-65, M.P. for Willesden East
and later for Brent East, and a junior minister for
housing in 1974. (fn. 30)
The number employed by the council had
grown to 1,550 by 1949. (fn. 31) The main council
offices remained at Dyne Road in spite of complaints that they were too far from the centre of
the borough and inadequate for the expanded
services and staff. (fn. 32) In 1937 some departments
used converted houses and stables. The council's
proposal in 1960 to build a block of offices for
three departments was vetoed by the government
in 1963. (fn. 33)
London Borough of Brent
Per chevron gules and vert, a chevron wavy argent between in dexter chief an orb and in sinister chief two swords crossed saltire-wise or points upward and in base two seaxes crossed saltirewise passing through a Saxon crown or [Granted 1965]
In 1965, against strong local opposition,
Willesden was amalgamated under the London
Government Act, 1963, with Wembley U.D. in
the London Borough of Brent. (fn. 34) Of the 31 wards,
each with two councillors, 17 represented the
former Willesden borough. (fn. 35) Almost all departments were housed in the Wembley part of
the borough, mainly in the town hall, and the
Dyne Road offices were demolished in 1972. (fn. 36) In
the new borough, where Conservative Wembley
and Labour Willesden were evenly balanced,
party controversy intensified, particularly on
housing and education. (fn. 37)
Willesden was a district in the Harrow
parliamentary division of Middlesex (fn. 38) until
1918, when it became a parliamentary borough
divided into two divisions each returning one
member. (fn. 39) Conservatives sat for Willesden West
until 1923 and 1931-5, and Labour members
1923-31 and 1935-74. (fn. 40) Except in 1923 when the
seat was held by a Liberal and The Times referred
to the 'traditional pastime' in Willesden of
wrecking the meetings of opponents, (fn. 41) Willesden
East was represented by Conservatives until 1945
and from 1959 to 1964, and by Labour members
1945-59 and 1964-74. In 1974 the parliamentary
boundaries were revised, the former borough of
Willesden being included in Brent East and
Brent South; both returned Labour members.