Municipal Borough of Dagenham
Encyclopedia
Dagenham was a local government district in south west Essex
, England from 1926 to 1965 covering the parish of Dagenham
. Initially created as an urban district, it was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1938. It was established to deal with the increase in population and the change from rural to urban area caused by the building of the Becontree
estate by the London County Council
and the subsequent movement of people from Inner London
. Peripheral to London, the district formed part of the Metropolitan Police District
and London Traffic Area
. It now forms the eastern sections of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
and the London Borough of Redbridge
in Greater London
.
from 1894. In 1920 it was suggested the parish should be removed from the rural district and its area divided between Ilford Urban District
and Barking Town Urban District
, because of the dramatic rise in population caused by the change in use of land from mostly farming to the large scale suburban housing development of the Becontree
estate. Instead the urban district
was created in 1926 from the parish of Dagenham.
from 1933.
Dagenham was incorporated as a municipal borough
in 1938.
Initially the urban district council was based in Valence House
, which it purchased from the London County Council
in 1928. To replace this temporary accommodation, the council built an impressive art deco style town hall, which opened in 1937 and is now used as the Barking and Dagenham Civic Centre. It is located at Becontree Heath
, the ancient meeting place of the Becontree
hundred. The first stone was ceremonially put in place in 1936 by Lord Snell
, Chairman of the London County Council.
The parish and district included a long protrusion northwards to include Chadwell Heath
, Marks Gate
, Hog Hill and part of Hainault Forest, and formed a boundary with Chigwell
.
The council exercised its right to be an excepted district, locally responsible for education, under the Education Act 1944
.
. The Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London
considered the district for inclusion in Greater London and in 1965 it was abolished by the London Government Act 1963
, with its former area transferred to Greater London
from Essex, to be combined with parts of other districts, including Barking
, to form the London Borough of Barking (now known as the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
). The northern tip of the protustion northwards towards Chigwell became part of the London Borough of Redbridge
along with the south eastern part of Chigwell Urban District
.
factory led to further increases in population.
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England from 1926 to 1965 covering the parish of Dagenham
Dagenham
Dagenham is a large suburb in East London, forming the eastern part of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and located east of Charing Cross. It was historically an agrarian village in the county of Essex and remained mostly undeveloped until 1921 when the London County Council began...
. Initially created as an urban district, it was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1938. It was established to deal with the increase in population and the change from rural to urban area caused by the building of the Becontree
Becontree
Becontree is a place in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, east north-east of Charing Cross.-Becontree estate:The area was developed between 1921 and 1932 by the London County Council as a large council estate of 27,000 homes, intended as "homes for heroes" after World War I. With a...
estate by the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
and the subsequent movement of people from Inner London
County of London
The County of London was a county of England from 1889 to 1965, corresponding to the area known today as Inner London. It was created as part of the general introduction of elected county government in England, by way of the Local Government Act 1888. The Act created an administrative County of...
. Peripheral to London, the district formed part of the Metropolitan Police District
Metropolitan Police District
The Metropolitan Police District is the police area which is policed by London's Metropolitan Police Service. It currently consists of Greater London, excluding the City of London.-History:...
and London Traffic Area
London Traffic Area
The London Traffic Area was established by the London Traffic Act 1924 in order to regulate the increasing amount of motor traffic in the London area...
. It now forms the eastern sections of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough had a total population of 1,937; and the area was characterised by farming, woodland and the fishing fleet at Barking. This last industry employed 1,370 men and boys by 1850, but by the end of the century had ceased to exist; replaced by...
and the London Borough of Redbridge
London Borough of Redbridge
The London Borough of Redbridge is a London borough in outer north-east London. Its administrative headquarters is at Redbridge Town Hall in Ilford. The local authority is Redbridge London Borough Council.-Etymology:...
in Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
.
Formation
Dagenham parish formed part of Romford Rural DistrictRomford Rural District
Romford Rural District was a local government district in south west Essex, England from 1894 to 1934. It surrounded, but did not include, Romford which formed a separate urban district...
from 1894. In 1920 it was suggested the parish should be removed from the rural district and its area divided between Ilford Urban District
Municipal Borough of Ilford
Ilford was a civil parish and local government district in south west Essex, England from 1888 to 1965, covering the town Ilford. The district saw a considerable rise in population throughout its life, caused by the expansion of the built-up area of London, and became one of the most populous...
and Barking Town Urban District
Municipal Borough of Barking
Barking was a local government district in south west Essex, England from 1882 to 1965. It included the town of Barking, eastern Beckton and the south western part of the Becontree estate. The district was within the Metropolitan Police District and experienced a steady increase in population...
, because of the dramatic rise in population caused by the change in use of land from mostly farming to the large scale suburban housing development of the Becontree
Becontree
Becontree is a place in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, east north-east of Charing Cross.-Becontree estate:The area was developed between 1921 and 1932 by the London County Council as a large council estate of 27,000 homes, intended as "homes for heroes" after World War I. With a...
estate. Instead the urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
was created in 1926 from the parish of Dagenham.
District and borough
A move was mooted in 1929 to either combine Dagenham with Barking and Ilford (the three districts to contain parts of the Becontree estate), or for Dagenham to gain part of Barking; but it was not acted upon. The district became part of the London Passenger Transport AreaLondon Passenger Transport Board
The London Passenger Transport Board was the organisation responsible for public transport in London, UK, and its environs from 1933 to 1948...
from 1933.
Dagenham was incorporated as a municipal borough
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
in 1938.
Initially the urban district council was based in Valence House
Valence House Museum
Valence House Museum is the only surviving example of the five manor houses of Dagenham. The timber framed museum building, partially surrounded by a moat, is situated in Valence Park off Becontree Avenue, in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, London, England.The museum contains permanent...
, which it purchased from the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
in 1928. To replace this temporary accommodation, the council built an impressive art deco style town hall, which opened in 1937 and is now used as the Barking and Dagenham Civic Centre. It is located at Becontree Heath
Becontree Heath
Becontree Heath is an open space in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. The name has also been unofficially applied to the local area, in particular to the RM8 postal district....
, the ancient meeting place of the Becontree
Becontree (hundred)
Becontree was an ancient hundred in the south west of the county of Essex, England. Its area has been entirely absorbed by the growth of London; with its name reused in 1921 for the large Becontree estate of the London County Council...
hundred. The first stone was ceremonially put in place in 1936 by Lord Snell
Harry Snell, 1st Baron Snell
Henry Snell, 1st Baron Snell CH, PC , was a British socialist politician and campaigner. He served in government under Ramsay MacDonald and Winston Churchill, and as the Labour Party's leader in the House of Lords in the late 1930s.-Background:Born in Sutton-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire, the son of...
, Chairman of the London County Council.
The parish and district included a long protrusion northwards to include Chadwell Heath
Chadwell Heath
Chadwell Heath is a place in the London Borough of Redbridge and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, both in Greater London. It is north-east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
, Marks Gate
Marks Gate
Marks Gate is a place at the northern tip of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham in northeast London, England.It is located immediately north of Chadwell Heath and west of Collier Row....
, Hog Hill and part of Hainault Forest, and formed a boundary with Chigwell
Chigwell
Chigwell is a civil parish and town in the Epping Forest district of Essex. It is located 11.6 miles north east of Charing Cross. It is served by two London Underground stations and has a London area code.-Etymology:According to P. H...
.
The council exercised its right to be an excepted district, locally responsible for education, under the Education Act 1944
Education Act 1944
The Education Act 1944 changed the education system for secondary schools in England and Wales. This Act, commonly named after the Conservative politician R.A...
.
Abolition
The borough was considered to form part of the Greater London Conurbation, as defined by the Registrar GeneralRegistrar General
General Register Office, in England and Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and many Commonwealth nations, is the government agency responsible for civil registration - the recording of vital records such as births, deaths, and marriages...
. The Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London
Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London
The Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London, also known as the Herbert Commission, was established in 1957 and published its report in 1960...
considered the district for inclusion in Greater London and in 1965 it was abolished by the London Government Act 1963
London Government Act 1963
The London Government Act 1963 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which recognised officially the conurbation known as Greater London and created a new local government structure for the capital. The Act significantly reduced the number of local government districts in the area,...
, with its former area transferred to Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
from Essex, to be combined with parts of other districts, including Barking
Municipal Borough of Barking
Barking was a local government district in south west Essex, England from 1882 to 1965. It included the town of Barking, eastern Beckton and the south western part of the Becontree estate. The district was within the Metropolitan Police District and experienced a steady increase in population...
, to form the London Borough of Barking (now known as the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough had a total population of 1,937; and the area was characterised by farming, woodland and the fishing fleet at Barking. This last industry employed 1,370 men and boys by 1850, but by the end of the century had ceased to exist; replaced by...
). The northern tip of the protustion northwards towards Chigwell became part of the London Borough of Redbridge
London Borough of Redbridge
The London Borough of Redbridge is a London borough in outer north-east London. Its administrative headquarters is at Redbridge Town Hall in Ilford. The local authority is Redbridge London Borough Council.-Etymology:...
along with the south eastern part of Chigwell Urban District
Chigwell Urban District
Chigwell was a local government district in south west Essex, England. It contained the settlements of Chigwell, Loughton and Buckhurst Hill; and formed part of the Metropolitan Police District.-Formation:...
.
Population
The population of the parish grew considerably after the building of the Becontree estate from 1921; it peaked in 1951. The introduction of industrial use such as the Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
factory led to further increases in population.
| Year | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1951 | 1961 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,708 | 2,879 | 3,411 | 4,324 | 6,091 | 7,930 | 9,127 | 89,362 | 114,568 | 108,368 |