Greenwich was a
local government district within the metropolitan area of
London, England from 1855 to 1900. It was formed by the
Metropolis Management Act 1855 and was governed by the Greenwich District Board of Works, which consisted of elected vestrymen.
Until 1889 the district was partly in the counties of
Kent and
Surrey
Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
, but included in the area of the
Metropolitan Board of Works. In 1889 the area of the MBW was constituted the
County of London, and the district board became a local authority under the
London County Council.
Area
The district comprised the following
civil parishes
(electing members)
*
Deptford St Nicholas
Deptford St Nicholas was a civil parish in the metropolitan area of London, England. The creation of the parish accompanied the building of the Church of St Paul's, Deptford, constructed by the Commission for Building Fifty New Churches to meet t ...
(Kent) (6)
*
Deptford St Paul (Kent), including Hatcham (Surrey) (21)
*
Greenwich (Kent) (30)
Under the
Metropolis Management Act 1855 any parish that exceeded 2,000
ratepayers was to be divided into wards; as such the parishes of Greenwich and St Paul Deptford within the Greenwich District Board of Works were each divided into four wards (electing
vestrymen): Greenwich - No. 1 or Church (15), No. 2 or Ravensbourne (12), No. 3 or Hospital (12) and No. 4 or Blackheath (9).
St Paul Deptford - No. 1 or North (15), No. 2 or South (21), No. 3 or East (18) and No. 4 or West (18).
In 1894 as its population had increased the parish of Greenwich was re-divided into six wards (electing
vestrymen): No. 1 North (18), Marsh
os. 2 & 3 North(21), South East (18), South (12), West (15) and North West (12).
Mortality
The number of deaths reported were as follows. Greenwich parish was the location of
Greenwich Hospital, Greenwich Union Workhouse and
Dreadnought Hospital
The Seafarers Hospital Society, formerly the Seamen's Hospital Society, is a charitable trust, charity for people currently or previously employed by the British Merchant Navy and Fishing industry in England, fishing fleets, and their families. ...
which explains the relatively higher death count.
Abolition
There was a proposal in 1862 to dissolve the Greenwich District. In the
Metropolis Management Amendment Bill there was provision that the Greenwich vestry would become incorporated as a local authority and the remaining area would have formed the Deptford District.
[Parliamentary Papers, House of Commons and Command: Volume 3, Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons, (1862), H.M. Stationery Office]
The district was abolished in 1900 and split as follows:
*Deptford St Nicholas to
Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich
*Deptford St Paul to
Metropolitan Borough of Deptford
*Greenwich to Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich
References
{{Metropolitan Board of Works
History of the Royal Borough of Greenwich
History of the London Borough of Lewisham
Districts (Metropolis)
1855 establishments in England