London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
Local Studies Information Sheet No. 5
THE FORMATION OF THE LONDON BOROUGH OF BARKING AND DAGENHAM
The coat of arms of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
From Anglo-Saxon times until 1965, Barking and Dagenham were both part of the administrative area of Essex, the boundaries of which stretched as far as the
River Lea to the west.
The end of the 1800s and the early years of the 20th century saw the gradual development of local government. Before this, the parish had been responsible for a variety of civic duties, particularly the collection of rates for the care of the poor and the upkeep of highways. The division of these responsibilities between ecclesiastical and civil duties took place in 1894, and at that date Barking became an Urban District Councilresponsible for providing the services which are associated nowadays with local government (public health, poor relief, education). Dagenham did not become an Urban District Council until 1926, when its population was rapidly expanding due to the construction of the Becontree housing estate.
Barking became a Municipal Borough in 1931 and Dagenham followed in 1938. This was the recognition of each being the local authority for an active urban settlement.
By the 1950s the metropolitan area of London had spread into a large portion of the surrounding counties. The London Government Act of 1963 (effective 1965) replaced the previous system of Metropolitan Boroughs with the new area of Greater London, comprising parts of Surrey, Kent, Essex, Hertfordshire and the entire administrative counties of Middlesex and London, together with some 100 boroughs and urban districts. Thirty-two new London Boroughs, varying in size but of equal legal status, were created which succeeded all existing local authorities.
On 1st April 1965 Barking and Dagenham merged to form the London Borough of Barking. At the same time the Borough’s boundaries were redrawn – some of the land to the north, originally part of Dagenham, was moved to Redbridge. At first the combined Borough was known only as the London Borough of Barking, but, after much local pressure, changed its name to the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham on 1 January 1980.
The Local Government Act 2000 requiredcouncils to select one of three models for the structure of its local administration. Barking and Dagenham chose the system ofCabinet (consisting of selected Members),Scrutiny Panels and Committees although the termsThe Executive, Scrutiny, and Community Forums areused.
Primary Sources held at the Archives and Local Studies Centre, Valence House (an advance appointment is necessary to view these)
St Margaret Barking Vestry Minute Books,1694-1926 (Note: the Vestry minutes for Ss Peter & Paul Dagenham, 1789-1954 are held at Essex Record Office, but Valence House holds a transcript and microfilm)
Barking Town Local Board, School Board, and various Committees Minute Books 1882-1911.
Barking UDC Minute Books, 1895-1931.
Barking Borough Council and Committees Minute Books, 1931-64.
Dagenham UDC Minute Books, 1928-38
Primary Sources held elsewhere
Because the Borough was within the administrative area of Essex, the County Council was responsible for many of the administrative functions and records covering Barking and Dagenham are held at:-
Essex Record Office, Wharf Road, Chelmsford. Catalogues can be searched on-line at
Secondary sources in the LBBD Archives & Local Studies Centre:
The titles listed below represent a small selection of the books and pamphlets available:
Baker, S:Party Politics and the People: the municipal politics of Barking, 1894-1931 (History dissertation for Cambridge University, 1996)
Borough of Barking: A Century of Progress in Local Government in Barking, 1835-1935 (1936)
Oxley, J.E: Barking Vestry Minutes (1955)
Rees, A.M. & Smith, T: Town Councillors: a study of Barking (1964)
Shawcross, J.P: A History of Dagenham in the County of Essex(2nd edition 1908)
Microfilm copies of local newspapers, maps and a selection of photographs are also available.
Archives & Local Studies Centre, Valence House, Becontree Ave, Dagenham RM8 3HT 09.14