The New River Company

Records

The records of the New River Company, in its role as property owner, were deposited at the Greater London Record Office on 12 March 1984 (ACC/1953). Records of the Company relating to the provision of water can be found among the archives of the predecessors of Thames Water (ACC/2558/NR).

The records comprising ACC/1953 have been divided into three sections. ACC/1953/A contains records of the chartered company prior to the takeover by MWB. These consist of corporate records (including information concerning shares), accounting records and property records. There is also one volume of water rents. This section corresponds closely to much of the material in ACC/2558/NR.

ACC/1953/B comprises the records involved with the takeover by MWB. These date from 1902 to approximately 1913, and consist mainly of parliamentary and arbitration papers. There is also a section devoted to the effect of the takeover on shareholders.

The records of the New River Company (Limited) have been catalogued as ACC/1953/C. They date from 1904 and consist of corporate, accounting and property records. Among the property records are deeds, leases, plans, valuations and rent volumes.

Much of the material in ACC/1953/A is available, for later dates, in ACC/1953/C. Where this is the case a note has been included on the contents page. Cross references have not been included unless a specific building is concerned.

For further information relating to the history of the New River Company, see The New River: A Legal History by Bernard Rudden, 1985 (GLHL 24.215 (NEW)) and Exploring the New River by Michael Essex-Lopresti, 1986 (GLHL 24.215 (NEW)).

New River Company

ACC/1953/A - The Chartered Company 1619-1904

CORPORATE RECORDS

Board and Committees (see also ACC/1953/C Files ACC/1953/A/1 - 177

Correspondence and Papers (see also ACC/1953/C) Files ACC/1953/A/178 - 213

Shares and Shareholders (see also ACC/1953/B and ACC/1953/C) Files ACC/1953/A/214 - 258

ACCOUNTING RECORDS

General Accounts (see also ACC/1953/C) Files ACC/1953/A/259 - 260

Estate Accounts (see also ACC/1953/C) Files ACC/1953/A/261 - 263

PROPERTY RECORDS

Land Files ACC/1953/A/264 - 270

Buildings (see also ACC/1953/C) Files ACC/1953/A/271 - 293

Rents and other charges (see also ACC/1953/C) ACC/1953/A/294 - 315

WATER SUPPLY RECORDS

Water Rents File ACC/1953/A/316

ACC/1953/B - Metropolitan Water Board Takeover

Parliamentary Papers Files ACC/1953/B/1 - 9

Arbitration Papers Files ACC/1953/B/10 - 34

Stocks and Shares (see also ACC/1953/A and ACC/1953/C) Files ACC/1953/B/35 - 44

General Files ACC/1953/B/45 - 48

ACC/1953/C - The Limited Company 1904-1980

CORPORATE RECORDS

Board and Committees (see also ACC/1953/A) Files ACC/1953/C/1 - 142

Board Personnel (see also ACC/1953/A) Files ACC/1953/C/143 - 167

Correspondence and Papers (see also ACC/1953/A) Files ACC/1953/C/168 - 378

Stocks and Shares (see also ACC/1953/A and ACC/1953/B) Files ACC/1953/C/379 - 549

ACCOUNTING RECORDS

Ledgers and cash books (see also ACC/1953/A) Files ACC/1953/C/550 - 585

General Files ACC/1953/C/586 - 616

Insurance Files ACC/1953/C/617 - 641

Property Files ACC/1953/C/642 - 654

PROPERTY RECORDS

Deed Schedules and Lists Files ACC/1953/C/655 - 672

Numbered Deeds and Papers Files ACC/1953/C/673 - 848

Leases and Papers (see also ACC/1953/A) Files ACC/1953/C/849 - 976

Clerkenwell Estate Files and Papers Files ACC/1953/C/977 - 1017

Other Estates Files and Papers Files ACC/1953/C/1018 - 1036

Dilapidations, Specifications and Correspondence (see also ACC/1953/A) Files ACC/1953/C/1037 - 1099

Contracts and Plans Files ACC/1953/C/1100 - 1177

Rents and Other Charges (see also ACC/1953/A) Files ACC/1953/C/1178 - 1285

Valuations Files ACC/1953/C/1286 - 1295

War Damage Files ACC/1953/C/1296 - 1301

General Files ACC/1953/C/1302 - 1329

Miscellaneous

Information for Landowners Files ACC/1953/C/1330 - 1337

General Files ACC/1953/C/1338 - 1348

• <corpname>New River Company, 1619-1902</corpname>
• <corpname>New River Company (Limited), 1904-1974</corpname>

History

During the late 16th century the need for a fresh water supply to the City of London became increasingly apparent. The city was served by an inadequate number of conduits, and its main source of fresh water - the River Thames - was contaminated by sewage and refuse.

After several abortive attempts at legislation, the Corporation of London finally accepted the offer of Hugh Myddelton, a goldsmith of the city, to complete a new conduit in four years. This was in 1609, and by September 1613 the work was duly completed.

James I granted a charter to the New River Company in June 1619, and it was incorporated under the title of 'The Governor and Company of the New River brought from Chadwell and Amwell to London'. The seal of the company depicted the 'hand of Providence bestowing rain' upon the city and its motto was "et plui super unam civitatem" (and I rained upon one city).

Capital for the venture was provided jointly by James I and Hugh Myddelton, along with 28 other 'Adventurers'. On the incorporation of the company the two parties divided the shares between them; James I owned the King's Shares. The Adventurers' Shares were divided into 36 parts, 22 of the directors owning one part, and 7 others (including Hugh Myddelton) owning two.

The New River itself rises from Chadwell Spring in Hertfordshire, and runs approximately 40 miles, finally ending in the Round Pond at New River Head, behind Sadlers Wells Theatre in Rosebery Avenue. As well as providing water for the citizens of London, the New River Company owned a great deal of property along the course of the river, in both Hertfordshire and London.

The function of the company as a public utility ceased with the passing of the Metropolis Water Act in 1902. By this act the provision of London's water supply was passed from the various water companies to the newly-created Metropolitan Water Board (MWB).

As a result of this takeover, the New River Company was re-incorporated in 1904 as a modern property company. It was registered under The Companies Acts 1862-1900 as The New River Company (Limited).

The Company was taken over again in 1974 by London Merchant Securities, but still exists as a separate entity within that group.