WEST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL DEPARTMENTAL RECORDS

The documents in this collection are the records of the service departments of the County Council from its creation in 1889. They represent the working files of the Council's staff rather than the public proceedings.

The present catalogue - which includes all the material open to public inspection that has been deposited up to September 2000 - should provide a reasonably comprehensive record for the first 80 years the Council's existence. It will therefore provide the necessary complement to the records of the Council formal proceedings, 1889-1974, catalogued separately under the prefix WOC.

The documents are the property of the Council, which also holds all copyright to them.

Classification of Departmental records

Classes 1-15 are intended for general administrative records and for other types of record that are common to all departments.

1. Correspondence E.g. letterbooks, circular books etc.

2. Chief Officers' Reports Usually annual

3. Committee papers Normally agenda papers and reports. Will not be used for Clerks/Co. Secretariat records

4. Discussion papers. Occasional and special reports, statistical returns, surveys.

5. Handbooks and publications

6. Departmental administration Policy, establishment, administration etc.

7. Property and accommodation Normally H.Q. buildings. Excludes Schools, Police houses etc.

8. Staff Clerks Department to include senior appointments

9. Financial records This class no.will not be used in Treasurer's Dept. series

10. Records inherited from other authorities

11. Final miscellaneous pre-1974

<span class="wrapper"><p>For formal documents presented to Committees of New Council see WNC/CC3</p> <p>For other publications of the New Council see WNC/CC14</p></span>

They have been deposited in the West Sussex Record Office, County Hall, Chichester, on a number of occasions between 1946 and 2000.

PROVISIONAL LIST OF OFFICERS OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL, 1889-1949.

1. Clerk of the County Council and Clerk of the Peace.

The offices for the Counties of East and West Sussex were held jointly until 1913, during which time the Clerks Office was at County Hall, Lewes. Also includes office of Parliamentary Registration Officer for the County from 1889, County Returning Officer from 1917; Chief Officer for registration of births, marriages and deaths from 1935.

2. County Treasurer.

Between 1915 and 1924 the financial duties were divided between the offices of Treasurer and County Accountant (See 22)

3. County Surveyor.

Until 1912 duties also included supervision of County Buildings.

4. Veterinary Officers.

Under the Diseases of Animals Act, 1878-1886, the Council appointed part time district Officers to perform duties under the Act. In November 1933, a full time Veterinary Officer was appointed to make inspections under the Milk and Diaries (Consolidation) Act, 1915 and the Tuberculosis Order 1925; and in 1934 the whole series of duties were combined into one service, the V.O. had responsibilities to the Disease of Animals Sub-Committee, the Agricultural Committee and the Public Health and Housing Committee. In 1938 the councils functions, and staff, were transferred to the State Veterinary Service.

5. County and Agricultural Analyst.

Originally appointed under the food and Drugs Act, 1875, with additional duties under the Fertilizers and Feeding Stuff Act, 1893. This does not seem to have been a full-time appointment.

6. Chief Constable

The Chief Constable was responsible to the Standing Joint Committee itself. From 1943-1947 all police forces in the county of Sussex were amalgamated.

7. Explosives Officers.

Appointed under the 1875 Act, their main duty was to make inspections. Before 1889, police officers were always appointed, combining the duties with their normal work, and this practice was continued by the County Council.

8. Coroners.

Appointed and financed by the Council, but responsible to the Crown. The boundaries of the Coroners divisions did not coincide completely with those of the administrative counties of East and West Sussex until 1891; and the manor of Bosham retained its coroner independently until 1937.

9. Inspectors of Weights and Measurers.

Like Explosives Officers, local officers were policemen, but from 1890 a special Inspection was appointed. The Chief Constable acted as Chief officer until 1910.

10. County Returning Officer.

This office was only for County Council elections. From 1917 it was combined with that of clerk of the Council.

11. Officers of Sussex County Asylum at Haywards Heath

Until the West Sussex Asylum was opened in 1893, these officers were jointly employed by the Councils of East and West Sussex and Brighton. For the period 1894-1897, West Sussex patients were boarded out at a variety of asylums all over the South of England, until in June 1897, patients were first admitted to Graylingwell.

12. Organising Secretary to the Technical Instruction Committee.

The Secretary was based at Lewes and acted for both East and West Sussex Councils.

13. Officers of the West Sussex Asylum at Graylingwell.

From 1948 the Asylum came under control of the National Health Service.

14. Secretary to the Education Committee (later Director of Education).

After the 1902 Education Act, the Organising Secretary of the Technical Instruction Committee was appointed to this post for both East and West Sussex; but in June 1903 separate appointments were made for each administrative County.

15. Inspector of Midwives.

Appointed under the Midwives Act, 1902.

16. County Architect.

Appointed originally as architect to the Education Committee, with responsibility for the Police Buildings, from 1912. In 1919 the post became that of County Architect, with responsibility for all County Buildings. Abolished in 1980 on the erection of the new post of Director of Property. (See 41).

17. County Land Agent. (See also 36)

Created as a part time post after the 1910 Smallholdings Act, and elevated to a full time post in 1919 to help set up the smallholdings system for the land settlement of ex-servicemen. Discontinued once the system was established, 1922. Post re-instated in 1947 mainly to deal with smallholdings see 36.

18. Inspector under the American Gooseberry Mildew Order, 1909.

This office was held jointly with that of gardening instructor to the Education Committee. The inspector was responsible to the Diseases of Animals Committee.

19. Medical Officer of Health.

The work of this department covered at different times a wide variety of functions and so included a variety of different officers. From 1929 it included Vaccination Officers whose duties were transferred to the County's control by the 1929 Local Government Act; from 1942 County Sanitary Officers were appointed under the Milk (Special Designations) Orders 1936-1938. There were a large number of other specialized posts.

Abolished c.1974

20. County Tuberculosis Officer.

Appointed under the National Insurance Act, and partly under control of the County Insurance Committee. The post ended in 1948 with the setting up of the National Health Service. Acted partly under MOH.

21.Agricultural Organizer (later Director of Agriculture).

Originally appointed for education purposes, but subsequently added to this general agricultural oversight of the County's property and in particular the small holding estate. Duties partly taken over by County Land Agent (See 36) Staff included officers for: Poultry Keeping, 1920-1945, Dairying (1923-c.1945), Rats and Mice Destruction, (1920-1921), Rural Domestic Economy and Bookkeeping.

22. County Accountant (See also 2)

A post specially created to take over some of the then County Treasurer's duties. On the latter's retirement, 1924, the office of Accountant was combined in the Treasurers post.

23. Horticultural Superintendent.

Until 1946, worked in the Director of Agricultural's Department, but duties then transferred to Education Department. Combined later with the post of School Gardens Supervision.

24. Officers of Aldingbourne House T.B. Hospital.

25. County Librarian.

Responsible to Education Committee.

26. County Valuer.

A part time post created in 1929 for dealing with rating valuations. From 1949 it was combined with the post of County Estate Agent. (See 39)

27. Registration Officers for Births, Marriages & Deaths.

28. Public Assistance Officer.

Most of the duties passed to Welfare Officer, 1948.

29. Town Planning (later County Planning) Officer.

Initially worked under direction of an outside consultant, W.R. Davidge of London, who was appointed for four years to draw up the County Scheme.

30. County Pathologist.

Appointed when a laboratory was set up in County Hall. Transferred to National Health Service, 1948.

31. Air Raid Precautions Officer.

The Council's duties for the provision of Ambulances during the wartime were under superintendence of the A.R.P. Officer who assisted by an Assistant Ambulance officer.

32. Superintendent and Staff of the St. Richard's Hospital, Chichester.

Transferred to National Health Staff, 1948.

33. Children's Officer.

The Education Committee appointed a Children's Welfare Officer in 1939, and his functions were partly transferred when an officer was appointed in 1948 under the Children Act of that year. Abolished c.1971. See Director of Social Services.

34. Shermanbury Grange Approved School and Beechfield Remand Home Staff.

Responsible to a separate County Council Committee until 1947 when came under Children's.

35. County Archivist.

36. County Land Agent.

Appointed mainly to deal with small holding administration when the Director of Agriculture's post was abolished in 1947; on staff of County Clerk.

37. County Welfare Officer.

Appointed after the 1948 National Assistance Act. Inherited some duties of the Public Assistance Officer. Abolished c.1971. See Director of Social Services.

38. County Fire Officer.

Appointed when responsibility for the service was transferred to the Council by the Fire Services Act, 1947.

39. County Valuer. (See also 26)

Originally appointed as County Estate Agent to deal with the Shoreham Beaches Scheme. Principal function to negotiate the acquisition and Sale of land by the Council. Abolished in 1880 on creation of the new post of Director of Property (See 41).

40. Civil Defence Officer.

40A. Director of Social Services

Combined functions of Children's Officers and Welfare Officer, c.1971.

41. Director of Property.

Appointed 1980 to combine the functions and departments of the former County Architect (See 16) and County Valuer and Land Agent (See 39).