Building Plans

The records of the Borough Surveyor's Office include some 2,500 sets building of plans relating to the Borough of Windsor during the period 1894-1938. They comprise two series of plans : the first, for the year 1894, were unnumbered, and the remainder, for the years 1894-1938, were numbered 1-2514, with a few plans having an additional identifying suffix letter. The references WI/SB1/A1-A27 were given to the first series and the references WI/SB1/1-2514 to the second series, the last element of these being their original number. Where numbered drawings were found to be missing a note of this was made in the catalogue but the original numbering was not altered. Plans in the second series have the "Notice of Intention to Erect New Buildings", prepared by the owner, his agent or the builder concerned, used as a cover

In this catalogue, each set of drawings is considered in isolation and information on one set is taken to apply to those drawings only, and not applicable to any other. Information that has been deduced is show in square brackets []

The catalogue is indexed in 4 ways :

A. By site address

B. By type of building (see below)

C. By name within profession of the originator of the plans (e.g. architect)

D. By owner name (see below)

The type of building is that stated on the plans. However, the description used by the Borough Surveyor may differ, as many of the buildings (in particular, any of wooden or prefabricated construction) would only have received planning approval on condition that the applicant agreed in writing to remove them if required to do so by the Council. These buildings are normally referred to in the Borough Surveyor's summary on the cover as "Temporary". (The extreme example is that of an application for a small 3-roomed bungalow referred to as a Temporary Shed). In most cases, the buildings have been catalogued in accordance with the application, not the resulting temporary approval

The detail of draftsman, architect or builder, where shown is that of the apparent owner of copyright of the drawings themselves and only names or signatures on the drawings are indicated. The description used is that shown on the set of drawings concerned : one individual may describe himself variously as architect, surveyor or not indicate a profession. In this last case this description used is "Plans by". Those drawings described as "Signed" carry holograph signatures. (In particular, many of the plans ascribed to W. Varney, builder, appear to have been prepared by H.B. Pallett on his behalf)

The property owner is normally the person for whom the plans were prepared. If that person is not named, the owner is assumed to be the applicant. Where possible the full name of the owner has been given, using a combination of information on the plans, in the application and the applicant's signature. Names of agents signing the Notice are ignored

Slightly over 200 drainage plans, 1907-20, are to be found in this series. These appear originally to have been filed separately, but to have been incorporated as blocks in 1923 (nos. 760-915) and 1926 (nos. 1176-1237), at which times covers were attached to the documents. No details were enterted on the forms; brief details appear on the outside covers