Skip to main content
Funded and Managed by
City of London Corporation
The London Archives

Drainage applications and plans

Research Guide
men-looking-down-sewer

1. About this guide

This guide will help you find drainage applications and plans for the inner London area.

Please note that drainage plans for properties built from the mid-nineteenth century onwards should be held by local boroughs in their archives or planning department. The records below are most useful for properties built before 1855.

2. Commissions of Sewers

Before 1847, land drainage in low lying parts of inner London was the responsibility of eight separate Commissions of Sewers:

  • City of London Commission of Sewers (continued until 1897)
  • Greenwich Commission of Sewers
  • Holborn and Finsbury Commission of Sewers
  • Poplar Commission of Sewers
  • St Katherine’s Commission of Sewers
  • Surrey and Kent Commission of Sewers
  • Tower Hamlets Commission of Sewers
  • Westminster Commission of Sewers

These commissions had control over all watercourses and ditches within two miles of the City of London as well as newly constructed drains and sewers.

Sewers were originally intended only for the drainage of surface water, and it was prohibited to connect house drains to the sewerage system. Houses had privies and cesspits which were supposed to be emptied and carted away.

In 1815, authorities lifted the ban and allowed cesspools and house drains to be connected to public sewers for the first time. This was made compulsory for all new buildings in 1847.

The records of these commissions include minute books, applications for new sewers, maps and plans. The minutes contain details on applications by builders or developers to connect houses to sewers and are best used alongside the surviving maps and plans. Below is an outline of the surviving records for each commission:

City of London Commission of Sewers

Responsible for the City of London.  In 1897 its responsibilities were transferred to the Public Health Department of the City of London. Surviving records include minutes in CLA/006/AD/03 and plans in CLA/006/PL/01.

Greenwich Commission of Sewers

Responsible for Greenwich Marshes. Surviving records include minutes in GCS/010 and plans in GCS/PR/001-002. There are no surviving drainage applications.

Holborn and Finsbury Commission of Sewers

Responsible for the River Fleet and the area which it drained. Surviving records include minutes in HFCS/011-062, drainage applications in HFCS/096-130 and plans in HFCS/P/001-030 and HFCS/PR/001-032. HFCS/570 lists the streets and areas included in plans referenced HFCS/P/002-019.

Poplar Commission of Sewers

Responsible for Poplar Marshes. Surviving records include plans in PCS/PR/001-005. There are no surviving drainage applications.

St Katherine’s Commission of Sewers

Responsible for St Katherine's. Surviving records include minutes  in STKCS/014-015 and plan of Nightingale Lane Level in STKCS/035. There are no surviving drainage applications.

Surrey and Kent Commission of Sewers

Responsible for a large part of south London from East Molesey in Surrey to the River Ravensbourne. Surviving records include minutes in SKCS/018-068) and plans in SKCS/069-258, SKCS/P/001-010 and SKCS/PR/001-022. SKCS/923 lists the streets and areas included in plans referenced SKCS/P/001-010.

Tower Hamlets Commission of Sewers

Responsible for much of inner east London. Surviving records include court minutes and registers in THCS/009-048, committee minutes in THCS/049-053, drainage applications in THCS/065-070 and THCS/071-074 and plans in THCS/P/001-012 and THCS/PR/001-006. THCS/535 lists the streets and area included in plans referenced THCS/P/001-012.

Westminster Commission of Sewers (WCS)

Responsible for the inner London area north of the Thames and west of the area under the jurisdiction of Holborn and Finsbury Commissioners of Sewers. Records include minutes in WCS/037-215, registers of sewers and drains in WCS/748-754) and plans in WCS/P/001-072 and WCS/PR/001-090. See WCS/920 for a street index to plans referenced WCS/P/001-047.

3. Metropolitan Commission of Sewers (1847-1855)

The Metropolitan Commission of Sewers (MCS) was appointed in 1847 to replace the seven separate commissions of sewers outside the City of London. Its purpose was to plan and construct a main drainage system for London. It had powers to compel all householders to connect their private drains to the public sewers.

The drainage applications cover 1847 to 1855 and are usually accompanied by a plan of the house or street in question. In order to look at them, you will need to start with the following indexes:

  • MCS/305 for a street index to drainage applications in Finsbury, Holborn and Westminster
  • MCS/306 for a street index to drainage applications in Tower Hamlets and Surrey and Kent

Once you have looked at the indexes, you can then view the original applications in MCS/244-304 which are arranged by district.

Surviving plans in MCS/P/001-026 and MCS/PR/001-043 cover 1847 to 1855. See MCS/P/026 for a street index to plans referenced MCS/P/001-012. Please note some of the plans only show the location of the sewer in the street with no details of individual properties.

4. Metropolitan Board of Works

The Metropolitan Board of Works replaced the Metropolitan Commission of Sewers in 1855 and built London's main drainage system. The main series of records are the applications to lay drains into main sewers in MBW/1779-1796 which include some plans. Unfortunately, these plans are arranged in date order and are not indexed. Most relate to new buildings.

5. London County Council

The London County Council replaced the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1889. The main series of records are the bound volumes of applications to connect drains to sewers LCC/CE/MD/01/001-023 which cover 1889 to 1936. Unfortunately, these do not include plans and are not indexed.

6. Thames Water

Some drainage applications and plans were inherited by Thames Water Authority when it was formed in 1974. The main records are the sewer applications in ACC/2558/LL/01 and ACC/2558/LL/03.