Porthmadog Urban District Council Records

Scope and Content

Porthmadog Urban District Council records, 1817-1974, comprising minute books of the general committee and its predecessors, 1817-1974, finance committee, 1895-1974, rating and valuation committee, 1927-1949, special committees, 1919-1966, the works committee, 1906-1974, the health committee, 1903-1974, the housing committee, 1931-1967, the library committee, 1953-1961, the improvements committee, 1921-1950, the hospitality committee, 1956-1962, the publicity committee, 1965, the park and development committee, 1957-1972, the gas committee, 1917-1949, and the general purposes committee, 1886-1917; and letter book, 1963.

Administrative / Biographical History

Ynyscynhaearn Urban District Council (UDC), Caernarfonshire, was established under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1894. It was renamed Porthmadog UDC in 1920. The Council comprised councillors and a chairman, elected for three years. It took over responsibility for local sanitation from Ynyscynhaearn Local Board of Health (itself formed in 1858) and its responsibilities included sanitary services, sewerage, refuse collection, housing, streets, cemeteries, libraries, parks, controls on buildings such as petrol stations, and licensing of public entertainments. UDCs were administered by a number of committees and by appointed officers including a Clerk, Treasurer, Medical Officer of Health, Surveyor, Rating Officer and Sanitary Inspector. Porthmadog UDC was abolished in 1974 following local government reorganisation, becoming part of Dwyfor District Council.

Arrangement

Arranged into the following: minute books (arranged according to committee); letter book.

Access Information

No restrictions

Acquisition Information

No information found

Note

Compiled by Rhys Jones for the ANW project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Caernarfon Record Office, Porthmadog District Council, catalogue; Jackson, W. Eric, The Structure of Local Government in England and Wales (London: Longmans, 1949); Hey, David, Oxford Dictionary of Local and Family History (Oxford, 1997); Bassett, T. M., and B. L. Davies, Atlas of Caernarvonshire (Gwynedd Rural Council, 1977).

Other Finding Aids

Hard copies of the catalogue are available at Caernarfon Record Office, the National Library of Wales and the National Register of Archives. The catalogue is available online.

Conditions Governing Use

Usual copyright regulations apply

Appraisal Information

All records have been retained

Accruals

Accruals are not expected