| Description | The material covers various aspects of the organisation of Rawmarsh Urban District Council and its predecessor, the Rawmarsh Local Board of Health which, for ease of access, has been subdivided into eight key areas: 'Clerk's Department' (1868-1974), 'Treasurer' (1836-1952), 'Public Health' (1903-1971), 'Highways, Utilities, and Waste Management' (1900-1931), 'Town & Country Planning' (1866-1972), 'Baths & Dance Hall' (1928-1961), 'Civil Defence' (1938-1950), and material accrued or produced by former Clerk to the Council, Gilbert Washington Rolls (1703-1986).
Papers within the 'Clerk's Department' cover areas such as housing (1920-1965, 1 volume, 13 files), local government reorganisation (1895-1973, 33 files, 14 items), property and Acts of Local Government (1855-1973, 4 files, 23 items), the Burial Board (1895-1961, 1 volume, 3 files), special events & visits (1935-1974, 4 files, 30 items), and local charities (1883-1939, 1 file). Most of the council's surviving financial records may be found under 'Treasurer', which includes rate books (1836-1936, 7 volumes), and valuation lists (1928-1952, 2 volumes, 1 file).
The most substantial series in the council's papers are the minutes (1868-1974), mostly signed, and comprising records of Annual, Monthly, and Special Council meetings (44 volumes, 215 items), which provide a complete record of the governance of the council and its predecessor. These are supplemented by a separate series of committees minutes (1872-1910, 11 volumes) and reports to committees (1954-1974, 11 files, 2 items). Other notable series include Annual Reports of the Medical Officer of Health (1903-1971, 1 volume, 37 items), deposited building plans (1866-1972, 1 volume, 25 files), and plans of proposed air raid shelters in Rawmarsh & Parkgate (1938-1941, 28 items).
It is worth noting that the papers of Gilbert Washington Rolls contain files and items that one may expect to find under the Clerk's Department e.g. rate books, material relating to events & visits, and year books. However, these have been kept as separate from the core material, and their original order strictly maintained, so as to preserve and reflect the administrative practices of one of the council's former Clerks. Within this material is also a substantial portion of personal ephemera and files retained from Rolls' other occupations, which together enhance the papers' portrayal of the former Clerk. (Researchers are strongly advised to check the Rolls material (41-UD/8) when consulting the council papers, in case any further relevant material is contained within this section). |