The area known as New Brentford (or sometimes West Brentford,
Great Brentford of market Brentford) became part of the manor
of Boston sometime before 1189 and was subject to the dictates
of the manorial court. The records of the court between 1692-1842
are kept in Chiswick Local Studies Collection. New Brentford was
also governed separately from Hanwell from 1616 when the vestry
of the Chapel of St Lawrence's took more responsibility for its
own in 1749 New Brentford was completely detached from Hanwell
when St Lawrence's chapel was upgraded to a church and new
Brentford became a parish in its own right The Vestry minutes
and accounts are extant from 1616 Any clash of authority between
manorial and parish rule was resolved by appointing the lord of
the manor as chairman of the Vestry.
The power of the vestries was stripped away in the 19th century
due to the formation of elected boards and committees such as
the Guardians of the poor the Metropolitan Water board and Local
Boards of health. In 1874 Old and New Brentford were finally
united under the Brentford Local Board for the Brentford Urban
Sanitary District. The Board met initially in the Town hall (now
the Magistrates Court) moving in 1888 to Clifden House at the
junction of Windmill and Clifden roads. Clifden house, the
residence of Lord Clifden in the early 19th century was
demolished in 1953. The Brantford Local Board was replaced
by Brentford Urban District Council as a result of the local
Government Act of 1894 and in 1827, Brentford was combined
with Chiswick to form Brentford and Chiswick Urban District
Council This became a Municipal Borough in 1932 with its own
mayor and aldermen In 19565 the administration of London was
completely altered by another Local Government Act and Brentford
was absorbed into the London Borough of Hounslow.
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Last Updated: 21st NOVEMBER 2005
