Municipal Borough of Edmonton facts for kids
| Edmonton | |
| Motto: Faith in Industry | |
 Edmonton Town Hall |
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 Edmonton within Middlesex in 1961 |
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| Geography | |
| Status | Local board 1850 -1894 Urban district (1894 - 1937) Municipal borough (from 1937) |
| 1894 area | 3,894 acres (15.8 km2) |
| 1965 area | 3,896 acres (15.8 km2) |
| HQ | Edmonton |
| History | |
| Created | 1894 |
| Abolished | 1965 |
| Succeeded by | London Borough of Enfield |
Quick facts for kids Demography |
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|---|---|
| 1901 population | 46,899 |
| 1961 population | 91,956 |
 Coat of arms of the borough council |
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Edmonton was a special area in north-east Middlesex, England. It had its own local government from 1850 until 1965. This means it had its own council that made decisions for the area.
Contents
History of Edmonton's Government
Edmonton's local government started in 1850. It was called a "local board of health." This board helped manage things like public health for the area of Edmonton All Saints.
Changes Over Time
In 1881, a part of Edmonton called Southgate became its own separate local board. This meant Southgate started managing its own local affairs.
Later, in 1894, Edmonton became an "urban district." This change happened because of a law called the Local Government Act 1894. An urban district was a type of local government for towns or built-up areas.
In 1937, Edmonton changed again. It was given a special document called a "charter." This made it a "municipal borough." A municipal borough was a more important type of local government, often for larger towns.
Edmonton Joins Greater London
The municipal borough of Edmonton stopped existing in 1965. Its area became part of Greater London. It joined with the areas of Southgate and Enfield. Together, these three areas formed the new London Borough of Enfield.
Edmonton used to have an old town hall on Fore Street. It was built in 1885 in a style called Gothic. Sadly, this historic building was taken down in the 1980s.
Understanding a Coat of Arms
A coat of arms is like a special symbol or badge for a town, family, or organization. It often has pictures and colors that tell a story about its history or values. The Municipal Borough of Edmonton was given its own coat of arms on October 2, 1937.
Edmonton's Coat of Arms Explained
The official description of Edmonton's coat of arms is very detailed:
Per pale wavy sable and azure on a saltire or between two cogwheels in fess argent an open book proper bound gules edged or.
Crest: On a Wreath or and azure issuant from flames of fire proper a demi-lion per bend sinister sable and or holding in the dexter paw a sledgehammer also proper and resting the sinister paw upon a cinquefoil gules.
Supporters: On either side a lion gules gorged with a collar engrailed with the chain reflexed over the back and charged on the shoulder with a saltire couped or supporting a staff or flying therefrom a banner the dexter azure charged with an oak tree eradicated and fructed proper and the sinister gules charged with two seaxes in saltire argent pomelled and hilted or.
Let's break down what the symbols on Edmonton's coat of arms mean:
- Colors and Shapes: The background is split into black (sable) and blue (azure) with a wavy line. This represents how the old area of Edmonton was divided, with Southgate being the western part.
- St. Alban's Cross: A yellow "saltire" (an X-shaped cross) is on the shield. This cross reminds us of the Abbey of St Albans. This Abbey used to own the land of Edmonton.
- The Book: An open book is also on the shield. This symbol shows Edmonton's connection to famous writers. Two well-known writers, Charles Lamb and John Keats, had links to the area.
- The Lion and Cinquefoil: Above the shield, there's a half-lion (demi-lion). This lion comes from the coat of arms of the Francis family, an old local family. The red five-leaf shape (cinquefoil) stands for the Charlton family, who were once important landowners in the area.
- Industry Symbols: The lion holds a sledgehammer, which shows the strength and energy of Edmonton's industries. The cogwheels on the shield also represent the factories and businesses in the area. The flames remind us of the gas industry, which was important there.
- Supporting Lions: On either side of the shield, there are two red lions. These lions represent courage and determination.
- Banners: Each supporting lion holds a banner. One banner has an oak tree, showing the ancient forests that used to be in the area. The other banner has two "seaxes" (old swords). These seaxes are from the coat of arms of the Middlesex County Council, which Edmonton was part of. The small X-shaped crosses (saltires) on the lions' shoulders are a repeat of the cross on the main shield.
