Records of the public health responsibilities of Bath City Council
Reference Number
BC/14
Alternative Reference Number
0158 0176
Level of Description
Sub-fonds
Title
Records of the public health responsibilities of Bath City Council
Date
c.1866-c.1974
Extent
Extent: 8 linear metres
Description
From the mid-nineteenth century until 1974 Bath City Council played a major role in health promotion and the prevention of disease, as various public health acts were passed which gave it responsibility or permission to act in a wide range of areas.
The 1851 Bath Act gave the Council a number of responsibilities relating to public health, and empowered it to appoint a Medical Officer of Health. Not all the powers were acted on immediately, and the first Medical Officer of Health was not appointed until 1866.
By the early twentieth century, the Council was responsible for midwives and maternal, infant and child health, mental health, isolation hospitals, food standards, baths and washhouses and much more. Most of these aspects of public health remained the responsibility of the Council until 1974, when the majority passed to the Bath District Health Authority [see HA]. In 2013 public health responsiblities returned to Bath & North East Somerset Council, but on a commissioning basis. The following records provide valuable information for research in this area.
The records in this sub-fonds comprise records created by the Medical Officer of Health, School Medical Officer,the Public Analyst, and the Sanitary Inspector. There are also some records concerning the establishment of the Statutory Hospital, later Claverton Down Isolation Hospital under the Bath Urban Sanitary Authority, records of the Bath Infant Welfare Association, and the School Dental Service.
Note that records relating to sanitation infrastructure (for example water supply and sewerage) can be found in sub-fonds BC/7 (records of infrastructure).
