Editorial note

EDITORIAL NOTE

Volume II of the Victoria History of Middlesex was published in 1911. At the time of its publication some progress had been made with compiling another volume but it did not come out and the remaining volumes as originally designed do not seem even to have been started. No doubt the First World War put a final stop to all activity on the History of Middlesex as of many other counties.

Practical interest was not revived until 1954-5, when, through the efforts of local enthusiasts, funds were raised from among the Local Authorities in Middlesex and from the London County Council to enable a special staff to be appointed to write and organize the completion of the Middlesex History. A Council on which the participating Authorities and the Middlesex Local History Council are represented was formed in 1955 to superintend this fund, and over this Sir Archer Hoare, C.B.E., has ever since presided. The constituents of the Council are printed below. Thus was formed another of those partnerships between a group of local patrons and the University of London, of which the prototype is the Wiltshire Victoria County History Committee described in the editorial note to the Victoria History of Wiltshire, Volume VII. The essence of such a partnership is that the local patrons undertake to raise funds to meet the local expenses of compiling and editing the History of their county, and the University agrees to publish what is prepared, provided that it approves the result. The present volume is the first-fruits of this partnership in Middlesex. The generous grants made by the Middlesex Authorities are most gratefully acknowledged by the University.

In 1956 the Middlesex Council appointed two assistant local editors, Miss Susan Reynolds and Mr. D. F. A. Kiddle. In 1959 Miss Reynolds was given the title and functions of local editor. Mr. Kiddle was replaced in 1958 by Miss Gillian R. Catchpole (subsequently Mrs. C. Wyld). Miss Reynolds left the service of the Council in 1959 and was replaced by Mr. H. P. F. King.

Sincere thanks are due to many people who have supplied information or allowed access to documents. Among these special mention must be made of the County Archivist (Miss E. D. Mercer) and her staff, the staff of the Guildhall Library, London, the borough librarians of Ealing, Heston and Isleworth, and Twickenham, and their staffs, and the staffs of the county library branches at Ashford, Hayes, and Uxbridge. No less helpful have been the clerks of the boroughs of Ealing, Heston and Isleworth, and Uxbridge, and of the urban districts of Hayes and Harlington, Staines, Sunbury on Thames, and Yiewsley and West Drayton. The local offices of the County Education Department have kindly furnished details about schools. Ministers of religion and the members of their congregations, the officials of various local societies and institutions, the secretaries and staffs of local newspapers and of many other firms working in the area, and many local residents and owners of houses or documents have given most generous help. In particular the Duke of Northumberland has allowed extended searches to be made among his large collection of documents at Syon House. The use of information from all these sources is acknowledged in the footnotes to the text.