| Administrative History | The Borough of Derby had been granted several royal charters since the time of King Henry II confirming their rights and privileges. In 1682, King Charles II granted a new charter for the Borough, which included provision for the appointment of a town clerk.
The Town Clerk was the chief executive and administrative officer of the Corporation, As Clerk of the Council he attended and advised at its meetings and those of its committees and sub-committees. He and his staff were responsible for providing a wide range of clerical and administrative services for the Corporation. These included the maintenance and keeping-up to date of the burgess roll, lists of freemen and electoral registers, preparations for the holding of Parliamentary and local elections, distribution of documents for Council and committee meetings, communicating with central government departments and other local authorities, and dissemination of information on policy to other officials of the Council. The Town Clerk also acted as solicitor for the Corporation, assisted by a staff of qualified lawyers, advising the Council and its committees on their legal rights and duties and ensuring that the requirements and duties by Acts of Parliament were carried out. The Town Clerk's Office also acted for the Council in court cases or actions of litigation, and drafted conveyances, leases, agreements, contracts, and byelaws and regulations. The Town Clerk was custodian of the Corporation's common seal, by which all documents of importance were authenticated. He also acted as the Clerks for the Local Board and Urban Sanitary Authority, as well as being Clerk of the Peace and Clerk of Courts of Record, and Clerk of the Municipal Charity Trustees.
The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 reformed the nature of incorporated boroughs, including that of Derby. The Act established that boroughs would be run by councils elected by all male ratepayers rather than more closed bodies of self-appointed aldermen and burgesses. It also established in all boroughs the office of Town Clerk, a salaried official who was appointed by (but not be a member of) the council.
The Public Health Act 1848 allowed local boards of health to be set up to improve standards of public health in terms of water supply, drainage, sewerage, street cleaning, street paving and environmental regulation. In the case of Derby the Borough Council took over in 1850 those responsibilities, which included several which had previously been granted to Derby Improvement Commissioners by Acts of Parliament passed since 1768. The Town Clerk acted as the Clerk for the Local Board of Health.
The Public Health Act 1872 gave additional responsibilities to existing local authorities with regard to clean water, sewerage, street cleaning and clearing of slum housing. Sanitary districts were set up, and in the case of Derby the Borough Council acted as the Derby Urban Sanitary Authority. The Town Clerk acted as the Clerk for the Derby Urban Sanitary Authority.
The Public Health Act 1875 extended the responsibilities of local councils in many areas, requiring more regulation of house building, water supply, sewerage, food hygiene and street lighting.
The Local Government Act 1888 established county boroughs, of which Derby County Borough was one. It was a unitary authority, which was administratively independent of Derbyshire County Council, which had been set up under the provisions of the same Act in 1889.
The Local Government Act 1972 abolished the county boroughs, which meant that Derby had a lower tier non-metropolitan district council, although the council were allowed to retain the name of Derby Borough Council. In 1977 Derby was granted city status to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. In 1997 Derby City Council became a unitary authority.
List of Town Clerks - John Bagnold (1682-1689), Samuel Heathcote (1689-1723), Hugh Bateman (1723-1740), William Bateman (1740-1756), Benjamin Blyth (1756-1758), John Wright (1758-1765), William Merrill Lockett (1765-1777), John leaper (1777-1791), Edward Ward (1791-1818), Bryan Thomas Balguy (1818-1857), John Dunnicliffe (1857-1866), John Gadsby (1866-1879), Harry Freckleton Gadsby (1879-1902), Thomas William Coxon (1902), George Trevelyan Lee (1902-1932), Charles Ashton (1932-1948), EH Nicols (1949-1953), EH Emlyn Jones (1953-1960), NS Fisher (1960-1974).
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| Custodial History | These records were deposited at Derbyshire Record Office by Derby City Council in 1999. They had been transferred by the Town Clerk's Office to the Derby Local Studies Library, probably at the time of local reorganistion in the early 1970s. |