| Native Name: | Fulham District Board of Works |
| Common Name: | Fulham District Board of Works |
| Today: | London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham |
| Government Type: | District |
| Year Start: | 1855 |
| Era: | 19th century |
| Year End: | 1886 |
| P1: | Parish of Fulham |
| P2: | Parish of Hammersmith |
| S1: | Parish of Fulham |
| S2: | Parish of Hammersmith |
| Legislature: | Fulham District Board of Works |
Fulham was a local government district within the metropolitan area of London, England from 1855 to 1886. It was formed by the Metropolis Management Act 1855 and was governed by the Fulham District Board of Works, which consisted of elected vestrymen from the parishes of Fulham and Hammersmith.
It was in the part of the county of Middlesex that was within the area of the Metropolitan Board of Works. It occupied broadly the same area as ancient parish of Fulham and that of the current London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
The district comprised the civil parishes of Fulham and Hammersmith.[1]
Under the Metropolis Management Act 1855 any parish that exceeded 2,000 ratepayers was to be divided into wards; however the parishes of Fulham District Board of Works did not exceed this number so were not divided into wards.
In 1873 the population had increased enough for the parish of Hammersmith to be divided into three wards (electing vestrymen): North (24), Centre (27) and South (21).[2] [3]
In 1883-84 the population had increased enough for the parish of Fulham to also be divided into three wards (electing vestrymen): North End (27), Walham (27) and South Fulham (18).[4] [5]
On 25 March 1886, following the passing of the Metropolis Management Amendment Act 1885, the Fulham District Board of Works was dissolved and vestries of Hammersmith and Fulham were incorporated, with elections to the Metropolitan Board of Works to be held on that date.[6] In 1900, the parishes of Fulham and Hammersmith became Metropolitan Borough of Fulham and the Metropolitan Borough of Hammersmith. In 1965, the metropolitan boroughs were merged to form London Borough of Hammersmith, later renamed to the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in 1979.
24 members of the district board came from Hammersmith and 15 from Fulham. The district board nominated one member to the Metropolitan Board of Works.
The population of the district at each census was:[7]
| Year | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (Fulham) | 11,866 | 15,539 | 23,350 | 42,900 | |
| Population (Hammersmith) | 17,760 | 24,519 | 42,691 | 71,939 | |
| Total | 29,626 | 40,058 | 66,041 | 114,839 |