Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

Use microfilm copy, Richmond (Va.) Reel 1002.

Preferred Citation

Manchester (Va.) Street Committee Records, 1888-1910. Richmond (Va.) Reel 1002, Local government records collection, Richmond (City) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

These original volumes came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from the City of Richmond.

Reel 1002 was generated by Backstage Library Works through the Library of Virginia's Circuit Court Records Preservation Program.

Historical Information

Manchester was established as a town by the General Assembly in November 1769. According to this act, "the honorable William Byrd hath lately laid out a parcel of his lands at Rocky Ridge, at the falls of the James River, in the county of Chesterfield, in lots and streets for a town." Directors and trustees were appointed and the town was named Manchester. The town was incorporated on February 27, 1834. On March 20, 1874, a city charter was approved by the General Assembly and the city was divided into 4 wards. Three members from each ward served on the City Council, the main governing body of the city along with the mayor. On April 15, 1910, the city of Manchester was officially annexed to the City of Richmond with the provisos that a free bridge would be constructed to connect Manchester with Richmond and that Manchester would retain a courthouse. Today the area is also known as South Richmond. The town of Manchester was named probably for Manchester Parish in Chesterfield County. The parish in turn was named either for George Montague, fourth duke of Manchester, or for the town of Manchester, England.

According to the city's charter, "the city council shall have authority to...appoint such committees, as they may deem proper fro the regulations of their proceedings and for the convenient transaction of business."

Scope and Content

Manchester (Va.) Street Committee Records, 1888-1910, are comprised of three minute books which provide in-depth information on one of the City Council's various committees created to provide oversight of an important public service. Volume one dates from 1888-1898 and numbers 352 pages. Loose documents were filmed between pages 303-304. The second volume dates from 1898-1905 and numbers 499 pages. Loose documents are found at the beginning of the volume. Volume three dates from 1905-1910 and numbers 265 pages. Loose documents are found between pages 143 and 144. Only volumes one and two contain internal indexes. According to the volumes, the streets of Manchester were the purview of the Superintendent of Streets, the City Engineer and the city surveyors. All manner of improvements related to the city streets are noted in the volumes from the establishment of street grades, the examination of streets and filling of holes, the general work of curbing, guttering and paving to the submission of plans and specifications for paving sidewalks and bills for payment, the acceptance of bids and petitions for projects and the various reports of the responsible city officials.

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Related Material

Additional Richmond City Government Records can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm" .

A wonderful history of Manchester, "Old Manchester and Its Environs, 1769-1910" was published in 1993 by noted local historian, Benjamin B. Weisiger III. This volume is found in the Library of Virginia's book collection.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Richmond (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Committees--Virginia--Manchester.
• Municipal government--Virginia--Manchester.
• Public records--Virginia--Manchester.
• Streets--Virginia--Manchester.

Geographical Names:

• Manchester (Va.)--History.
• Richmond (Va.)--History--20th century.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Bids (documents)--Virginia--Manchester.
• Bills (invoices)--Virginia--Manchester.
• Local government records--Virginia--Manchester.
• Minute books--Virginia--Manchester.
• Petitions--Virginia--Manchester.
• Plans (reports)--Virginia--Manchester.
• Reports--Virginia--Manchester.

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

• Manchester (Va.) City Council.

Adjunct Descriptive Data