Editing London Borough of Southwark (section)

==History==
{{further|Southwark}}
[[Southwark]] is the oldest part of [[south London]]. An urban area to the south of the bridge was first developed in the [[Roman Britain|Roman]] period, but subsequently abandoned. The name [[Southwark]] dates from the establishment of a defensive position in the area by [[King Alfred]] in the 9th century.

Southwark was an [[ancient borough]], being described as a borough from at least the 12th century. The area historically formed part of the county of [[Surrey]]. Southwark had a complicated administrative relationship with the neighbouring [[City of London]]. There was a [[parliamentary borough]] (constituency) of [[Southwark (UK Parliament constituency)|Southwark]] from 1295 onwards. London was given various [[manorial]] and judicial rights over parts of Southwark, notably in 1327 and 1550, when Southwark was brought within the city boundaries as the ward of [[Bridge Without]]. However, the city's authority over Southwark was not as complete as it was for the older part of the city north of the Thames; certain judicial powers over the borough were still exercised by the Surrey authorities.<ref>{{cite book |title=A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 4 |date=1912 |publisher=Victoria County History |location=London |pages=135–141 |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/surrey/vol4/pp135-141 |access-date=27 April 2024}}</ref>

From 1856 the area was also governed by the [[Metropolitan Board of Works]], which was established to provide services across the [[metropolis]] of London. In 1889 the Metropolitan Board of Works' area was made the [[County of London]]. From 1856 until 1900 the lower tier of local government within the metropolis comprised various [[List of London vestries and district boards|parish vestries and district boards]]. The parishes of [[Bermondsey (parish)|Bermondsey]], [[Camberwell]], [[Newington, London|Newington]], [[Rotherhithe]] and [[Southwark St George the Martyr]] were governed by their individual vestries, whilst other smaller parishes and liberties were grouped into the [[St Olave District]] and [[St Saviour's District]].<ref>[[Metropolis Management Act 1855]] (18 & 19 Vict. c. 120)</ref>

In 1900 the lower tier was reorganised into [[Metropolitan boroughs of the County of London|metropolitan boroughs]]. Bermondsey, Rotherhithe and the St Olave District merged to become the [[Metropolitan Borough of Bermondsey]], the parish of Camberwell was made the [[Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell]], and Newington, Southwark St George the Martyr, and the St Saviour's District merged to become the [[Metropolitan Borough of Southwark]]. The City of London's Bridge Without ward which had covered parts of Southwark was effectively abolished as part of the reforms, losing all its territory.<ref>[[London Government Act 1899]] (62 & 63 Vict. c. 14)</ref>

The larger London Borough of Southwark was created in 1965 under the [[London Government Act 1963]], covering the combined area of the former metropolitan boroughs of Southwark, Bermondsey and Camberwell.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=London Government Act 1963|chapter=33|access-date=16 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Youngs |first=Frederic |title=Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England |publisher=Royal Historical Society |location=London |volume=I: Southern England |year=1979 |isbn=0901050679}}</ref>