Woburn Rural District Council

Woburn Rural Sanitary Authority was created in 1873. Rural sanitary authorities were set up to look after matters of public health. These included the provision of sewers, street cleaning and drinking water. The authorities followed the boundaries of existing poor law unions.

In 1894 the rural sanitary authorities were replaced by rural district councils. Woburn Rural District Council was, however, such a small area, that it was abolished in 1900 after only six years existence. The council covered the parishes of Aspley Guise, Battlesden, Chalgrave Eversholt, Harlington, Hockliffe, Hulcote, Husborne Crawley, Milton Bryan, Potsgrove, Ridgmont, Salford, Tilsworth, Tingrith and Toddington in addition to Woburn itself.

On abolition Aspley Guise, Battlesden, Eversholt, Harlington, Hulcote, Husborne Crawley, Milton Bryan, Potsgrove, Ridgmont, Salford, Tingrith and Woburn were all transferred to Ampthill Rural District Council. Toddington was transferred to Luton District Council and Chalgrave, Hockliffe and Tilsworth were transferred to Eaton Bray Rural District Council.

As may be expected from such a short-lived authority Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service does not have many documents:

• RDWL1: general ledger (finance): 1873-1892;
• RDWM1/1: minutes: 1872-1891;
• RDWM1/2: minutes: 1892-1900.