Oxford-Burcot Commission
The Oxford-Burcot Commission was the first to deal with the administration of the Thames . It was set up by James I by a law in 1605 to make the Thames section between Burcot and Oxford more navigable . The commission had 18 members, including a representative from the City of Oxford and a representative from the University of Oxford . She met only irregularly and had stopped her work in 1611.
A second extended law was passed in 1623. It envisaged the appointment of eight people as commission members to monitor the sewers . This group was also known as the Oxford-Burcot Commission . The commission had the right to levy taxes on the city of Oxford and the university, to clean up the river, and to build locks and weirs . The Iffley Lock , Sandford Lock and a lock in Swift Ditch near what is now Abingdon Lock were built in 1631. However, the work progress was slow and the buildings expensive. The first boat did not reach Oxford until 1635.
Subsequently, the Thames Navigation Commission was set up by another law under George II in 1751 . This commission had similar powers as its predecessor, but was responsible for the entire Thames as far as Staines .
See also
Individual evidence
- ^ Alan Crossley, CR Elrington A History of the County of Oxford. Volume 4: The City of Oxford 1979, ISBN 0-19-722714-7 , pp. 284-295.