Catalogue description Ordnance Survey: Administrative Area Diagrams Archive, Record Maps

This series contains part of the Ordnance Survey Public Boundary Record Library, created in compliance with statutory requirements laid down in the Ordnance Survey Act of 1841. These maps, known as Administrative Area Diagrams (AADs), were prepared by the Boundary Branch as a record of the correct positions of the boundaries of the administrative areas of England, Wales and Scotland from the establishment of the first statutory Administrative Counties in 1888, and changes to the Administration of London (1899), through the extensive changes made to civil administration in the 1970s, and subsequent amendments to 2010. They include information on local government boundaries, parliamentary boundaries and judicial boundaries.

The printed base mapping is of variable dates and scales and is overprinted with the boundaries shown in distinctive colours relating to the administrative hierarchy. As with other boundary record map series, each carries an official stamp on the reverse which records the titles and dates of the Acts and Orders authorising change from the previous record map, together with their operative dates; details of certification for publication of new boundaries; and other stamp details as necessary, with provision for initialling and dating of each action taken.

The date range shown for the piece reflects the active dates for the information shown on the diagram. Each record may contain manuscript annotations some of which may be dated outside the date range given.

Ordnance Survey of Great Britain, Boundaries Branch, 1849-

in 2012 Ordnance Survey

J R S Booth, Public Boundaries and Ordnance Survey 1840-1980 (Southampton, Ordnance Survey, 1980) is a full account of the work of the Boundaries Branch. It contains a useful glossary and a complete key to authorised abbreviations.