Berkhamsted Rural District

Under the Public Health Act 1872 sanitary districts were created, and the boards of guardians of poor law unions were made responsible for public health and local government for any part of their district not included in an urban authority.

Most of Berkhampstead Rural Sanitary District was in Hertfordshire, but it also included the parishes of Marsworth, Nettleden, and Pitstone in Buckinghamshire.

Following discussion between Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire County Councils, the Local Government Board agreed that Marsworth and Pitstone would join the Linslade Rural District, whilst Nettleden would be administered by the Berkhampstead Rural District from the outset, pending its formal transfer to Hertfordshire.

[3][4][5] On 30 September 1895, nine months after Berkhampstead Rural District was created, Nettleden was transferred from Buckinghamshire to Hertfordshire (along with part of Ivinghoe parish which was added to Nettleden at the same time) and thereafter the Berkhampstead Rural District was entirely in Hertfordshire.

[6] The link with the poor law union continued, with all the elected councillors of the rural district council being ex officio members of the Berkhampstead Board of Guardians.