Somerset House in 1900

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ANTIQUE ENGLISH GEORGIAN STERLING SILVER - PARKER & WAKELIN LONDON 1760-1776
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R & J BECK LTD LONDON1914 FROG NAUTICAL FOLDING FLAT BINOCULAR ANTIQUE SPY GLASS
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Arthur H. Beavan continued his survey of Government Departments in Imperial London, 1901 with this look at Somerset House:

One other Department (or nest of departments), so vast that it cannot be overlooked, was at Somerset House, a bewildering place to visit, say for some such purpose as getting a return of Income Tax; or, at the Excise Department, for obtaining a wine licence; or, in the Department devoted to the registration of public companies, for an inspection of facts connected with some limited liability concern; or, at the stamping division, to get some important document duly impressed with the Royal Arms; or, across the big quadrangle to the Wills and Probate Office, to read the last testament of some relation from whom one had, or ought to have, expectations.

At Somerset House, circumlocution still lingered as in the days of Dickens, and there seemed to be an inextinguishable craving for foolscap and red tape.

In other words, traditional routine had been handed down to the 1900 generation.

Not so very long before a remarkable instance of this occurred when, after a terribly long discussion between the Inland Revenue Office and the Guardians of one of our suburban districts, the former was found to be in the wrong.

A heap of correspondence had accumulated, gallons of ink had been absorbed, and innumerable pens worn out.

Three months had been wasted before the momentous question involving the sum of one penny was settled to the full satisfaction of the advocates of "how not to do it."

Next: London government in 1900: Colonial Agencies