# Hammersmith (parish)

Hammersmith was a civil parish in London, England, from 1834 to 1965. The hamlet of Hammersmith in the parish of Fulham had been governed by the Hammersmith Vestry following the construction of the chapel of St Paul's in 1629–1631. The Hammersmith Parish Act 1834 (4 & 5 Will. 4. c. lxxv) made formal the separation from Fulham. The parish was recombined with Fulham as the Fulham District for civil purposes from 1855 to 1886 and for the New Poor Law from 1845 to 1889. In 1900 the parish was superseded for local government by the Metropolitan Borough of Hammersmith. The parish continued to be used for election of boards of guardians until 1930 and was abolished in 1965. Its former area now forms the northern part of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.

## History
### Separation from Fulham

Hammersmith originated as a hamlet within the ancient parish of Fulham, with All Saints Church as the parish church.
In 1629, inhabitants of Hammersmith, including the Earl of Mulgrave and Nicholas Crispe, successfully petitioned the Bishop of London for a chapel of ease to be built at St Paul's Church.
On 7 June 1631, the chapelry was consecrated by Bishop Laud. A perpetual curacy was established and the chapelry developed its own independent vestry.
In 1834, upon the passing of the Hammersmith Parish Act 1834 (4 & 5 Will. 4. c. lxxv), Hammersmith became a distinct parish with St Paul's as the parish church and vicarage, governed by the Hammersmith Vestry.

### Metropolitan parish in Fulham District

In 1855, following the passing of the Metropolis Management Act 1855 (18 & 19 Vict. c. 120), the parishes of Fulham and Hammersmith were combined for civil purposes as the Fulham District, governed by the Fulham District Board of Works, abolishing the first Hammersmith Vestry. This coincided with the parish becoming part of the area of responsibility of the Metropolitan Board of Works.
In 1873 the parish of Hammersmith was divided into three wards for the purposes of electing vestrymen. They were North (24), Centre (27) and South (21).

### Second Vestry

On 25 March 1886, following the passing of the Metropolis Management Amendment Act 1885 (48 & 49 Vict. c. 33), the Fulham District Board of Works was dissolved and vestries of Hammersmith and Fulham were incorporated, with elections to the Metropolitan Board of Works to be held on that date.
On 21 March 1889, following the passing of the Local Government Act 1888 (51 & 52 Vict. c. 41), the parish transferred from the County of Middlesex to the County of London. The parish formed the Hammersmith constituency for elections to the London County Council with the first election taking place on 17 January 1889.
In 1894 the parish was re-divided into six numbered wards.

### Abolishment

The London Government Act 1899 (62 & 63 Vict. c. 14) reformed the administration of London by dividing the County of London into 28 metropolitan boroughs, replacing the 41 parish vestries and district boards of works administering the area. On 15 May 1900, the Metropolitan Borough of Hammersmith was created from the civil parish of Hammersmith, governed by Hammersmith Borough Council, abolishing the Hammersmith Vestry.
The London Government Act 1963 created Greater London, divided into 32 London boroughs, abolishing civil parishes in London. In 1965, the parishes of Hammersmith and Fulham ceased to exist and were merged to form the London Borough of Hammersmith.

## Poor law

With the introduction of the New Poor Law the parish became part of the Kensington Poor Law Union in 1837. From 1845, it was grouped with Fulham as the Fulham Poor Law Union. In 1889 Hammersmith became a single parish for poor law purposes and this lasted until the boards of guardians were abolished in 1930.

## Population

The population of the hamlet and then parish of Hammersmith at each census was:
| Year | 1801 | 1811 | 1821 | 1831 | 1841 | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1941 | 1951 | 1961 |
| Population | 5,600 | 7,393 | 8,809 | 10,222 | 13,453 | 17,760 | 24,519 | 42,691 | 71,939 | 97,239 | 112,239 | 121,521 | 130,295 | 135,523 | | 119,367 | 110,333 |