Were there Municipal Networks in the British World c. 1890–1939?

Abstract

The concept of ‘networks’ in the British world has captivated the attention of historians in recent years, with theoretical frameworks now offered to chart the chronology of such phenomena. This article examines these frameworks critically through the lens of British world municipalities, examining the transfer of people and ideas between 1890 and 1939. It contemplates the significance of British world publications such as the Municipal Journal, appearing after 1890, in the facilitation of British world progressivism and its role in formalising networks; also the travels of municipal employees and the correspondence of town clerks in the first half of the twentieth century. Consideration is given to the place of Australian and New Zealand cities in such global networks. The article reflects on whether a move from ‘ad hoc’ networks before 1914 to more formal ones after 1920 is a credible way of characterising the period from the perspective of the Southern hemisphere cities.