. ▁ ▁West ▁Ham ▁was ▁not ▁included ▁in ▁the ▁stat ut ory ▁metropol itan ▁area ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 5 ▁or ▁the ▁County ▁of ▁London ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 9 . ▁Instead , ▁administrative ▁reform ▁was ▁undert aken ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁in ▁much ▁the ▁same ▁way ▁as ▁a ▁large ▁provincial ▁town . ▁A ▁local ▁board ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 6 ▁under ▁the ▁Public ▁Health ▁Act ▁ 1 8 4 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 8 7 8 ▁the ▁inhabitants ▁of ▁the ▁parish ▁decided ▁to ▁pet ition ▁the ▁priv y ▁council ▁for ▁a ▁char ter , ▁incorpor ating ▁the ▁town ▁as ▁a ▁municipal ▁bor ough . ▁This ▁was ▁in ▁reaction ▁to ▁propos als ▁to ▁en large ▁the ▁area ▁govern ed ▁by ▁the ▁Metropolitan ▁Board ▁of ▁Works ▁to ▁include ▁ad jo ining ▁districts ▁with ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁ 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁or ▁more : ▁the ▁primary ▁aim ▁of ▁incorpor ation ▁was ▁to ▁prevent ▁the ▁inclusion ▁of ▁West ▁Ham ▁in ▁an ▁en larg ed ▁London ▁municipality . ▁This ▁initial ▁application ▁was ▁un success ful . ▁However , ▁encourag ed ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 3 ▁incorpor ation ▁of ▁Cro yd on , ▁a ▁second ▁pet ition ▁was ▁submitted ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 8 8 5 . ▁Following ▁an ▁inqu iry ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 8 8 5 , ▁a ▁scheme ▁for ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁bor ough ▁and ▁dissol ution ▁of ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁health ▁was ▁made ▁in ▁June ▁and ▁the ▁char ter