Open Spaces Society (OSS)

Lord Eversley, the former Liberal MP and minister, founded the Commons Preservation Society in 1865. The aim of the society was to save London commons for the enjoyment and recreation of the public. Its committee members included such important figures as Octavia Hill, the social reformer, Sir Robert Hunter, solicitor and later co-founder of the National Trust, Professor Huxley, and the MPs, Sir Charles Dilke and James Bryce. Most of the society’s members initially came from the south east, so their interests focused on London.

In 1899 the Commons Preservation Society amalgamated with the National Footpaths Society, adopting the title Commons Open Spaces and Footpath Preservation Society. The shortened name, Open Spaces Society was adopted in the 1980s. The society promoted important pieces of legislation, including the Commons Acts of 1876 and 1899. Today, its principal task is advising local authorities, Commons committees, voluntary bodies, and the general public on the appropriation of commons and other open spaces. It also scrutinises applications that affect public rights of way. It has no branch organisation but works with local and regional bodies. Its membership, therefore, is small. The society also publishes a quarterly journal as well as a wide variety of literature.

Contains administrative records, legal reports and papers, publications of the society, publications of other organisations, parliamentary papers, maps, photographic transparencies, and social and personal records.

More information

• Full descriptions are available on our online database SR OSS
• A handlist for the whole collection can be found here
• See also the Open Spaces Society website
• Images from the Open Spaces Society archive are available to download for free here
• See our online exhibition on the History of the Open Spaces Society

Associated collections

Bernard Selwyn (D SEL)

Bernard Selwyn was the Vice President of the Open Spaces Society. He was a chartered surveyor with the Greater London Council. He was a member of the executive committee of the Open Spaces Society (1982-2006), the parliamentary agent (1993-2005) and the spokesman for London.

A full description is available on our online database