In message , at 20:28:49 on Sat, 14
Sep 2019, John Williamson remarked:
On 14/09/2019 19:48, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 17:42:01 on Sat, 14
Sep 2019, John Williamson remarked:
I reckon treating Charles as the centre just arose out of "custom and
practice" as the Government grew and moved into Whitehall,

Moved from where?

There was a process of centralisation over that period of the Civil
service for things like tax collection. Charles's statue just marked
the end of Whitehall, as Trafalgar Square didn't exist.

Interesting they should choose the site of the Eleanor Cross for that.
Could be worth exploring more. Or did the Eleanor Cross already mark the
edge of Whitehall, when that point was chosen as the penultimate
stopping point on the long trip back to Westminster. (eg 'pausing in the
wings', before making a grand entrance the next day)

Most of what you say has already been explored earlier in the thread.
The "London Allowance" however is a surprise, and I'd have expected it
to be based on boroughs, some of whose boundaries are indeed down the
middle of streets. Chorleywood, not far from Watford, being one example.

In this case, it was actually based on the distance from the region's
headquarters, which was Euston Station, (15 miles was the limit, and we
were a street's width outside. The office location had been chosen on
that basis, according to the more cynical of us.) presumably measured
from the buffers.

The Union had "had words", but we were stuck with it. Rules is rules, innit?

If that was Reeds Crescent, I'd demand a recount. Google maps says it's
14.6 miles. 15m is more like the bus garage in Railway Terrace.
--
Roland Perry