Leyton became an urban district in 1894 under the Local Government Act 1894. The portion of Wanstead in the district was reconstituted as a new parish of Cann Hall. Initially there were four wards in the district, but in 1903 it was reorganised into nine wards and then ten in 1920. A town hall was built for the urban district in 1895-96 next to the 1882 offices, which had proved to be too small and were converted into a public library. Designed by John Johnson (died 1920), Leyton Town Hall was described by Nikolaus Pevsner as "Fussy but enjoyable, in an eclectic and enriched Italianate style".