Greater Manchester Gazetteer "A"

ABRAM

This township or civil parish was in Lancashire. It was In Wigan ecclesiastical parish and in Wigan poor law Union. In 1880 Abram Local Board of Health was established for the area of the township In 1894 the area of the Local Board became an Urban District. In 1957 there were exchanges of very small areas with Ashton in Makerfield and Golborne Urban Districts. In 1974 it became part of Wigan Metropolitan Borough.

AFFETSIDE

Locality in Bradshaw and Tottington Lower End townships

AGECROFT

Locality in Pendlebury township.

AINSWORTH

This township or civil parish was in Lancashire. It was in Middleton ecclesiastical parish and in Bury poor law Union. In 1894 part of Elton township was added to it. In 1933 it became part of Radcliffe Urban District.

ALKRINGTON

This township or civil parish was in Lancashire. It was in Prestwich with Oldham ecclesiastical parish and in Oldham poor law Union. In 1879 it came within the area of the commissioners for the improvement of Middleton and Tonge townships and in 1886 within Middleton Borough.

ALPORT

Locality in Manchester township.

ALT

This township or civil parish was in Lancashire. It was formed in 1894 from the area of Ashton under Lyne township. It was in Ashton under Lyne poor law Union. In 1933 part of it was added to Ashton under Lyne Borough. In 1935 part of the civil parish was added to Ashton under Lyne Borough and part of Hartshead civil parish was added to it. In 1951 part of it was added to Oldham Borough. In 1954 it was dissolved and its area divided between Ashton under Lyne, Mossley and Oldham Boroughs.

ALTRINCHAM

The town of Altrincham was given a charter by Hamon de Mersey c.1290 but it was not recognised as a borough in the Municipal Corporations Act of 1835. Altrincham township was in Cheshire. It was in Bowdon ecclesiastical parish and in Bucklow poor law Union (which was called Altrincham Union until 1895). In 1851 Altrincham Local Board of Health was established for the area of the township. In 1894 the area of the Local Board became Altrincham Urban District. In 1920 parts of Carrington and Dunham Massey civil parishes were added to it. In 1936 parts of Bowdon Urban District, Hale Urban District, Dunham Massey civil parish and Timperley civil parish were added to it and part of it was added to Hale Urban District. In 1937 Altrincham Urban District became a Municipal Borough. In 1974 it became part of Trafford Metropolitan Borough.

ALTRINCHAM RURAL SANITARY DISTRICT

This was formed under the Public Health Act of 1872 as part of Altrincham poor law Union. It was dissolved in 1894 and the civil parishes in it were included in Bucklow Rural District.

ANCOATS

Locality in Manchester township.

APPLEY BRIDGE

Area largely in Wrightington township but also in Shevington and Upholland townships

ARDWICK

This township or civil parish was in Lancashire. It was in Manchester ecclesiastical parish. It was Chorlton poor law Union, 1837-1915, and in Manchester poor law Union, 1915-30. In 1838 it became part of the Borough of Manchester. There was an Ardwick Committee of Manchester Borough or City Council until 1875. Under the Divided Parishes Act of 1882 part of Chorlton upon Medlock township was added to the township.

ALLEY

Locality in Blackrod township.

ASHLEY

This township or civil parish was in Cheshire. It was in Bowdon ecclesiastical parish and in Bucklow poor law Union (which was called Altrincham Union until 1895). In 1936 part of it was added to Hale Urban District.

ASHTON IN MAKERFIELD

This township or civil parish, also known as Ashton le Willows, was in Lancashire. It was in Winwick ecclesiastical parish and in Wigan poor law Union. In 1872 Ashton in Makerfield Local Board of Health was established for the area of the township. In 1894 the area of the Local Board became an Urban District. In 1933 part of Haydock Urban District was added to the Urban District. In 1957 there was an exchange of very small areas with Abram Urban District. In 1974 the South Ward (including the Garswood and Downall Green areas) of the Urban District became part of St. Helens Metropolitan Borough, Merseyside County; the remainder became part of Wigan Metropolitan Borough, Greater Manchester County.

ASHTON UNDER LYNE BOROUGH

Ashton Town was one of the ancient divisions of Ashton under Lyne township or civil parish, Lancashire. In 1827 police commissioners were established for the area of Ashton Town. In 1847 Ashton under Lyne Borough was established. It was in Ashton under Lyne poor law Union. In 1898 there was an exchange of areas with Dukinfield Urban District. In 1927 Hurst Urban District was added to the Borough In. 1935 parts of Hartshead and Alt civil parishes were added to it. In 1954 Waterloo civil parish and parts of Alt, Bardsley and Little Moss civil parishes were added to it. In 1974 the Borough became part of Tameside Metropolitan Borough.

ASHTON UNDER LYNE TOWNSHIP

This township or civil parish, which was also an ancient ecclesiastical parish, was in Lancashire It was in Ashton under Lyne poor law Union It had four ancient divisions, Ashton Town Audenshaw, Hartshead and Knott Lanes; these were sometimes referred to as townships but did not have the legal status of townships. Fifteen hamlets are described in contemporary directories as acting for the maintenance of highways. During the nineteenth century the area of the township was divided into various local government areas as follows:

Ashton under Lyne Borough

Ashton Town was one of the ancient divisions of the township. In 1827 police commissioners were established for Ashton Town. In 1847 this area of the township became Ashton under Lyne Borough.

Part of Ashton under Lyne township was added to Stalybridge Borough, 1857
Another part was added to Oldham Borough, 1880.
Another part was added to Mossley Borough, 1885.
Local Boards of Health were established for the following areas, Lees (a Board at first called Lees with Crossbank) in 1859, Hurst in 1861 and Audenshaw in 1874. In 1894 these became Lees, Hurst and Audenshaw Urban Districts.
In 1894 the remainder of the township became Limehurst Rural District which was composed of the following townships or civil parishes created at the same time: Alt, Bardsley, Crossbank, Hartshead, Little Moss, Waterloo, Woodhouses.

For these other local government areas see ASHTON UNDER LYNE BOROUGH, STALYBRIDGE, etc. Stalybridge Borough was wholly included in Cheshire in 1889; the remainder of what had been Ashton under Lyne township continued to be in Lancashire.

ASHTON UPON MERSEY

This township or civil parish was in Cheshire. It was in Ashton upon Mersey ecclesiastical parish and in Bucklow poor law Union (which was called Altrincham Union until 1895). In 1894 it became an Urban District. In 1908 a very small part of Sale Urban District was added to it in widening a road for tramways. In 1930 it became part of Sale Urban District.

ASHWORTH

This township or civil parish was in Lancashire. It was in Middleton ecclesiastical parish and in Bury poor law Union. In 1894 it became part of Birtle with Bamford township.

ASPULL

This township or civil parish was in Lancashire. It was in Wigan ecclesiastical parish and in Wigan poor law Union. In 1876 Aspull Local Board of Health was established for the area of the township. In 1894 the area of the Local Board became an Urban District. In 1974 the Urban District became part of Wigan Metropolitan Borough.

ASTLEY

This township or civil parish was in Lancashire. It was in Leigh ecclesiastical parish and in Leigh poor law Union. In 1933 it became part of Tyldesley Urban District

ASTLEY BRIDGE

In 1864 Astley Bridge Local Board of Health was established for parts of Sharples and Little Bolton townships or civil parishes. In 1894 the area of the Local Board became Astley Bridge Urban District. In 1898 the Urban District was dissolved and its area became part of Bolton Borough.

ATHERTON

This township or civil parish was in Lancashire. It was in Leigh ecclesiastical parish and in Leigh poor law Union. In 1863 Atherton Local Board of Health was established for the area of the township. In 1894 part of the township was added to Leigh Urban District; the remainder became Atherton Urban District. In 1974 the Urban District became part of Wigan Metropolitan Borough.

AUDENSHAW

Audenshaw was an ancient division of Ashton under Lyne township, Lancashire. In 1874 Audenshaw Local Board of Health was established for the area. In 1894 this area became Audenshaw Urban District. It was in Ashton under Lyne poor law Union. In 1974 it became part of Tameside Metropolitan Borough