County Borough of Dudley
Encyclopedia
Dudley was a local government district in the English Midlands from 1865 to 1974. It was a municipal borough
covering the town of Dudley
and became a county borough
in 1889. Although completely surrounded by Staffordshire
, the borough was associated with Worcestershire
for non-administrative purposes, forming an exclave of the county until 1966. An expansion of the borough boundaries caused it to be transferred to Staffordshire in 1966. It was abolished in 1974 and now forms part of the West Midlands county.
since 1865. However under the Local Government Act 1888
, it became a county borough in 1889. It included the town of Dudley and the villages of Woodside
and Netherton
.
In 1966, under recommendations of the Local Government Commission for England
the county borough was expanded to include former area of the urban district
s of Brierley Hill
as well as the bulk of Sedgley
and approximately half of Coseley
, as well as a small section around Tipton, namely the newly developed Foxyards housing estate which straddled the border of Coseley and Tipton. This area also included the buildings on Sedgley Road West previously occupied by Tipton council.
As all of these areas were part of Staffordshire, Dudley was transferred from Worcestershire to the county of Staffordshire.
The Oakham
/Tividale
which was within Dudley was at this time transferred to the County Borough of Warley
, which in turn remained in Worcestershire.
In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972
the county borough was abolished and replaced with the present Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
which became a part of the metropolitan county
of West Midlands
, taking in neighbouring Halesowen
and Stourbridge
.
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
covering the town of Dudley
Dudley
Dudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
and became a county borough
County borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
in 1889. Although completely surrounded by Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, the borough was associated with Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
for non-administrative purposes, forming an exclave of the county until 1966. An expansion of the borough boundaries caused it to be transferred to Staffordshire in 1966. It was abolished in 1974 and now forms part of the West Midlands county.
History
Dudley had been a municipal boroughMunicipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
since 1865. However under the Local Government Act 1888
Local Government Act 1888
The Local Government Act 1888 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which established county councils and county borough councils in England and Wales...
, it became a county borough in 1889. It included the town of Dudley and the villages of Woodside
Woodside
- Australia :*Woodside, South Australia, a town*Woodside, Victoria, a town*Woodside Petroleum, an Australian company- Canada :*Woodside National Historic Site, the boyhood home of William Lyon Mackenzie King...
and Netherton
Netherton, West Midlands
Netherton is a town in the West Midlands within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley. It lies around south of the town of Dudley and north of Cradley Heath...
.
In 1966, under recommendations of the Local Government Commission for England
Local Government Commission for England (1958 - 1967)
The Local Government Commission for England was established by the Local Government Act 1958 to review the organisation of local government, and make "such proposals as are hereinafter authorised for effecting changes appearing to the Commissions desirable in the interests of effective and...
the county borough was expanded to include former area of the urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
s of Brierley Hill
Brierley Hill
Brierley Hill is a town and electoral ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, West Midlands, England. It is one of the larger Black Country towns with a population of 9,631 and is heavily industrialised, best known for glass and steel manufacturing, although the industry has declined...
as well as the bulk of Sedgley
Sedgley
Sedgley is an urban village within the West Midlands county of England. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Sedgley was formerly an ancient manor composed of several smaller villages, including Gornal, Gospel End, Woodsetton, Ettingshall, Coseley and Brierley...
and approximately half of Coseley
Coseley
Coseley is a town located mostly within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the English West Midlands. Part of the Black Country, it lies south east of Wolverhampton and north of Dudley....
, as well as a small section around Tipton, namely the newly developed Foxyards housing estate which straddled the border of Coseley and Tipton. This area also included the buildings on Sedgley Road West previously occupied by Tipton council.
As all of these areas were part of Staffordshire, Dudley was transferred from Worcestershire to the county of Staffordshire.
The Oakham
Oakham
-Oakham's horseshoes:Traditionally, members of royalty and peers of the realm who visited or passed through the town had to pay a forfeit in the form of a horseshoe...
/Tividale
Tividale
- History :The village was in the parish of St Michael named after the church built there. It was created in 1878 as an extension of the town of Tipton in the county of Staffordshire, England...
which was within Dudley was at this time transferred to the County Borough of Warley
County Borough of Warley
Warley was a county borough and civil parish forming part of the West Midlands conurbation, England, and geographical county of Worcestershire. It was formed in 1966 by the combination of the existing county borough of Smethwick with the municipal boroughs of Oldbury and Rowley Regis Warley was a...
, which in turn remained in Worcestershire.
In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
the county borough was abolished and replaced with the present Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
The Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It was created in 1974, and is made up of the towns of Dudley , Stourbridge , Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Amblecote, Sedgley and Coseley...
which became a part of the metropolitan county
Metropolitan county
The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level administrative division of England. There are six metropolitan counties, which each cover large urban areas, typically with populations of 1.2 to 2.8 million...
of West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, taking in neighbouring Halesowen
Halesowen
Halesowen is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands, England.The population, as measured by the United Kingdom Census 2001, was 55,273...
and Stourbridge
Stourbridge
Stourbridge is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands of England. Historically part of Worcestershire, Stourbridge was a centre of glass making, and today includes the suburbs of Amblecote, Lye, Norton, Oldswinford, Pedmore, Wollaston, Wollescote and Wordsley The...
.