Dukinfield
Encyclopedia
Dukinfield is a small town within the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside
, in Greater Manchester
, England. It lies in central Tameside on the south bank of the River Tame
, opposite Ashton-under-Lyne
, and is 6.3 miles (10.1 km) east of the city of Manchester
. At the time of the 2001 census
it had a population of 18,885.
Historically
a part of Cheshire
, the town is a product of the Industrial Revolution
when its development was accelerated by the growth of coal mining and the cotton industry.
/early Bronze Age
. The artefacts were discovered on the site of Dukinfield Hall and have been taken as evidence of a prehistoric settlement on the site. There is no further evidence of activity in the area until the Roman period
. A 3rd-century bronze Roman coin, from the reign of Emperor Tetricus I
was discovered in the town.
Dukinfield means "open land of the ducks" and derives from the Old English duce and feld.
Early records show the township was included in the fee of Dunham Massey
. It was held by Matthew de Bramhall in about 1190
and after that by a family who took the name "De Dokenfeld". The family lived at the moated Dukinfield Old Hall which originated from after the Conquest
and was rebuilt in Tudor times remaining the home of the Dukinfields till the18th century after which it became derelict. During the English Civil War
, Colonel Robert Duckenfield
of Dukinfield Hall was a noted commander in the New Model Army
. The Baronetcy, Dukinfield of Dukinfield, Cheshire
was created in 1665 for Robert Dukinfield, son of Colonel Robert Dukinfield. The Dukinfields held the manor
for five centuries until the widow of Sir William Dukinfield Daniel married the artist, John Astley
, in 1767. In 1848 his descendant, colliery owner Francis Dukinfield P. Astley, was the lord of the manor
. Dukinfield Lodge was built by the Astleys on a hill overlooking the River Tame
.
trade - helped shape the town, but its rapid development destroyed its former pasture and meadow land. Two cotton mill
s were built before 1794 and by 1825 there were seven. The industry continued to expand and by the end of the 19th century 14 spinning mills of varying sizes were in operation. The largest mills were built in brick during the 1890s with four or five storeys, large windows, ornamental towers, engine houses and tall brick built chimneys. They included Tower, Tame Valley, River, Park Road and Queen Mills. Most of the cotton mills have now been demolished, but some have been preserved and converted into apartments.
Coal pits exploiting the underlying coal measures
to the south of the Lancashire Coalfield
were a major part of Dukinfield's industrial history, one pithead was located on Birch Lane, now the site of All Saints' Catholic College, with another near the northern border with Ashton-under-Lyne
. Francis Dukinfield Astley developed two collieries in the town, Dukinfield and Astley Deep Pit, and both had explosions killing many workers. Dukinfield Colliery (also known as Lakes Pit or Victoria Colliery)
was owned by Astley's Dukinfield Colliery Company. The colliery had two shafts, the downcast was 340 yards deep to the
Black mine (coal seam) and was connected to the upcast ventilation shaft. On 4 June 1867, 38 men and boys died of suffocation following an explosion caused by a faulty safety lamp and poor management.
Astley Deep Pit
, was off King's Street opposite Brownlea Avenue was developed by Astley but by 1874 was owned by Benjamin Ashton. The colliery's downcast shaft was 686 yards deep and its workings extended over a mile to the
south and about 1,300 yards to the north of the shaft. This colliery was reported to be at one time, the deepest coal mine in the world, at 2100 feet (640 metres) and had three shafts. On 14 April 1874 an underground gas explosion killed 54 men. After the pit closed in 1901 the shafts were filled in and left to stand for many years before being built on. It is now the site of a development of houses comprising Angel Close, Oval Drive and Silver Close.
Samuel Robinson a Unitarian
, industrialist and scholar founded the village library in 1833 and was dubbed the "foremost promoter of education in the district" before his death in 1884. Daniel Adamson
a mechanical engineer
became the first chairman of the Manchester Ship Canal
Company. He owned an engineering works producing Lancashire boilers at Newton Wood beside the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
. He died on 13 January 1890. The Adamson Military Band, named after Adamson is based in Dukinfield.
Dukinfield and its surrounding towns were major centres of civil revolt during the 19th century and briefly the area was a hotbed of Chartism
, the popular movement calling for universal suffrage via a "People's Charter". Chartist
leader, Reverend Joseph Rayner Stephens is buried in St John's Church cemetery.
In the Middle Ages, Dukinfield was part of the parish of Stockport
in the Macclesfield
Hundred. It became a civil parish in 1866 and in 1894 those parts not already included in the Municipal Borough of Stalybridge
became an urban district
in the administrative county
of Cheshire
. The town was granted municipal borough
status in 1899 under the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act 1882
, and was expanded in 1936, gaining part of the civil parish of Matley
, which had been abolished.
In 1974, the Municipal Borough of Dukinfield was abolished, and its territory amalgamated into the newly created Metropolitan Borough
of Tameside, in the metropolitan county
of Greater Manchester
.
Dukinfield is currently represented by the occupants of 6 of the 57 seats on Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council. These seats are spread over two wards: Dukinfield and Dukinfield Stalybridge. Dukinfield currently has five Labour
councillors and one Conservative
councillor.
Andrew Gwynne
is Dukinfield's Member of Parliament. He was elected in 2005 to represent the Denton and Reddish constituency, of which the town of Dukinfield is a part. Between 1918 and 1997 Dukinfield was part of the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency.
, Dukinfield's borders are defined to the north and west by the River Tame
.
The town is situated at the edge of the Cheshire Plain where it meets the Pennines
, and Dukinfield is the first town on the hill. The park is situated approximately a quarter of a mile from the Town Hall along King Street towards Hyde
in the South. Because of the quite steep rise out of the plain, the park is terraced and is over 90 feet higher at the top. The hill flattens out slightly before rising steeply again towards the East, where the library is situated.
The Town Hall is also at the base of the same hill with Astley Street rising steeply along its shorter Southern side before climbing some 120 feet to the crest of the ridge. The local soil is mainly clayey with some alluvial deposits
.
The underlying geology is the middle coal measures, which run north–south under Tameside. Dukinfield is situated on the site of a vast ancient lake or swamp that covered the area. This ancient lake is the reason coal is found in the area. The layers of shale and coal are laid on top of each other in bands, only 20 or 30 feet thick. The coal deposits fall away at a 20 degree or so angle, and runs eight or nine miles from the base of the hill out under the plain. The coal deposits are known as the Dukinfield Marine Band and form a V shape running out from here towards Stockport
in the south and Ashton Moss in the north east. Dukinfield had several mines of which Astley Deep Pit had the best coal. There are many seams or mines of coal found here. Dukinfield coal was known to be the best for heating and steam generation. Only a mile to the south along Hyde Road is another large mine, the Dewsnap Colliery, which was of a lower quality and so was not in as much demand.
The Dukinfield Marine Band outcrops at Dukinfield, and continues up the hill towards the top of the ridge, some 140 feet above the level of the plain where it flattens out and a third mine was situated.
According to the Office for National Statistics
, at the time of the United Kingdom Census 2001
, Dukinfield had a population of 18,885. The 2001 population density was 9922 PD/sqmi, with a 100 to 93.9 female-to-male ratio. Of those over 16 years old, 29.1% were single (never married), 42.1% married, and 9.4% divorced. Dukinfield's 8,072 households included 31.2% one-person, 36.8% married couples living together, 9.9% were co-habiting
couples, and 10.5% single parents with their children. Of those aged 16–74, 35.1% had no academic qualifications
.
As of the 2001 UK census, 79.0% of Dukinfield's residents reported themselves as Christian, 0.9% Hindu, 0.8% Muslim, and 0.1% Buddhist. The census recorded 12.2% as having no religion, 0.1% had an alternative religion and 6.8% did not state their religion.
Dukinfield grew from a small village just south of Ashton-under-Lyne
with open land to the south and east, the gap between it and the surrounding towns of Hyde
and Matley
being a semicircle around 1.5 miles wide, to fill the gap entirely by the late 1940s. In its early days from 1801, and previously, the population was small but boomed during the days of the cotton industry and later the coal industry with its major rail junction adding to its prosperity and growth.
The industries which sustained it died out by the turn of the 1900s, leaving only the Daniel Adamson Ltd
works but it managed to maintain its population and has only declined by 2000 since 1921. One reason is that it has a central location on the main road from Stockport
to Ashton-under-Lyne
and is within easy commuting distance of Manchester
.
According to the 2001 UK census, the industry of employment of residents of Dukinfield aged 16–74 was 24.4% manufacturing, 19.3% retail and wholesale, 10.0% health and social work, 9.5% property and business services, 7.2% construction, 6.5% transport and communications, 5.7% education, 4.7% public administration, 4.4% finance, 3.4% hotels and restaurants, 1.0% energy and water supply, 0.3% agriculture, 0.1% mining, and 3.6% other. Compared with national figures, the town had a relatively high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and low levels of people working in agriculture, public administration, and education. The census recorded the economic activity of residents aged 16–74, 2.1% students were with jobs, 2.8% students without jobs, 4.9% looking after home or family, 7.9% permanently sick or disabled, and 2.7% economically inactive for other reasons.
Old Hall Chapel is an old historic church, claiming to be the first independent church in the 17th century. It was built during the late 15th century but is unfortunately partially derelict due to fire in the 1970s which destroyed much of the superstructure of the roof.
. There are many bus routes through the town. Services from north to south terminate in Ashton-under-Lyne to the north and Stockport
in the south, as well as east to west terminating in Glossop
to the east and Manchester
in the west. National coaches stop here offering connection to the rest of Britain.
There have been proposals to build a railway station near the site of the Astley Deep pit
alongside the Dewsnap sidings, but as yet these have not been put into action.
The nearest airports are Manchester to the south west and Leeds Bradford
to the east.
There are several canals which cross through the town and outlying areas giving connection to Marple
and Manchester and cross the Pennines
to West Yorkshire
and beyond.
There are secondary schools but no dedicated facility in Dukinfield for further education
, the nearest establishment being Tameside College
in Ashton-under-Lyne
or Hyde
.
All Saints Catholic College on Birch Lane / Kenyon Avenue provides education for 16-18 year olds. Since 1998, the sixth form facility has been provided for in a purpose-built extension to the main school.
dedicated to St. John the Evangelist
is a Commissioners' church
built between 1840 and 1841 and consecrated the following year. A second parish was formed in 1846 and its church dedicated to St Mark was begun in 1847.
A number of Protestant and Catholic churches are based in the municipality, with the nearest mosque being in Ashton-under-Lyne, a short distance to the north of the town.
, where he had been a leading amateur. Martin Vidler is the club's youth coach.
Dukinfield Rugby Union Football Club currently plays in the South Lancashire & Cheshire 2 League of the Northern Division. The club plays its home games at Blocksages Playing Fields and is one of the oldest Rugby teams from the historic county
of Cheshire, having been founded in 1880. During the late 90's and early 00's, Mike Ford
was head coach gaining 2 league promotions in 3 seasons. He left Dukinfield RUFC for a brief spell at Oldham RUFC but then left to take over as Defensive coordinator of Ireland (January 2002 - September 2005). In September 2004 he started working as Defence and Skills coach at Saracens
in the Guinness Premiership before taking over as Head Coach. He is now the defence coach of the England national rugby union team
.
Dukinfield Town AFC, founded in 1948, plays in the Bridgewater Office Supplies Manchester League and has a ground at Blocksage's Playing Fields, Birch Lane, next to Dukinfield Rugby Club.
Dukinfield has a public library which is situated in Concord Way, as part of a small shopping precinct. Morrisons have a supermarket in the town. The old library was situated on Town Lane on land donated by the Astley family who donated money towards the building.
There is a well-proportioned park, around a quarter-mile from the town hall, providing gardens, a play area and leisure facilities.
A public swimming pool and sauna is available as part of the borough facilities offered by Tameside Sport, as well as two full-size sports pitches, these are currently used by the town's rugby and football teams.
Astley Community Sports College provides artificial multi-sports pitches, which can be reserved for use by the general public, outside school hours.
Tameside
The Metropolitan Borough of Tameside is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England. It is named after the River Tame which flows through the borough and spans the towns of Ashton-under-Lyne, Audenshaw, Denton, Droylsden, Dukinfield, Hyde, Mossley and Stalybridge. Its western...
, in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, England. It lies in central Tameside on the south bank of the River Tame
River Tame, Greater Manchester
The River Tame flows through Greater Manchester, England.-Source:The Tame rises on Denshaw Moor in Greater Manchester, close to the border with West Yorkshire but within the historic West Riding of Yorkshire.-Course:...
, opposite Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton-under-Lyne is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it lies on the north bank of the River Tame, on undulating land at the foothills of the Pennines...
, and is 6.3 miles (10.1 km) east of the city of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. At the time of the 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
it had a population of 18,885.
Historically
Historic counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
a part of Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, the town is a product of the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
when its development was accelerated by the growth of coal mining and the cotton industry.
Early history
The earliest evidence of human activity around Dukinfield comes from a collection of four flints from the late NeolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
/early Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
. The artefacts were discovered on the site of Dukinfield Hall and have been taken as evidence of a prehistoric settlement on the site. There is no further evidence of activity in the area until the Roman period
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
. A 3rd-century bronze Roman coin, from the reign of Emperor Tetricus I
Tetricus I
Gaius Pius Esuvius Tetricus was Emperor of the Gallic Empire from 271 to 274, following the murder of Victorinus. Tetricus, who ruled with his son, Tetricus II, was the last of the Gallic emperors following his surrender to the Roman emperor Aurelian.-Reign:Tetricus was a senator born to a noble...
was discovered in the town.
Dukinfield means "open land of the ducks" and derives from the Old English duce and feld.
Early records show the township was included in the fee of Dunham Massey
Dunham Massey
Dunham Massey is a civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. The parish includes the villages of Sinderland Green, Dunham Woodhouse and Dunham Town, along with Dunham Massey Park, formerly the home of the last Earl of Stamford and owned by the National Trust...
. It was held by Matthew de Bramhall in about 1190
and after that by a family who took the name "De Dokenfeld". The family lived at the moated Dukinfield Old Hall which originated from after the Conquest
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
and was rebuilt in Tudor times remaining the home of the Dukinfields till the18th century after which it became derelict. During the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, Colonel Robert Duckenfield
Robert Duckenfield
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Duckenfield was a Parliamentarian commander during the English Civil War.-Family history:Robert Duckenfield came from Dukinfield in Cheshire and was born to Robert and Frances Duckenfield in 1619. The Duckenfields were a noted local family and their history in Cheshire...
of Dukinfield Hall was a noted commander in the New Model Army
New Model Army
The New Model Army of England was formed in 1645 by the Parliamentarians in the English Civil War, and was disbanded in 1660 after the Restoration...
. The Baronetcy, Dukinfield of Dukinfield, Cheshire
Dukinfield Baronets
The Baronetcy of Dukinfield of Dukinfield, Cheshire was created in the Baronetage of England on 16 June 1665 for Robert Dukinfield, son of Colonel Robert Dukinfield.The Dukinfield family were seated at Dukinfield, Cheshire from the early 14th century...
was created in 1665 for Robert Dukinfield, son of Colonel Robert Dukinfield. The Dukinfields held the manor
Manor
-Land tenure:*Manor, an estate in land of the mediaeval era in England*Manorialism, a system of land tenure and organization of the rural economy and society in parts of medieval Europe based on the manor*Manor house, the principal house of a manor...
for five centuries until the widow of Sir William Dukinfield Daniel married the artist, John Astley
John Astley (painter)
John Astley was an English portrait painter and amateur architect, known for his "patronage among a vast circle of fashion" as well as a fortune acquired through marriage.-Early life:...
, in 1767. In 1848 his descendant, colliery owner Francis Dukinfield P. Astley, was the lord of the manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
. Dukinfield Lodge was built by the Astleys on a hill overlooking the River Tame
River Tame, Greater Manchester
The River Tame flows through Greater Manchester, England.-Source:The Tame rises on Denshaw Moor in Greater Manchester, close to the border with West Yorkshire but within the historic West Riding of Yorkshire.-Course:...
.
Industrial Revolution
Industrialisation - particularly the cottonCotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
trade - helped shape the town, but its rapid development destroyed its former pasture and meadow land. Two cotton mill
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
s were built before 1794 and by 1825 there were seven. The industry continued to expand and by the end of the 19th century 14 spinning mills of varying sizes were in operation. The largest mills were built in brick during the 1890s with four or five storeys, large windows, ornamental towers, engine houses and tall brick built chimneys. They included Tower, Tame Valley, River, Park Road and Queen Mills. Most of the cotton mills have now been demolished, but some have been preserved and converted into apartments.
Coal pits exploiting the underlying coal measures
Coal Measures
The Coal Measures is a lithostratigraphical term for the coal-bearing part of the Upper Carboniferous System. It represents the remains of fluvio-deltaic sediment, and consists mainly of clastic rocks interstratified with the beds of coal...
to the south of the Lancashire Coalfield
Lancashire Coalfield
The Lancashire Coalfield in north-west England was one of the most important British coalfields.-Geography and geology:The geology of the coalfield consists of the coal seams of the Upper, Middle and Lower Coal Measures, layers of sandstones, shales and coal of varying thickness, which were laid...
were a major part of Dukinfield's industrial history, one pithead was located on Birch Lane, now the site of All Saints' Catholic College, with another near the northern border with Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton-under-Lyne is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it lies on the north bank of the River Tame, on undulating land at the foothills of the Pennines...
. Francis Dukinfield Astley developed two collieries in the town, Dukinfield and Astley Deep Pit, and both had explosions killing many workers. Dukinfield Colliery (also known as Lakes Pit or Victoria Colliery)
was owned by Astley's Dukinfield Colliery Company. The colliery had two shafts, the downcast was 340 yards deep to the
Black mine (coal seam) and was connected to the upcast ventilation shaft. On 4 June 1867, 38 men and boys died of suffocation following an explosion caused by a faulty safety lamp and poor management.
Astley Deep Pit
Astley Deep Pit Disaster
The Astley Deep Pit Disaster was a mining accident at the Astley Deep Pit, in Dukinfield, Cheshire, England, that took place on 14 April 1874, killing 54 men and boys. Astley Deep Pit was a coal mine started around 1845 to work the seam of coal known as the "Lancashire Black Mine"...
, was off King's Street opposite Brownlea Avenue was developed by Astley but by 1874 was owned by Benjamin Ashton. The colliery's downcast shaft was 686 yards deep and its workings extended over a mile to the
south and about 1,300 yards to the north of the shaft. This colliery was reported to be at one time, the deepest coal mine in the world, at 2100 feet (640 metres) and had three shafts. On 14 April 1874 an underground gas explosion killed 54 men. After the pit closed in 1901 the shafts were filled in and left to stand for many years before being built on. It is now the site of a development of houses comprising Angel Close, Oval Drive and Silver Close.
Samuel Robinson a Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
, industrialist and scholar founded the village library in 1833 and was dubbed the "foremost promoter of education in the district" before his death in 1884. Daniel Adamson
Daniel Adamson
Daniel Adamson was a notable English engineer who became a successful manufacturer of boilers and was the driving force behind the inception of the Manchester Ship Canal project during the 1880s.-Early life:...
a mechanical engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
became the first chairman of the Manchester Ship Canal
Manchester Ship Canal
The Manchester Ship Canal is a river navigation 36 miles long in the North West of England. Starting at the Mersey Estuary near Liverpool, it generally follows the original routes of the rivers Mersey and Irwell through the historic counties of Cheshire and Lancashire. Several sets of locks lift...
Company. He owned an engineering works producing Lancashire boilers at Newton Wood beside the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
. He died on 13 January 1890. The Adamson Military Band, named after Adamson is based in Dukinfield.
Dukinfield and its surrounding towns were major centres of civil revolt during the 19th century and briefly the area was a hotbed of Chartism
Chartism
Chartism was a movement for political and social reform in the United Kingdom during the mid-19th century, between 1838 and 1859. It takes its name from the People's Charter of 1838. Chartism was possibly the first mass working class labour movement in the world...
, the popular movement calling for universal suffrage via a "People's Charter". Chartist
Chartism
Chartism was a movement for political and social reform in the United Kingdom during the mid-19th century, between 1838 and 1859. It takes its name from the People's Charter of 1838. Chartism was possibly the first mass working class labour movement in the world...
leader, Reverend Joseph Rayner Stephens is buried in St John's Church cemetery.
Governance
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
in the Macclesfield
Macclesfield
Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
Hundred. It became a civil parish in 1866 and in 1894 those parts not already included in the Municipal Borough of Stalybridge
Stalybridge
Stalybridge is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside in Greater Manchester, England, with a population of 22,568. Historically a part of Cheshire, it is east of Manchester city centre and northwest of Glossop. With the construction of a cotton mill in 1776, Stalybridge became one of...
became an 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....
in the administrative county
Administrative counties of England
Administrative counties were a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government from 1889 to 1974. They were created by the Local Government Act 1888 as the areas for which county councils were elected. Some large counties were divided into several administrative...
of Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. The town was granted municipal borough
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...
status in 1899 under the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act 1882
Municipal Corporations Act 1882
The Municipal Corporations Act 1882 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It replaced existing legislation governing municipal boroughs in England and Wales, and gave the corporations powers to make byelaws and to acquire land and buildings. Municipal boroughs continued to be...
, and was expanded in 1936, gaining part of the civil parish of Matley
Matley
Matley is a semi-rural area of Greater Manchester, England. It is located in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside between the towns of Stalybridge, Hyde and Dukinfield. Matley was a township of Mottram in Longdendale, one of the eight ancient parishes of the Macclesfield Hundred of Cheshire. Under...
, which had been abolished.
In 1974, the Municipal Borough of Dukinfield was abolished, and its territory amalgamated into the newly created Metropolitan Borough
Metropolitan borough
A metropolitan borough is a type of local government district in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted...
of Tameside, in 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 Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
.
Dukinfield is currently represented by the occupants of 6 of the 57 seats on Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council. These seats are spread over two wards: Dukinfield and Dukinfield Stalybridge. Dukinfield currently has five Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
councillors and one Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
councillor.
Andrew Gwynne
Andrew Gwynne
Andrew John Gwynne is a British Labour Party politician and has been the Member of Parliament for Denton and Reddish since 2005, replacing the retiring Andrew Bennett.-Early life:...
is Dukinfield's Member of Parliament. He was elected in 2005 to represent the Denton and Reddish constituency, of which the town of Dukinfield is a part. Between 1918 and 1997 Dukinfield was part of the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency.
Geography and geology
At 53°28′40.14"N 02°05′33.3"W (53.477818° -2.092584°), and 159 miles (256 km) north-northwest of LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Dukinfield's borders are defined to the north and west by the River Tame
River Tame, Greater Manchester
The River Tame flows through Greater Manchester, England.-Source:The Tame rises on Denshaw Moor in Greater Manchester, close to the border with West Yorkshire but within the historic West Riding of Yorkshire.-Course:...
.
The town is situated at the edge of the Cheshire Plain where it meets the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
, and Dukinfield is the first town on the hill. The park is situated approximately a quarter of a mile from the Town Hall along King Street towards Hyde
Hyde, Greater Manchester
Hyde is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. As of the 2001 census, the town had a population of 31,253. Historically part of Cheshire, it is northeast of Stockport, west of Glossop and east of Manchester....
in the South. Because of the quite steep rise out of the plain, the park is terraced and is over 90 feet higher at the top. The hill flattens out slightly before rising steeply again towards the East, where the library is situated.
The Town Hall is also at the base of the same hill with Astley Street rising steeply along its shorter Southern side before climbing some 120 feet to the crest of the ridge. The local soil is mainly clayey with some alluvial deposits
Alluvium
Alluvium is loose, unconsolidated soil or sediments, eroded, deposited, and reshaped by water in some form in a non-marine setting. Alluvium is typically made up of a variety of materials, including fine particles of silt and clay and larger particles of sand and gravel...
.
The underlying geology is the middle coal measures, which run north–south under Tameside. Dukinfield is situated on the site of a vast ancient lake or swamp that covered the area. This ancient lake is the reason coal is found in the area. The layers of shale and coal are laid on top of each other in bands, only 20 or 30 feet thick. The coal deposits fall away at a 20 degree or so angle, and runs eight or nine miles from the base of the hill out under the plain. The coal deposits are known as the Dukinfield Marine Band and form a V shape running out from here towards Stockport
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
in the south and Ashton Moss in the north east. Dukinfield had several mines of which Astley Deep Pit had the best coal. There are many seams or mines of coal found here. Dukinfield coal was known to be the best for heating and steam generation. Only a mile to the south along Hyde Road is another large mine, the Dewsnap Colliery, which was of a lower quality and so was not in as much demand.
The Dukinfield Marine Band outcrops at Dukinfield, and continues up the hill towards the top of the ridge, some 140 feet above the level of the plain where it flattens out and a third mine was situated.
Demography
| Dukinfield compared | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 UK census | Dukinfield | Tameside Tameside The Metropolitan Borough of Tameside is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England. It is named after the River Tame which flows through the borough and spans the towns of Ashton-under-Lyne, Audenshaw, Denton, Droylsden, Dukinfield, Hyde, Mossley and Stalybridge. Its western... |
England |
| Total population | 18,885 | 213,043 | 49,138,831 |
| White | 97.3% | 94.6% | 90.9% |
| Asian | 1.7% | 4.0% | 4.6% |
| Black | 0.1% | 0.3% | 2.3% |
According to the Office for National Statistics
Office for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Overview :...
, at the time of the United Kingdom Census 2001
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, Dukinfield had a population of 18,885. The 2001 population density was 9922 PD/sqmi, with a 100 to 93.9 female-to-male ratio. Of those over 16 years old, 29.1% were single (never married), 42.1% married, and 9.4% divorced. Dukinfield's 8,072 households included 31.2% one-person, 36.8% married couples living together, 9.9% were co-habiting
Cohabitation
Cohabitation usually refers to an arrangement whereby two people decide to live together on a long-term or permanent basis in an emotionally and/or sexually intimate relationship. The term is most frequently applied to couples who are not married...
couples, and 10.5% single parents with their children. Of those aged 16–74, 35.1% had no academic qualifications
National Qualifications Framework
The National Qualifications Framework is a credit transfer system developed for qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland....
.
As of the 2001 UK census, 79.0% of Dukinfield's residents reported themselves as Christian, 0.9% Hindu, 0.8% Muslim, and 0.1% Buddhist. The census recorded 12.2% as having no religion, 0.1% had an alternative religion and 6.8% did not state their religion.
Population change
| Population growth Population growth Population growth is the change in a population over time, and can be quantified as the change in the number of individuals of any species in a population using "per unit time" for measurement.... in Dukinfield since 1801 |
|||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 1801 | 1811 | 1821 | 1831 | 1841 | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1939 | 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | 2001 |
| Population | 1,737 | 3,053 | 5,096 | 14,681 | 22,394 | 26,418 | 15,024 | 14,085 | 16,942 | 17,385 | 18,929 | 19,422 | 19,509 | 19,311 | 17,749 | 18,451 | 17,316 | 17,302 | 17,917 |
| Source: A Vision of Britain through Time | |||||||||||||||||||
Dukinfield grew from a small village just south of Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton-under-Lyne is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it lies on the north bank of the River Tame, on undulating land at the foothills of the Pennines...
with open land to the south and east, the gap between it and the surrounding towns of Hyde
Hyde, Greater Manchester
Hyde is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. As of the 2001 census, the town had a population of 31,253. Historically part of Cheshire, it is northeast of Stockport, west of Glossop and east of Manchester....
and Matley
Matley
Matley is a semi-rural area of Greater Manchester, England. It is located in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside between the towns of Stalybridge, Hyde and Dukinfield. Matley was a township of Mottram in Longdendale, one of the eight ancient parishes of the Macclesfield Hundred of Cheshire. Under...
being a semicircle around 1.5 miles wide, to fill the gap entirely by the late 1940s. In its early days from 1801, and previously, the population was small but boomed during the days of the cotton industry and later the coal industry with its major rail junction adding to its prosperity and growth.
The industries which sustained it died out by the turn of the 1900s, leaving only the Daniel Adamson Ltd
Daniel Adamson
Daniel Adamson was a notable English engineer who became a successful manufacturer of boilers and was the driving force behind the inception of the Manchester Ship Canal project during the 1880s.-Early life:...
works but it managed to maintain its population and has only declined by 2000 since 1921. One reason is that it has a central location on the main road from Stockport
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
to Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton-under-Lyne is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it lies on the north bank of the River Tame, on undulating land at the foothills of the Pennines...
and is within easy commuting distance of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
Economy
| Dukinfield compared | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 UK Census United Kingdom Census 2001 A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194.... |
Dukinfield | Tameside | England |
| Population of working age | 13,621 | 151,445 | 35,532,091 |
| Full time employment | 45.6% | 43.5% | 40.8% |
| Part time employment | 11.8% | 11.9% | 11.8% |
| Self employed | 5.9% | 6.5% | 8.3% |
| Unemployed | 3.2% | 3.3% | 3.3% |
| Retired | 13.1% | 13.3% | 13.5% |
According to the 2001 UK census, the industry of employment of residents of Dukinfield aged 16–74 was 24.4% manufacturing, 19.3% retail and wholesale, 10.0% health and social work, 9.5% property and business services, 7.2% construction, 6.5% transport and communications, 5.7% education, 4.7% public administration, 4.4% finance, 3.4% hotels and restaurants, 1.0% energy and water supply, 0.3% agriculture, 0.1% mining, and 3.6% other. Compared with national figures, the town had a relatively high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and low levels of people working in agriculture, public administration, and education. The census recorded the economic activity of residents aged 16–74, 2.1% students were with jobs, 2.8% students without jobs, 4.9% looking after home or family, 7.9% permanently sick or disabled, and 2.7% economically inactive for other reasons.
Landmarks
Dukinfield town hall was built in the late 1890s and opened in 1901. It was built by raising funds from the inception of the Borough of Dukinfield. The park was also made and cost the same amount of money as the town hall. There is an 80 ft difference between the King Street lower side and the rear of the park, being the first hill off the Cheshire plain, and on a clear day it is possible to stand at the top of the steps and see Manchester city centre.Old Hall Chapel is an old historic church, claiming to be the first independent church in the 17th century. It was built during the late 15th century but is unfortunately partially derelict due to fire in the 1970s which destroyed much of the superstructure of the roof.
Transport
Public transport in the area is co-ordinated by the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport ExecutiveGreater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive
Transport for Greater Manchester is the public body responsible for co-ordinating public transport services throughout Greater Manchester, in North West England. The organisation traces its origins to the Transport Act 1968, when the SELNEC Passenger Transport Executive was established to...
. There are many bus routes through the town. Services from north to south terminate in Ashton-under-Lyne to the north and Stockport
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
in the south, as well as east to west terminating in Glossop
Glossop
Glossop is a market town within the Borough of High Peak in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the Glossop Brook, a tributary of the River Etherow, about east of the city of Manchester, west of the city of Sheffield. Glossop is situated near Derbyshire's county borders with Cheshire, Greater...
to the east and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
in the west. National coaches stop here offering connection to the rest of Britain.
There have been proposals to build a railway station near the site of the Astley Deep pit
Astley Deep Pit Disaster
The Astley Deep Pit Disaster was a mining accident at the Astley Deep Pit, in Dukinfield, Cheshire, England, that took place on 14 April 1874, killing 54 men and boys. Astley Deep Pit was a coal mine started around 1845 to work the seam of coal known as the "Lancashire Black Mine"...
alongside the Dewsnap sidings, but as yet these have not been put into action.
The nearest airports are Manchester to the south west and Leeds Bradford
Leeds Bradford International Airport
Leeds Bradford International Airport is located at Yeadon, in the City of Leeds Metropolitan District in West Yorkshire, England, northwest of Leeds city centre itself...
to the east.
There are several canals which cross through the town and outlying areas giving connection to Marple
Marple, Greater Manchester
Marple is a small town within the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Goyt southeast of Stockport.Historically part of Cheshire, Marple has a population of 23,480 .-Toponymy:...
and Manchester and cross the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
to West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
and beyond.
Education
There are numerous primary schools and nurseries in the town for 5-11 year olds.There are secondary schools but no dedicated facility in Dukinfield for further education
Further education
Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities...
, the nearest establishment being Tameside College
Tameside College
Tameside College is a further education college located in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, England.The college offers a range of courses for students from Ashton-under-Lyne and the surrounding area. These courses include NVQs, BTECs, Apprenticeships and Access courses...
in Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton-under-Lyne is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it lies on the north bank of the River Tame, on undulating land at the foothills of the Pennines...
or Hyde
Hyde, Greater Manchester
Hyde is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. As of the 2001 census, the town had a population of 31,253. Historically part of Cheshire, it is northeast of Stockport, west of Glossop and east of Manchester....
.
All Saints Catholic College on Birch Lane / Kenyon Avenue provides education for 16-18 year olds. Since 1998, the sixth form facility has been provided for in a purpose-built extension to the main school.
Religion
The parish churchParish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
dedicated to St. John the Evangelist
St John's Church, Dukinfield
St John's Church, Dukinfield, stands in Oxford Road, Dukinfield, Greater Manchester, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Mottram, the archdeaconry of Macclesfield and the diocese of Chester. The church has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed...
is a Commissioners' church
Commissioners' church
A Commissioners' church is an Anglican church in the United Kingdom built with money voted by Parliament as a result of the Church Building Act of 1818 and 1824. They have been given a number of titles, including Commissioners' churches, Waterloo churches and Million Act churches...
built between 1840 and 1841 and consecrated the following year. A second parish was formed in 1846 and its church dedicated to St Mark was begun in 1847.
A number of Protestant and Catholic churches are based in the municipality, with the nearest mosque being in Ashton-under-Lyne, a short distance to the north of the town.
Sports
Dukinfield Cricket Club, founded in 1870, is a member of the Lancashire County League. For several seasons Paul Turner was the clubs "professional" player, leaving at the end of the 2005 season. He was replaced in 2006 by Andrew Gleave from Flowery Field Cricket ClubFlowery Field Cricket Club
Flowery Field Cricket Club is located in the Flowery Field area of Hyde, Greater Manchester and was formed in 1838. It celebrated its sesquicentennial year in 1988 with a number of special matches....
, where he had been a leading amateur. Martin Vidler is the club's youth coach.
Dukinfield Rugby Union Football Club currently plays in the South Lancashire & Cheshire 2 League of the Northern Division. The club plays its home games at Blocksages Playing Fields and is one of the oldest Rugby teams from the historic county
Historic counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
of Cheshire, having been founded in 1880. During the late 90's and early 00's, Mike Ford
Mike Ford
Mike Ford is a Canadian singer-songwriter, and a former member of Toronto band Moxy Früvous.-Solo career:In 2004 he released Stars Shone on Toronto, his first solo album. Canada Needs You, his second solo album, was released in 2005...
was head coach gaining 2 league promotions in 3 seasons. He left Dukinfield RUFC for a brief spell at Oldham RUFC but then left to take over as Defensive coordinator of Ireland (January 2002 - September 2005). In September 2004 he started working as Defence and Skills coach at Saracens
Saracens F.C.
Saracens are a professional rugby union team based in St. Albans, England – although they play their home games at Vicarage Road, in Watford. They are currently members of the Aviva Premiership, the top level of domestic rugby union in England...
in the Guinness Premiership before taking over as Head Coach. He is now the defence coach of the England national rugby union team
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
.
Dukinfield Town AFC, founded in 1948, plays in the Bridgewater Office Supplies Manchester League and has a ground at Blocksage's Playing Fields, Birch Lane, next to Dukinfield Rugby Club.
Public services
Dukinfield's town hall provides some limited civic facilities, including a police station, with the majority of local administration being based at Tameside Council headquarters, in Ashton-under-Lyne.Dukinfield has a public library which is situated in Concord Way, as part of a small shopping precinct. Morrisons have a supermarket in the town. The old library was situated on Town Lane on land donated by the Astley family who donated money towards the building.
There is a well-proportioned park, around a quarter-mile from the town hall, providing gardens, a play area and leisure facilities.
A public swimming pool and sauna is available as part of the borough facilities offered by Tameside Sport, as well as two full-size sports pitches, these are currently used by the town's rugby and football teams.
Astley Community Sports College provides artificial multi-sports pitches, which can be reserved for use by the general public, outside school hours.
Sportsmen
- First-class cricketFirst-class cricketFirst-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
er Norman 'Buddy' OldfieldBuddy OldfieldNorman 'Buddy' Oldfield was an English cricketer and umpire who played in one Test in 1939 and later umpired in two others. Between 1935 and 1939 he played first-class cricket for Lancashire, before the Second World War interrupted and ended a promising start to his Test career...
was born in Dukinfield. He played first class cricket for LancashireLancashire County Cricket ClubLancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
and NorthamptonshireNorthamptonshire County Cricket ClubNorthamptonshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the...
from 1935 to 1954 and England in 1939. - Tony BrooksTony BrooksCharles Anthony Standish Brooks is a British former racing driver from England also known as the "racing dentist"...
1950s Formula OneFormula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
driver with 5 Grand Prix victories. - Tony Durose was born in Dukinfield and played first-class cricket for Northamptonshire in 1964–1969.
Actors and actresses
- Kathy StaffKathy StaffKathy Staff was an English actress, well known for her work on British television...
, born 12 July 1928, died 13 December 2008 - Shirley StelfoxShirley StelfoxShirley Stelfox is an English actress, who trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She is best known as Edna Birch in British Soap Opera Emmerdale....
, born 11 April 1941. - John NormingtonJohn NormingtonJohn Normington was an English actor who appeared widely on British television from the 1960s until the year of his death. Normington was also a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company performing in more than 20 RSC productions...
, born 28 January 1937.
Musicians
- John Lever, drummer with The Chameleons, The Sun & The Moon, later Stamford Cars.
- Ronnie HazlehurstRonnie HazlehurstRonald "Ronnie" Hazlehurst was an English composer and conductor who, having joined the BBC in 1961, became its Light Entertainment Musical Director....
, celebrated composer & arranger of TV & radio theme music. - Kevin Parrott, record producer, musicianMusicianA musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. Producer of "Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and DogsBrian and MichaelBrian & Michael are a British music duo best known for their 1978 UK number one hit single, "Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs". Without further chart entries, they remain one-hit wonders in the UK...
" by Brian and MichaelBrian and MichaelBrian & Michael are a British music duo best known for their 1978 UK number one hit single, "Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs". Without further chart entries, they remain one-hit wonders in the UK...
, and the "Brian" of the said act.
Politicians
- Carole JamesCarole JamesCarole Alison James, MLA is a Canadian politician and former public administrator. She is the former Leader of the Opposition in British Columbia and former leader of the British Columbia New Democratic Party , a social democratic political party...
, Canadian politician and former Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia