Spenborough
Encyclopedia
Spenborough was, from 1915 to 1974, a local government district in the administrative county
of Yorkshire, West Riding
.
Spenborough was created as an urban district
in 1915 by the merger of Cleckheaton
, Gomersal
and Liversedge
urban districts. The amalgamation was carried out on the instigation of Cleckheaton Urban District Council, in order to resist plans by the County Borough of Bradford
to annex the area. The name "Spenborough", after the River Spen
, was also suggested by Cleckheaton UDC. The district was expanded in 1937 by taking in the abolished Birkenshaw
and Hunsworth urban districts, as well as part of the parishes of Clifton
and Hartshead
from the Halifax Rural District
. Attempts to incorporate neighbouring Heckmondwike
which is considered to be in the Spen Valley area, were never successful.
On 29 July 1955 it was granted a charter of incorporation
creating it a municipal borough
.
In 1974 Spenborough was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972
, with its area forming part of the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees
, West Yorkshire
. Today, Kirklees Council recognises the former Spenborough borough area, with neighbouring Heckmondwike, as the Spen Valley Locality in its structure.
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 Yorkshire, West Riding
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
.
Spenborough was created as 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 1915 by the merger of Cleckheaton
Cleckheaton
Cleckheaton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated south of Bradford, east of Brighouse, west of Batley and south-west of Leeds...
, Gomersal
Gomersal
Gomersal is a village in the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire, England. It is south of Bradford, east of Cleckheaton, and north of Heckmondwike and close to the River Spen....
and Liversedge
Liversedge
Liversedge is a township in the former parish of Birstall, in the metropolitan borough of Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England. Liversedge lies between Cleckheaton and Heckmondwike about southwest of Leeds.-Settlements within Liversedge:...
urban districts. The amalgamation was carried out on the instigation of Cleckheaton Urban District Council, in order to resist plans by the County Borough of Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
to annex the area. The name "Spenborough", after the River Spen
River Spen
The River Spen is a river in the county of West Yorkshire, England and is a tributary of the River Calder. It rises north of Cleckheaton, runs through Liversedge and flows into the River Calder, West Yorkshire south of Dewsbury at Ravensthorpe. The average rainfall for the river valley is between...
, was also suggested by Cleckheaton UDC. The district was expanded in 1937 by taking in the abolished Birkenshaw
Birkenshaw, West Yorkshire
Birkenshaw is a village in the county of West Yorkshire, England. It lies at the crossroads between the A58 Leeds to Halifax road and the A651 Bradford to Heckmondwike road....
and Hunsworth urban districts, as well as part of the parishes of Clifton
Clifton, West Yorkshire
Clifton is a small village, near Brighouse, in the Metropolitan borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England.-Governance:Clifton Civil Parish merged with the neighbouring Borough of Brighouse in 1937...
and Hartshead
Hartshead
Hartshead is a village in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England, west of Dewsbury and near Hartshead Moor.The village has pre-Norman Conquest origins; the Walton Cross dated from the 8th century....
from the Halifax Rural District
Halifax Rural District
Halifax was, from 1894 to 1937, a rural district in the administrative county of Yorkshire, West Riding, England.The district was created by the Local Government Act 1894 as successor to the Halifax Rural Sanitary District, and was abolished by a county review order under the Local Government Act...
. Attempts to incorporate neighbouring Heckmondwike
Heckmondwike
Heckmondwike is a small town in the metropolitan borough of Kirklees, which is located geographically at the centre of West Yorkshire, England, south west of Leeds. Close to Cleckheaton and Liversedge, it is part of Cleckheckmondsedge, a name invented by J.B. Priestley to represent a West Riding...
which is considered to be in the Spen Valley area, were never successful.
On 29 July 1955 it was granted a charter of incorporation
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
creating it a 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...
.
In 1974 Spenborough was abolished 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....
, with its area forming part of the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees
Kirklees
The Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 401,000 and includes the settlements of Batley, Birstall, Cleckheaton, Denby Dale, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Holmfirth, Huddersfield, Kirkburton, Marsden, Meltham, Mirfield and Slaithwaite...
, 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....
. Today, Kirklees Council recognises the former Spenborough borough area, with neighbouring Heckmondwike, as the Spen Valley Locality in its structure.
Legacy
Despite the borough's abolition in 1974, the name continues in use in the area. Examples are the Spenborough Guardian, a Cleckheaton-based local newspaper, the Spenborough Swimming Pool and Sports Complex and the Spenborough and District Athletic Club, both in Liversedge.See also
- Spen Valley (UK Parliament constituency)Spen Valley (UK Parliament constituency)Spen Valley was a parliamentary constituency in the valley of the River Spen in West Yorkshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-History:...
, 1885–1950 - Brighouse and Spenborough (UK Parliament constituency)Brighouse and Spenborough (UK Parliament constituency)Brighouse and Spenborough was a parliamentary constituency in the West Riding of Yorkshire, comprising the areas of the two municipal boroughs of Brighouse and Spenborough...
, 1950–1983