Hemsworth
Encyclopedia
Hemsworth is a small town and civil parish on the edge of West Yorkshire
, England
. It forms part of the City of Wakefield
, and has a population of 13,311.
It was a one-industry town, where coal mining
employed the vast majority of residents, and the closure of the pits during the 1980s led to huge levels of unemployment and deprivation in the area. Hemsworth, along with nearby villages such as Ackworth
, Fitzwilliam
, Havercroft
, Ryhill
, South Elmsall
and South Kirkby was made into a special regeneration area, and fortunes have improved as a result.
The Hemsworth constituency
is famous for being the place where Labour votes were said to be "weighed rather than counted" during the 1960s and 1970s, but the town is not even so heavily Labour-voting as it once was. The town's Member of Parliament
is Jon Trickett
, a former leader of Leeds council.
In May, 2005, the Office for National Statistics
estimated that unemployment in Hemsworth was just 2.8%. This marks progress from periods in the previous two decades when it could reach as high as 50%.
A large portion of the West End estate and blocks of flats around the Scotch Estate in Hemsworth are in the process of being demolished and regenerated as in recent years the area suffered badly from the closure of the mines leading to high crime rates, unemployment and being in the top 2% of deprived areas in the whole EU.
Also in Hemsworth is the Hemsworth Water Park, situated on the outskirts of Hemsworth. Hemsworth Water Park has two lakes; the largest lake is available for pedalo rides and has sandy beaches; the smallest lake is in a more secluded area to attract wildlife. Both lakes are stocked for fishing which is available all year round. There are also plenty of grassed areas for picnics and games.
Then there is Playworld, Playworld is an outdoor adventure playground within the Water Park and is suitable for children of all ages with a tower slide, climbing frames and a toddler’s sandpit area.
A miniature railway operates in Playworld.
A new kiosk and toilet facilities were opened in March 2006. New equipment has been introduced for 2008
The local newspaper for the area is the Hemsworth and South Elmsall Express, which gives local residents the ability to voice their opinions on local topical concerns.
Along with the neighbouring village of Kinsley it is mentioned in the Domesday Book
which was commissioned in 1085 by William the Conqueror. The name in the Domesday book is Hamelsworde being the 'worth' or enclosure of a possible Saxon, named Hamel.
Hemsworth was used in an episode of the Top Gear series: Series 4 episode 2.
Robert Holgate
, a native of Hemsworth (1481? - 1555) was consecrated Archbishop of York in January 1545.
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....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It forms part of the City of Wakefield
City of Wakefield
The City of Wakefield is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. Wakefield is the district's administrative centre. The district includes the "Five Towns" of Normanton, Pontefract, Featherstone, Castleford and Knottingley. Other...
, and has a population of 13,311.
It was a one-industry town, where coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
employed the vast majority of residents, and the closure of the pits during the 1980s led to huge levels of unemployment and deprivation in the area. Hemsworth, along with nearby villages such as Ackworth
Ackworth, West Yorkshire
Ackworth is a village and civil parish in the metropolitan borough of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, situated between Pontefract, Barnsley and Doncaster on the small River Went. The village consists of four parts, High Ackworth, Low Ackworth, Ackworth Moortop, and Brackenhill...
, Fitzwilliam
Fitzwilliam, West Yorkshire
Fitzwilliam is a small village on the edge of West Yorkshire, England. It is located in the City of Wakefield district. Technically, it is part of the town of Hemsworth and governed by Hemsworth Town Council as well as Wakefield M.D.C., but the Land Registry and Post Office recognise Fitzwilliam...
, Havercroft
Havercroft
Havercroft is a small village situated on the B6428 in West Yorkshire, England, approximately 7 miles south east of the city of Wakefield. It forms part of the civil parish of Havercroft with Cold Hiendley, which has a population of 2,103....
, Ryhill
Ryhill
Ryhill is a small village and civil parish situated on the B6428 road in West Yorkshire, England approximately 7 miles south east of the city of Wakefield. It has a population of 2,628....
, South Elmsall
South Elmsall
South Elmsall pronounced "south em-sull" is a small town and civil parish to the east of Hemsworth in the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It is on the B6422 and B6474 ....
and South Kirkby was made into a special regeneration area, and fortunes have improved as a result.
The Hemsworth constituency
Hemsworth (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 2000s:- Elections in the 1990s :- Elections in the 1940s :- Elections in the 1930s :- Elections in the 1920s :...
is famous for being the place where Labour votes were said to be "weighed rather than counted" during the 1960s and 1970s, but the town is not even so heavily Labour-voting as it once was. The town's Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
is Jon Trickett
Jon Trickett
Jon Hedley Trickett is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Hemsworth in West Yorkshire since a 1996 by-election...
, a former leader of Leeds council.
In May, 2005, 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 :...
estimated that unemployment in Hemsworth was just 2.8%. This marks progress from periods in the previous two decades when it could reach as high as 50%.
A large portion of the West End estate and blocks of flats around the Scotch Estate in Hemsworth are in the process of being demolished and regenerated as in recent years the area suffered badly from the closure of the mines leading to high crime rates, unemployment and being in the top 2% of deprived areas in the whole EU.
Also in Hemsworth is the Hemsworth Water Park, situated on the outskirts of Hemsworth. Hemsworth Water Park has two lakes; the largest lake is available for pedalo rides and has sandy beaches; the smallest lake is in a more secluded area to attract wildlife. Both lakes are stocked for fishing which is available all year round. There are also plenty of grassed areas for picnics and games.
Then there is Playworld, Playworld is an outdoor adventure playground within the Water Park and is suitable for children of all ages with a tower slide, climbing frames and a toddler’s sandpit area.
A miniature railway operates in Playworld.
A new kiosk and toilet facilities were opened in March 2006. New equipment has been introduced for 2008
The local newspaper for the area is the Hemsworth and South Elmsall Express, which gives local residents the ability to voice their opinions on local topical concerns.
Along with the neighbouring village of Kinsley it is mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
which was commissioned in 1085 by William the Conqueror. The name in the Domesday book is Hamelsworde being the 'worth' or enclosure of a possible Saxon, named Hamel.
Hemsworth was used in an episode of the Top Gear series: Series 4 episode 2.
Robert Holgate
Robert Holgate
Robert Holgate was Bishop of Llandaff and then Archbishop of York . He recognised Henry VIII as leader of the Church of England....
, a native of Hemsworth (1481? - 1555) was consecrated Archbishop of York in January 1545.