Municipal Borough of Middleton
Encyclopedia
The Municipal Borough of Middleton was, from 1886 to 1974, a municipal borough
in the administrative county
of Lancashire
, England, coterminate with the town of Middleton
.
of Middleton and Tonge formed a single town. The townships, separated by the River Irk
, lay in different parishes
and local administration was in the hands of constables appointed by the Lord of the Manor
.
In 1861 a local act of parliament
established Middleton and Tonge Improvement Commissioners to provide public services in the area. In 1879 the improvement commissioners
district was enlarged to take in Alkrington
and parts of Hopwood
and Thornham
.
Following a petition
by the inhabitant householders of the improvement commissioners district, a charter of incorporation
was granted on July 21, 1886, constituting the area as the Municipal Borough of Middleton.
The borough was enlarged in 1894 by the addition of parts of the townships of Great Heaton
and Little Heaton, and the boundaries with neighbouring districts were adjusted in 1933 by a County Review Order
.
The borough was abolished by the Local Government Act 1972
, with its area becoming part of the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale
in the new county of Greater Manchester
in 1974.
, six aldermen
and eighteen councillors. The borough was divided into three wards, and two councillors were elected for a three-year term in each ward annually. Each ward was also represented by two alderman: half of the aldermanic bench were elected by the council every three years, and they each served for six years. The mayor was elected annually from among the council's membership.
In the early years the borough council appears to have non-political, and elections were rarely contested, with an agreed panel of candidates standing unopposed. In later years the council was broadly Conservative
in complexion. Following the Second World War elections were held on party political lines. The Conservative Party had an overall majority until 1957, with Labour
, Liberal
and Independent councilors in opposition.
In 1957 the size of the borough council was increased from twenty-four to thirty-six. The Labour Party gained control of the enlarged council, and held it until 1960. Apart from one year under no overall control, the administration of the borough alternated between the Conservatives (1960–1963 and 1969–1971) and Labour (1963–1969 and 1972–1974).
by the College of Arms
on January 28, 1877. The blazon
of the arms was as follows:
Quarterly per pale nebuly gules and argent on a fesse ermine between a cross patonce of the second in the first quarter a mullet sable pierced of the field in the second a silkworm moth volant in the third and a rock in base thereon a stork in the fourth three sprigs of the cotton tree slipped and fructed all proper, and for a crest on a wreath of the colours upon a mount vert between two boars' heads erect and couped sable a tower proper suspended therefrom by a riband gules an escutcheon Or charged with a lion passant also gules.
The design combined features from the arms of local families with symbols of the town's industries. The basic layout of the shield was based on the arms of Middleton of Middleton Hall: "Quarterly gules and Or in the first a cross flory argent", while the black spur-rowel came from the arms of the Assheton family. The textile industries of Middleton were depicted by the cotton sprigs and silk worm moth. According to the borough council the stork represented "the desire for the increase in population'". The crest above the shield was made up of a tower and lion from the heraldry of the Earls of Middleton
between two boars' heads from the arms of another Middleton family.
The borough borrowed the Latin
motto
of the Middleton Earls: Fortis in Arduis or "strong in difficulties".
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 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 Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England, coterminate with the town of Middleton
Middleton, Greater Manchester
Middleton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Irk, south-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester...
.
Civic history
By the nineteenth century the neighbouring townshipsTownship (England)
In England, a township is a local division or district of a large parish containing a village or small town usually having its own church...
of Middleton and Tonge formed a single town. The townships, separated by the River Irk
River Irk
The River Irk is a river in Greater Manchester in North West England that flows through the northern suburbs of Manchester before merging with the River Irwell in Manchester city centre....
, lay in different parishes
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
and local administration was in the hands of constables appointed by 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...
.
In 1861 a local act of parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
established Middleton and Tonge Improvement Commissioners to provide public services in the area. In 1879 the improvement commissioners
Improvement commissioners
Boards of improvement commissioners were ad-hoc boards created during the 18th and 19th centuries in the United Kingdom. They were an early form of local government.The first Improvement Commission was the Manchester Police Commission, established in 1765...
district was enlarged to take in Alkrington
Alkrington
Alkrington Garden Village, more commonly known as Alkrington, is a suburb of Middleton, in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England....
and parts of Hopwood
Hopwood, Greater Manchester
Hopwood is a suburb of Heywood, a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It is north of the M62 motorway....
and Thornham
Thornham, Greater Manchester
Thornham is the name of a suburban area and ecclesiastical parish overlapping the towns of Middleton, Royton and Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England...
.
Following a petition
Petition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer....
by the inhabitant householders of the improvement commissioners district, 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...
was granted on July 21, 1886, constituting the area as the Municipal Borough of Middleton.
The borough was enlarged in 1894 by the addition of parts of the townships of Great Heaton
Great Heaton
Great Heaton was a township in the parish of Prestwich-cum-Oldham and hundred of Salford, in Lancashire, England. It was occupied land between Prestwich and Manchester, near Heaton Park....
and Little Heaton, and the boundaries with neighbouring districts were adjusted in 1933 by a County Review Order
Local Government Act 1929
The Local Government Act 1929 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that made changes to the Poor Law and local government in England and Wales....
.
The borough was abolished by 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 becoming part of the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale
Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale
The Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England. It is named after its largest town, Rochdale, but spans a far larger area which includes the towns of Middleton, Heywood, Littleborough and Milnrow, and the village of Wardle.The borough was...
in the new county 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...
in 1974.
Borough council
The charter created an elected town council for the borough, consisting of a mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
, six aldermen
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
and eighteen councillors. The borough was divided into three wards, and two councillors were elected for a three-year term in each ward annually. Each ward was also represented by two alderman: half of the aldermanic bench were elected by the council every three years, and they each served for six years. The mayor was elected annually from among the council's membership.
In the early years the borough council appears to have non-political, and elections were rarely contested, with an agreed panel of candidates standing unopposed. In later years the council was broadly 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...
in complexion. Following the Second World War elections were held on party political lines. The Conservative Party had an overall majority until 1957, with 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...
, Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
and Independent councilors in opposition.
In 1957 the size of the borough council was increased from twenty-four to thirty-six. The Labour Party gained control of the enlarged council, and held it until 1960. Apart from one year under no overall control, the administration of the borough alternated between the Conservatives (1960–1963 and 1969–1971) and Labour (1963–1969 and 1972–1974).
Coat of arms
The Mayor, Alderman and Burgesses of Middleton were granted armorial bearingsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
by the College of Arms
College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
on January 28, 1877. The blazon
Blazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
of the arms was as follows:
Quarterly per pale nebuly gules and argent on a fesse ermine between a cross patonce of the second in the first quarter a mullet sable pierced of the field in the second a silkworm moth volant in the third and a rock in base thereon a stork in the fourth three sprigs of the cotton tree slipped and fructed all proper, and for a crest on a wreath of the colours upon a mount vert between two boars' heads erect and couped sable a tower proper suspended therefrom by a riband gules an escutcheon Or charged with a lion passant also gules.
The design combined features from the arms of local families with symbols of the town's industries. The basic layout of the shield was based on the arms of Middleton of Middleton Hall: "Quarterly gules and Or in the first a cross flory argent", while the black spur-rowel came from the arms of the Assheton family. The textile industries of Middleton were depicted by the cotton sprigs and silk worm moth. According to the borough council the stork represented "the desire for the increase in population'". The crest above the shield was made up of a tower and lion from the heraldry of the Earls of Middleton
Earl of Middleton
The title Earl of Middleton was created in 1656 in the Peerage of Scotland for army officer John Middleton, together with the subsidiary titles Lord Clermont and Fettercairn. He was succeeded by his son, Charles, who served in political offices under Charles II and James II & VI...
between two boars' heads from the arms of another Middleton family.
The borough borrowed the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
of the Middleton Earls: Fortis in Arduis or "strong in difficulties".