Municipal Borough of Altrincham

Last updated
Altrincham
Local Board District (1851–1894)
Urban District (1894–1937)
Municipal Borough (1937–1974)
Altrincham Town Hall - geograph.org.uk - 1313270.jpg
Altrincham Town Hall
Municipal Borough of Altrincham, Cheshire (1970).svg
Altrincham within Cheshire in 1970
History
 • Succeeded byTrafford Metropolitan Borough [Greater Manchester]

Altrincham was an administrative district covering the town of Altrincham in Cheshire, England. It was a local board district from 1851 to 1894, an urban district from 1894 to 1937, and a municipal borough from 1937 until 1974. It was abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, and the area became a part of the new Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester.

Contents

History

The town of Altrincham had been a seigneurial borough from 1290, [1] with a limited degree of self-governance whilst remaining under the jurisdiction of the lord of the manor. There was no formal borough corporation, with the mayor and other officers of the borough being appointed by the lord of the manor's court leet. [2] Given the old borough's limited powers, it was left left unreformed when the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 reformed most ancient boroughs across the country into municipal boroughs. The old borough was eventually abolished in 1886. [3]

In order to provide more modern local government functions, Altrincham was made a local board district in 1851, administered by an elected local board. [4] Local board districts were reconstituted as urban districts under the Local Government Act 1894. [5] The urban district council built itself Altrincham Town Hall on Market Street in 1901 to serve as its headquarters. [6] The urban district was enlarged in 1920 and again in 1936, when it absorbed the area of the abolished parish of Timperley. [7]

In 1937, Altrincham Urban District was granted a charter of incorporation, converting it into a municipal borough. The charter was formally presented by Sir William Bromley-Davenport, Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire at a charter celebration day held on 31 July. [8]

The Municipal Borough of Altrincham was abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. The area became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester. [9] [10]

Political control

Following Altrincham's incorporation in 1937, the borough council consisted of a mayor, seven aldermen, and twenty-one councillors. In 1947 an additional ward was created bringing the total to eight aldermen, and twenty-four councillors. The charter mayor was the Earl of Stamford whose seat was Dunham Massey, just outside the town. One third of the councillors were elected annually, while half of the aldermen were elected by the council every three years.

The council initially consisted of two groupings, the dominant Independents and the Labour Party, the Independents held control from the borough's creation until 1949 Altrincham Municipal Borough Council election. In 1947, the Conservative Party contested local elections for the first time with eight of their ten candidates being elected, in 1949 they won overall control of the council which they held until 1961, most of the Independents either joined the Conservatives or were defeated. In 1958 the Liberal Party was elected to the council for the first time. From 1961 until 1966 the council was under no overall control with the Labour and Liberal groups outnumbering the Conservatives between 1962 and 1965. The Conservatives won control again in 1966 and held it until the council's final election in 1972 when they became the second-largest single party for the first time since 1949, and their only successful return was unopposed in South West ward.

PartyPeriod
Independent 1937-1949
Conservative 1949-1961
No overall control 1961-1966
Conservative 1966-1972
No overall control 1972-1974

Local elections

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References

  1. ↑ Prior, David (9 March 2017). "A replica of Altrincham's 1290 Charter is now on display - here's what it actually says". Altrincham Today. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  2. ↑ Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the Municipal Corporations in England and Wales: Appendix 4. 1835. pp. 2573–2576. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  3. ↑ "Municipal Corporations Act 1883" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. The National Archives. p. 14. Retrieved 18 January 2025. Section 23
  4. ↑ "No. 21183". The London Gazette . 18 February 1851. p. 412.
  5. ↑ "Altrincham Urban District / Municipal Borough". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  6. ↑ "Booklet traces the history of Altrincham Town Hall". Messenger Newspapers. 3 May 2016. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  7. ↑ "Altrincham Chapelry / Civil Parish". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  8. ↑ CHARTER DAY AT ALTRINCHAM, The Manchester Guardian, August 2, 1937, p.10
  9. ↑ "Local Government Act 1972: Schedule 1", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1972 c. 70 (sch.1), retrieved 15 January 2025
  10. ↑ "Cheshire Towns & Parishes : Altrincham" . Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  11. ↑ BIG SHOCK FOR CONSERVATIVES - FOUR SEATS LOST, Altrincham, Hale, & Bowdon Guardian, May 18, 1962, p.9
  12. ↑ Tories lose two seats on the council, Altrincham, Hale, & Bowdon Guardian, May 14, 1970, p.1

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