Spenborough

Coordinates: 53°43′08″N 1°41′38″W / 53.719°N 1.694°W / 53.719; -1.694

Spenborough
Motto: Industry Enriches
Geography
Status	Urban district (1915 - 1955), municipal borough (1955 on)
1921 area	4,992 acres (20.20 km2)
1961 area	8,251 acres (33.39 km2)
HQ	Spenborough Town Hall, Cleckheaton
History
Origin	Cleckheaton, Gomersal and Liversedge Urban Districts
Created	1915
Abolished	1974
Succeeded by	Kirklees
Demography
1921 population	31,117
1971 population	40,683
Politics
Governance	Spenborough Urban District Council (1915 - 1955), Spenborough Corporation (1955 - 1974)

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.^[1] 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.^[2] 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.^[1] 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.^[3]

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.

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.^{[4] [5] [6]}

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Youngs, Frederic A Jr. (1991). Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England. II Northern England. London: Royal Historical Society. ISBN 0861931270. 
2. ^ "Yorkshire Municipal Extension". The Times: p. 14. 16 October 1913. 
3. ^ "Court Circular". The Times: p. 8. 30 July 1955. 
4. ^ "Spenborough Guardian". http://www.spenboroughguardian.co.uk/. Retrieved 2009-03-23. 
5. ^ "Spenborough Swimming Pool and Sports Complex". Kirklees Council. http://www.spenboroughpool.co.uk/. Retrieved 2009-03-23. 
6. ^ "Spenborough and District Athletic Club". Kirklees Council. 7 February 2008. http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/community/localorgs/orgdetails.asp?OrgID=2324. Retrieved 2009-03-23. 

See also

• Spen Valley (UK Parliament constituency), 1885–1950
• Brighouse and Spenborough (UK Parliament constituency), 1950–1983