West Hartlepool

This article refers to the place; for the Rugby Football Club see West Hartlepool R.F.C.

West Hartlepool refers to the western part of the what has since the 1960s been known as the borough of Hartlepool in North East England. Originally it was a separate new town and port related to the creation of a railway line from the south, with countryside in between the 'Hartlepools' ('West Hartlepool' and 'Hartlepool'), but urban sprawl joined the two towns. The local government area of 'West Hartlepool', as ultimately named, was founded by Ralph Ward Jackson. The term 'West Hartlepool' is mainly now only referred to in reference to sports as opposed to the original Victorian new town to the west of historic Hartlepool, as shown on the plans of the Ordnance Survey^[1]

The municipal borough of West Hartlepool was created in 1887, and it was promoted in 1902 to be a county borough outside the control of Durham County Council.

In 1967, a county borough, called Hartlepool, was established for both West Hartlepool and old Hartlepool, with the inclusion within the new area of local government of the parish of Seaton Carew on the coast to the south.

Sport

Today the term "West Hartlepool" is rarely heard outside the context of sport, but the town's only premier Rugby Union team still proudly retain the name. West Hartlepool R.F.C. was formed in 1881, and again in 1911, it still plays today.

Until 1967, the football team now known as Hartlepool United was shown in the plural - Hartlepools United - to show its links to both Hartlepool and to West Hartlepool.

References

1. ^ the 'Hartlepools' on 19th Cent. OS plan.

• Vision of Britain

Coordinates: 54°41′20″N 1°13′30″W / 54.68892°N 1.22498°W / 54.68892; -1.22498