List of urban districts formed in England and Wales 1896–1974

The following is a list of towns in England and Wales which formed urban districts under the Local Government Act 1894 in the years following its introduction. For districts formed when the act came into force see: Urban districts formed in England and Wales 1894–95.
Note for table: 'UD' stands for Urban District, 'RD' stands for Rural District, 'MB' stands for Municipal Borough and 'CB' stands for County Borough.

1896-99

[edit]

In the period 1896-99 sixty urban districts were formed and twenty-two abolished, a net increase of 38, bringing the total number of urban districts to 813.

Urban District

County

Created

Abolished

Successor(s)

Kempston UD Bedfordshire 1896 1974 Bedford
Great Marlow UD (1896–97),[1] Marlow UD (1897-1974) Buckinghamshire 1896 1974 Wycombe
Heavitree UD Devon 1896 1913 absorbed by Exeter CB
Annfield Plain UD County Durham 1896 1937 absorbed by Consett UD and Stanley UD
Brightlingsea UD Essex 1896 1974 Tendring
Epping UD Essex 1896 1974 Epping Forest
Connah's Quay UD Flintshire 1896 1974 Alyn and Deeside
Prestatyn UD Flintshire 1896 1974 Rhuddlan
Farnborough UD Hampshire 1896 1974 Rushmoor
Alford UD Lincolnshire, Parts of Lindsey 1896 1974 East Lindsey
Mablethorpe UD (1894-1925),[2]
Mablethorpe and Sutton UD (1925–74)
Lincolnshire, Parts of Lindsey 1896 1974 East Lindsey
Far Cotton UD Northamptonshire 1896 1900 absorbed by Northampton CB
St James UD Northamptonshire 1896 1900 absorbed by Northampton CB
Ashington UD Northumberland 1896 1974 Wansbeck
Rothbury UD Northumberland 1896 1935 absorbed by Rothbury RD
Eastwood UD Nottinghamshire 1896 1974 Broxtowe
Kirkby in Ashfield UD Nottinghamshire 1896 1974 Ashfield
Highbridge UD Somerset 1896 1933 absorbed by Burnham-on-Sea UD
Uttoxeter UD Staffordshire 1896 1974 East Staffordshire
Glemsford UD West Suffolk 1896 1935 absorbed by Melford RD
Darfield UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1896 1974 Barnsley
Royston UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1896 1974 Barnsley
Linslade UD Buckinghamshire 1897 1965 Leighton-Linslade UD, Bedfordshire
Newport Pagnell UD Buckinghamshire 1897 1974 Milton Keynes
Newcastle Emlyn UD Carmarthenshire 1897 1974 Carmarthen
St Just UD Cornwall 1897 1974 Penwith
Llanrwst UD Denbighshire 1897 1974 Aberconwy
Leigh on Sea UD Essex 1897 1913 absorbed by Southend on Sea MB
Buckley UD Flintshire 1897 1974 Alyn and Deeside
Royston UD Hertfordshire 1897 1974 North Hertfordshire
Raunds UD Northamptonshire 1897 1974 East Northamptonshire
Earsdon UD Northumberland 1897 1935 Seaton Valley UD, Tynemouth CB and Whitley Bay UD
Lye and Wollescote UD Worcestershire 1897 1933 absorbed by Stourbridge MB
Betws-y-Coed UD Caernarfonshire 1898 1974 Aberconwy
Looe UD Cornwall 1898 1974 Caradon
Wadebridge UD Cornwall 1898 1934 Wadebridge RD
Ashburton UD Devon 1898 1974 Teignbridge
Tavistock UD Devon 1898 1966 absorbed by Tavistock RD
Crook UD County Durham 1898 1937 Crook and Willington UD
Portslade-by-Sea UD East Sussex 1898 1974 Hove
Burnham-on-Crouch UD Essex 1898 1974 Maldon
Wivenhoe UD Essex 1898 1974 Colchester
Itchen UD Hampshire 1898 1920 absorbed by Southampton CB
Berkhamsted UD, Great Berkhampstead (1898–1937) Hertfordshire 1898 1974 Dacorum
Harpenden UD Hertfordshire 1898 1974 St Albans
Rickmansworth UD Hertfordshire 1898 1974 Three Rivers
Cheriton UD Kent 1898 1934 absorbed by Folkestone MB and Hythe MB
Bracebridge UD Lincolnshire, Parts of Kesteven 1898 1920 absorbed by Lincoln CB
Woodhall Spa UD Lincolnshire, Parts of Lindsey 1898 1974 East Lindsey
Oakengates UD Shropshire 1898 1974 The Wrekin
Amblecote UD Staffordshire 1898 1966 absorbed by Dudley CB and Stourbridge MB
King's Norton and Northfield UD Worcestershire 1898 1912 absorbed by Birmingham CB and Bromsgrove RD
Malvern UD Worcestershire 1898 1974 Malvern Hills
Withernsea UD East Riding of Yorkshire 1898 1974 Holderness
Brentwood UD Essex 1899 1974 Brentwood
Penge UD Kent 1899 1965 Bromley
Heysham UD Lancashire 1899 1928 absorbed by Morecambe and Heysham MB
Tottington UD Lancashire 1899 1974 Bury
Bourne UD Lincolnshire, Parts of Kesteven 1899 1974 South Kesteven
Church Stretton UD Shropshire 1899 1966 absorbed by Ludlow RD
Ilminster UD Somerset 1899 1974 Yeovil
Caterham UD (1899-1929),[3]
Caterham and Warlingham UD (1929–74)[4]
Surrey 1899 1974 Tandridge
Westbury UD Wiltshire 1899 1974 West Wiltshire
Southwick UD West Sussex 1899 1974 Adur
Hessle UD East Riding of Yorkshire 1899 1935 Haltemprice UD
Bolton upon Dearne UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1899 1937 Dearne UD
Stanley UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1899 1974 Wakefield

1900-09

[edit]

In the 1900s forty-six urban districts were formed and forty-one abolished, a net increase of 5, bringing the total number of urban districts to an all-time high of 818.

Urban District

County

Created

Abolished

Successor(s)

Hale UD Cheshire 1900 1974 Trafford
Hazel Grove and Bramhall UD Cheshire 1900 1974 Stockport
Stratton and Bude UD (1900–34),[5]
Bude-Stratton UD (1934–74)
Cornwall 1900 1974 North Cornwall
Holsworthy UD Devon 1900 1964 absorbed by Holsworthy RD
Halesworth UD East Suffolk 1900 1974 Waveney
Saxmundham UD East Suffolk 1900 1974 Suffolk Coastal
Loughton UD Essex 1900 1933 Chigwell UD
Chislehurst UD Kent 1900 1934 Chislehurst and Sidcup UD
Poulton-le-Fylde UD Lancashire 1900 1974 Wyre
Preesall with Hackensall UD (1900–10),[6]
Preesall UD (1910–74)
Lancashire 1900 1974 Wyre
Thornton Cleveleys UD Lancashire 1900 1974 Wyre
Kingsbury UD Middlesex 1900 1934 Wembley UD
Neyland UD[7] Pembrokeshire 1900 1974 Preseli
Wem UD Shropshire 1900 1967 North Shropshire RD
Cudworth UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1900 1974 Barnsley
Saddleworth UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1900 1974 Oldham
Wheatley UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1900 1914 absorbed by Doncaster MB
Amlwch UD Anglesey 1901 Anglesey - Ynys Môn
Callington UD Cornwall 1901 1934 absorbed by St Germans RD
Frinton on Sea UD Essex 1901 1934 Frinton and Walton UD
Sawbridgeworth UD Hertfordshire 1901 1974 East Hertfordshire
Sheringham UD Norfolk 1901 1974 North Norfolk
Irthlingborough UD Northamptonshire 1901 1974 East Northamptonshire
Compstall UD Cheshire 1902 1936 absorbed by Bredbury and Romiley UD and Hyde MB
Ellesmere Port and Whitby UD (1902–33),[8]
Ellesmere Port UD (1933–55)[9]
Cheshire 1902 1955 Ellesmere Port MB
Foots Cray UD (1902–21),[10]
Sidcup UD (1921–34)[11]
Kent 1902 1934 Chislehurst and Sidcup UD
Narberth UD Pembrokeshire 1902 1974 South Pembrokeshire
Watchet UD Somerset 1902 1974 West Somerset
Scalby UD North Riding of Yorkshire 1902 1974 Scarborough
Ammanford UD Carmarthenshire 1903 1974 Dinefwr
Burry Port UD Carmarthenshire 1903 1974 Llanelli
Bispham with Norbreck UD Lancashire 1903 1918 absorbed by Blackpool CB
Mynyddislwyn UD Monmouthshire 1903 1974 Islwyn
Handforth UD Cheshire 1904 1936 absorbed by Cheadle and Gatley UD and Wilmslow UD
Torpoint UD Cornwall 1904 1974 Caradon
Oulton Broad UD East Suffolk 1904 1919 absorbed by Lowestoft MB
Fleet UD Hampshire 1904 1974 Hart
Feltham UD Middlesex 1904 1965 Hounslow
Hayes UD (1904–30),[12]
Hayes and Harlington UD (1930–65)
Middlesex 1904 1965 Hillingdon
Ruislip-Northwood UD Middlesex 1904 1965 Hillingdon
Wolstanton United UD Staffordshire 1904 1932 absorbed by Newcastle-under-Lyme MB
Old Fletton UD Huntingdonshire (1905–65),
Huntingdon and Peterborough (1965–74)
1905 1974 Peterborough
Formby UD Lancashire 1905 1974 Sefton
Shap UD Westmorland 1905 1935 absorbed by North Westmorland RD
Bushey UD Hertfordshire 1906 1974 Hertsmere
Egham UD Surrey 1906 1974 Runnymede
Llanwrtyd Wells UD Brecknockshire 1907 1974 Brecknock
Fishguard UD Pembrokeshire 1907 1934 Fishguard and Goodwick UD
Merton UD (1907–13),[13]
Merton and Morden UD (1913–65)
Surrey 1907 1965 Merton
Garforth UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1908 1974 Leeds
Gelligaer UD Glamorganshire 1908 1974 Rhymney Valley, Merthyr Tydfil
Thurnscoe UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1908 1937 Dearne UD
Chester-le-Street UD County Durham 1909 1974 Chester-le-Street
Windlesham UD Surrey 1909 1933 Bagshot RD
Earby UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1909 1974 Pendle

1910-19

[edit]

In the 1910s twenty-one urban districts were formed and forty-one abolished, a net decrease of 20, bringing the total number of urban districts to 798.

Urban District

County

Created

Abolished

Successor(s)

Bungay UD East Suffolk 1910 1974 Waveney
Prudhoe UD Northumberland 1910 1974 Tynedale
Whittington and Newbold UD Derbyshire 1911 1920 absorbed by Chesterfield MB
Yiewsley UD (1911–29),[14]
Yiewsley and West Drayton UD (1929–65)
Middlesex 1911 1965 Hillingdon
Oakham UD Rutland 1911 1974 Rutland
Bentley with Arksey UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1911 1974 Doncaster
Cwmamman UD Carmarthenshire 1912 1974 Dinefwr
Tilbury UD Essex 1912 1936 Thurrock UD
Bedwas and Machen UD Monmouthshire 1912 1974 Rhymney Valley
Longbenton UD Northumberland 1912 1974 North Tyneside
Seaton Delaval UD Northumberland 1912 1935 Seaton Valley UD, absorbed by Blyth MB and Whitley Bay UD
Chorleywood UD Hertfordshire 1913 1974 Three Rivers
Oadby UD Leicestershire 1913 1974 Oadby and Wigston
Haslemere UD Surrey 1913 1974 Waverley
Market Drayton UD Shropshire 1914 1966 Market Drayton RD
Axminster UD Devon 1915 1953 absorbed by Axminster RD
Beddington and Wallington UD Surrey 1915 1937 Beddington and Wallington MB
Coulsdon and Purley UD Surrey 1915 1965 Croydon
Mitcham UD Surrey 1915 1934 Mitcham MB
Adwick le Street UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1915 1974 Doncaster
Spenborough UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1915 1955 Spenborough MB
Stratford and Wolverton UD (1919–20),[15]
Wolverton UD (1920–74)[16]
Buckinghamshire 1919 1974 Milton Keynes
Letchworth UD Hertfordshire 1919 1974 North Hertfordshire

1920-29

[edit]

In the 1920s twenty-five urban districts were formed and thirty-nine abolished, a net decrease of 14, bringing the total number of urban districts to 784.

Urban District

County

Created

Abolished

Successor(s)

Crayford UD Kent 1920 1965 Bexley
Conisbrough UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1921 1974 Doncaster
Hemsworth UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1921 1974 Wakefield
Bebington and Bromborough UD (1922–33),[17]
Bebington UD (1933–37)[18]
Cheshire 1922 1937 Bebington MB
Washington UD County Durham 1922 1974 Sunderland
Billingham UD County Durham 1923 1968 absorbed by Stockton RD and Teesside CB
Burton Latimer UD Northamptonshire 1923 1974 Kettering
Goodwick UD Pembrokeshire 1923 1934 Fishguard and Goodwick UD
Maltby UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1924 1974 Rotherham
Halesowen UD Worcestershire 1925 1936 Halesowen MB
Thurstonland and Farnley Tyas UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1925 1938 absorbed by Holmfirth UD and Kirkburton UD
Canvey Island UD Essex 1926 1974 Castle Point
Dagenham UD Essex 1926 1938 Dagenham MB
Hornchurch UD Essex 1926 1965 Havering
West Mersea UD Essex 1926 1974 Colchester
Milton UD Hampshire 1926 1932 absorbed by Lymington MB
Swanscombe UD Kent 1926 1974 Dartford
Sandy UD Bedfordshire 1927 1974 Mid Bedfordshire
Mangotsfield UD Gloucestershire 1927 1974 Kingswood
Welwyn Garden City UD Hertfordshire 1927 1974 Welwyn Hatfield
Brentford and Chiswick UD Middlesex 1927 1932 Brentford and Chiswick MB
Headington UD Oxfordshire 1927 1929 absorbed by Oxford CB
Bedworth UD Warwickshire 1928 1974 Nuneaton
Benfleet UD Essex 1929 1974 Castle Point
Purfleet UD Essex 1929 1936 Thurrock UD
Rayleigh UD Essex 1929 1974 Rochford

1930-39

[edit]

In the 1930s forty-one urban districts were formed and two hundred fifty-three abolished, a net decrease of 212, bringing the total number of urban districts to 572. This was largely due to the County review orders instigated by the Local Government Act 1929.

Urban District

County

Created

Abolished

Successor(s)

Llwchwr UD Glamorganshire 1930 1974 Lliw Valley
Sittingbourne and Milton UD Kent 1930 1974 Swale
Solihull UD Warwickshire 1932 1954 Solihull MB
Saltburn and Marske-by-the-Sea UD North Riding of Yorkshire 1932 1974 Langbaurgh
Wirral UD Cheshire 1933 1974 Wirral
Chigwell UD Essex 1933 1974 Epping Forest
Sandown-Shanklin UD Isle of Wight 1933 1974 South Wight
Norton-Radstock UD Somerset 1933 1974 Wansdyke
Banstead UD Surrey 1933 1974 Reigate and Banstead
Walton and Weybridge UD Surrey 1933 1974 Elmbridge
Camborne-Redruth UD Cornwall 1934 1974 Kerrier
Billericay UD Essex 1934 1955 Basildon UD
Frinton and Walton UD Essex 1934 1974 Tendring
Wanstead and Woodford UD Essex 1934 1937 Wanstead and Woodford MB
Chislehurst and Sidcup UD Kent 1934 1965 Bexley, Bromley
Orpington UD Kent 1934 1965 Bromley
Potters Bar UD Middlesex (1934–65), Hertfordshire (1965–74) 1934 1974 Hertsmere
Aldridge UD Staffordshire 1934 1966 Aldridge-Brownhills UD
Fishguard and Goodwick UD Pembrokeshire 1934 1974 Preseli
Abergele UD Denbighshire 1935 1974 Colwyn
Cwmbran UD Monmouthshire 1935 1974 Torfaen
Staveley UD Derbyshire 1935 1974 Chesterfield
Wymondham UD Norfolk 1935 1974 South Norfolk
Seaton Valley UD Northumberland 1935 1974 Blyth Valley, North Tyneside
Beeston and Stapleford UD Nottinghamshire 1935 1974 Broxtowe
Lakes UD Westmorland 1935 1974 Eden, South Lakeland
Haltemprice UD East Riding of Yorkshire 1935 1974 Beverley
Whaley Bridge UD Derbyshire 1936 1974 High Peak
Boldon UD County Durham 1936 1974 South Tyneside
Thurrock UD Essex 1936 1974 Thurrock, Basildon
Crook and Willington UD County Durham 1937 1974 Wear Valley
Aireborough UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1937 1974 Leeds
Colne Valley UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1937 1974 Kirklees
Dearne UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1937 1974 Barnsley
Hebden Royd UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1937 1974 Calderdale
Queensbury and Shelf UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1937 1974 Calderdale, Bradford
Ripponden UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1937 1974 Calderdale
Sowerby Bridge UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1937 1974 Calderdale
Keynsham UD Somerset 1938 1974 Wansdyke
Denby Dale UD West Riding of Yorkshire 1938 1974 Kirklees
Corby UD Northamptonshire 1939 1974 Corby

1940-74

[edit]

From 1940 until their abolition in 1974, there were only six more urban districts formed and a further fifty-six abolished, a net decrease of 50, bringing the total number of urban districts to 522.

Urban District

County

Created

Abolished

Successor(s)

Basildon UD Essex 1955 1974 Basildon
Harlow UD Essex 1955 1974 Harlow
Crawley UD West Sussex 1956 1974 Crawley
Kirkby UD Lancashire 1958 1974 Knowsley
Leighton-Linslade UD Bedfordshire 1965 1974 South Bedfordshire
Aldridge-Brownhills UD Staffordshire 1966 1974 Walsall

Sources

[edit]
  1. ^ "Marlow UD". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  2. ^ "Mablethorpe and Sutton UD". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  3. ^ "Caterham UD". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  4. ^ "Caterham and Warlingham UD". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  5. ^ "Bude-Stratton UD". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  6. ^ "Preesall UD". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  7. ^ Annual Report of the Local Government Board. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. 1901. p. 345. Retrieved 2 August 2022. The Pembroke (Llanstadwell and Neyland) Confirmation Order, 1900
  8. ^ "Ellesmere Port and Whitby UD". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  9. ^ "Ellesmere Port UD". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  10. ^ "Foots Cray UD". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  11. ^ "Sidcup UD". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  12. ^ "Hayes and Harlington UD". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  13. ^ "Merton and Morden UD". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  14. ^ "Yiewsley and West Drayton UD". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  15. ^ "Stratford and Wolverton UD". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  16. ^ "Wolverton UD". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  17. ^ "Bebington and Bromborough UD". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  18. ^ "Bebington UD". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 8 November 2014.