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Altrincham

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"ALTRINCHAM, a market-town and chapelry in the parish of BOWDON, hundred of BUCKLOW, county palatine of CHESTER, 7 miles (N. by E.) from NetherKnutsford, and 179½ (N. W. by N.) from London, containing 2302 inhabitants. The town is situated on Bowdon Downs, and, though small, contains several respectable dwelling-houses, the salubrity of the air rendering it a place of general resort for invalids from Manchester: it is watched and lighted by subscription, and is characterised throughout by cleanliness and neatness. The trade principally consists in the spinning of yarn, the making of bobbins for cotton and worsted spinners, and the weaving of cotton by hand-looms for the manufacturers at Manchester and other adjacent towns. The Duke of Bridgewater's canal from Manchester to Runcorn passes through the town, and affords a facility of conveyance for coal. Early potatoes are cultivated here to a great extent for the Manchester market. The market days are Tuesday and Saturday, the latter being only for butchers' meat: the fairs, chiefly for the sale of live stock, are held on April 29th, August 5th, and November 22nd; to the two last are attached courts of pie-powder. Altrincham was made a free borough in the reign of Edward I., by charter of Hamon de Massey, lord of the barony of Dunham-Massey, whereby the burgesses were empowered to have a guild merchant, and to choose apræpositus, or bailiff; but the only privilege they now possess is that of electing a mayor at a court leet held in autumn, when a jury of burgesses present three of their own body to the steward, who appoints one to the office, which is merely nominal, and the duty of which extends only to the opening of the fairs, the town being wholly within the jurisdiction of the county magistrates. Pleas were formerly held in the lord's court, but they have of late been discontinued. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Chester, endowed with £1000 parliamentary grant, and in the patronage of the Earl of Stamford and Warrington. The chapel, dedicated to St. George, is a plain brick building, erected by subscription in 1799. There are two places of worship for Methodists, and one for Unitarians. The Jubilee school, built in 1810, is supported by subscription." [From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England  (1831) ©Mel Lockie]

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  • Altrincham (pronounced All-tringum) was a township in Bowdon ancient parish, Bucklow hundred (SJ 7887), which became a civil parish in 1866.
  • Since 1974 it has been an unparished area in the county of Greater Manchester.
  • It includes the hamlet of Broadheath.
  • The population was 1692 in 1801, 4488 in 1851, 16831 in 1901, 39789 in 1951, and 40376 in 2001.
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Churches

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Civil Registration

  • Altrincham (1837-98)
  • Bucklow (1898-1974)
  • Trafford (1974+)
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Court Records

  • Bucklow (1828-74)
  • Altrincham (1874-1974)
  • Trafford (1974+)
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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Altrincham which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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Historical Geography

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SJ767882 (Lat/Lon: 53.390118, -2.35181), Altrincham which are provided by:

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Politics & Government

  • Altrincham Local Board (1851-75)
  • Altrincham Urban Sanitary District (1875-94)
  • Altrincham Urban District (1894-1937)
  • Altrincham Municipal Borough (1937-74)
  • Trafford Metropolitan Borough [Greater Manchester] (1974+)
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Altrincham (1836-95)
  • Bucklow (1895-1930).
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Voting Registers

  • North Cheshire (1832-67)
  • Mid Cheshire (1868-85)
  • Altrincham (1885-1945)
  • Altrincham and Sale (1945-74)