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Bebington

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"BEBBINGTON, a parish in the lower division of the hundred of WIRRALL, county palatine of CHESTER, comprising the townships of Higher Bebbington, Lower Bebbington, Poulton with Spittle, Storeton, and Tranmore, and containing 1678 inhabitants, of which number, 216 are in the township of Higher Bebbington, 6½ miles (N. N. E.), and 316 in that of Lower Bebbington, 5¾ (N. E. by N.), from Great Neston. The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Chester, rated in the king's books at £30. 13. 4., and in the patronage of the Rev. S. Feilden and another. The church, dedicated to St. Andrew, is partly Norman, and partly in the early, decorated, and later styles of English architecture, with a tower surmounted by a spire: the nave is separated from the south aisle by a range of Norman arches, resting on massive cylindrical columns, and the chancel, with its lateral aisles, is of the later English style. Attached to the eastern end of the church is a room, used for a school, which was founded in 1655, and endowed by the parishioners with twenty acres of land, the rent of which, amounting to £25 per annum, is applied to the instruction of the poor children of Lower Bebbington. Strata of excellent freestone exist in this parish, which is of a much whiter quality than that found in any other part of the county. The navigable river Mersey runs along the northern border of the parish." [From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England  (1831) ©Mel Lockie]

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  • Bebington and Bromborough was a civil parish created in 1922 by uniting Bromborough, Higher Bebington and Lower Bebington.
  • Since 1974 it has been an unparished area in the county of Merseyside.
  • The population was 39715 in 1951, and 58226 in 2001.

For the period before 1922, see Bromborough, Higher Bebington and Lower Bebington.

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Civil Registration

  • Wirral (1922-74)
  • Birkenhead (1974-98)
  • Wirral (1998+)
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Court Records

  • Wirral (1922+)
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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Bebington which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

"BEBINGTON, (Higher and Lower) a parish in the lower division of the hundred of Wirrall, in the county palatine of Chester, 3 miles to the S. of Birkenhead, its post town. It is situated on the south bank of the river Mersey, and is a station on the Liverpool, Birkenhead, and Chester railway. The parish comprises the townships of Lower Bebington, Poulton-cum-Spittle, and Storeton; and the chapelries of New Ferry and Tranmere St. Paul's, with the new ecclesiastical districts of Higher Bebington and Tranmere St. Catherine's. Freestone of superior quality and colour is quarried at Storeton, and other places in the neighbourhood. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Chester, of the value of £670, in the patronage of the Rev. R. M. Fielden, incumbent. The church, which exhibits various styles of architecture, is dedicated to St. Andrew. It has a tower and spire, and contains some good Norman arches along the south side of the nave. Besides the parish church, there are four district churches and chapels of ease-two only just completed. There is a National school, attached to the church, with an endowment of £20 a year; also schools for boys, girls, and infants, recently erected in the district of New Ferry. There are some other charitable endowments.

"NEWFERRY, a hamlet in the parish of Bebington, borough of Liverpool, county Chester, 3 miles S. of Liverpool. It is situated on the river Mersey. The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of Chester, and patronage of trustees. The church, which is modern, is dedicated to St. Peter."

"POULTON-CUM-SPITTLE, a township in the parish of Bebington, lower division of Wirrall hundred, county Chester, 4 miles S. of Birkenhead. The Wirrall union poorhouse is situated in the township"

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Historical Geography

  • 1922 April 1 — Created from the whole of Bromborough (1690 acres, pop. 2652 in 1921), Higher Bebington (698 acres, pop. 1765 in 1921) and Lower Bebington (1058 acres, pop. 14687 in 1921).
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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SJ316849 (Lat/Lon: 53.356608, -3.028708), Bebington which are provided by:

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Politics & Government

  • Bebington & Bromborough Urban District (1922-33)
  • Bebington Urban District (1933-37)
  • Bebington Municpal Borough (1937-74)
  • Wirral Metropolitan Borough [Merseyside] (1974+)
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Wirral (1922-30)
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Voting Registers

  • Wirral (1922-48)
  • Bebington (1949-71)
  • Bebington & Ellesmere Port (1971-74)