Jump to content

Dobcross: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
Jza84 (talk | contribs)
→‎History: slight copyedit, but this needs sources
Tag: references removed
Line 44: Line 44:
From 1894 to 1900, Dobcross lay within the [[Saddleworth Rural District]], a local government district in the [[Administrative counties of England|administrative]] [[County of York, West Riding]]. In 1900, Dobcross was merged into Saddleworth [[Urban District]], where it stayed until 1974. Under the [[Local Government Act 1972]], the Saddleworth Urban District was abolished, and Dobcross has, since 1 April 1974, formed part of the [[Metropolitan Borough of Oldham]], within [[Greater Manchester]].<ref name="GM Gazetteer"/><ref>HMSO. Local Government Act 1972. 1972 c.70.</ref>
From 1894 to 1900, Dobcross lay within the [[Saddleworth Rural District]], a local government district in the [[Administrative counties of England|administrative]] [[County of York, West Riding]]. In 1900, Dobcross was merged into Saddleworth [[Urban District]], where it stayed until 1974. Under the [[Local Government Act 1972]], the Saddleworth Urban District was abolished, and Dobcross has, since 1 April 1974, formed part of the [[Metropolitan Borough of Oldham]], within [[Greater Manchester]].<ref name="GM Gazetteer"/><ref>HMSO. Local Government Act 1972. 1972 c.70.</ref>


Since 1997, Dobcross has formed part of the parliamentary constituency of [[Oldham East and Saddleworth (UK Parliament constituency)|Oldham East and Saddleworth]], and is represented in the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]] by [[Phil Woolas]], a member of the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1122759 |title=Phil Woolas MP|publisher=Communities.gov.uk |accessdate=2007-06-20}}</ref> Between 1983 and 1997 it was in the [[Littleborough and Saddleworth (UK Parliament constituency)|Littleborough and Saddleworth]] constituency.
Since 1997, Dobcross has formed part of the parliamentary constituency of [[Oldham East and Saddleworth (UK Parliament constituency)|Oldham East and Saddleworth]publisher=Communities.gov.uk |accessdate=2007-06-20}}</ref> Between 1983 and 1997 it was in the [[Littleborough and Saddleworth (UK Parliament constituency)|Littleborough and Saddleworth]] constituency.


==Demography==
==Demography==

Revision as of 11:35, 25 May 2009

Dobcross
A view over Dobcross
OS grid referenceSD9906
• London162 mi (261 km) SSE
Civil parish
Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townOLDHAM
Postcode districtOL3
Dialling code01457
PoliceGreater Manchester
FireGreater Manchester
AmbulanceNorth West
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Greater Manchester

Dobcross is a village in Saddleworth, a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It is located in a valley in the South Pennines, along the course of the River Tame and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, 4.2 miles (6.8 km) east-northeast of Oldham and 11 miles (18 km) west-southwest of Huddersfield.

Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Dobcross was anciently a chapelry in the Quickmere division of Saddleworth. For centuries, Dobcross was a hamlet, sustained by domestic flannel and woollen cloth production. Many of the original 17th and 18th century barns and weavers' cottages survive today as listed buildings.[1][2][3]

Together with neighbouring Delph, Dobcross is, geographically, "considered as the centre of Saddleworth".[4] Industrial tycoon Henry Platt was born in Dobcross in 1770. John Schlesinger's 1979 film Yanks was filmed on location in Dobcross, and an annual Yanks festival, coupled with an Whit Friday brass band contest, each contribute to the village's cultural calendar.

History

Dobcross is located at an ancient crossing point of the River Tame which was formerly used by trans-Pennine packhorses as they travelled east from Lancashire to Yorkshire.

At this crossing point of the River Tame lies the site of Walk Mill, which derives its name from the way the wool was ‘walked’ or trodden to ‘Full’ the cloth before the introduction of mechanical stocks by which the cloth was beaten with fulling hammers to felt and thicken it. Probably the earliest fulling mill in Saddleworth, Walk Mill would have been a common meeting place for the local clothiers.

Beginning with Richard, the Lawton family ran the mill from at least the late 16th century, if not earlier, and their later wealth in buildings, land and money probably came from the monopoly held by the fulling mill in finishing locally made cloth. The size of the business can be estimated in that by 1792, Saddleworth saw the production of 36,637 cloth pieces, each priced at 7 pounds each. A total of 1,480,000 lbs of wool had been used in their manufacture. From wool to the innkeeping business, the Lawton family continued to be a prominent family in Dobcross through to the early 19th century.

On the morning of Whit Friday, the traditional Whit Walks – a church procession followed by a service – take place in Saddleworth parish. Saddleworth and District Whit Friday Brass Band Contests take place every year on the afternoon and evening of Whit Friday. In the village of Dobcross a Henry Livings memorial prize is open to bands who have played on any of the morning's walks.

Governance

Lying within the ancient county boundaries of Yorkshire since a very early time, during the Middle Ages, Diggle lay within the Saddleworth chapelry of the ancient parish of Rochdale. Like the other Yorkshire areas of the ancient parish, it was in the wapentake of Agbrigg, with the Lancashire areas of the ancient parish being in Salfordshire.[5][6]

Dobcross was created an ecclesiastical parish in 1797.[7] It is currently in Saddleworth Deanery, part of the Archdeanery of Rochdale, in the Anglican Diocese of Manchester.[8]

From 1894 to 1900, Dobcross lay within the Saddleworth Rural District, a local government district in the administrative County of York, West Riding. In 1900, Dobcross was merged into Saddleworth Urban District, where it stayed until 1974. Under the Local Government Act 1972, the Saddleworth Urban District was abolished, and Dobcross has, since 1 April 1974, formed part of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, within Greater Manchester.[5][9]

Since 1997, Dobcross has formed part of the parliamentary constituency of [[Oldham East and Saddleworth (UK Parliament constituency)|Oldham East and Saddleworth]publisher=Communities.gov.uk |accessdate=2007-06-20}}</ref> Between 1983 and 1997 it was in the Littleborough and Saddleworth constituency.

Demography

Dobcross/Uppermill compared
2001 UK census Dobcross/Uppermill[10] Oldham (borough)[11] England
Total population 7,475 205,357 49,138,831
White 98.3% 86.1 91%
Asian 0.6% 11.9 4.6%
Black 0.2% 0.6 2.3%

The villages of Dobcross and Uppermill were treated as a single entity by the Office for National Statistics in the 2001 United Kingdom Census. As such, there are no demographic statistics for the village on its own. The statistics given here are for the combined population of Dobcross and Uppermill, which are about half a mile apart.

As of the 2001 census, the area had a population of 7,723. The 2001 population density was 10,324 inhabitants per square mile (3,986/km2), with a 100 to 92.6 female-to-male ratio.[12] Of those over 16 years old, 22.5% were single (never married), 49.6% married, and 7.8% divorced.[13] The 3,225 households in the area included 27.7% one-person, 43.2% married couples living together, 8.1% were co-habiting couples, and 6.9% single parents with their children.[14] Of those aged 16–74, 21.1% had no academic qualifications, significantly below the the averages of Oldham (37.7%) and England (28.9%).[15][16]

As of the 2001 UK census, 79.6% of residents in the area reported themselves as being Christian, 0.3% Muslim, 0.3% Hindu, 0.2% Buddhist, and 0.2% Jewish. The census recorded 13.3% as having no religion, 0.2% had an alternative religion and 6.0% did not state their religion.[17]

Transport

The main bus route through Dobcross (village) is the 184, operated by First Manchester. This runs twice an hour to Diggle and Huddersfield, and in the opposite direction to Oldham and Manchester. On the hourly service to and from Huddersfield, it avoids the village by taking a quicker route along Wool Road, lying just to the East of the village. The other services through Dobcross Square are the 353 and 354 which run from Denshaw and Carrcote to Ashton. These each run every two hours Monday to Saturday, and are run by Speedwellbus. There are no evening or Sunday services through Dobcross Square.

Besides the services through the village proper, First Manchester services 82 (Uppermill - Manchester, peak hours only), 350 (Ashton - Oldham, every 30 minutes) and X84 (Carrcote - Manchester, peak hours only) serve the Woolpack on Dobcross New Road.

References

Notes

  1. ^ "1-5 Edge End, Dobcross". imagesofengland.org.uk. 2001. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  2. ^ "Brownhill Bridge Mill". imagesofengland.org.uk. 2001. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  3. ^ "Holly Grove". imagesofengland.org.uk. 2001. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  4. ^ Banes & Parson 1822, p. 262.
  5. ^ a b "A select gazetteer of local government areas, Greater Manchester County". Greater Manchester County Record Office. 2003-07-31. Retrieved 2007-07-09.
  6. ^ Youngs, F. A. (1991). page 600, under the entry for Saddleworth.
  7. ^ "A vision of Dobcross EP". visionofbritain.org.uk. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  8. ^ "Rochdale Archdeaconry - Saddleworth Deanery". manchester.anglican.org. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
  9. ^ HMSO. Local Government Act 1972. 1972 c.70.
  10. ^ "KS06 Ethnic group: Census 2001, Key Statistics for urban areas". Statistics.gov.uk. 25 January 2005. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
  11. ^ "Oldham Metropolitan Borough ethnic group". Statistics.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
  12. ^ "KS01 Usual resident population: Census 2001, Key Statistics for urban areas". Statistics.gov.uk. 7 February 2005. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
  13. ^ "KS04 Marital status: Census 2001, Key Statistics for urban areas". Statistics.gov.uk. 2 February 2005. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
  14. ^ "KS20 Household composition: Census 2001, Key Statistics for urban areas". Statistics.gov.uk. 2 February 2005. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
  15. ^ "Oldham Metropolitan Borough key statistics". Statistics.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
  16. ^ "KS13 Qualifications and students: Census 2001, Key Statistics for urban areas". Statistics.gov.uk. 2 February 2005. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
  17. ^ "KS07 Religion: Census 2001, Key Statistics for urban areas". Statistics.gov.uk. 2 February 2005. Retrieved 22 April 2009.

Biblography

  • Baines, Edward; Parson, William (1822), History, directory & gazeteer, of the county of York, E. Baines