Bowdon, Greater Manchester
Encyclopedia
Bowdon is a suburb
an village and electoral ward
in the Altrincham
area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford
, in Greater Manchester
, England.
are mentioned in the Domesday Book
, citing the existence of a church and a mill in Bowdon, and Dunham Massey is identified as Doneham: Hamo de Mascy.
The name Bowdon came from Anglo-Saxon Boga-dūn = "bow (weapon)
-hill" or "curved hill".
Both areas came under Hamo de Masci in Norman times. His base was a wooden castle at Dunham
. Watch Hill Castle
was built on the border between Bowdon and Dunham Massey between the Norman Conquest and the 13th century. The timber castle most likely belonged to Hamo de Mascy
; the castle had fallen out of use by the 13th century. The last Hamo de Masci died in 1342. The Black Death came to the area in 1348. Before 1494 the ruins of the castle at Dunham were acquired by Sir Robert Booth
. In 1750, this and the other Booth estates passed to the Earl of Stamford by his marriage to Lady Mary Booth. The 10th and last Earl of Stamford
died in 1976, who bequeathed Dunham Massey
and his Carrington
estates to the National Trust
.
The development of Bowdon as a residential area began apace in the 1840s, when the landowners of the area sold off parcels of land. The opening of Bowdon railway station
in 1849 provided a commuter route to the centre of Manchester, making the clean air and tranquility of the Bowdon Downs more attractive to developers. Initially, terraces and semi-detached houses were built, but by the 1860s and 1870s, the 'merchant princes' had built the large houses on Green Walk which are still a defining feature of the ward. By 1878 Kelly's Directory
was describing Bowdon as "studded with handsome villas and mansions", and around 60% of the residents were business owners. Mains water appeared in 1864, and gas lighting
by 1865.
The Altrincham History Society Tour highlights historical facts about Bowdon:
local government district in the administrative county
of Cheshire
.
Since April 1, 1974, Bowdon has formed an electoral ward and component area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford. Prior to this Bowdon formed:
The records of Bowdon Urban District Council are held at the Trafford Local Studies Centre.
Bowdon has formed part of two Poor Law Union
s: Altrincham (1837 to 1895); Bucklow (1895 to 1930).
by the Conservative MP
, Graham Brady
. At the 2005 General Election
, in Altrincham and Sale West the Conservatives won a majority of 7,159 and 46.4% of the vote. Labour
won 30.3% of the vote, Liberal Democrats
21.7% and the United Kingdom Independence Party
1.7%. This is one of only a small number of seats in the northwest held by the Conservative Party
, and the only one in Greater Manchester.
Bowdon is in Trafford Metropolitan Borough
; Trafford Council is responsible for the administration of local services, such as education, social services, town planning, waste collection and council housing. Bowdon is covered by the Bowdon electoral ward; this ward has 3 out of the 63 seats on the Trafford Council; as of the 2010 local elections
all 3 of these seats were held by the Conservative Party
. The councillors for the Bowdon ward are Sean Anstee, Karen Barclay, and Michael Hyman, all Conservatives.
. It is situated on a ridge which rises above the Cheshire Plain. Bowdon is the largest ward in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, and comprises several small, rural villages surrounded by open countryside, including Dunham Massey Country Park and other more densely populated residential areas.
It has been described as an affluent and attractive place to live.
The majority of the ward is owned by the National Trust
as part of the Dunham Massey Estate, which serves as a significant communal asset for the residents of the local and wider areas. The estate includes Dunham Massey Hall and a deer park. Bowdon is a semi-rural ward and has a low population density.
.
Out of 8414 wards of the United Kingdom
, Bowdon ranks as 8,235th in terms of deprivation indicating that only 2.2% of UK wards suffer less deprivation
In 1931, 27.6% of Bowdon's population was middle class
compared with 14% in England and Wales, and by 1971, this had increased to 58.9% compared with 24% nationally. Parallel to this doubling of the middle classes in Bowdon was the decline of the working class
population. In 1931, 16.1% were working class compared with 36% in England and Wales; by 1971, this had decreased to 14.7% in Bowdon and 26% nationwide. The rest of the population was made up of clerical workers and skilled manual workers or other miscellaneous.
State schools
Independent schools
can be seen very clearly from the Cheshire Plain
.
The registers of baptisms 1628-1964, marriages 1628-1964 and burials 1628-1973 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record Office
.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
an village and electoral ward
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
in the Altrincham
Altrincham
Altrincham is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on flat ground south of the River Mersey about southwest of Manchester city centre, south-southwest of Sale and east of Warrington...
area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford
Trafford
The Metropolitan Borough of Trafford is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It has a population of 211,800, covers , and includes the towns of Altrincham, Partington, Sale, Stretford, and Urmston...
, in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, England.
History
Both Bowdon and Dunham MasseyDunham Massey
Dunham Massey is a civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. The parish includes the villages of Sinderland Green, Dunham Woodhouse and Dunham Town, along with Dunham Massey Park, formerly the home of the last Earl of Stamford and owned by the National Trust...
are mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, citing the existence of a church and a mill in Bowdon, and Dunham Massey is identified as Doneham: Hamo de Mascy.
The name Bowdon came from Anglo-Saxon Boga-dūn = "bow (weapon)
Bow (weapon)
The bow and arrow is a projectile weapon system that predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.-Description:A bow is a flexible arc that shoots aerodynamic projectiles by means of elastic energy. Essentially, the bow is a form of spring powered by a string or cord...
-hill" or "curved hill".
Both areas came under Hamo de Masci in Norman times. His base was a wooden castle at Dunham
Dunham Castle
Dunham Castle is an early medieval castle in Dunham Massey, England . The castle is first referred to in 1173, in a document stating Hamo de Masci held the castles of Dunham and Ullerwood. Documentary evidence suggests the castle at Dunham was still standing in 1323. The castle fell into disuse...
. Watch Hill Castle
Watch Hill Castle
Watch Hill Castle is an early medieval motte-and-bailey on the border of Bowdon and Dunham Massey, England. It is the only Scheduled Ancient Monument in Trafford, and so is arguably the most important archaeological site in the borough...
was built on the border between Bowdon and Dunham Massey between the Norman Conquest and the 13th century. The timber castle most likely belonged to Hamo de Mascy
Hamon de Massey
The first Hamon de Massey was the owner of the manors of Agden, Baguley, Bowdon, Dunham, Hale and Little Bollington after the Norman conquest of England in 1066, taking over from the Saxon thegn Aelfward according to the Domesday Book....
; the castle had fallen out of use by the 13th century. The last Hamo de Masci died in 1342. The Black Death came to the area in 1348. Before 1494 the ruins of the castle at Dunham were acquired by Sir Robert Booth
Booth Baronets
There have been three Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Booth, one in the Baronetage of England and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. One creation is extant as of 2010...
. In 1750, this and the other Booth estates passed to the Earl of Stamford by his marriage to Lady Mary Booth. The 10th and last Earl of Stamford
Earl of Stamford
Earl of Stamford was a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1628 for Henry Grey, 2nd Baron Grey of Groby. This Grey family descended through Lord John Grey, of Pirgo, Essex, younger son of Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset, and younger brother of Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk Earl...
died in 1976, who bequeathed Dunham Massey
Dunham Massey
Dunham Massey is a civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. The parish includes the villages of Sinderland Green, Dunham Woodhouse and Dunham Town, along with Dunham Massey Park, formerly the home of the last Earl of Stamford and owned by the National Trust...
and his Carrington
Carrington
Carrington and Carington are surnames originating in Normandy, France, from the town of Carentan, or from one of the Carringtons in England, including:-born in the United Kingdom:* Desmond Carrington Carrington and Carington are surnames originating in Normandy, France, from the town of Carentan,...
estates to the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
.
The development of Bowdon as a residential area began apace in the 1840s, when the landowners of the area sold off parcels of land. The opening of Bowdon railway station
Bowdon railway station
Bowdon railway station served the district of Bowdon, Cheshire , between 1849 and 1881.The station was built by the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway , and opened on 22 September 1849, the same day that a short southerly extension to the MSJ&AR line to reach Bowdon was...
in 1849 provided a commuter route to the centre of Manchester, making the clean air and tranquility of the Bowdon Downs more attractive to developers. Initially, terraces and semi-detached houses were built, but by the 1860s and 1870s, the 'merchant princes' had built the large houses on Green Walk which are still a defining feature of the ward. By 1878 Kelly's Directory
Kelly's Directory
Kelly's Directory was a trade directory in the United Kingdom that listed all businesses and tradespeople in a particular city or town, as well as a general directory of postal addresses of local gentry, landowners, charities, and other facilities. In effect, it was a Victorian version of today's...
was describing Bowdon as "studded with handsome villas and mansions", and around 60% of the residents were business owners. Mains water appeared in 1864, and gas lighting
Gas lighting
Gas lighting is production of artificial light from combustion of a gaseous fuel, including hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxide, propane, butane, acetylene, ethylene, or natural gas. Before electricity became sufficiently widespread and economical to allow for general public use, gas was the most...
by 1865.
The Altrincham History Society Tour highlights historical facts about Bowdon:
- The listed Altrincham/Dunham boundary stone of 1840 is in the garden wall of number 1 High Downs at the bottom right. This indicates the boundary of the ancient (1290) Borough of Altrincham with Dunham Massey.
- The area from the Devisdale across to The Downs was known as Bowdon Downs until about 1750 and was used as a common. 10,000 of Prince Rupert’s troops camped here and on Knutsford Heath in May 1644 on their way from Shrewsbury to Marston Moor during the Civil War. In December 1688 Lord Delamer, later the Earl of Warrington, rallied forces here from his tenants in support of the Prince of Orange, afterwards William III, who had arrived in England.
- The Altrincham Show used to be held on The Devisdale, Bowdon until 1966. Farmers came from as far afield as Scotland, Cornwall and Norfolk to show cattle.
Civic history
From 1894 to 1974, Bowdon formed an Urban DistrictUrban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
local government district in the administrative county
Administrative counties of England
Administrative counties were a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government from 1889 to 1974. They were created by the Local Government Act 1888 as the areas for which county councils were elected. Some large counties were divided into several administrative...
of Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
.
Since April 1, 1974, Bowdon has formed an electoral ward and component area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford. Prior to this Bowdon formed:
- Bowdon Local Board (1864–75);
- Bowdon Urban Sanitary District (1875–94);
- Bowdon Urban District (1894–1974);
The records of Bowdon Urban District Council are held at the Trafford Local Studies Centre.
Bowdon has formed part of two Poor Law Union
Poor Law Union
A Poor Law Union was a unit used for local government in the United Kingdom from the 19th century. The administration of the Poor Law was the responsibility of parishes, which varied wildly in their size, populations, financial resources, rateable values and requirements...
s: Altrincham (1837 to 1895); Bucklow (1895 to 1930).
Political representation
Bowdon was in the parliamentary constituency of Altrincham and Sale from 1945 until 1997. Bowdon has been part of the parliamentary constituency of Altrincham and Sale West since 1997. Since its formation the constituency has been represented in the House of CommonsBritish House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
by the Conservative MP
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, Graham Brady
Graham Brady
Graham Stuart Brady is a British Conservative Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Altrincham and Sale West. He served as a shadow minister for Europe under four Conservative leaders before resigning in 2007 in protest at David Cameron's opposition to grammar schools...
. At the 2005 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, in Altrincham and Sale West the Conservatives won a majority of 7,159 and 46.4% of the vote. Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
won 30.3% of the vote, Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
21.7% and the United Kingdom Independence Party
United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
1.7%. This is one of only a small number of seats in the northwest held by the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, and the only one in Greater Manchester.
Bowdon is in Trafford Metropolitan Borough
Trafford
The Metropolitan Borough of Trafford is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It has a population of 211,800, covers , and includes the towns of Altrincham, Partington, Sale, Stretford, and Urmston...
; Trafford Council is responsible for the administration of local services, such as education, social services, town planning, waste collection and council housing. Bowdon is covered by the Bowdon electoral ward; this ward has 3 out of the 63 seats on the Trafford Council; as of the 2010 local elections
Trafford Council election, 2010
Elections to Trafford Council were held on 6 May 2010. One-third of the council was up for election, with each successful candidate to serve a four-year term of office, expiring in 2014...
all 3 of these seats were held by the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. The councillors for the Bowdon ward are Sean Anstee, Karen Barclay, and Michael Hyman, all Conservatives.
Geography
Bowdon is located at the southwest edge of Greater ManchesterGreater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
. It is situated on a ridge which rises above the Cheshire Plain. Bowdon is the largest ward in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, and comprises several small, rural villages surrounded by open countryside, including Dunham Massey Country Park and other more densely populated residential areas.
It has been described as an affluent and attractive place to live.
The majority of the ward is owned by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
as part of the Dunham Massey Estate, which serves as a significant communal asset for the residents of the local and wider areas. The estate includes Dunham Massey Hall and a deer park. Bowdon is a semi-rural ward and has a low population density.
Divisions and suburbs
There are four distinct neighbourhoods of Bowdon:- Dunham MasseyDunham MasseyDunham Massey is a civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. The parish includes the villages of Sinderland Green, Dunham Woodhouse and Dunham Town, along with Dunham Massey Park, formerly the home of the last Earl of Stamford and owned by the National Trust...
- WarburtonWarburton, Greater ManchesterWarburton is a village and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Cheshire, Warburton lies on the south bank of the River Mersey between the borough of Warrington and Greater Manchester. Today, the village remains...
- Bowdon
- Bowdon Vale
Demography
According to a Trafford Metropolitan Council report, the population of Bowdon in 2001 was 8,806. 1730 were under 16 and 1699 were 65 and over. In 2004, the majority of residents (8,343) described themselves as whiteWhite people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
.
Out of 8414 wards of the United Kingdom
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
, Bowdon ranks as 8,235th in terms of deprivation indicating that only 2.2% of UK wards suffer less deprivation
In 1931, 27.6% of Bowdon's population was middle class
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
compared with 14% in England and Wales, and by 1971, this had increased to 58.9% compared with 24% nationally. Parallel to this doubling of the middle classes in Bowdon was the decline of the working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
population. In 1931, 16.1% were working class compared with 36% in England and Wales; by 1971, this had decreased to 14.7% in Bowdon and 26% nationwide. The rest of the population was made up of clerical workers and skilled manual workers or other miscellaneous.
Education
Bowdon contains both state and independent schools.State schools
- Bollin Primary School
- Bowdon CE Primary School
- Altrincham Grammar School For Girls, Cavendish Road, Bowdon
- Altrincham Grammar School For BoysAltrincham Grammar School For Boys-Admissions:The school is non-fee paying with admission via an entrance exam. It had foundation school status which allowed a degree of independence from the local education authority, but from 2011 under the UK Government's Free School Programme it attained Academy status.-Foundation:The school...
, Marlborough Road, Bowdon
Independent schools
- Altrincham Preparatory School, Marlborough Road, Bowdon.
- Culcheth Hall School, Ashley Road, Altrincham.
- Bowdon Preparatory School, Stamford Road, Bowdon.
Religion
Bowdon Parish is part of the Archdeaconry of Macclesfield within the Anglican Diocese of Chester. The parish covers a number of churches in the south west part of the Greater Manchester conurbation, including: Altrincham St George, Altrincham St John, Ashley, Ashton upon Mersey St Martin, Ashton upon Mersey St Mary Magdalene, Bowdon, Broadheath, Dunham Massey St Margaret, Dunham Massey St Mark, Hale, Oughtrington, Partington and Carrington, Ringway, Sale St Anne, Sale St Paul, Timperley and Warburton. The main parish church of St Mary the VirginChurch of St Mary the Virgin, Bowdon
The Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bowdon is in the village of Bowdon near Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building...
can be seen very clearly from the Cheshire Plain
Cheshire Plain
The Cheshire Plain is a relatively flat expanse of lowland situated almost entirely within the county of Cheshire in northwest England. It is bounded by the hills of North Wales to the west, and the Peak District of Derbyshire and North Staffordshire to the east and southeast...
.
The registers of baptisms 1628-1964, marriages 1628-1964 and burials 1628-1973 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record Office
Cheshire Record Office
The Cheshire Record Office is the county record office and diocesan record office for Cheshire. It houses the Cheshire Archives and Local Studies Service . Since 1986 it has been based in Duke Street, Chester.-Further reading:*Caroline M...
.
Leisure and recreation
- Dunham MasseyDunham MasseyDunham Massey is a civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. The parish includes the villages of Sinderland Green, Dunham Woodhouse and Dunham Town, along with Dunham Massey Park, formerly the home of the last Earl of Stamford and owned by the National Trust...
- formerly the home of the last Earl of StamfordEarl of StamfordEarl of Stamford was a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1628 for Henry Grey, 2nd Baron Grey of Groby. This Grey family descended through Lord John Grey, of Pirgo, Essex, younger son of Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset, and younger brother of Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk Earl...
, it was acquired by the National TrustNational Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural BeautyThe National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
in 1976. It was built on the site of the original Tudor house. The current property is described as "a Country estate including mansion with important collections and 'below stairs' areas, impressive garden and deer park"; - Bowdon Cricket Club, Hockey and Squash Club
- Bowdon Vale Cricket Club - founded in the early 1870s and is a member of the Cheshire Cricket League
- Bowdon Rugby Union Football Club] - HQ is actually in Timperley
- Bowdon Lawn Tennis Club - founded 1877, is one of the oldest lawn tennis clubs in the world;
- Bowdon Bowling and Lawn Tennis Club - founded in 1873
- Bowdon Croquet Club - founded in 1873
Notable people
Notable local residents have included:- Sir Michael Bishop - chairman of British Midland Airways LtdBmi (airline)British Midland Airways Limited , is an airline based at Donington Hall in Castle Donington in the United Kingdom, close to East Midlands Airport, and a fully owned subsidiary of Lufthansa...
was born in Bowdon - Thomas CowardThomas CowardThomas Alfred Coward, MSc, FZS, FRES, MBOU , was an English ornithologist and an amateur astronomer. He wrote extensively on natural history, local history and Cheshire.-Life:...
- ornithologistOrnithologyOrnithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
was born at 6 Higher Downs in 1861. He wrote The Birds of Cheshire in 1900. - Stirling GallacherStirling GallacherStirling Gallacher is an English actress.-Career:Gallacher is possibly best-known for her role as Dr. Georgina Woodson in the British TV drama Doctors from which she left on Friday, 27 March 2009 after 6 years...
- actress, born in Bowdon - John IrelandJohn Ireland (composer)John Nicholson Ireland was an English composer.- Life :John Ireland was born in Bowdon, near Altrincham, Manchester, into a family of Scottish descent and some cultural distinction. His father, Alexander Ireland, a publisher and newspaper proprietor, was aged 70 at John's birth...
- composer - John F. LeemingJohn F. LeemingJohn Fishwick Leeming was an English entrepreneur, businessman, early aviator, co-founder of the Lancashire Aero Club, gardener and author.- Early life and family :...
- founder of the Lancashire Aero ClubLancashire Aero ClubThe Lancashire Aero Club is the oldest established Flying Club in the United Kingdom.- Early history :* Late 1922: The club was formed by John F. Leeming and a group of friends who had started to build a glider in Leeming's garage at his home in Bowdon near Altrincham Cheshire...
lived in Bowdon for many years and built their first aircraft in his garage during 1922/23 - Sir Alexander PatersonAlexander Paterson (penologist)Sir Alexander Henry Paterson MC was a British penologist who, as Commissioner of Prisons, introduced reforms that would provide a humane regime in penal institutions and encourage rehabilitation among inmates....
- the reforming penologist, was born in Bowdon in 1884 - Richard SykesRichard Sykes (Rugby player)Richard Sykes was a pioneering rugby player who helped found two major clubs and became a landowner in North Dakota, founding five towns there....
- local businessman and a pioneer of Rugby FootballRugby footballRugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
, lived in Bowdon and owned land in North DakotaNorth DakotaNorth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, USA. He founded the town of Bowdon, North DakotaBowdon, North DakotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 139 people, 83 households, and 43 families residing in the city. The population density was 544.4 people per square mile . There were 104 housing units at an average density of 407.3 per square mile...
in 1899 which he named in tribute to his residence here. - Alison UttleyAlison UttleyAlison Uttley , née Alice Jane Taylor, was a prolific British writer of over 100 books. She is now best known for her children's series about Little Grey Rabbit, and Sam Pig....
- moved to Bowdon in 1924 and wrote the Little Grey Rabbit books while living in Bowdon. There is a Blue PlaqueBlue plaqueA blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event, serving as a historical marker....
at Downs House, 13 Higher Downs, Bowdon, where she lived from 1924 to 1938.