County Borough of Bury
Encyclopedia
Bury was a local government district centred on Bury
in the northwest of England
from 1846 to 1974.
Under the Bury Improvement Act 1846 a board of twenty-seven improvement commissioners
was formed for Bury. The Improvement Commissioners District was enlarged in 1872. A charter of incorporation dated 9 September 1876 created the town a municipal borough
and it was further extended in 1885.
Under the Local Government Act 1888
Bury was constituted a county borough
. This meant that that it was independent of Lancashire County Council
, exercising both the powers of a borough and county council. However, Bury remained in Lancashire for judicial and other purposes such as lieutenancy
and shrievalty
. The county borough was extended in 1911 when it gained the Warth area from Radcliffe Urban District and in 1933 when it absorbed much of the dissolved Bury Rural District
.
The County Borough of Bury was abolished by the Local Government Act 1972
and its territory transferred to Greater Manchester
to form the central part of the Metropolitan Borough of Bury
.
, ten aldermen
and thirty councillors, with six councillors and one alderman returned for each ward. On the extension of the borough in 1933 the size of the borough council was increased to thirty-three councillors and eleven aldermen. In 1969 wards were reorganised and the council increased in size to thirty-six councillors and twelve aldermen.
. In 1904 Conservatives
and Liberal Unionists gained a majority. In the following year the first Labour
councillors were elected. The council was under no overall control (although generally with a pro-Conservative administration) until 1937. In that year Conservatives gained an overall majority, which it held until 1945. The Labour Party briefly held power in 1946–1947. The council returned to Conservative control in 1947, and the party was in control for twenty-one of the next twenty-five years, and was the largest party for the remainder of the period. At the final election of the council in 1972 Labour took control.
was granted to the borough by the College of Arms
on 28 February 1877.
The symbols displayed in the four quarters represented local industry. They were an anvil, for iron forging; a golden fleece, for wool; a pair of crossed shuttles, for the cotton industry; and a papyrus
plant for the paper trade. The quarters were divided by a "cross party and fretty". The crest above the shield was a bee, symbolic of industry in general, between two cotton flowers.
The Latin
motto
chosen was Vincit Omnia Industria or "work conquers all".
The blazon
of the arms was as follows:
Quarterly argent and azure, a cross party and fretty counterchanged between an anvil sable in the first quarter, a fleece Or in the second, two shuttles in saltire threads pendent proper in the third, and three culms of the papyrus plant issuing from a mount vert also proper in the fourth.
And for a Crest: On a wreath of the colours, Upon a mount a bee volant between two flowers of the cotton-tree slipped all proper.
, Ramsbottom, Tottington and Whitefield. In 1935 the undertaking was renamed as the Irwell Valley Water Board. In 1960 the Irwell Valley Water Board was voluntarily absorbed by the water department of Manchester Corporation.
.
, Unsworth
and Whitefield
outside the borough boundaries, and the corporation operated services on behalf of Radcliffe
Urban District Council. A joint running arrangement was also made with Salford Corporation Transport
. Motorbuses were first operated in 1925, and the last tram ran on 13 February 1949. In 1969 the borough's transport operations passed to SELNEC Passenger Transport Executive.
Bury
Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
in the northwest of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
from 1846 to 1974.
Under the Bury Improvement Act 1846 a board of twenty-seven improvement commissioners
Improvement commissioners
Boards of improvement commissioners were ad-hoc boards created during the 18th and 19th centuries in the United Kingdom. They were an early form of local government.The first Improvement Commission was the Manchester Police Commission, established in 1765...
was formed for Bury. The Improvement Commissioners District was enlarged in 1872. A charter of incorporation dated 9 September 1876 created the town a municipal borough
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
and it was further extended in 1885.
Under the Local Government Act 1888
Local Government Act 1888
The Local Government Act 1888 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which established county councils and county borough councils in England and Wales...
Bury was constituted a county borough
County borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
. This meant that that it was independent of Lancashire County Council
Lancashire County Council
Lancashire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire, England. It currently consists of 84 councillors, and is controlled by the Conservative Party, who won control of the council in the local council elections in June 2009, ending 28 years of...
, exercising both the powers of a borough and county council. However, Bury remained in Lancashire for judicial and other purposes such as lieutenancy
Lord Lieutenant
The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representatives in the United Kingdom, usually in a county or similar circumscription, with varying tasks throughout history. Usually a retired local notable, senior military officer, peer or business person is given the post...
and shrievalty
High Sheriff
A high sheriff is, or was, a law enforcement officer in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.In England and Wales, the office is unpaid and partly ceremonial, appointed by the Crown through a warrant from the Privy Council. In Cornwall, the High Sheriff is appointed by the Duke of...
. The county borough was extended in 1911 when it gained the Warth area from Radcliffe Urban District and in 1933 when it absorbed much of the dissolved Bury Rural District
Bury rural district
Bury was a rural district in Lancashire, England from its establishment in 1894 under the Local Government Act 1894, until its abolition in 1933. The district consisted of a number of rural civil parishes near Bury, but did not include Bury itself...
.
The County Borough of Bury was abolished by the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
and its territory transferred to 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...
to form the central part of the Metropolitan Borough of Bury
Metropolitan Borough of Bury
The Metropolitan Borough of Bury is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. Lying to the north of the City of Manchester, the borough is composed of six towns: Bury, Ramsbottom, Tottington, Radcliffe, Whitefield and Prestwich, and has a population of 181,900...
.
Corporation
On incorporation the borough was divided into five wards: Church, Redvales, East, Moorside and Elton. The corporation consisted of a mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
, ten aldermen
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
and thirty councillors, with six councillors and one alderman returned for each ward. On the extension of the borough in 1933 the size of the borough council was increased to thirty-three councillors and eleven aldermen. In 1969 wards were reorganised and the council increased in size to thirty-six councillors and twelve aldermen.
Politics
The members elected to the early borough council did not use political labels. However, by 1901 the borough was under the control of the Liberal PartyLiberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
. In 1904 Conservatives
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 Liberal Unionists gained a majority. In the following year the first 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...
councillors were elected. The council was under no overall control (although generally with a pro-Conservative administration) until 1937. In that year Conservatives gained an overall majority, which it held until 1945. The Labour Party briefly held power in 1946–1947. The council returned to Conservative control in 1947, and the party was in control for twenty-one of the next twenty-five years, and was the largest party for the remainder of the period. At the final election of the council in 1972 Labour took control.
Coat of arms
A coat of armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
was granted to the borough by the College of Arms
College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
on 28 February 1877.
The symbols displayed in the four quarters represented local industry. They were an anvil, for iron forging; a golden fleece, for wool; a pair of crossed shuttles, for the cotton industry; and a papyrus
Papyrus
Papyrus is a thick paper-like material produced from the pith of the papyrus plant, Cyperus papyrus, a wetland sedge that was once abundant in the Nile Delta of Egypt....
plant for the paper trade. The quarters were divided by a "cross party and fretty". The crest above the shield was a bee, symbolic of industry in general, between two cotton flowers.
The Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
chosen was Vincit Omnia Industria or "work conquers all".
The blazon
Blazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
of the arms was as follows:
Quarterly argent and azure, a cross party and fretty counterchanged between an anvil sable in the first quarter, a fleece Or in the second, two shuttles in saltire threads pendent proper in the third, and three culms of the papyrus plant issuing from a mount vert also proper in the fourth.
And for a Crest: On a wreath of the colours, Upon a mount a bee volant between two flowers of the cotton-tree slipped all proper.
Water supply
Under the Bury Improvement Act 1872, the Bury Improvement Commissioners acquired the two local water supply undertakings: the Bury and Radcliffe Waterworks Company and the Haslingden and Rawtenstall Waterworks Company. In 1876 this became the water department of Bury Corporation. In 1900 the corporation and eight adjoining local authorities formed the Bury and District Joint Water Board. Other than Bury, the water board's members were the municipal boroughs of Haslingden, Radcliffe and Rawtenstall, and the urban districts of Kearsley, Little LeverLittle Lever
Little Lever is a large village within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it is southeast of Bolton, west of Radcliffe, and west-southwest of Bury....
, Ramsbottom, Tottington and Whitefield. In 1935 the undertaking was renamed as the Irwell Valley Water Board. In 1960 the Irwell Valley Water Board was voluntarily absorbed by the water department of Manchester Corporation.
Gas
In 1857 the Bury Improvement Commissioners purchased the private gasworks, which dated from 1828. The streets of the town were lit by gas from 1836. The Corporation gas undertaking was nationalised by the Gas Act 1948, passing to the North West Gas Board on 1 May 1949.Electricity
The Corporation was granted powers in 1890 to supply electricity within the borough, and "to construct works and break up streets therein; to lay down wires and other apparatus; to levy rates and exercise other powers". Bury Corporation Electricity Department continued to supply the town until 1948, when it passed to the North Western Electricity BoardNORWEB
Norweb PLC, originally the North West Electricity Board, was a British electricity supply and distribution company. It supplied electricity to about 4.7 million industrial, commercial and domestic customers in the North West of England. The Board was originally formed in 1948 as part of the...
.
Bury Corporation Transport
In 1899 Bury Corporation formed a tramways committee with the purpose of taking the privately-owned steam trams operating in the town, and electrifying them. The first section of the municipal tramway was opened on 3 June 1903. More lines were opened in 1904 and 1905, and extensions made in 1915. Bury trams reached TottingtonTottington, Greater Manchester
Tottington is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England.Historically a part of Lancashire, Tottington's early history is marked by its status as an important Medieval fee, a type of Royal Manor which encompassed several townships...
, Unsworth
Unsworth
Unsworth is a residential area of the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It is seven miles north of the city of Manchester and four miles south of Bury.-History:...
and Whitefield
Whitefield, Greater Manchester
Whitefield is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on undulating ground in the Irwell Valley, along the south bank of the River Irwell, south-southeast of Bury, and to the north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
outside the borough boundaries, and the corporation operated services on behalf of Radcliffe
Radcliffe, Greater Manchester
Radcliffe is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on undulating ground in the Irwell Valley, along the course of the River Irwell, south-west of Bury and north-northwest of Manchester. Radcliffe is contiguous with the town of Whitefield to the...
Urban District Council. A joint running arrangement was also made with Salford Corporation Transport
County Borough of Salford
Salford was, from 1844 to 1974, a local government district in the northwest of England, coterminate with Salford. It was granted city status in 1926.-Free Borough and Police Commissioners:...
. Motorbuses were first operated in 1925, and the last tram ran on 13 February 1949. In 1969 the borough's transport operations passed to SELNEC Passenger Transport Executive.