County Borough of Leeds
Encyclopedia
The County Borough of Leeds, and its predecessor, the Municipal Borough of Leeds, was a local government district in the West Riding
of Yorkshire
, England, from 1835 to 1974. Its origin was the ancient borough of Leeds
, which was reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835
. In 1889, when West Riding County Council
was formed, Leeds became a county borough
outside the administrative county of the West Riding; and in 1893 the borough gained city status
. The borough was extended a number of times, expanding from 21593 acres (87.4 km²) in 1911 to 40612 acres (164.4 km²) in 1961; adding in stages the former area of Roundhay, Seacroft, Shadwell and Middleton parishes and gaining other parts of adjacent districts. In 1971 Leeds was the fifth largest county borough by population in England. The county borough was abolished in 1974 and replaced with the larger City of Leeds
, a metropolitan district
of West Yorkshire
.
of Leeds
was created in 1207, when Maurice Paynel, Lord of the Manor
, granted a charter
to the inhabitants of the town of Leeds. They were created "burgesses", and were given the right to hold half an acre
of land, trade as they liked, and transport their goods by land or water, subject to tolls
and restrictions paid to the manor. The only officer of the borough was a praetor
, appointed annually at the Feast of Pentecost by the Lord of the Borough. The praetor had the duty of administering justice and collecting fines and other revenues. The borough formed only a small area adjacent to a crossing of the River Aire
, between the old settlement centred on Leeds Parish Church
to the east and the manor house and mills to the west. The borough consisted of a single street with approximately thirty burgage plots. By the seventeenth century the title of praetor had been abandoned in favour of the more customary "bailiff
", but otherwise the government of the town remained in the form introduced in the thirteenth century. An enquiry into the administration of local charities in 1620 disclosed that many of the funds were diverted by the bailiff for his private use. This, and other irregularities, led the inhabitants of Leeds to petition Charles I
for a charter of incorporation
.
, Beeston
, Bramley
, Chapel Allerton
, Farnley, Headingley cum Burley, Holbeck
, Hunslet
, Leeds
, Potternewton
and Wortley
) and parts of two more (Seacroft
and Temple Newsam
).
The governing corporation of the borough was styled "The Alderman and Burgesses of the Borough of Leedes in the County of York", and consisted of one Alderman
, nine principal burgesses and twenty assistants. The charter named the members of the first corporation, with Sir John Savile becoming the first alderman.
, Leeds fell to parliamentary forces
. Royalist members of the corporation were replaced with those loyal to the Commonwealth. With the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, moves were made to reform the borough's government. The leading merchants of the town submitted a petition to Charles II
requesting a new charter as they felt the constitution and operation of the governing body was inadequate to the needs of the town.
A second charter was duly granted on 2 November 1661, with the earlier charter withdrawn. The new corporation thus created consisted of a mayor
, twelve aldermen
, twenty four assistants, a recorder
and a town clerk and was entitled the "Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough of Leedes in the County of York". The charter named the first mayor as Thomas Danby. The new corporation was given extensive powers to enforce and make laws to regulate trade and ensure the good governance of the town. From 1684 to 1689 the town was governed under a charter of James II
which gave the crown power over all appointments to the town council. With the accession of William III
and Mary II
the 1661 charter was restored to the townspeople, and remained the governing charter until 1836.
began enquiries into the government of the various boroughs in England and Wales, with a view to reforming their constitutions and methods of election. Following the recommendations of a Royal Commission
, legislation was enacted as the Municipal Corporations Act 1835
.
Leeds was among the 178 boroughs reformed by the act, becoming the "Municipal Borough of Leeds". The reformed borough was initially unchanged in area, and was divided into 12 wards, with a town council of 16 aldermen and 48 councillors, headed by a mayor. Each ward was represented by either three or six directly elected councillors. One third of the councillors retired annually. Aldermen were additional members of the council, there being one alderman for every three councillors: they had a six-year term of office, with half of the aldermanic bench elected by the council itself every three years.
It was originally envisaged that the first elections would be held on 1 November 1835, with the reformed town councils holding their first meetings on 9 November following. However, the process of dividing the boroughs into wards and preparing the burgess roll or electoral register
was a lengthy one, and an Order in Council was made delaying the first elections to 26 December, with the new boroughs coming into formal existence on 1 January 1836.
In 1881 the wards were redrawn, so that the borough comprised sixteen wards. The size of the town council remained the same, however, with each new ward returning one alderman and three councillors.
created elected county council
s to administer services throughout England and Wales. Where a municipal borough had a population of more than 50,000 at the 1881 Census
it was created a county borough
, with the powers and duties of both a borough and county council.
As Leeds had an 1881 population of 309,119 it duly became a county borough on 1 April 1889. The borough, while independent of the West Riding County Council for local government, remained part of the county for purposes such as the administration of justice and lieutenancy
.
The change of status in 1889 made no change to the boundaries of the borough or the size of the council.
in the United Kingdom
was linked to the presence of an Anglican
cathedral
. In that year Birmingham, Dundee and Belfast were granted letters patent
raising them to cities by virtue of their population, economic importance and history of good municipal government.
In 1892 another borough in the West Riding, Sheffield, announced that it was seeking the grant of city status to celebrate the Golden Jubilee
of the town's incorporation, which was to occur in 1893. When the members of Leeds Town Council became aware of the application by Sheffield, which was both smaller in population and of more recent creation than Leeds, they immediately began the process of applying for the dignity themselves. A petition was approved on 4 January 1893, which set out the reasons it was felt that Leeds deserved to become a city: these were the antiquity of the town, its many charters, its large area, its population that was "approaching 400,000", the fact that it was the largest municipality not to be a city, and its commercial importance for the woollen industry.
A delegation from Leeds, including two Members of Parliament
(MPs), met with the Home Secretary
, H H Asquith on 27 January to press the borough's case. Along with the claims of the borough as set out in the original petition, the delegation made two more points: Leeds was the only university town not a city, and Leeds and Sheffield were the only boroughs returning five MPs to the House of Commons without the status (of a city).
The Home Secretary forwarded the petitions of both boroughs to the Queen on 3 February, recommending that the honour be granted in both cases as they were the "only towns in the United Kingdom with a population exceeding 300,000 to which the title of City, enjoyed by many smaller of less important places, has not been granted; and that both appear to be well fitted by their loyalty, public spirit, and industrial progress, for this mark of your Majesty's favour."
On 7 February, Sir Godfrey Lushington
, permanent secretary to the Home Office
, wrote to the mayors of both towns signifying that the applications had been approved. The award was made by letters patent on 13 February, and was announced in the London Gazette
on 21 February:
Four years later the Diamond Jubilee
of the accession of Queen Victoria occurred. As part of the celebrations it was announced on 21 June that the mayor of Leeds "shall in future bear the title of Lord Mayor". The award which empowered the Lord Mayor to enjoy and use all the rights, privileges, pre-eminencies and advantages to "such degree duly and of right belonging" was made by Letters Patent dated 12 July, and was published in the London Gazette on the following day:
Townships and chapelries which were separately rated for poor law
purposes were formed into civil parish
es in 1866. The borough of Leeds contained eleven parishes and part of two others, and no changes were made to their boundaries until 1894. The Local Government Act 1894
provided that no parish could lie in more than one local government area, with parishes being divided or amalgamated as required.
In Leeds this was effected by constituting the part of Temple Newsam parish within the city a separate parish of Osmondthorpe
, and merging the portion of Seacroft that lay within the municipal boundaries with the existing parish of Potternewton. The number of parishes into which the city was divided was reduced to five in 1904 by the following mergers:
for an enlargement of the county borough. A second application was made late in 1911. The corporation sought to add 4839 acres (19.6 km²) to the north and east of the city: the parishes of Roundhay
and Seacroft
(comprising Leeds Rural District
), the parish of Shadwell (from Wetherby Rural District
) and the Crossgates area of the parish of Barwick in Elmet (from Tadcaster Rural District
). The proposed extension would increase the county borough's population by 7,603 to 452,171. An inquiry was held in January 1912, at which the strong opposition of the West Riding County Council and all the parish and rural district councils involved was made clear. On 4 May the town clerk of Leeds was informed that the extension had been granted, with the exception of 169 acre (0.68391934 km²) of agricultural land with an estimated population of 50 to 100.
The extension took effect on 9 November 1912, with the added areas initially being added to the existing north ward and to the parish of Leeds.
In 1919 the city council sought another extension, this time to the south, by taking in the parish of Middleton
from Hunslet Rural District
. The boundary change took effect on 1 April 1920, and Middleton formed a 17th ward, electing 3 councillors and 1 alderman to the city council, which was increased in size accordingly. The parish of Middleton was abolished, with its area added to the existing parish of Hunslet. The extra territory was acquired by the county borough for a major scheme of council housing
, the construction of which commenced almost immediately. On 1 April 1925 the five parishes in the county borough were united into a single parish of Leeds.
Urban District, and parts of the rural district
s of Hunslet, Tadcaster and Wharfedale
(the parishes of Adel cum Eccup, Alwoodley
, Austhorpe - except for a detached part - and Templenewsham). The Leeds Corporation Act 1927, as passed, omitted Gildersome and most of Austhorpe from the area added to Leeds. The extension, which took effect on 1 April 1928 added approximately 7131 acres (28.9 km²) to the county borough. The area added comprised the parishes of Adel cum Eccup and Alwoodley to the north, and Templenewsham with 206 acre (0.83365316 km²) from the parish of Austhorpe to the east.
In 1930 the wards of the county borough were redrawn, necessitating a general election
of the entire city council. Twenty-six wards were created, each returning 3 councillors and 1 alderman. The membership of the council was increased from 68 (51 councillors and 17 aldermen) to 104 (78 councillors and 26 aldermen). The twenty-six wards were as follows:
On 1 April 1937 the boundary of the county borough with the surrounding areas of the West Riding was adjusted under a county review order
. The city exchanged areas with the following districts:
In 1950 the city council petitioned for an alteration in the number and boundaries of the municipal wards, and a consequent change in the number of aldermen and councillors. The petition was successful, with an Order in Council made on 28 July dividing the city into twenty-eight wards:
The redrawing of wards made a general election of the entire council necessary in May 1951. The new council had a membership of 112: 84 councillors and 28 aldermen.
to devise proposals for "effective and convenient" local authority areas. Leeds and its surrounding conurbation were designated as the "West Yorkshire Special Review Area". When the commission reported on the Review Area in 1962, only a small boundary change was proposed. The 1958 commission was disbanded in 1966, and the Redcliffe-Maud Commission
appointed in its place. When their report was published in 1969, they recommended a system of large unitary authorities
. A new Leeds authority was proposed, with an area of 317000 acres (1,282.9 km²) and a population of 840,000. The boundaries would have included a large rural area including part of the Yorkshire Dales
and the town of Harrogate
. The proposal was welcomed by Leeds City Council. Following a change of government, a white paper
issued in 1971 rejected the unitary structure and instead proposed a metropolitan county
of West Yorkshire
, with Leeds forming a district in a two-tier system. During the passing of the subsequent legislation, which was enacted as the Local Government Act 1972
, the boundaries of the Leeds Metropolitan District (or District 6b) were altered. Knaresborough
and Harrogate were removed (becoming the basis of a non-metropolitan district
in North Yorkshire
) while Rothwell
was added from the neighbouring Wakefield district.
, the Municipal Borough of Pudsey
, Aireborough Urban District, Horsforth Urban District, Otley Urban District, Garforth Urban District, Rothwell Urban District and parts of Tadcaster Rural District, Wetherby Rural District and Wharfedale Rural District from the West Riding. The new Leeds district was one of five metropolitan districts in West Yorkshire. It was granted a borough
and city status
to become the City of Leeds
.
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England, from 1835 to 1974. Its origin was the ancient borough of Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, which was reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835
Municipal Corporations Act 1835
The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 – sometimes known as the Municipal Reform Act, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in the incorporated boroughs of England and Wales...
. In 1889, when West Riding County Council
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
was formed, Leeds became 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...
outside the administrative county of the West Riding; and in 1893 the borough gained city status
City status in the United Kingdom
City status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British monarch to a select group of communities. The holding of city status gives a settlement no special rights other than that of calling itself a "city". Nonetheless, this appellation carries its own prestige and, consequently, competitions...
. The borough was extended a number of times, expanding from 21593 acres (87.4 km²) in 1911 to 40612 acres (164.4 km²) in 1961; adding in stages the former area of Roundhay, Seacroft, Shadwell and Middleton parishes and gaining other parts of adjacent districts. In 1971 Leeds was the fifth largest county borough by population in England. The county borough was abolished in 1974 and replaced with the larger City of Leeds
City of Leeds
The City of Leeds is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, governed by Leeds City Council, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. The metropolitan district includes Leeds and the towns of Farsley, Garforth, Guiseley, Horsforth, Morley, Otley, Pudsey, Rothwell,...
, a metropolitan district
Metropolitan borough
A metropolitan borough is a type of local government district in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted...
of West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
.
Manorial borough 1207–1626
The BoroughBorough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
of Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
was created in 1207, when Maurice Paynel, Lord of the Manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
, granted a charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
to the inhabitants of the town of Leeds. They were created "burgesses", and were given the right to hold half an acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
of land, trade as they liked, and transport their goods by land or water, subject to tolls
Tariff
A tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
and restrictions paid to the manor. The only officer of the borough was a praetor
Praetor
Praetor was a title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to men acting in one of two official capacities: the commander of an army, usually in the field, or the named commander before mustering the army; and an elected magistratus assigned varied duties...
, appointed annually at the Feast of Pentecost by the Lord of the Borough. The praetor had the duty of administering justice and collecting fines and other revenues. The borough formed only a small area adjacent to a crossing of the River Aire
River Aire
The River Aire is a major river in Yorkshire, England of length . Part of the river is canalised, and is known as the Aire and Calder Navigation....
, between the old settlement centred on Leeds Parish Church
Leeds Parish Church
Leeds Parish Church, or the Parish Church of Saint Peter-at-Leeds, in Leeds, West Yorkshire is a large Church of England parish church of major architectural and liturgical significance. It has been designated a grade I listed building by English Heritage...
to the east and the manor house and mills to the west. The borough consisted of a single street with approximately thirty burgage plots. By the seventeenth century the title of praetor had been abandoned in favour of the more customary "bailiff
Bailiff
A bailiff is a governor or custodian ; a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed...
", but otherwise the government of the town remained in the form introduced in the thirteenth century. An enquiry into the administration of local charities in 1620 disclosed that many of the funds were diverted by the bailiff for his private use. This, and other irregularities, led the inhabitants of Leeds to petition Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
for a charter of incorporation
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
.
Incorporation
A charter of incorporation was granted on 13 July 1626, incorporating the entire parish of Leeds St Peter as the "Borough of Leedes in the County of York". The parish and borough consisted of eleven chapelries (ArmleyArmley
Armley is a district in the west of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It starts less than a mile from Leeds city centre. Like much of Leeds, Armley grew in the industrial revolution and had several mills, one of which is now the Armley Mills museum...
, Beeston
Beeston, Leeds
Beeston is a suburb Leeds, West Yorkshire, England located about 2 miles south of the city centre. The area is separated from surrounding areas to the north, east and west by the M621 motorway....
, Bramley
Beeston, Leeds
Beeston is a suburb Leeds, West Yorkshire, England located about 2 miles south of the city centre. The area is separated from surrounding areas to the north, east and west by the M621 motorway....
, Chapel Allerton
Chapel Allerton
Chapel Allerton is an inner suburb of north-east Leeds, from the city centre, West Yorkshire, England. The Chapel Allerton electoral ward includes areas otherwise referred to as Chapeltown and Potternewton - the suburb is generally considered to be only the northern part of this...
, Farnley, Headingley cum Burley, Holbeck
Holbeck
Holbeck is a district in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.The district begins on the southern edge of the Leeds city centre and mainly lies in the LS11 Leeds postcode area. The M1 and M621 motorways used to end/begin in Holbeck. Now the M621 is the only motorway that passes through the area since...
, Hunslet
Hunslet
Hunslet is an inner-city area in south Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is south east of the city centre and has an industrial past.Hunslet had many engineering companies based in the district, such as John Fowler & Co...
, Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, Potternewton
Potternewton
Potternewton is a suburb and parish of north-east Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, situated between Chapeltown and Chapel Allerton, mainly in the LS7 postcode. It is between Scott Hall Road on the West and Roundhay Road on the East, with Harehills Lane on the North...
and Wortley
Wortley, West Yorkshire
Wortley is a district of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It begins one mile to the west of the city centre.In the 1086 Domesday Book it is mentioned as Wirtlei, also Wirtleie and Wrleia. Later it was known as Wirkelay until about 1700...
) and parts of two more (Seacroft
Seacroft
Seacroft is an outer-city suburb consisting mainly of council estate housing covering an extensive area of east Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is east of Leeds city centre and lies in the LS14 Leeds postcode area....
and Temple Newsam
Temple Newsam
Temple Newsam is a Tudor-Jacobean house with grounds landscaped by Capability Brown, in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
).
The governing corporation of the borough was styled "The Alderman and Burgesses of the Borough of Leedes in the County of York", and consisted of one Alderman
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...
, nine principal burgesses and twenty assistants. The charter named the members of the first corporation, with Sir John Savile becoming the first alderman.
Charter of Charles II
In January 1643, during the English Civil WarEnglish Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, Leeds fell to parliamentary forces
New Model Army
The New Model Army of England was formed in 1645 by the Parliamentarians in the English Civil War, and was disbanded in 1660 after the Restoration...
. Royalist members of the corporation were replaced with those loyal to the Commonwealth. With the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, moves were made to reform the borough's government. The leading merchants of the town submitted a petition to Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
requesting a new charter as they felt the constitution and operation of the governing body was inadequate to the needs of the town.
A second charter was duly granted on 2 November 1661, with the earlier charter withdrawn. The new corporation thus created consisted of a mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
, twelve 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...
, twenty four assistants, a recorder
Recorder (judge)
A Recorder is a judicial officer in England and Wales. It now refers to two quite different appointments. The ancient Recorderships of England and Wales now form part of a system of Honorary Recorderships which are filled by the most senior full-time circuit judges...
and a town clerk and was entitled the "Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough of Leedes in the County of York". The charter named the first mayor as Thomas Danby. The new corporation was given extensive powers to enforce and make laws to regulate trade and ensure the good governance of the town. From 1684 to 1689 the town was governed under a charter of James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
which gave the crown power over all appointments to the town council. With the accession of William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
and Mary II
Mary II of England
Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
the 1661 charter was restored to the townspeople, and remained the governing charter until 1836.
Municipal borough 1836 – 1889
In 1833 the Whig Government of Lord GreyCharles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC , known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 22 November 1830 to 16 July 1834. A member of the Whig Party, he backed significant reform of the British government and was among the...
began enquiries into the government of the various boroughs in England and Wales, with a view to reforming their constitutions and methods of election. Following the recommendations of a Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
, legislation was enacted as the Municipal Corporations Act 1835
Municipal Corporations Act 1835
The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 – sometimes known as the Municipal Reform Act, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in the incorporated boroughs of England and Wales...
.
Leeds was among the 178 boroughs reformed by the act, becoming the "Municipal Borough of Leeds". The reformed borough was initially unchanged in area, and was divided into 12 wards, with a town council of 16 aldermen and 48 councillors, headed by a mayor. Each ward was represented by either three or six directly elected councillors. One third of the councillors retired annually. Aldermen were additional members of the council, there being one alderman for every three councillors: they had a six-year term of office, with half of the aldermanic bench elected by the council itself every three years.
| 1835 ward | Townships | No. of councillors | No. of aldermen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bramley | Bramley, Armley, Farnley and Beeston | 6 | 2 |
| East | Part of Leeds | 3 | 1 |
| Headingley | Headingley-cum-Burley, Chapel Allerton, Potternewton | 3 | 1 |
| Holbeck | Holbeck and Wortley townships | 6 | 2 |
| Hunslet | Hunslet | 3 | 1 |
| Kirkgate | Part of Leeds | 3 | 1 |
| Mill Hill | Part of Leeds | 6 | 2 |
| North | Part of Leeds | 3 | 1 |
| North East | Part of Leeds | 3 | 1 |
| North West | Part of Leeds | 3 | 1 |
| South | Part of Leeds | 3 | 1 |
| West | Part of Leeds | 6 | 2 |
It was originally envisaged that the first elections would be held on 1 November 1835, with the reformed town councils holding their first meetings on 9 November following. However, the process of dividing the boroughs into wards and preparing the burgess roll or electoral register
Electoral register
The electoral roll is a listing of all those registered to vote in a particular area. The register facilitates the process of voting, helps to prevent fraud and may also be used to select people for jury duty...
was a lengthy one, and an Order in Council was made delaying the first elections to 26 December, with the new boroughs coming into formal existence on 1 January 1836.
In 1881 the wards were redrawn, so that the borough comprised sixteen wards. The size of the town council remained the same, however, with each new ward returning one alderman and three councillors.
| 1881 ward | Townships |
|---|---|
| Armley & Wortley | Part of Wortley (The parts not in New Wortley ward, also known as Upper Wortley and Lower Wortley) |
| Bramley | Bramley and Farnley |
| Brunswick | Part of Leeds, part of Potternewton |
| Central | Part of Leeds |
| East | Part of Leeds, part of Templenewsam |
| East Hunslet | Part of Hunslet, Part of Holbeck, Part of Beeston |
| Headingley | Headingley-cum-Burley, part of Chapel Allerton |
| Holbeck | Part of Holbeck, Part of Hunslet, Hunslet (detached): also known as Littletown |
| Mill Hill | Part of Leeds |
| New Wortley | Part of Wortley (The ecclesiastical district of St John's, New Wortley) |
| North | Part of Leeds, part of Potternewton, part of Chapel Allerton |
| North East | Part of Leeds, part of Potternewton |
| North West | Part of Leeds, part of Potternewton |
| South | Part of Leeds, part of Hunslet |
| West | Part of Leeds |
| West Hunslet | Part of Hunslet, Part of Holbeck, Part of Beeston |
County borough 1889–1974
The Local Government Act 1888Local 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...
created elected county council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
s to administer services throughout England and Wales. Where a municipal borough had a population of more than 50,000 at the 1881 Census
Census in the United Kingdom
Coincident full censuses have taken place in the different jurisdictions of the United Kingdom every ten years since 1801, with the exceptions of 1941 and in both Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State in 1921; simultaneous censuses were taken in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, with...
it was created 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...
, with the powers and duties of both a borough and county council.
As Leeds had an 1881 population of 309,119 it duly became a county borough on 1 April 1889. The borough, while independent of the West Riding County Council for local government, remained part of the county for purposes such as the administration of justice and 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...
.
The change of status in 1889 made no change to the boundaries of the borough or the size of the council.
City status and lord mayoralty
Until 1889 the right to the title of "city"City status in the United Kingdom
City status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British monarch to a select group of communities. The holding of city status gives a settlement no special rights other than that of calling itself a "city". Nonetheless, this appellation carries its own prestige and, consequently, competitions...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
was linked to the presence of an Anglican
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
. In that year Birmingham, Dundee and Belfast were granted letters patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
raising them to cities by virtue of their population, economic importance and history of good municipal government.
In 1892 another borough in the West Riding, Sheffield, announced that it was seeking the grant of city status to celebrate the Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee
A Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary.- In Thailand :King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, celebrated his Golden Jubilee on 9 June 1996.- In the Commonwealth Realms :...
of the town's incorporation, which was to occur in 1893. When the members of Leeds Town Council became aware of the application by Sheffield, which was both smaller in population and of more recent creation than Leeds, they immediately began the process of applying for the dignity themselves. A petition was approved on 4 January 1893, which set out the reasons it was felt that Leeds deserved to become a city: these were the antiquity of the town, its many charters, its large area, its population that was "approaching 400,000", the fact that it was the largest municipality not to be a city, and its commercial importance for the woollen industry.
A delegation from Leeds, including two Members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MPs), met with the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
, H H Asquith on 27 January to press the borough's case. Along with the claims of the borough as set out in the original petition, the delegation made two more points: Leeds was the only university town not a city, and Leeds and Sheffield were the only boroughs returning five MPs to the House of Commons without the status (of a city).
The Home Secretary forwarded the petitions of both boroughs to the Queen on 3 February, recommending that the honour be granted in both cases as they were the "only towns in the United Kingdom with a population exceeding 300,000 to which the title of City, enjoyed by many smaller of less important places, has not been granted; and that both appear to be well fitted by their loyalty, public spirit, and industrial progress, for this mark of your Majesty's favour."
On 7 February, Sir Godfrey Lushington
Godfrey Lushington
Sir Godfrey Lushington KCB, GCMG, , British civil servant and promoter of prison reform, was Permanent Under-Secretary of State of the Home Office of the United Kingdom from 1886 to 1895....
, permanent secretary to the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
, wrote to the mayors of both towns signifying that the applications had been approved. The award was made by letters patent on 13 February, and was announced in the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 21 February:
The Queen has been pleased, by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom, bearing date the 13th February 1893, to
ordain and declare that the Borough of Leeds shall be a City, and shall be called and styled "The City of Leeds".
Four years later the Diamond Jubilee
Diamond Jubilee
A Diamond Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 60th anniversary in the case of a person or a 75th anniversary in the case of an event.- Thailand :...
of the accession of Queen Victoria occurred. As part of the celebrations it was announced on 21 June that the mayor of Leeds "shall in future bear the title of Lord Mayor". The award which empowered the Lord Mayor to enjoy and use all the rights, privileges, pre-eminencies and advantages to "such degree duly and of right belonging" was made by Letters Patent dated 12 July, and was published in the London Gazette on the following day:
The Queen has been pleased, by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date the 12th July, 1897 to ordain that the Chief Magistrate, now, and for the time being, of the City of Leeds, shall be styled Lord Mayor of Leeds.
Parishes to 1912
| 1 Leeds 2 Osmondthorpe 3 Hunslet 4 Holbeck 5 Armley and Bramley |
|
| Parishes 1904 – 1912 |
|---|
Townships and chapelries which were separately rated for poor law
Poor Law
The English Poor Laws were a system of poor relief which existed in England and Wales that developed out of late-medieval and Tudor-era laws before being codified in 1587–98...
purposes were formed into civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
es in 1866. The borough of Leeds contained eleven parishes and part of two others, and no changes were made to their boundaries until 1894. The Local Government Act 1894
Local Government Act 1894
The Local Government Act 1894 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales outside the County of London. The Act followed the reforms carried out at county level under the Local Government Act 1888...
provided that no parish could lie in more than one local government area, with parishes being divided or amalgamated as required.
In Leeds this was effected by constituting the part of Temple Newsam parish within the city a separate parish of Osmondthorpe
Osmondthorpe
Osmondthorpe is a district of east Leeds in West Yorkshire, England, although it is considered part of the Halton Moor district.It is situated in the LS9 Leeds postcode area, two miles to the east of Leeds city centre between East End Park and Halton Moor.At the edge of Osmondthorpe lies the...
, and merging the portion of Seacroft that lay within the municipal boundaries with the existing parish of Potternewton. The number of parishes into which the city was divided was reduced to five in 1904 by the following mergers:
- Armley and Bramley formed from Armley, Bramley and Wortley
- Holbeck (unchanged)
- Hunslet (unchanged)
- Leeds formed from Beeston, Chapel Allerton, Farnley, Headingley cum Burley, Leeds, Potternewton
- Osmondthorpe (unchanged)
1912 extension
The city boundaries remained unchanged from 1836 until 1912. In 1904 the city council applied unsuccessfully to the Local Government BoardLocal Government Board
The Local Government Board was a British Government supervisory body overseeing local administration in England and Wales from 1871 to 1919.The LGB was created by the Local Government Board Act 1871 The Local Government Board (LGB) was a British Government supervisory body overseeing local...
for an enlargement of the county borough. A second application was made late in 1911. The corporation sought to add 4839 acres (19.6 km²) to the north and east of the city: the parishes of Roundhay
Roundhay
Roundhay is a large suburb and City Council ward of north-east Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, largely within the LS8 postcode. The ward boundary is the A6120 ring road on the north and the A58 Wetherby Road on the south and east. The boundary follows Gledhow Valley Road to the west before heading...
and Seacroft
Seacroft
Seacroft is an outer-city suburb consisting mainly of council estate housing covering an extensive area of east Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is east of Leeds city centre and lies in the LS14 Leeds postcode area....
(comprising Leeds Rural District
Leeds Rural District
Leeds was, from 1894 to 1912, a rural district in the administrative county of Yorkshire, West Riding, England. It comprised an area adjacent to, but not including, the City of Leeds...
), the parish of Shadwell (from Wetherby Rural District
Wetherby Rural District
Wetherby was a rural district in the West Riding of Yorkshire from 1894 to 1974. It was named after the town of Wetherby.It was abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, and split between two new districts...
) and the Crossgates area of the parish of Barwick in Elmet (from Tadcaster Rural District
Tadcaster Rural District
Tadcaster was a rural district in the West Riding of Yorkshire from 1894 to 1974. It was named after Tadcaster.It was created by the Local Government Act 1894 from the Tadcaster rural sanitary district. It was enlarged in 1937 by the abolition of Bishopthorpe Rural District.It was abolished in...
). The proposed extension would increase the county borough's population by 7,603 to 452,171. An inquiry was held in January 1912, at which the strong opposition of the West Riding County Council and all the parish and rural district councils involved was made clear. On 4 May the town clerk of Leeds was informed that the extension had been granted, with the exception of 169 acre (0.68391934 km²) of agricultural land with an estimated population of 50 to 100.
The extension took effect on 9 November 1912, with the added areas initially being added to the existing north ward and to the parish of Leeds.
1920 extension
| 1 Leeds 2 Osmondthorpe 3 Hunslet 4 Holbeck 5 Armley and Bramley |
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| Parishes 1920 – 1925 |
|---|
In 1919 the city council sought another extension, this time to the south, by taking in the parish of Middleton
Middleton, Leeds
Middleton is a suburb of Leeds south of Leeds city centre, West Yorkshire, England. It originated as an agricultural and pit village in south Leeds and is mentioned as Mildentone and Mildetone village in the 1086 Domesday Book....
from Hunslet Rural District
Hunslet Rural District
Hunslet was a rural district of the administrative county of Yorkshire, West Riding from 1894 to 1937.The rural district was created by the Local Government Act 1894 as successor to the Hunslet Rural Sanitary District...
. The boundary change took effect on 1 April 1920, and Middleton formed a 17th ward, electing 3 councillors and 1 alderman to the city council, which was increased in size accordingly. The parish of Middleton was abolished, with its area added to the existing parish of Hunslet. The extra territory was acquired by the county borough for a major scheme of council housing
Council house
A council house, otherwise known as a local authority house, is a form of public or social housing. The term is used primarily in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Council houses were built and operated by local councils to supply uncrowded, well-built homes on secure tenancies at...
, the construction of which commenced almost immediately. On 1 April 1925 the five parishes in the county borough were united into a single parish of Leeds.
1928 extension
In 1927 Leeds Corporation promoted a bill to add further areas to the city, namely GildersomeGildersome
Gildersome is a village and civil parish in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough 5 miles south west of Leeds city centre in West Yorkshire, England....
Urban District, and parts of the rural district
Rural district
Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the administrative counties.-England and Wales:In England...
s of Hunslet, Tadcaster and Wharfedale
Wharfedale Rural District
Wharfedale was a rural district in the West Riding of Yorkshire from 1894 to 1974. It was named after Wharfedale.It contained the following civil parishes:*Adel cum Eccup transferred to County Borough of Leeds...
(the parishes of Adel cum Eccup, Alwoodley
Alwoodley
Alwoodley is a civil parish and suburb of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. It is north of central Leeds. The name Alwoodley is said to be a corruption of 'Aethelwaldley', as it was originally known in the Middle Ages, meaning the woodland clearing , at Aethelwald's farm...
, Austhorpe - except for a detached part - and Templenewsham). The Leeds Corporation Act 1927, as passed, omitted Gildersome and most of Austhorpe from the area added to Leeds. The extension, which took effect on 1 April 1928 added approximately 7131 acres (28.9 km²) to the county borough. The area added comprised the parishes of Adel cum Eccup and Alwoodley to the north, and Templenewsham with 206 acre (0.83365316 km²) from the parish of Austhorpe to the east.
In 1930 the wards of the county borough were redrawn, necessitating a general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
of the entire city council. Twenty-six wards were created, each returning 3 councillors and 1 alderman. The membership of the council was increased from 68 (51 councillors and 17 aldermen) to 104 (78 councillors and 26 aldermen). The twenty-six wards were as follows:
- Armley & New Wortley
- Beeston
- Blenheim
- Bramley
- Burmantofts
- Central
- Cross Gates & Templenewsham
- East Hunslet
- Far Headingley
- Farnley
- Harehills
- Holbeck North
- Holbeck South
- Hunslet Carr & Middleton
- Hyde Park
- Kirkstall
- Mill Hill and South
- North
- Osmondthorpe
- Potternewton
- Richmond Hill
- Roundhay
- West Hunslet
- Westfield
- Woodhouse
- Wortley and Upper Armley
On 1 April 1937 the boundary of the county borough with the surrounding areas of the West Riding was adjusted under a county review order
Local Government Act 1929
The Local Government Act 1929 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that made changes to the Poor Law and local government in England and Wales....
. The city exchanged areas with the following districts:
| Local government district | Area added to county borough | Area removed from county borough |
|---|---|---|
| Horsforth Horsforth Horsforth is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England, lying to the north west of Leeds. It has a population of 18,928.... Urban District |
98 acre (0.39659228 km²) | – |
| Pudsey Pudsey Pudsey is a market town in West Yorkshire, England. Once an independent town, it was incorporated into the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds in 1974, and is located midway between Bradford and Leeds city centres. It has a population of 32,391.... Municipal Borough |
3 acre (0.01214058 km²) | – |
| Tadcaster Rural District Tadcaster Rural District Tadcaster was a rural district in the West Riding of Yorkshire from 1894 to 1974. It was named after Tadcaster.It was created by the Local Government Act 1894 from the Tadcaster rural sanitary district. It was enlarged in 1937 by the abolition of Bishopthorpe Rural District.It was abolished in... |
53 acre (0.21448358 km²) | 34 acre (0.13759324 km²) |
| Wetherby Rural District Wetherby Rural District Wetherby was a rural district in the West Riding of Yorkshire from 1894 to 1974. It was named after the town of Wetherby.It was abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, and split between two new districts... |
24 acre (0.09712464 km²) | – |
| Wharfedale Rural District Wharfedale Rural District Wharfedale was a rural district in the West Riding of Yorkshire from 1894 to 1974. It was named after Wharfedale.It contained the following civil parishes:*Adel cum Eccup transferred to County Borough of Leeds... |
45 acre (0.1821087 km²) | 1 acre (0.00404686 km²) |
In 1950 the city council petitioned for an alteration in the number and boundaries of the municipal wards, and a consequent change in the number of aldermen and councillors. The petition was successful, with an Order in Council made on 28 July dividing the city into twenty-eight wards:
- Allerton
- Armley
- Beeston
- Blenheim
- Bramley
- Burmantofts
- City
- Cross Gates
- East Hunslet
- Far Headingley
- Halton
- Harehills
- Holbeck
- Hunslet Carr
- Hyde Park
- Kirkstall
- Meanwood
- Middleton
- Moortown
- Osmondthorpe
- Potternewton
- Richmond Hill
- Roundhay
- Stanningley
- Wellington
- Westfield
- Woodhouse
- Wortley
The redrawing of wards made a general election of the entire council necessary in May 1951. The new council had a membership of 112: 84 councillors and 28 aldermen.
1957 extension
Following the Second World War a Local Government Boundary Commission was appointed to review administrative structures throughout England and Wales. While the commission was in existence, local authorities were not permitted to make unilateral proposals for boundary changes. Although the commission recommended that Leeds should form the basis of a new unitary "one tier county" no action was taken. The commission itself was wound up in 1949, and the final enlargement of the county borough took place under the Leeds Corporation Act 1956, on 1 April 1957. 2322 acres (9.4 km²) of Tadcaster Rural District were added to the city.Abolition
From the late nineteen fifties the structure of local government was subject to a number of proposed reforms, although actual change did not place until 1974. A second Local Government Commission for England was created in 1958Local Government Act 1958
The Local Government Act 1958 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom affecting local government in England and Wales outside London...
to devise proposals for "effective and convenient" local authority areas. Leeds and its surrounding conurbation were designated as the "West Yorkshire Special Review Area". When the commission reported on the Review Area in 1962, only a small boundary change was proposed. The 1958 commission was disbanded in 1966, and the Redcliffe-Maud Commission
Redcliffe-Maud Report
The Redcliffe–Maud Report is the name generally given to the report published by the Royal Commission on Local Government in England 1966–1969 under the chairmanship of Lord Redcliffe-Maud.-Terms of reference and membership:...
appointed in its place. When their report was published in 1969, they recommended a system of large unitary authorities
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
. A new Leeds authority was proposed, with an area of 317000 acres (1,282.9 km²) and a population of 840,000. The boundaries would have included a large rural area including part of the Yorkshire Dales
Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales is the name given to an upland area in Northern England.The area lies within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire, though it spans the ceremonial counties of North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Cumbria...
and the town of Harrogate
Harrogate
Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms. From the town one can explore the nearby Yorkshire Dales national park. Harrogate originated in the 17th...
. The proposal was welcomed by Leeds City Council. Following a change of government, a white paper
White paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
issued in 1971 rejected the unitary structure and instead proposed a metropolitan county
Metropolitan county
The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level administrative division of England. There are six metropolitan counties, which each cover large urban areas, typically with populations of 1.2 to 2.8 million...
of West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, with Leeds forming a district in a two-tier system. During the passing of the subsequent legislation, which was enacted as 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....
, the boundaries of the Leeds Metropolitan District (or District 6b) were altered. Knaresborough
Knaresborough
Knaresborough is an old and historic market town, spa town and civil parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located on the River Nidd, four miles east of the centre of Harrogate.-History:...
and Harrogate were removed (becoming the basis of a non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
) while Rothwell
Rothwell, West Yorkshire
Rothwell is a market town on the River Dolphin in the south east of the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, situated between Oulton to the east, Belle Isle to the west, Woodlesford to the north east and Robin Hood to the south west. Swillington, Methley and Kippax are located...
was added from the neighbouring Wakefield district.
Metropolitan borough
The 1972 legislation came into effect on 1 April 1974, with the county borough ceasing to exist at midnight on 31 March. The county borough's area was combined with that of the Municipal Borough of MorleyMunicipal Borough of Morley
Morley was a local government district in Yorkshire, West Riding.Apart from the town of Morley, it included Churwell , East Ardsley , West Ardsley, Drighlington and Gildersome .Morley was incorporated as a borough in 1885.It was abolished in 1974 and its former area became part of the...
, the Municipal Borough of Pudsey
Municipal Borough of Pudsey
Pudsey was a local government district in Yorkshire, West Riding from 1872 to 1974 around the town of Pudsey.A local board formed for the parish of Pudsey in 1872...
, Aireborough Urban District, Horsforth Urban District, Otley Urban District, Garforth Urban District, Rothwell Urban District and parts of Tadcaster Rural District, Wetherby Rural District and Wharfedale Rural District from the West Riding. The new Leeds district was one of five metropolitan districts in West Yorkshire. It was granted a borough
Borough status in the United Kingdom
Borough status in the United Kingdom is granted by royal charter to local government districts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The status is purely honorary, and does not give any additional powers to the council or inhabitants of the district...
and city status
City status in the United Kingdom
City status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British monarch to a select group of communities. The holding of city status gives a settlement no special rights other than that of calling itself a "city". Nonetheless, this appellation carries its own prestige and, consequently, competitions...
to become the City of Leeds
City of Leeds
The City of Leeds is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, governed by Leeds City Council, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. The metropolitan district includes Leeds and the towns of Farsley, Garforth, Guiseley, Horsforth, Morley, Otley, Pudsey, Rothwell,...
.
| Metropolitan district of Leeds formed 1974 (former county borough in grey) | |
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