Little Bolton
Encyclopedia
Little Bolton was a township
of the civil and ecclesiastical parish of Bolton le Moors
in the Salford hundred
of Lancashire
, England. Besides the main part of Little Bolton, it had three detached parts which were separated by areas of Lower Sharples and Higher Sharples. Despite its name, Little Bolton had a larger acreage than its southern neighbour Great Bolton
, from which it was separated by the River Croal
.
, a judicial division of southwest Lancashire. It was one of the townships that made up the ancient ecclesiastical parish of Bolton le Moors
.
Under provisions of the Poor Relief Act 1662
, townships
replaced civil parishes as the main units of local administration in Lancashire. Little Bolton became one of the eighteen autonomous townships of the civil parish of Bolton le Moors. The township appointed overseers of the poor
who administered poor relief
to those in need and Highway surveyors who maintained the roads, all of which was funded by levying a rate from the inhabitants of the township.
In 1792, the first of the Bolton Improvement Acts was passed by the Houses of Parliament which established the Little Bolton Police Commissioners (or Trustees) who took responsibility for improving the township. St George's Church
, the township's first place of worship, was completed in 1796, and Little Bolton Town Hall was built in 1826. The Little Bolton Improvement Act of 1830 converted the Trustees into an elected Corporation
.
Under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835
, the Municipal borough
of Bolton was established in 1838 as a local authority, which comprised most of Little Bolton, the whole of Great Bolton, and the Haulgh area of the township of Tonge with Haulgh
. The northern detached parts of Little Bolton were included in the area of Astley Bridge Local Board of Health in 1864. In 1866, Little Bolton became a civil parish. Although part of the Municipal Borough of Bolton from 1838, Little Bolton was used for the censuses
until the civil parish was abolished in 1895. For recording births, marriages, and deaths, Little Bolton continued as a sub-district of the Bolton Registration district
until 1947.
Township (England)
In England, a township is a local division or district of a large parish containing a village or small town usually having its own church...
of the civil and ecclesiastical parish of Bolton le Moors
Bolton le Moors
Bolton le Moors was a civil parish and ecclesiastical parish of the hundred of Salford in the historic county of Lancashire, England...
in the Salford hundred
Salford (hundred)
The hundred of Salford was an ancient division of the historic county of Lancashire, in Northern England. It was sometimes known as Salfordshire, the name alluding to its judicial centre being the township of Salford...
of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England. Besides the main part of Little Bolton, it had three detached parts which were separated by areas of Lower Sharples and Higher Sharples. Despite its name, Little Bolton had a larger acreage than its southern neighbour Great Bolton
Great Bolton
Great Bolton was a township of the civil and ecclesiastical parish of Bolton le Moors in the Salford hundred of Lancashire, England. Despite its name, Great Bolton had a smaller acreage than its northern neighbour Little Bolton from which it was separated by the River...
, from which it was separated by the River Croal
River Croal
The River Croal is a river located in Greater Manchester, England. It is a tributary of the River Irwell.Rising at the confluence of Middle Brook and Deane Church Brook, it flows eastwards through Bolton, collecting Gilnow Brook and the larger River Tonge at Darcy Lever...
.
Governance
Historically, Little Bolton formed part of the Hundred of SalfordSalford (hundred)
The hundred of Salford was an ancient division of the historic county of Lancashire, in Northern England. It was sometimes known as Salfordshire, the name alluding to its judicial centre being the township of Salford...
, a judicial division of southwest Lancashire. It was one of the townships that made up the ancient ecclesiastical parish of Bolton le Moors
Bolton le Moors
Bolton le Moors was a civil parish and ecclesiastical parish of the hundred of Salford in the historic county of Lancashire, England...
.
Under provisions of the Poor Relief Act 1662
Poor Relief Act 1662
The Poor Relief Act 1662 was an Act of the Cavalier Parliament of England. It was an Act for the Better Relief of the Poor of this Kingdom and is also known as the Settlement Act or, more honestly, the Settlement and Removal Act. The purpose of the Act was to establish the parish to which a person...
, townships
Township (England)
In England, a township is a local division or district of a large parish containing a village or small town usually having its own church...
replaced civil parishes as the main units of local administration in Lancashire. Little Bolton became one of the eighteen autonomous townships of the civil parish of Bolton le Moors. The township appointed overseers of the poor
Overseer of the Poor
An Overseer of the Poor was an official who administered poor relief such as money, food, and clothing in England and various other countries which derived their law from England.-England:...
who administered poor relief
Poor relief
Poor Relief refers to any actions taken by either governmental or ecclesiastical bodies to relieve poverty experienced by a population. More specifically, the term poor relief is often used to discuss how European countries dealt with poverty from the time just around the end of the medieval era to...
to those in need and Highway surveyors who maintained the roads, all of which was funded by levying a rate from the inhabitants of the township.
In 1792, the first of the Bolton Improvement Acts was passed by the Houses of Parliament which established the Little Bolton Police Commissioners (or Trustees) who took responsibility for improving the township. St George's Church
Church of St George, Bolton
The Church of St George, Bolton, is a redundant church in Bolton, Greater Manchester, England . It is currently a craft centre and was designated a Grade II* listed building on April 26, 1974...
, the township's first place of worship, was completed in 1796, and Little Bolton Town Hall was built in 1826. The Little Bolton Improvement Act of 1830 converted the Trustees into an elected Corporation
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
.
Under 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...
, the 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...
of Bolton was established in 1838 as a local authority, which comprised most of Little Bolton, the whole of Great Bolton, and the Haulgh area of the township of Tonge with Haulgh
Tonge with Haulgh
Tonge with Haulgh was a township of the civil and ecclesiastical parish of Bolton le Moors in the Salford hundred of Lancashire, England.-Toponymy:...
. The northern detached parts of Little Bolton were included in the area of Astley Bridge Local Board of Health in 1864. In 1866, Little Bolton became a civil parish. Although part of the Municipal Borough of Bolton from 1838, Little Bolton was used for the censuses
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...
until the civil parish was abolished in 1895. For recording births, marriages, and deaths, Little Bolton continued as a sub-district of the Bolton Registration district
Registration district
A registration district in the United Kingdom is a type of administrative region which exists for the purpose of civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths and civil partnerships...
until 1947.
Demography
| Year | 1801 | 1811 | 1821 | 1831 | 1841 | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,867 | 7,099 | 9,258 | 12,896 | 15,707 | 19,888 | 24,942 | 35,013 | 41,937 | 44,307 |
| Sources: Local population statistics Vision of Britain. | ||||||||||