Farnworth

Farnworth, town (1991 pop. 25,591), Bolton metropolitan district, NW England, in the Greater Manchester metropolitan area. It has cotton and rayon mills and produces finished textiles, hosiery, knitted goods, machinery, paper, and wood products. There is also some light engineering.

Farnworth is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. It is located southeast of Bolton and northwest of Manchester.

Historically a part of Lancashire, Farnworth lies on the River Irwell and the River Croal, and according to the United Kingdom Census 2001 it has a population of 25,264 people.

History

Farnworth's earliest recorded name is "Ffornword" (from a land survey in 1282). The town grew up in the 18th and 19th centuries around the coal mining industry. Other industry included iron foundries and cotton mills.

Governance

Local Government

During the Middle Ages, Farnworth constituted a township (and chapelry) within the Parish of Deane. In 1863, a Local board of health was established for the township, and in 1866, it also became a separate civil parish. In 1899, under the Local Government Act 1894, Farnworth became a Urban District. In 1939, the district was granted by a charter to become the Municipal Borough of Farnworth. In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, Farnworth became an unparished area of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester.

Parliamentary representation

Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the Radcliffe-cum-Farnworth constituency was established with one Member of Parliament (MP). The constituency was abolished in 1918 with Radcliffe becoming part of the Heywood and Radcliffe constituency, and Farnworth having its own Parliament constituency. The Farnworth constituency continued until it was abolished in 1983 and became part of the Bolton South East constituency.

Demography

Population of the chapelry/civil parish of Farnworth
Year	1801	1811	1821	1831	1841	1851	1861	1871	1881	1891
Population	1,439	1,798	2,044	2,928	4,829	6,389	8,720	13,550	20,708	23,758
Sources: (a) Pauline Tatton: Local population statistics. (b) Vision of Britain: Farnworth Ch/CP Total Population. (c) Vision of Britain: Farnworth USD Total Population.

Population of the urban district/municipal borough of Farnworth
Year	1901	1911	1921	1931	1939*	1951	1961	1971
Population	25,925	28,131	27,894	28,717	27,376	28,616	27,502	26,855
Source: Vision of Britain: Farnworth UD/MB Total population.

* The 1939 population is estimated from the National Registration figures. The 1941 census did not take place because of the Second World War.

Transport

Roads

Farnworth is situated north of junctions 3 and 4 of the M61 motorway. The main roads run through the town are the A666 (Farnworth & Kearsley By-Pass), the A575 (Egerton St/Albert Rd/Worsley Rd), the A5082 (Buckley Rd/Long Causeway), the A6053 (Bolton Rd/Market St/Manchester Rd), and the B6199 (Plodder Lane).

Railways

Farnworth railway station is served by Northern Rail who operate services on the Manchester to Preston Line.

Education

Farnworth has eight primary schools and three secondary schools. Harper Green School is home to the Alan Ball Sports Hall, as well as the Peter Kay Theatre. In 2006, Peter Kay filmed a music video at Harper Green with the Scottish band Texas.

Sports

Farnworth Football Club is a youth team and is divided into seven sections - U7's Jaguars, U8's Pumas, U9's Lynx, U15's, U16's Lions, U17's Panthers, and U18's. This season (2007/2008) the club is playing its home games at Darley Park Football Pitch, with winter training taking place at Harper Green School.

Farnworth Cricket club, which was founded in 1870, play their home games at Bridgeman Park in Farnworth. They participate in the Bolton Cricket League, as do Farnworth Social Circle.

Community facilities

Farnworth has a market and a theatre (Farnworth Little Theatre) and is also known for its underground canals, running from the mines to Worsley. A leisure centre is located on the main street. The A666 by-passes the town and there is a very large and popular park close to the town centre, locally known as "Farnworth Park," which has recently undergone a major redevelopment of the childrens play equipment located on the park as part of Bolton Council's Children's Strategy. A shopping centre has recently closed down in the south of the town, and is due to be developed into luxury apartments.

There have been many redevelopments in the past few years, including renovation of most major roads, new housing developments and even a new shopping promenade on the town's main pedestrian district in late 2005/early 2006.

Farnworth is home to St. Gregory's Catholic Club, the club used to film television comedy Phoenix Nights.

The Royal Bolton Hospital (formerly Fishpool Institution and then Townleys Hospital) is found in Farnworth.

Notable people

• Alan Ball - footballer
• Hylda Baker - comedienne
• Jim Cartwright - playwright
• Frank Finlay - actor
• Paul Mariner- footballer
• Tommy Lawton - footballer
• David Potts - frontman of music group Monaco
• Michael Pollitt - Wigan Athletic goalkeeper
• Patrick McGuinness - comedian
• Peter Kay - comedian
• Julian Darby - footballer

References

External links

• Photos and information about Farnworth
• GENUKI: Farnworth genealogy
• Farnworth Little Theatre