Dukinfield

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Template:Infobox UK place

Dukinfield is a small town within Tameside, in Greater Manchester, England.^[1]^[2] It lies approximately seven miles (11 km) to the east of the City of Manchester.

The town is a product of the Industrial Revolution when its development was accelerated by the growth of coal mining and the cotton industry.

1 History
2 Governance
3 Geography
- 3.1 Parliamentary representation
4 Sports
5 Notable people
6 References

[edit] History

After the Norman Conquest the area became part of two Norman estates and in the 12th century the presiding family took the name De Dokenfeld. An interesting point to note is that 'Dokenfeld' in Old Norse translates as 'field of ravens'.

During the English Civil War, Colonel Robert Duckenfield of Dukinfield Hall was a noted commander in the New Model Army.

Industrialisation - particularly the cotton trade - helped shape the town, but its rapid development destroyed its former pasture and meadow land. Most of the cotton mills have now been demolished, but some have been preserved and have been converted into apartments.

Coal pits were also a major part of Dukinfield's industrial history, one pithead was located on Birch Lane, now the site of All Saints' Catholic College, with another near the northern border with Ashton-under-Lyne.

There are three major historical characters in Dukinfield's history - John Astley, Samuel Robinson and Daniel Adamson.

Astley, born in 1724 was a coal, iron and cotton industrialist who built Dukinfield Lodge.

Robinson, who was a Unitarian, industrialist and scholar founded the village library in 1833 and was dubbed the "foremost promoter of education in the district" before his death in 1884.

Adamson was a mechanical engineer who also became the first chairman of the world-renowned Manchester Ship Canal Company. He died on 13 January 1890. The Adamson Military Band, (which received support from Daniel Adamson and is named after him) set up for the workers, is based in Dukinfield.

On the 14th April 1874, a large underground gas explosion occurred in the town's Astley Deep Pit coal mine, known locally as The Astley Deep Pit Disaster. 54 men were killed.

Dukinfield and its surrounding towns were major centres of civil revolt during the Nineteenth Century and briefly the area was a hotbed of Chartism, the popular movement calling for universal suffrage via a "People's Charter". The famous Chartist leader Reverend Joseph Rayner Stephens is buried in St John's Church cemetery in the town.

[edit] Governance

Image:Arms-dukinfield.jpg

Arms of the former Dukinfield Corporation

In the Middle Ages, Dukinfield was part of the parish of Stockport in the Macclesfield Hundred. In 1894 Dukinfield became an urban district in the administrative county of Cheshire. The town was granted municipal borough status in 1899 under the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act 1882.

In 1974, the borough of Dukinfield was abolished, and its territory amalgamated into the newly created Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, in the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester.^[3]

[edit] Geography

Image:Dukinfield town hall01.jpg

Town Hall of Dukinfield

Situated within the historic county boundaries of Cheshire the borders of the town are defined to the north and west by the River Tame. With neighbouring towns which lie along the course of the river, Dukinfield is forms part of the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside.^[1]

[edit] Parliamentary representation

Andrew Gwynne is Dukinfield's Member of Parliament. He was elected in 2005 to represent the Denton and Reddish constituency, of which the town of Dukinfield is a part. Between 1918 and 1997 Dukinfield was part of Stalybridge and Hyde constituency.

[edit] Sports

Dukinfield Cricket Club is a member of the Lancashire County League. Its "professional" for several seasons up to 2005 was Paul Turner. He was replaced in 2006 by Andrew Gleave from Flowery Field Cricket Club, where he had been a leading amateur. Martin Vidler is the club's youth coach.

Dukinfield Rugby Union Football Club currently plays in the South Lancashire/Cheshire 2 League of the Northern Division. The club plays its home games at Blocksages Playing Fields and is one of the oldest Rugby teams in the historic county of Cheshire, having been founded in 1880. During the late 90's/early 00's, Mike Ford was head coach, gaining 2 league promotions in 3 seasons. He left Dukinfield RUFC for a brief spell at Oldham RUFC but then left to take over as Defensive Co-ordinator of Ireland (January 2002 - September 2005). In September 2004 he started working as Defence and Skills coach at Saracens in the Guinness Premiership before taking over as Head Coach. He is now defence coach of England national rugby union team.

[edit] Notable people

[edit] Sportsmen

Tony Brooks 1950s Formula One driver, 5 Grand Prix victories.
Norman (Buddy) Oldfield Lancashire & England cricketer.
Tony Durose Dukinfield and Northants cricket

First class cricketer Norman ‘Buddy’ Oldfield was born in Dukinfield. He played first class cricket for Lancashire and Northamptonshire between 1935 and 1954 and played his sole test for England in 1939.^[4]

[edit] Actors and actresses

[edit] Musicians

John Lever, drummer with The Chameleons, later Stamford Cars.
Ronnie Hazlehurst, celebrated composer & arranger of TV & radio theme music.

Kevin Parrott, Record Producer, Musician. Producer of Matchstalk Men & Matchstalk Cats & Dogs, (Lowry's Song), by Brian and Michael, and the "Brian" of the said act.