| Partington | |
|---|---|
 St Mary's Church | |
  Partington Location withinGreater Manchester | |
| Population | 7,327 (2001 Census) |
| • Density | 5,348/sq mi (2,065/km2) |
| OS grid reference | SJ715915 |
| Civil parish |
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| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MANCHESTER |
| Postcode district | M31 |
| Dialling code | 0161 |
| Police | Greater Manchester |
| Fire | Greater Manchester |
| Ambulance | North West |
| UK Parliament | |
| |
Partington is a town andcivil parish in theMetropolitan Borough of Trafford,Greater Manchester, England. It is sited ten miles (16 km) south-west ofManchester city centre.[2] Within the boundaries of thehistoric county ofCheshire, it lies on the southern bank of theManchester Ship Canal, oppositeCadishead on the northern bank. In 2001 it had a population of 7,327.[3]
The completion of the Manchester Ship Canal in 1894 transformed Partington into a major coal-exporting port and attracted other industries. Until 2007,Shell Chemicals UK operated a major petrochemicals manufacturing complex inCarrington, Partington's closest neighbour to the east.[4] The gas storage facility in the north-eastern corner of the town was once a gasworks and another significant employer.
Shortly after theSecond World War, local authorities made an effort to rehouse people away fromVictorianslums in inner-city Manchester. An area of Partington became anoverspill estate and is now one of the most deprived parts of Greater Manchester.[5] TheCheshire Lines Committee opened a railway line through the town in 1873, but it closed in 1964.
Partington, first recorded in 1260,[6] was in the medieval and post-medieval parish ofBowdon.[7] The name derives fromOld English: the first element may be a personal name such asPearta orPærta, orpart "landdivided up into partitions" followed byinga, meaning "people of"; the suffixtun means "farmstead".[8] The village consisted of dispersed farmsteads, with no nucleated centre. It was surrounded by wetlands on all sides, reducing the amount of land available for agriculture.[9] According to thehearth tax returns of 1664, Partington had a population of 99.[10]
In 1755, apaper mill on the River Mersey was opened in Partington, the first factory to be established in present-day Trafford.[11] Erlam Farmhouse dates from the late 18th century and is a Grade IIlisted building.[12] Also protected as a Grade II listed building are thestocks on the village green; its stone pillars date from the 18th century, although the wooden restraints were replaced in the 20th century.[13]
The completion of theManchester Ship Canal in 1894 transformed Partington into a major coal-exporting port. The canal was widened to 250 feet (76 m) for three-quarters of a mile (1.2 km) to allow for the construction of a coaling basin, equipped with four hydraulic coal hoists. Partington was the nearest port to theLancashire Coalfields, and brought the southYorkshirecollieries 30 miles (48 km) closer to the sea. Between 1898 and 1911, exports of coal accounted for 53.4 per cent of the total export tonnage carried by the ship canal. The coal trade in turn resulted in Partington becoming a major railway depot and attracted a range of other industries, including the Partington Steel & Iron Company, which was encouraged by the availability of coal to construct a steelworks. The works became a part of theLancashire Steel Corporation in 1930 and dominated the economy of nearbyIrlam until their closure in 1976.[14]
After the Second World War, Partington was extended as an overspill estate.[15]
Thecivil parish of Partington was created in theLocal Government Act 1894 and has its owntown council.[16][17] Partington became part of theMetropolitan Borough of Trafford in 1974 upon the borough's creation, but was previously inBucklow Rural District. The town is part of the Bucklow St Martinelectoral ward;[18] Partington Parish Council is made up of local residents and ward councillors.
Partington also belongs to theStretford and Urmston constituency. Since its creation in 1997, the constituency's Member of Parliament has been a member of theLabour Party,Andrew Western being, since 2022, the present incumbent.[19]
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Partington[nb 1] lies west ofSale, north-east of the civil parish ofWarburton and is on Trafford's northern border with theCity of Salford; it is nine miles (14 km) south-west ofManchester city centre. Sinderland Brook runs east–west through the area and the town is about 20 m (66 ft) above sea level on generally flat ground.[20]
Partington's localdrift geology is a mixture ofalluvial deposits,fluvio-glacial gravel andpeat deposited about 10,000 years ago, during the lastice age.[21] The bedrock isKeupersandstone in the south andBunter sandstone in the north.[22] The town's climate is generally temperate, like the rest of Greater Manchester. The mean highest and lowest temperatures (13.2 °C (55.8 °F) and 6.4 °C (43.5 °F)) are slightly above the national average, while the annual rainfall (806.6 millimetres (31.76 in)) and average hours of sunshine (1394.5 hours) are respectively above and below the national averages.[23][24]
| 2001 UK census | Partington[25] | Trafford[26] | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 7,723 | 205,357 | 49,138,831 |
| White | 96.9% | 89.7% | 90.9% |
| Asian | 0.9% | 4.6% | 4.6% |
| Black | 0.6% | 0.7% | 2.3% |
According to theOffice for National Statistics, at the time of theUnited Kingdom Census 2001, Partington had a population of 7,723. The 2001 population density was 5,348 inhabitants per square mile (2,065/km2), with a 100 to 93.1 female-to-male ratio.[27] Of those over 16 years old, 34.7% were single (never married), 34.9% married, and 10.5% divorced.[28] Partington's 3,354 households included 33.5% one-person, 28.7% married couples living together, 8.8% wereco-habiting couples, and 16.3% single parents with their children.[29] Of those aged 16–74, 38.9% had noacademic qualifications, significantly higher than the averages of Trafford (24.7%) and England (28.9%).[26][30] It has been described as one of the most deprived places in the Greater Manchester conurbation.[31]
As of the2001 UK census, 76.8% of Partington's residents reported themselves as being Christian, 0.8% Muslim, 0.2% Hindu, 0.2% Jewish and 0.1% Sikh. It recorded 14.7% as having no religion, 0.1% had an alternative religion and 7.1% did not state their religion.[32]
The main shopping area of Partington is on Central Road, in the centre of town. The town also has a traditional market on Smithy Lane.[33]
Spanish companySAICA bought a lease on a disused wharfside site by theManchester Ship Canal in 2009 to recycle paper into packaging. The plant is the most "advanced, fully integrated facility in the UK". It uses water recycled from the ship canal and its heat and power plant supplies surplus power to the national grid.[34]The plant cost £300 million and production started in January 2012.[35]
| 2001 UK Census | Partington[36] | Trafford[37] | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population of working age | 5,553 | 151,445 | 35,532,091 |
| Full-time employment | 40.2% | 43.4% | 40.8% |
| Part-time employment | 12.1% | 11.9% | 11.8% |
| Self employed | 3.9% | 8.0% | 8.3% |
| Unemployed | 3.6% | 2.7% | 3.3% |
| Retired | 13.0% | 13.9% | 13.5% |
According to the 2001 UK census, the industry of employment of residents aged 16–74 was 19.3% retail and wholesale, 15.0% manufacturing, 14.7% property and business services, 10.8% health and social work, 9.1% transport and communications, 7.2% construction, 5.2% education, 4.8% hotels and restaurants, 3.8% finance, 3.1% public administration, 1.3% agriculture, 0.7% energy and water supply, 0.1% mining, and 4.9% other. Compared with national figures, Partington had a relatively high percentage of residents working in transport and communications, and a relatively low percentage working in public administration.[38] The census recorded the economic activity of residents aged 16–74, 1.8% students were with jobs, 3.4% students without jobs, 7.7% looking after home or family, 10.6% permanently sick or disabled and 3.8% economically inactive for other reasons.[36] The proportion of those who were permanently sick or disabled in Partington was above the Trafford and England average (5.4% and 6.5% respectively).[37]
Trafford maintains a selective education system, assessed by the11-plus exam. There are three primary schools and one secondary school in Partington. The oldest school still standing in the town was opened in 1958 and used to be called Partington County Primary School but is now known as Partington Central Academy. There is one other state primary schools at Forest Gate with Academy status. There is also a Roman Catholic school – Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School on Lock Lane.Broadoak School is a secondary school withacademy status for pupils aged 11 to 16.[39] Partington Central Academy, Forest Gate and Broadoak School are all a part of The Dean Trust.
Partington's main road is theA6144 betweenLymm and theBrooklands area ofSale.
TheManchester Ship Canal also carries some industrial traffic. The nearest road crossing over the canal is atWarburton Bridge, one of the few remaining pre-motorway toll bridges in the UK[40] and the only one in Greater Manchester.[41] TheDepartment for Transport describes Partington as "geographically isolated, with road access restricted by the proximity of the Manchester Ship Canal and the nearby petrochemical works [in Carrington]" and notes that there are low levels of car ownership.[42]
Most local bus services are operated byStagecoach Manchester: the 253 and 255 routes connect the town withManchester Piccadilly bus station, whilst the 247 operates betweenAltrincham Interchange and theTrafford Centre bus station.Warrington's Own Buses provides service 5 between Altrincham andWarrington.[43]
Partington railway station was sited to the north of the town; it was a stop on theCheshire Lines Committee's Glazebrook toStockport Tiviot Dale line. The station was opened in 1873, eight years after the line opened, and was in use until 30 November 1964.[44][45]
In 2009, a grant of £312,000 was made by the government to set up Partington Co-operative Transport (PACT), with the purpose of improving public transport in the town.[42]
Local news and television programmes are provided byBBC North West andITV Granada. Television signals are received from theWinter Hill TV transmitter.[46]
Local radio stations areBBC Radio Manchester,Heart North West,Smooth North West,Capital Manchester,Greatest Hits Radio Manchester & The North West and Wythenshawe FM, a community based station.[47]
The town is served by the local newspaper,Manchester Evening News.
Founded in 2003 as part of a government project for 11- to 19-year-olds, Partington and Carrington Youth Partnership (PCYP) has since expanded its scope and provides facilities for youths up to the age of 25. It runs a 5-a-side football league and Screamin' Wheels Skate Park.[48][49]
In 2009, it was announced that a £5 million youth centre would be built in the town. Based on designs by pupils from Broadoak Secondary School, the centre will provide facilities for workshops in dance, film-making, and art.[50] Headmaster of the school, Andy Griffin, said "It's a massive thing for Partington as this will help kick-start regeneration of the town. I think it will also help bring people to Partington rather than leaving".[51]
Providing opportunities for sport, a £2 million sports complex was opened next to Broadoak Secondary School in 2008.[50] It features a pool, a sports hall, outdoor pitches and grass courts, and facilities for other activities.[52] The town is served by anAnglican church, St Mary's, aRoman Catholic church dedicated toOur Lady of Lourdes, aMethodist chapel, and aBaptist church called the People's Church.
St Mary's Church is a Grade II listed building,[53][54] and Our Lady of Lourdes' RC Church and parish was founded in 1957.[55] Partington is in the Catholic Dioceses ofRoman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury[56] and the AnglicanDiocese of Chester.[57]
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