| County Borough of Bradford | |
|---|---|
 Bradford City Hall | |
| Population | |
| • 1911 | 288,458 |
| • 1931 | 298,041 |
| • 1961 | 295,922 |
| History | |
| • Created | 1847 |
| • Abolished | 1974 |
| • Succeeded by | Metropolitan Borough of Bradford |
| Status | Municipal borough (1847–1888) County borough (1888–1974) City (1897–1974) |
| • HQ | Bradford |
 Map of boundary as of 1971 | |
TheCounty Borough of Bradford was a local government district withcity status in theWest Riding ofYorkshire, England, from 1847 to 1974.[1]
Bradford became amunicipal borough in 1847, and acounty borough in 1888, making it administratively independent of theWest Riding County Council. It was honoured with city status on the occasion of Queen Victoria'sDiamond Jubilee in 1897, withKingston upon Hull andNottingham. The three had been the largest county boroughs outside the London area without city status.[2] The borough's boundaries were extended to absorbClayton in 1930, and parts of Rawdon, Shipley, Wharfedale and Yeadon urban districts in 1937.[1]
Bradford City Hall was opened on 9 September 1873 as the seat of local government. TheVenetian Gothic sandstone building was designed by local architectsLockwood andMawson and isGrade I listed.[3]
The borough was abolished under theLocal Government Act 1972, and created the centre of the newMetropolitan Borough of Bradford, which inherited the city status, by a merger with theMunicipal Borough of Keighley, the urban districts ofBaildon,Bingley,Denholme,Ilkley,Shipley andSilsden, along with part ofQueensbury and Shelf Urban District and part ofSkipton Rural District, all in theWest Riding of Yorkshire.[1]
