Oldham 1850-1915
Oldham Borough including Chadderton, Crompton and Royton 1851
Oldham 1869 -1870
Oldham (including Lees,Crompton Chadderton and Royton) 1871-1915
Oldham 1915-1939, 1945-1984
Saddleworth 1861 (New Delph only), 1885, 1973-1983
Crompton & Royton 1973-1983
Failsworth 1896-1903, 1906, 1909-10 1913, 1934, 1937, 1956-1983
Chadderton & Lees 1949-1959, 1961-63, 1966-1972
OIdham Metropolitan Borough including Lees, Chadderton, Crompton, Royton, Failsworth, Saddleworth 1984 to present day.
West Yorkshire Archive Service
Registry of Deeds
Newstead Road
Wakefield
WF1 2DE
Telephone 01924 305980
Holds the following:
Saddleworth 1920-1973
Lancashire Record Office
Bow Lane
Preston
PR1 2RE
Telephone 01772 263039
Holds the following:(Proof of ID will be required and photocopies will not generally be possible).
Royton (including Crompton) 1934-1946 Incomplete run
Middleton and Prestwich (including Chadderton) 1934-1946 Incomplete run
Mossley (including Lees and Failsworth) 1934-1946 Incomplete run
Heywood and Royton (including Crompton) 1949-1974 Incomplete run
1850-1879 - alphabetically by surname within wards.
1880 onwards - alphabetically by street within wards.
1920 onwards - alphabetical index of streets available.
Indexes to streets are available for the 1881/2 and 1887 registers.
The following maps showing the outlines of the Constituencies/Wards/Districts at various periods are available at Oldham Local Studies and Archives:
c1890 Worral's
1905 County Borough of Oldham
1906 Clegg
1770 Clegg
1912 Town Planning Map
1919 Clegg
1964 District Boundaries
1969 District Boundaries
1973 Oldham Wards
1979 Ward Boundaries
1983 Constituency Wards
1996 Constituency Wards
The Franchise, or who was eligible to vote, changed over the years
| 1832 | Boroughs | The traditional Franchise of each borough with the addition of householders (whether owners or tenants) of property assessed as worth £10 a year. |
|---|---|---|
| Counties outside Boroughs | Freeholders with property worth 40s a year. Copyholders renting property at £10 a year. £10 leaseholders with at least 60 year leases. £50 leaseholders with at least 20 year leases. Any tenant paying more than £50 a year. | |
| i.e. 1 man in 7 had the vote - richer industrialists, merchants & substantial farmers. | ||
| 1867 | Boroughs | Every adult male householder resident for a year and heads of families lodging in unfurnished rooms paying £10 a year in rent. |
| Counties | Any owner or leaseholder of property rated at £5 a year, or tenant of a property rated at £12 a year. | |
| i.e. Most working men in towns and cities but excluding rural labourers (i.e. 1 man in 3). | ||
| 1869 | Some women received a vote in local elections | |
| 1884 | Boroughs | No change |
| Counties | Same voting qualifications as granted to the Borough in 1867 | |
| i.e. 2 men in 3. Most rural labourers now have the vote. Still excluded were heads of householders who shared houses, adult males living with parent(s), soldiers in barracks and women. | ||
| 1918 | All males over 21. Women over 30 who were householders or wives of householders (6 women in 10) | |
| 1928 | Every resident or owner over 21 (97% of adult population) | |
| 1969 | Everybody over 18 | |