Warrington (city), Lancashire Genealogy

Guide to Warrington history, family history, and genealogy: parish registers, census records, birth records, marriage records, and death records.



History
With the UK Government redefining of counties and jurisdictions in 1972, Warrington is now part of the County of Cheshire. As this will not be of any help for Family History researchers, it is identified above as part of the historic county of Lancashire. It is a large town and unitary authority area on the banks of the River Mersey, 20 miles (32 km) east of Liverpool, and 20 miles (32 km) west of Manchester.

Warrington has been a major crossing point on the River Mersey since ancient times and there was in earlier times a Roman settlement at Wilderspool. Local archaeological evidence indicates that there were Bronze Age settlements also. In medieval times Warrington's importance was as a market town and bridging point of the River Mersey. The first reference to a bridge at Warrington is found in 1285. The origin of the modern town was located in the area around St Elphin's Church, now included in the Church Street Conservation Area, whilst the main river crossing was via a ford approximately 1 km upriver of Warrington Bridge.

Warrington was a fulcrum town in the English Civil War. The armies of Oliver Cromwell and the Earl of Derby both stayed near the old town center (the parish church area). Popular legend has it that Cromwell lodged near the building which survives on Church Street as the Cottage Restaurant. The Marquis of Granby public house bears a plaque stating that the Earl of Derby 'had his quarters near this site'. Dents in the walls of the parish church are rumored to have been caused by the cannons from the time of the civil war. On 13 August 1651 Warrington was the scene of the last Royalist victory of the civil war when Scots troops under Charles II and David Leslie, Lord Newark, fought Parliamentarians under John Lambert at the Battle of Warrington Bridge.

The expansion and urbanization of Warrington largely coincided with the Industrial Revolution, particularly after the Mersey was made navigable in the 18th century. As Britain became industrialized, Warrington embraced the Industrial Revolution becoming a manufacturing town and a center of the steel industry(particularly wire), textiles, brewing, tanning and chemical manufacturing. The navigational properties of the River Mersey were improved, canals were built, and the town grew yet more prosperous and popular. When the age of steam came, Warrington naturally welcomed it, both as a means of transport and as a source of power for its mills.

Warrington is best remembered during WWII as the location of RAF Station Burtonwood. During World War II, it served as the largest US Army Air Force airfield outside the United States, and was visited by major American celebrities like Humphrey Bogart and Bob Hope who entertained the American troops. The RAF station continued in use by the USAAF and subsequently USAF as a staging post for men and material until its closure in 1993.

Warrington was designated a new town in 1968 and consequently the town grew in size, as a center for light industry, staging, and distribution.

Cemeteries (Civil)
Walton Lea Crematorium


 * Chester road
 * Walton
 * Warrington, WA4 6TB

Warrington Cemetery


 * Manchester Road
 * Warrington

Fox Covert Cemetery


 * Red Lane
 * Appleton, Warrington

Additional information on locations and finding specific graves can be found at the following web sites:


 * billiongraves: Warrington Cemetery


 * findagrave: Warrington Cemetry


 * Warrington Borough Council death records

Parishes
St Ann's


 * Central Avenue
 * Warrington, Cheshire, WA2 8AJ

Church of the Resurrection


 * St Bridget's Close
 * Warrington, WA2 0EW

Parish Church of St Elphin


 * Church Street
 * Warrington WA1 2TL
 * Phone number +44 1925 635020

Holy Trinity


 * Market Gate
 * Sankey Street
 * Warrington, Cheshire, WA1 1XG

All Saints, Thelwall


 * Bell Lane
 * Thelwall
 * Warrington WA4 2SX
 * Telephone: +44 (0)1925 261166

King's Church


 * Marina Avenue
 * Great Sankey
 * Warrington WA5 1JH
 * Telephone: 01925 451514

St Oswald's


 * Golborne Road
 * Winwick, Warrington

St Paul's


 * Vicarage Lane
 * Helsby
 * Cheshire. WA6 9AB

St Wilfred's Grappenhall


 * Church Lane
 * Warrington, WA4 3EP

St James' Westbrook


 * Canons Road
 * Warrington, WA5 1EU

St Mary's


 * Buttermarket St
 * Warrington, WA1 2

St Matthew's


 * Stretton
 * Warrington, WA4 4NT

Non Conformists
Other Christian and non Christian religious groups follow:


 * Baptists
 * Bethany Pentecostal
 * Evangelical
 * Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
 * Christian Fellowship
 * Jehovah's Witness
 * Kent Street Community Church
 * Lutheran
 * Methodist
 * Pentecostal
 * Roman Catholic

Non Christian populations include:


 * Buddhists
 * Jews
 * Muslims
 * Sikhs
 * Taoists

Civil Registration
Birth, marriages and deaths were kept by the UK government, from July 1837 to the present day.


 * Warrington Council Records Office
 * BMD org: Cheshire
 * Genuki: Cheshire

Local Histories

 * Warrington History Society
 * local histories: Warrington
 * A History of Warrington by Alan Crosby
 * Warrington Forever by Janice Hayes

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Mapquest: Warrington
 * oldmapsonline: Warrington
 * Warrington Council Maps
 * visionofbrotain: Warrington Gazetteer

Newspapers

 * The Warrington Guardian
 * The South Warrington News

Occupations
Warrington is the largest town in the county of Cheshire, and as suck provides major employment in the region. Occupational opportunities fall into 3 major areas; agriculture, industry, and services.

Most of the mother county is rural and agricultural, and is particularly noted for dairy activities. One by-product of such is cheese making, and many are employed in making the famous Cheshire Cheese. Cheshire farms are also noted for its vegetable and fruit provisions. About 15% of the population are employed in the agreicultural area.

Due to its location on the banks of the river Mersey, and its ability to be services by small vessels bringing goods and materials from the docks of Liverpool and Manchester, almost 30% of the town's population find employment in such large manufacturing concerns as Unilever (detergents); Graepels woven and perforated metal meshes; GEA processing Ltd, manufacturers of equipment for the dairy, brewing, and food processing industries; Oadby plastic molding company. There are also a number of small specialty chemical manufacturers in the area.

The balance of the economy provides opportunities in the service arena. This includes the local hospitals, schools and Universities, and a number of large shopping malls.

Societies

 * Warrington Family History Society
 * genuki Warrington
 * Warrington Lancashre history society
 * Liverpool Genealogy Org: Warrington Group

Archives

 * Livewire Archives: Warrington
 * My Heritage Archives: Warrington
 * National Archives: Cheshire

Websites

 * wikipedia, Warrington
 * Warrington and Cheshire economy
 * Warrington Borough Council