Poulton le Fylde

A description of Poulton le Fylde, 1934. 

POULTON-LE-FYLDE

Is an ancient market town, situate on a gentle eminence a short distance from the mouth of the Wyre, 51 miles S. of Fleetwood, 6 miles N.W. of Kirkham, 14 miles N.W. of Preston, and 3½ miles from Blackpool. It is in the parliamentary division of Fylde, the county council division of the Fylde (north), and the Fylde Union. The parish is governed by an Urban District Council, comprising 12 members. The first election took place April 9th, 1900.

ST. CHAD'S CHURCH occupies the site of a more ancient edifice, which, after having stood for nearly seven centuries, was taken down in 1751, except the tower, which had been rebuilt in the reign of Charles I. The original church existed in 1076. The present structure, which was restored in 1882, contains 816 sittings, all of which are free. The benefice is a vicarage, value £300, in the patronage of C. H. Fleetwood Hesketh, Esq., J.P., D.L., and held by the Rev. W. S. Mellor,M.A.

The CATHOLIC CHURCH, erected in 1813, is dedicated to St. John the Evangelist. Previous to the erection of this chapel the Catholics of Poulton and neighbourhood attended Mass at Singleton, three miles distant. The Very Rev. William Canon Vaughan is the present pastor.

The METHODISTS have also places of worship at Poulton ; the former situate in Chapel Street, originally built in 1819, and enlarged in 1861, has been superseded by a new chapel and school, erected on the same site in 1892, at a cost of £1,300 ; and the latter, in Longfield Lane, built in 1899, on land given by the late Robert Bainbridge, is a neat Gothic edifice designed by Mr. E. J. Andrew. It will seat 400 people, and cost about £2,700. The old chapel, now used as Sunday school, dates from 1808.

The NATIONAL SCHOOL, built in 1830, has accommodation for 313 children. A market is held every Monday, and fairs are held February 3rd, April 13th and November 3rd. Population in 1841, 1,128 ; 1861, 1,141 ; 1871, 1,161 ; 1881, 1,225 ; 1891, 1,412 ;1901, 2,223 ; 1921, 2,732, 1931, 3,366. The township contains 914 acres, and the rateable value is £24,221.

There is a station here on the London, Midland and Scottish railway. A new passenger station was erected in 1896, at a cost of £6,000. The old station, which was approached by a dangerous curve, on which a fatal accident occurred in 1892, is now used for traffic purposes.

Urban District Council.—J. P.Woolnough (chairman), H. B. Tyron, J. Coupe, L. V. Henthorne, W. W. Yates, J. I. Smith, J. P. Dobson, R. P. Tomlinson, R. Eaves, W. Haslam, A. L. Poole and J.Holden. Clerk: R.D.Paley, Medical Officer of Health: J.K.Thomas,M.B.,Ch.B. Guardian: W.P.Woolley.

Post, Money Order and Telegraph Office, Market Place; James Holden, postmaster. Letters arrive, via Preston, 7-0 a.m. and 3-30 p.m., and are despatched at 10-30 a.m. and 7-30 p.m.