Stockport Metropolitan Borough

Stockport Metroplitan Borough, once in the county of Cheshire, is to be found astride the River Mersey, at the meeting point of the rivers Tame and Goyt, just a few miles to the south-east of Manchester's city centre and on the boundaries of both Cheshire and Derbyshire. Although Stockport is thought to have a long history, little mention is found of it until the middle of the 13th century. The town probably originated as a defensive point in toman and Saxon times. The town once had a castle dating back to Norman times but, after falling into disrepair, it was finally razed to the ground in the late 18th century. The town gained its charters, of Freedom and for weekly markets and annual fairs, in the 13th century. They were granted to successive lords of the manor named, Sir Robert de Stokeport.

In the hey days of transport by canal Stockport had its own 5 mile arm from the main Ashton Canal. It survived until the middle of the 20th century but, when it fell into disrepair, and was little used, much of it was filled in. The years of the Industrial Revolution led to a massive population explosion, attended by the conditions of social deprivation common to all the towns producing cotton.

In 1888 Stockport attained the status of a County Borough and, to celebrate the event, plans were started to build an impressive Town Hall. Sir Brumwell Thomas was chosen as the architect for the fine new building that was planned.

The year 1967 saw the terrible air disaster in which 72 passengers died when their plane ran into difficulties and crashed on the town.

One of the sights of Stockport which it's impossible to miss is the Victorian railway viaduct which

In the latter years of the 20th century there has been massive re-generation in the town, which is still in progress, with great plans for its future. With junctions on the M60 motorway and on the A6 trunk road, and a railway staion on the West Coast Main Line, the town is well situated for ambitious plans.

Stockport Borough Council is today (2006) split up into 21 wards, those being Bramhall North, Bramhall South, Bredbury & Woodley, Bredbury Green & Romiley, Brinnington & Central, Cheadle & Gatley, Cheadle Hulme North, Cheadle Hulme South, Davenport & Cale Green, Edgeley & Cheadle Heath, Hazel Grove, Heald Green, Heatons North, Heatons South, Manor, Marple North, Marple South, Offerton, Reddish North, Reddish South plus Stepping Hill