View source for County Borough of Leeds

{{short description|Administrative division of Yorkshire, England until 1974}}
{{About||the settlement|Leeds|the current metropolitan administrative boundaries|City of Leeds}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2014}}

{{Infobox historic subdivision
   |Name=                 City of Leeds
   |AltName=              County Borough of Leeds
   |HQ=                   Leeds
   |Government=
   |Origin=               [[Leeds]] ancient borough<ref name=vision_ancient>{{cite vob | url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10024614&c_id=10001043 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20121225053506/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10024614&c_id=10001043 | url-status=dead | archive-date=25 December 2012 | name=Leeds ancient borough | accessdate=16 September 2009 }} {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20121225053506/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10024614&c_id=10001043 |date=25 December 2012 }}</ref>
   |Status=               [[Municipal borough]] (1835–1889)<br />[[County borough]] (1889–1974)<br />[[City status in the United Kingdom|City]] (1893–1974)
   |Start=                1836
   |End=                  1974
   |Code=
   |CodeName=
   |Replace=              [[City of Leeds|City of Leeds (metropolitan district)]]
   |Motto=                PRO REGE ET LEGE
   |Divisions=
   |DivisionsNames=
   |DivisionsMap=

   |Image=    [[File:Leeds Town Hall (R. P. Leitch, 1858).jpg|300px]]<br />''[[Leeds Town Hall]]''
   |Map=                  [[File:Leeds within the West Riding in 1971.png|300px]]<br />''Leeds shown within the West Riding in 1971''
   |Arms=                 [[File:Leeds old arms.png|250px]]<br />''[[Coat of arms of Leeds|Coat of arms in use until 1921]]''
   |Civic=

   |PopulationFirst=       445,550
   |PopulationFirstYear=   1911
   |AreaFirst=             {{convert|21593|acre}}
   |AreaFirstYear=         1911
   |DensityFirst=         21/acre
   |DensityFirstYear=      1911

   |PopulationSecond=      482,809
   |PopulationSecondYear=  1931
   |AreaSecond=            {{convert|38105|acre}}
   |AreaSecondYear=        1931
   |DensitySecond=        13/acre
   |DensitySecondYear=     1931

   |PopulationLast=        510,676
   |PopulationLastYear=    1961
   |AreaLast=              {{convert|40612|acre}}
   |AreaLastYear=          1961
   |DensityLast=          13/acre
   |DensityLastYear=       1961
}}
The '''County Borough of Leeds''', and its predecessor, the '''Municipal Borough of Leeds''', was a local government district in the [[West Riding of Yorkshire|West Riding]] of [[Yorkshire]], England, from 1835 to 1974.<ref name=vision_cb>{{cite vob | url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10108809&c_id=10001043 | name=Leeds MB/CB | accessdate=16 September 2009 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213031954/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10108809&c_id=10001043 | archive-date=13 February 2012 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> Its origin was the ancient borough of [[Leeds]], which was reformed by the [[Municipal Corporations Act 1835]]. In 1889, when [[West Riding of Yorkshire|West Riding County Council]] was formed, Leeds became a [[county borough]] outside the administrative county of the West Riding; and in 1893 the borough gained [[City status in the United Kingdom|city status]]. The borough was extended a number of times, expanding from {{convert|21593|acres|ha}} in 1911 to {{convert|40612|acres|ha}} in 1961; adding in stages the former area of Roundhay, Seacroft, Shadwell and Middleton parishes and gaining other parts of adjacent districts. In 1971 Leeds was the fifth largest [[List of administrative counties and county boroughs of England by population in 1971|county borough by population]] in England. The county borough was abolished in 1974 and replaced with the larger [[City of Leeds]], a [[metropolitan borough|metropolitan district]] of [[West Yorkshire]].
{{TOC limit|2}}

==Origins==

===Manorial borough 1207–1626===
The [[Borough]] of [[Leeds]] was created in 1207, when Maurice Paynel, [[Lord of the Manor]], granted a [[charter]] to the inhabitants of the town of Leeds. They were created "[[Burgess (title)|burgesses]]", and were given the right to hold half an [[acre]] of land, trade as they liked, and transport their goods by land or water, subject to [[Tariff|tolls]] and restrictions paid to the manor. The only officer of the borough was a [[praetor]], appointed annually at the [[Feast of Pentecost]] by the Lord of the Borough. The praetor had the duty of administering justice and collecting fines and other revenues.<ref name=relics/> The borough formed only a small area adjacent to a crossing of the [[River Aire]], between the old settlement centred on [[Leeds Parish Church]] to the east and the manor house and mills to the west.<ref name=fraser1>{{cite book |title=A History of Modern Leeds |editor-last=Fraser |editor-first=Derek |last=Forster |first=G.&nbsp;C.&nbsp;E. |chapter=The foundation: from the earliest times to c. 1700 |year=1980 |publisher=[[Manchester University Press]] |location=Manchester |isbn=0-7190-0781-X |pages=5–6 }}</ref> The borough consisted of a single street with approximately thirty [[burgage plot]]s.<ref name=fraser1/>  By the seventeenth century the title of praetor had been abandoned in favour of the more customary "[[bailiff]]", but otherwise the government of the town remained in the form introduced in the thirteenth century. An enquiry into the administration of local charities in 1620 disclosed that many of the funds were diverted by the bailiff for his private use. This, and other irregularities, led the inhabitants of Leeds to petition [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] for a [[royal charter|charter of incorporation]].<ref name=relics>{{cite book |title=Relics of Old Leeds |last=Robinson |first=Percy |year=1896 |publisher=B T Batsford |location=London |pages=9–17 }}</ref>

===Incorporated borough (1626–1836)===

====Incorporation====
A charter of incorporation was granted on 13 July 1626, incorporating the entire parish of Leeds St Peter as the "Borough of Leedes in the County of York". The parish and borough consisted of eleven chapelries ([[Armley]], [[Beeston, Leeds|Beeston]], [[Beeston, Leeds|Bramley]], [[Chapel Allerton]], [[Farnley, West Yorkshire|Farnley]], [[Headingley cum Burley]], [[Holbeck]], [[Hunslet]], [[Leeds]], [[Potternewton]] and [[Wortley, West Yorkshire|Wortley]]) and parts of two more ([[Seacroft]] and [[Temple Newsam]]).<ref name=vision_parish/>

The governing corporation of the borough was styled "The Alderman and Burgesses of the Borough of Leedes in the County of York", and consisted of one [[Alderman]], nine principal burgesses and twenty assistants. The charter named the members of the first corporation, with Sir John Savile becoming the first alderman.<ref name=relics/><ref name=lewis>{{cite web |title=Leeds (St. Peter) |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=51100#s23 |year=1848 |work=A Topographical Dictionary of England | editor-first=Samuel |editor-last=Lewis |publisher=British History Online |access-date=22 September 2009}}</ref><ref name=leeds/>

====Charter of Charles II====
In January 1643, during the [[English Civil War]], Leeds fell to [[New Model Army|parliamentary forces]]. Royalist members of the corporation were replaced with those loyal to the Commonwealth. With the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, moves were made to reform the borough's government. The leading merchants of the town submitted a petition to [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] requesting a new charter as they felt the constitution and operation of the governing body was inadequate to the needs of the town.<ref name=relics/>

A second charter was duly granted on 2 November 1661, with the earlier charter withdrawn.<ref name=relics/><ref name=lewis/><ref name=leeds/> The new corporation thus created consisted of a [[mayor]], twelve [[alderman|aldermen]], twenty four assistants,  a [[recorder (judge)|recorder]] and a [[town clerk]] and was entitled the "Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough of Leedes in the County of York".  The charter named the first mayor as Thomas Danby.<ref name=relics/><ref name=lewis/><ref name=leeds/> The new corporation was given extensive powers to enforce and make laws to regulate trade and ensure the good governance of the town.<ref name=relics/> From 1684 to 1689 the town was governed under a charter of [[James II of England|James II]] which gave the crown power over all appointments to the town council. With the accession of [[William III of England|William III]] and [[Mary II of England|Mary II]] the 1661 charter was restored to the townspeople, and remained the governing charter until 1836.<ref name=relics/>

==Municipal borough (1836–1889)==
[[File:Creighton leeds 1835.jpg|thumb|right|An 1835 map of Leeds by Robert Creighton]]
In 1833 the [[Whig (British political faction)|Whig]] Government of [[Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey|Lord Grey]] began enquiries into the government of the various boroughs in England and Wales, with a view to reforming their constitutions and methods of election.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1833/feb/14/corporations#S3V0015P0_18330214_HOC_20 |title=Corporations |access-date=19 February 2009 |work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]] |date=14 February 1833 }}</ref> Following the recommendations of a [[royal commission]], legislation was enacted as the [[Municipal Corporations Act 1835]].

Leeds was among the 178 boroughs reformed by the act, becoming the "Municipal Borough of Leeds". The reformed borough was initially unchanged in area, and was divided into 12 [[ward (politics)|wards]], with a town council of 16 aldermen and 48 councillors, headed by a mayor.<ref>Municipal Corporations Act, 1835 (5 & 6 Will. 4 c. 76), Sch. A</ref> Each ward was represented by either three or six directly elected councillors. One third of the councillors retired annually. Aldermen were additional members of the council, there being one alderman for every three councillors: they had a six-year term of office, with half of the aldermanic bench elected by the council itself every three years.

{| class="wikitable"
! 1835 ward<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=19332 |date=7 December 1835 |pages=2346–2348  }}</ref>
! Townships
! No. of councillors
! No. of aldermen
|-
|Bramley
|Bramley, Armley, Farnley and Beeston
| 6
| 2
|-
|East
| Part of Leeds{{r|group=Note|a}}
| 3
| 1
|-
|Headingley
|Headingley-cum-Burley, Chapel Allerton, Potternewton
| 3
| 1
|-
|Holbeck
|Holbeck and Wortley townships
|6
|2
|-
|Hunslet
| Hunslet
| 3
| 1
|-
|Kirkgate
| Part of Leeds
| 3
| 1
|-
|Mill Hill
| Part of Leeds
| 6
| 2
|-
|North
| Part of Leeds
| 3
| 1
|-
|North East
| Part of Leeds{{r|group=Note|b}}
| 3
| 1
|-
|North West
| Part of Leeds
| 3
| 1
|-
|South
| Part of Leeds
| 3
| 1
|-
|West
| Part of Leeds
| 6
| 2
|}
{{reflist|group=Note|refs=
<ref name=a>This ward also included the part of Templenewsam township that was in the borough, although it was not named in the Order in Council.</ref>
<ref name=b>This ward also included the part of Seacroft township (Colcotes hamlet) that was in the borough, although it was not named in the Order in Council.</ref>
}}

It was originally envisaged that the first elections would be held on 1 November 1835, with the reformed town councils holding their first meetings on 9 November following. However, the process of dividing the boroughs into wards and preparing the burgess roll or [[electoral register]] was a lengthy one, and an [[Order in Council]] was made delaying the first elections to 26 December, with the new boroughs coming into formal existence on 1 January 1836.<ref>Order in Council dated 11 September 1835, reproduced in {{cite book |title=The Act for the Regulation of Municipal Corporations in England and Wales |last=Chapman |first=Henry&nbsp;S. |year=1835 |publisher=Charles Ely |location=London |page=154 }}</ref>

{{anchor|Leeds Improvement Act 1842}}
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = Leeds Improvement Act 1842
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act for the better lighting, cleansing, sewering, and improving the Borough of Leeds in the County of York.
| year                  = 1842
| citation              = [[5 & 6 Vict.]] c. civ
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 16 July 1842
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = 
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = 
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = 
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Vict/5-6/104/pdfs/ukla_18420104_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
An early focus of the new authority was on policing and crime, with construction of a new borough prison begun in 1842. The Leeds Improvement Act 1842 ([[5 & 6 Vict.]] c. civ) gave the council further powers over markets, streets, street lighting, sewerage, building regulations, public cleansing and smoke regulation in the rapidly growing industrial city.<ref>{{cite book |last=Barber|first=Brian|editor-last=Fraser |editor-first=Derek |date=1982 |title=Municipal Reform and the Industrial City|chapter=Municipal Government in Leeds 1835–1914|publisher=Leicester University Press |pages=65–66 |isbn=0-7185-1176-X}}</ref>

In 1881 the wards were redrawn, so that the borough comprised sixteen wards. The size of the town council remained the same, however, with each new ward returning one alderman and three councillors.
{| class="wikitable"
! 1881 ward<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=24970 |date=6 May 1881 |pages=2178–2181  }}</ref>
! Townships
|-
| Armley & Wortley
| Part of Wortley (The parts not in New Wortley ward, also known as Upper Wortley and Lower Wortley)
|-
|Bramley
|Bramley and Farnley
|-
|Brunswick
| Part of Leeds, part of Potternewton
|-
| Central
| Part of Leeds
|-
| East
| Part of Leeds, part of Templenewsam
|-
| East Hunslet
| Part of Hunslet, Part of Holbeck, Part of Beeston
|-
| Headingley
| Headingley-cum-Burley, part of Chapel Allerton
|-
| Holbeck
| Part of Holbeck, Part of Hunslet, Hunslet (detached): also known as Littletown
|-
| Mill Hill
| Part of Leeds
|-
| New Wortley
| Part of Wortley (The ecclesiastical district of St John's, New Wortley)
|-
|North
| Part of Leeds, part of Potternewton, part of Chapel Allerton
|-
|North East
| Part of Leeds, part of Potternewton{{r|group=Note|a}}
|-
|North West
| Part of Leeds, part of Potternewton
|-
|South
| Part of Leeds, part of Hunslet
|-
|West
| Part of Leeds
|-
| West Hunslet
| Part of Hunslet, Part of Holbeck, Part of Beeston
|}
{{reflist|group=Note|refs=
<ref name=a>This ward also included the part of Seacroft township that was in the borough, although it was not named in the Order in Council. In 1894 the area was transferred to Potternewton township.</ref>
}}

==County borough 1889–1974==
The [[Local Government Act 1888]] created elected [[county council]]s to administer services throughout England and Wales. Where a municipal borough had a population of more than 50,000 at the 1881 [[Census in the United Kingdom|Census]] it was created a [[county borough]], with the powers and duties of both a borough and county council.<ref name=youngs>{{cite book |last=Youngs |first= Frederic&nbsp;A.&nbsp;Jr. |title=Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol.2: Northern England |year=1991 |publisher=[[Royal Historical Society]] |pages=766–794 |location=London |isbn=0-86193-127-0}}</ref>

As Leeds had an 1881 population of 309,119 it duly became a county borough on 1 April 1889. The borough, while independent of the West Riding County Council for local government, remained part of the county for purposes such as the administration of justice and [[lord lieutenant|lieutenancy]].<ref>[[Local Government Act 1888]] (32 & 33 Vict. c.49) s.31 ''"Each of the boroughs named in the Third Schedule to this Act being a borough which on the first day of June one thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight, either had a population of not less than fifty thousand, or was a county of itself shall, from and after the appointed day, be for the purposes of this Act an administrative county of itself, and is in this Act referred to as a county borough. Provided that for all other purposes a county borough shall continue to be part of the county (if any) in which it is situate at the passing of this Act"''</ref>

The change of status in 1889 made no change to the boundaries of the borough or the size of the council.

===City status and lord mayoralty===
Until 1889 the right to the [[City status in the United Kingdom|title of "city"]] in the [[United Kingdom]] was linked to the presence of an [[Anglican Communion|Anglican]] [[cathedral]]. In that year Birmingham, Dundee and Belfast were granted [[letters patent]] raising them to cities by virtue of their population, economic importance and history of good municipal government.

In 1892 another borough in the West Riding, Sheffield, announced that it was seeking the grant of city status to celebrate the [[Golden Jubilee]] of the town's incorporation, which was to occur in 1893. When the members of Leeds Town Council became aware of the application by Sheffield, which was both smaller in population and of more recent creation than Leeds, they immediately began the process of applying for the dignity themselves. A petition was approved on 4 January 1893, which set out the reasons it was felt that Leeds deserved to become a city: these were the antiquity of the town, its many charters, its large area, its population that was "approaching 400,000", the fact that it was the largest municipality not to be a city, and its commercial importance for the woollen industry.

A delegation from Leeds, including two [[member of parliament|Members of Parliament]] (MPs), met with the [[Home Secretary]], [[H H Asquith]] on 27 January to press the borough's case. Along with the claims of the borough as set out in the original petition, the delegation made two more points: Leeds was the only university town not a city, and Leeds and Sheffield were the only boroughs returning five MPs to the House of Commons without the status (of a city).<ref name=beckett>{{cite book |title=City status in the British Isles, 1830–2002
 |last=Beckett |first=J.&nbsp;V. |year=2005 |publisher=Ashgate Publishing Ltd |location=Aldershot |isbn=0-7546-5067-7  |pages=54–57}}</ref>

The Home Secretary forwarded the petitions of both boroughs to [[Queen Victoria|The Queen]] on 3 February, recommending that the honour be granted in both cases as they were the ''"only towns in the United Kingdom with a population exceeding 300,000 to which the title of City, enjoyed by many smaller of less important places, has not been granted; and that both appear to be well fitted by their loyalty, public spirit, and industrial progress, for this mark of your Majesty's favour."''<ref name=beckett/>

On 7 February, [[Godfrey Lushington|Sir Godfrey Lushington]], permanent secretary to the [[Home Office]], wrote to the mayors of both towns signifying that the applications had been approved.<ref name=beckett/> The award was made by letters patent on 13 February, and was announced in the ''[[London Gazette]]'' on 21 February:
<blockquote>
The Queen has been pleased, by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom, bearing date the 13th February 1893, to
ordain and declare that the Borough of Leeds shall be a City, and shall be called and styled "The City of Leeds".<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=26374 |date=21 February 1893 |page=944 }}</ref></blockquote>

Four years later the [[Diamond Jubilee]] of the accession of [[Queen Victoria]] occurred. As part of the celebrations it was announced on 21 June that the mayor of Leeds ''"shall in future bear the title of [[List of lord mayoralties and lord provostships in the United Kingdom|Lord Mayor]]"''.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Diamond Jubilee Honours |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=22 June 1897 |page=10 |quote=The Queen has been pleased to direct that the Chief Magistrates of the cities of Leeds and Sheffield shall in future bear the title of Lord Mayor}}</ref> The award which empowered the Lord Mayor to enjoy and use all the rights, privileges, pre-eminencies and advantages to "such degree duly and of right belonging" was made by Letters Patent dated 12 July,<ref name=leeds>{{cite web |title=Historical notes |url=http://www.leeds.gov.uk/files/2005/week47/inter__79A23928963937DC80256E160032DB3C_ce625ffb-1cce-4c93-bf85-8afb93573e25.pdf |format=PDF |publisher=[[Leeds City Council]] |access-date=22 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610172108/http://www.leeds.gov.uk/files/2005/week47/inter__79A23928963937DC80256E160032DB3C_ce625ffb-1cce-4c93-bf85-8afb93573e25.pdf |archive-date=10 June 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> and was published in the ''London Gazette'' on the following day:
<blockquote>The Queen has been pleased, by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date the 12th July, 1897 to ordain that the Chief Magistrate, now, and for the time being, of the City of Leeds, shall be styled Lord Mayor of Leeds.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=26872|page=3895|date=13 July 1897 }}</ref></blockquote>

===Parishes to 1912===
{| class="wikitable" align="right" style=font-size:85%;margin-left:10px; 
|[[File:Leeds parish divisions 1911.png|250px]]
| '''1 Leeds<br /> 2 Osmondthorpe<br /> 3 Hunslet<br /> 4 Holbeck<br /> 5 Armley and Bramley'''
|-
! colspan=2| Parishes 1904 &ndash; 1912
|}
Townships and chapelries which were separately rated for [[poor law]] purposes were formed into [[civil parish]]es in 1866. The borough of Leeds contained eleven parishes and part of two others, and no changes were made to their boundaries until 1894. The [[Local Government Act 1894]] provided that no parish could lie in more than one local government area, with parishes being divided or amalgamated as required.

In Leeds this was effected by constituting the part of Temple Newsam parish within the city a separate parish of [[Osmondthorpe]], and merging the portion of Seacroft that lay within the municipal boundaries with the existing parish of Potternewton. The number of parishes into which the city was divided was reduced to five in 1904 by the following mergers:<ref name=youngs/>

*[[Armley and Bramley]] formed from Armley, Bramley and Wortley
*Holbeck (unchanged)
*Hunslet (unchanged)
*Leeds formed from Beeston, Chapel Allerton, Farnley, Headingley cum Burley, Leeds, Potternewton
*Osmondthorpe (unchanged)

===1912 extension===
The city boundaries remained unchanged from 1836 until 1912. In 1904 the city council applied unsuccessfully to the [[Local Government Board]] for an enlargement of the county borough.<ref name=hans1912>{{cite web |title=Leeds Borough Boundaries |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1912/may/16/leeds-borough-boundaries |date=16 May 1912 |work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]] |access-date=24 September 2009}}</ref> A second application was made late in 1911. The corporation sought to add {{convert|4839|acre|km2}} to the north and east of the city: the parishes of [[Roundhay]] and [[Seacroft]] (comprising [[Leeds Rural District]]), the parish of [[Shadwell, Leeds|Shadwell]] (from [[Wetherby Rural District]]) and the [[Crossgates, Leeds|Crossgates]] area of the parish of [[Barwick in Elmet]] (from [[Tadcaster Rural District]]). The proposed extension would increase the county borough's population by 7,603 to 452,171. An inquiry was held in January 1912, at which the strong opposition of the West Riding County Council and all the parish and rural district councils involved was made clear.<ref name=hans1912/><ref>{{cite news |title=Scheme for The Extension of Leeds |newspaper=[[The Times]]  |date=11 January 1912 |page=10 }}</ref> On 4 May the town clerk of Leeds was informed that the extension had been granted, with the exception of {{convert|169|acre|km2}} of agricultural land with an estimated population of 50 to 100.<ref name=gleeds>{{cite news |title=Greater Leeds |newspaper=[[The Times]]  |date=6 May 1912 |page=13 }}</ref>

The extension took effect on 9 November 1912, with the added areas initially being added to the existing north ward and to the parish of Leeds.<ref name=youngs/><ref name=gleeds/><ref>Local Government Board's Provisional Orders Confirmation (No.12) Act 1912 (2 & 3 Geo.5 c.cxxxviii)</ref>

===1920 extension===
{| class="wikitable" align="right" style=font-size:85%;margin-left:10px;
|[[File:Leeds parish divisions 1921.png|250px]]
| '''1 Leeds<br />2 Osmondthorpe<br />3 Hunslet<br />4 Holbeck<br />5 Armley and Bramley'''
|-
! colspan=2| Parishes 1920 – 1925
|}
In 1919 the city council sought another extension, this time to the south, by taking in the parish of [[Middleton, Leeds|Middleton]] from [[Hunslet Rural District]]. The boundary change took effect on 1 April 1920, and Middleton formed a 17th ward, electing 3 councillors and 1 alderman to the city council, which was increased in size accordingly. The parish of Middleton was abolished, with its area added to the existing parish of Hunslet.<ref>Leeds Corporation Act 1919 (9 & 10 Geo.5 c.liii)</ref> The extra territory was acquired by the county borough for a major scheme of [[council house|council housing]], the construction of which commenced almost immediately.<ref name=freeman>{{cite book |title=The Conurbations of Great Britain |last=Freeman |first=Thomas Walter |year=1959 |publisher=[[Manchester University Press]] |location=Manchester |page=172 }}</ref> On 1 April 1925 the five parishes in the county borough were united into a single parish of Leeds.<ref name=vision_parish>{{cite vob | url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id%3D10443337 | name=Leeds parish | accessdate=16 September 2009 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814071837/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10443337 | archive-date=14 August 2011 | df=dmy-all }}</ref>

===1928 extension===
In 1927 Leeds Corporation promoted a bill to add further areas to the city, namely [[Gildersome]] Urban District, and parts of the [[rural district]]s of Hunslet, Tadcaster and [[Wharfedale Rural District|Wharfedale]] (the parishes of  [[Adel cum Eccup]], [[Alwoodley]], Austhorpe – except for a detached part – and Templenewsham).<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=33224 |date=26 November 1926 |page=7731}}</ref> The Leeds Corporation Act 1927, as passed, omitted Gildersome and most of Austhorpe from the area added to Leeds. The extension, which took effect on 1 April 1928 added approximately {{convert|7131|acres|km2}} to the county borough. The area added comprised the parishes of Adel cum Eccup and Alwoodley to the north, and Templenewsham with {{convert|206|acres|km2}} from the parish of Austhorpe to the east.<ref name=vision_parish/>

In 1930 the wards of the county borough were redrawn, necessitating a [[general election]] of the entire city council. Twenty-six wards were created, each returning 3 councillors and 1 alderman. The membership of the council was increased from 68 (51 councillors and 17 aldermen) to 104 (78 councillors and 26 aldermen).<ref>{{cite news |title=The Municipal Elections |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=3 November 1930 |page=17}}
</ref> The twenty-six wards were  as follows:

{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
*Armley & New Wortley
*Beeston
*Blenheim
*Bramley
*Burmantofts
*Central
*Cross Gates & Templenewsham
*East Hunslet
*Far Headingley
{{col-break}}
*Farnley
*Harehills
*Holbeck North
*Holbeck South
*Hunslet Carr & Middleton
*Hyde Park
*Kirkstall
*Mill Hill and South
*North
{{col-break}}
*Osmondthorpe
*Potternewton
*Richmond Hill
*Roundhay
*West Hunslet
*Westfield
*Woodhouse
*Wortley and Upper Armley
{{col-break}}
{{col-end}}

On 1 April 1937 the boundary of the county borough with the surrounding areas of the West Riding was adjusted under a [[Local Government Act 1929|county review order]]. The city exchanged areas with the following districts:<ref name=vision_borough>{{cite vob | url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10108809&c_id=10001043 | name=Leeds CB/MB through time | accessdate=28 September 2009 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213031954/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10108809&c_id=10001043 | archive-date=13 February 2012 | df=dmy-all }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
! Local government district
! Area added to county borough
! Area removed from county borough
|-
| [[Horsforth]] Urban District
| {{convert|98|acres|km2}}
| –
|-
| [[Pudsey]] Municipal Borough
| {{convert|3|acres|km2}}
| –
|-
| [[Tadcaster Rural District]]
| {{convert|53|acres|km2}}
| {{convert|34|acres|km2}}
|-
| [[Wetherby Rural District]]
| {{convert|24|acres|km2}}
| –
|-
| [[Wharfedale Rural District]]
| {{convert|45|acres|km2}}
| {{convert|1|acres|km2}}
|}

In 1950 the city council petitioned for an alteration in the number and boundaries of the municipal wards, and a consequent change in the number of aldermen and councillors. The petition was successful, with an [[Order in Council]] made on 28 July dividing the city into twenty-eight wards:<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=38997 |date=18 August 1950 |page=4225 }}</ref>

{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
*Allerton
*Armley
*Beeston
*Blenheim
*Bramley
*Burmantofts
*City
{{col-break}}
*Cross Gates
*East Hunslet
*Far Headingley
*Halton
*Harehills
*Holbeck
*Hunslet Carr
{{col-break}}
*Hyde Park
*Kirkstall
*Meanwood
*Middleton
*Moortown
*Osmondthorpe
*Potternewton
{{col-break}}
*Richmond Hill
*Roundhay
*Stanningley
*Wellington
*Westfield
*Woodhouse
*Wortley
{{col-break}}
{{col-end}}

The redrawing of wards made a general election of the entire council necessary in May 1951. The new council had a membership of 112: 84 councillors and 28 aldermen.<ref>{{cite news |title=Elections |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=12 May 1951 |page=4 }}</ref>

===1957 extension===
Following the [[Second World War]] a [[Local Government Boundary Commission (1945–1949)|Local Government Boundary Commission]] was appointed to review administrative structures throughout England and Wales. While the commission was in existence, local authorities were not permitted to make unilateral proposals for boundary changes. Although the commission recommended that Leeds should form the basis of a new unitary "one tier county" no action was taken.<ref>Report of the Local Government Boundary Commission for the year 1947</ref> The commission itself was wound up in 1949, and the final enlargement of the county borough took place under the [[Leeds Corporation Act 1956]] ([[4 & 5 Eliz. 2]]. c. lxxv), on 1 April 1957. {{convert|2322|acres|km2}} of Tadcaster Rural District were added to the city. The 1958 commission was disbanded in 1966, and the [[Redcliffe-Maud Report|Redcliffe-Maud Commission]] appointed in its place. When their report was published in 1969, they recommended a system of large [[unitary authority|unitary authorities]].<ref>
{{cite journal |last=Wise |first=M.&nbsp;J. |date=December 1969 |title=: The Future of Local Government in England: The Redcliffe-Maud Report |journal=The Geographical Journal |volume=135 |issue=4 |pages=583–587 |publisher= Blackwell Publishing|doi= 10.2307/1795107|last2=Senior |first2=D. |jstor=1795107}}</ref> A new Leeds authority was proposed, with an area of {{convert|317000|acre|km2}} and a population of 840,000. The boundaries would have included a large rural area including part of the [[Yorkshire Dales]] and the town of [[Harrogate]]. The proposal was welcomed by Leeds City Council.<ref name=fraser2>{{cite book |title=A History of Modern Leeds |editor-last=Fraser |editor-first=Derek |last=Fraser |first=Derek |chapter=Modern Leeds: a postscript |year=1980 |publisher=[[Manchester University Press]] |location=Manchester |isbn=0-7190-0781-X |pages=458–459 }}</ref> Following a change of government, a [[white paper]] issued in 1971 rejected the unitary structure and instead proposed a [[metropolitan county]] of [[West Yorkshire]], with Leeds forming a district in a two-tier system.  During the passing of the subsequent legislation, which was enacted as the [[Local Government Act 1972]], the boundaries of the Leeds Metropolitan District (or District 6b) were altered. [[Knaresborough]] and Harrogate were removed (becoming the basis of a [[non-metropolitan district]] in [[North Yorkshire]]) while [[Rothwell, West Yorkshire|Rothwell]] was added from the neighbouring Wakefield district.<ref name=fraser2/>

===Metropolitan borough===
The 1972 legislation came into effect on 1 April 1974, with the county borough ceasing to exist at midnight on 31 March. The county borough's area was combined with that of the [[Municipal Borough of Morley]], the [[Municipal Borough of Pudsey]], [[Aireborough Urban District]], [[Horsforth Urban District]], [[Otley Urban District]], [[Garforth Urban District]], [[Rothwell Urban District (Yorkshire)|Rothwell Urban District]] and parts of Tadcaster Rural District, Wetherby Rural District and Wharfedale Rural District from the West Riding. The new Leeds district was one of five metropolitan districts in West Yorkshire. It was granted a [[borough status in the United Kingdom|borough]] and [[city status in the United Kingdom|city status]] to become the [[City of Leeds]].

{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" | Metropolitan district of Leeds formed 1974 (former county borough in grey)
|-
|[[File:Leeds1974.png|250px]]
|
# Municipal Borough of Morley
# Municipal Borough of Pudsey
# Aireborough Urban District
# Horsforth Urban District
# Otley Urban District
# Garforth Urban District
# Rothwell Urban District
# 8a.  Tadcaster Rural District
# Wetherby Rural District
# Wharfedale Rural District
|}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{Leeds}}

{{coord|53|47|59|N|1|32|57|W|region:GB|display=title}}

{{good article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leeds, County Borough of}}
[[Category:County boroughs of England]]
[[Category:History of Leeds]]
[[Category:Districts of England abolished by the Local Government Act 1972]]