Haydock

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Coordinates: 53°28′00″N 2°40′00″W / 53.466667, -2.666667

Haydock
Haydock shown within Merseyside
Population	11,962 (2001 Census)^[1]
OS grid reference	SJ557968
Metropolitan borough	St Helens
Metropolitan county	Merseyside
Region	North West
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	St.Helens / Newton le Willows
Postcode district	WA11
Dialling code	01942 / 01744
Police	Merseyside
Fire	Merseyside
Ambulance	North West
European Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	St Helens North
List of places: UK • England • Merseyside

Haydock is a village and electoral ward within the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, in Merseyside, England. The village is located roughly mid-way between Liverpool and Manchester, close to the junction of the M6 motorway and the A580 (East Lancashire Road). It lies within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire. At the 2001 Census, the village had a population of 11,962.^[1]

1 History
2 Governance
3 Community
4 Notable residents
5 References
6 See also

[edit] History

The placename is from Celtic heidd, meaning "barley, wheat" with the suffix -aco meaning "place". An undated source refers to the name as Heidiog. The village is often referred to by the colloquial name of 'Yick', and its inhabitants may be referred to as 'Yickers'.^[2] This is supposedly because many inhabitants of Haydock were reputed to be fit only for pulling canal barges (or "yicking"), thus "Yickers" and "Yick".

Haydock was one of the United Kingdom's richest areas in coal and coal mining, having up to 13 collieries working at one time. The last colliery in Haydock - Wood Pit - closed in 1971, bringing to an end coal mining in the area. This site had been the scene of a Mining accident explosion on 7 June 1878 which a subsequent Report of the Inspector of Mines concluded claimed the lives of 189 men and boys. Among them, forty five year old Nathan Boon and his five sons.^[3]^[4] According to GenUKI 15 victims were not included in the Inspector's report but their names "appeared in the Coroner's Inquest and in some cases in the burial registers". If included, the final death toll would have been 204.

Surrounded by agricultural farmland, much of the village's expansion was due to mining and canal transport. In the early 1900s, Haydock had no fewer than three railway stations along the line passing through from St.Helens to Lowton.

[edit] Governance

Haydock was a township in the parish of Winwick before being made a Civil Parish in 1866. The village was in the Poor Law Union of Warrington in the 19th century before being created an Urban District in 1894. It was absorbed into the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens on Merseyside on 1 April 1974 under local government re-organisation.

[edit] Community

Haydock is probably best known as the home of the Haydock Park Racecourse, which is situated north of the A580 road and east of the M6 motorway.

Founded in 1923, the internationally renowned Haydock Male voice choir is one of the oldest choirs in North West England. It has established a reputation as a fine concert and recording choir and has achieved success over the years in choral competitions.^[5]

Haydock's last few collieries were principally owned by Richard Evans (and Co), whose name can be found today in two of the village's schools, Richard Evans Infant school and Richard Evans Junior School, which closed in 2006 due to falling pupil numbers^[6]^[7]. Other schools in the area include Haydock Sports College (formerly known as Haydock High School), Legh Vale, St. James' Church of England Primary and English Martyrs Primary School. Haydock High School was also previously named Haydock Secondary Modern School.