Chadderton

Chadderton's growth as a cotton town in the 19th century afforded it municipal status as long ago as 1872 when a Local Board was established. By 1894 Chadderton had become an urban district Council.

The town's history can be traced to Roman times with the building of a road now known as Streetbridge in 350AD. In the 13th century the de Trafford family became lords of the Manor of Foxdenton and Chadderton. One of their descendants built the first Chadderton Hall which probably stood in Chadderton Fold and in 1460 the first Foxdenton Hall was built. It was restyled in 1700 when the Georgian style became fashionable.

Until the 18th century Chadderton had remained largely agricultural and it was towards the end of the century before four cotton mills had been established in the area. By the 19th century King Cotton had come into its own with the number of spinning mills eventually rising to 54.

Chadderton is also noted for coal mining in the 18th century at Hunt Clough and Ferney Field, among others, and the rebellion of local workers against bourgeois mill owners. Some workers joined the throng at Peterloo.

The Chadderton of the 21st century has continued to make its economic contribution to the Borough, notably through British Aerospace's aircraft production, especially that of its illustrious and pioneering predecessors, Ferranti. Other major employers include The Stationery Office, the growing Oldham Broadway Business Park, Mirror Group Newspapers and Zetex plc, manufacturers of transistors, diodes, linear integrated circuits and electronic devices.