Oxton, Merseyside

Oxton
Oxton  Oxton shown within Merseyside
Population	14,066 (2001 Census)[1]
OS grid reference	SJ303876
Metropolitan borough	Wirral
Metropolitan county	Merseyside
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BIRKENHEAD/PRENTON
Postcode district	CH42/CH43
Dialling code	0151
Police	Merseyside
Fire	Merseyside
Ambulance	North West
EU Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	Birkenhead
List of places UK England Merseyside

Oxton is a suburb of Birkenhead, Merseyside, England. Administratively it is a ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. Originally a village in its own right, became part of the Municipal Borough of Birkenhead upon its creation in 1877. Before local government reorganisation on 1 April 1974, it was part of the County Borough of Birkenhead, within the county of Cheshire.

Due to a redefining of post towns by the Royal Mail in 2003, Oxton is partially identified as being within Prenton (which is in fact a geographically separate suburb of Birkenhead), however this was only a postal change and Oxton itself still remains a part of Birkenhead.

History

The name Oxa-tún derives from Old Norse, meaning "a farm or enclosure where oxen are kept". By 1278, the name had been adapted into Old English as Oxeton and was recorded as Oxon in 1549.^[2]

Oxton was once one of the most affluent areas in England mainly due to its proximity to Liverpool and the fact that along with various other Merseyside locations, it was a favourite residential area for wealthy Liverpool merchants and tradesmen of the time. Oxton Village is a mainly early Victorian era settlement with fine sandstone and brick built houses, many of which now form part of a conservation area designated in April 1979 and administered by the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral.^[3] Some of these buildings have been designated by English Heritage as Grade II listed.

A significant part of the land on which Oxton is situated was part of the Estate of the Earl of Shrewsbury - this has been commemorated over the years in many of the road names, which bear the family names and titles of the various Earls; Alton Road, Beresford Road, Chetwynd Road, Ingestre Road, Shrewsbury Road, Talbot Road, Waterford Road and Wexford Road. The oldest pub in Oxton Village is called the 'Shrewsbury Arms' (presumably for the same reason) and the bar which is now known as the 'Oxton Bar and Kitchen' was formerly the 'Talbot Hotel'.

Christ Church opened in 1849^[4] and has a Father Willis organ,^[5] installed in 1888.

Education

Independent and selective Birkenhead School was exclusively a boys' school from its founding in 1860 until 2000, when its Sixth Form became co-educational. It became fully co-educational in 2008. Birkenhead High School was formally an independent selective school for girls but became a state-funded all-ability Academy school in 2009.^[6] Both changes are driven by falling numbers of pupils in the schools as a result of the abolition of the Assisted Places Scheme. Despite this both schools maintain their place around the top of the Wirral A Level results.

In addition Prenton Preparatory School lies in the heart of the Conservation Area and Oxton St Saviour's is the local primary school. A number of other schools lie just outside the boundary of Oxton, including St. Anselm's College (boys, RC), Redcourt St Anselm's (co-ed, prep) and Townfield Primary School.

Sport

Oxton Cricket & Sports Club is also located here. Founded in 1875 as Oxton Cricket Club,^[7] other sports played at the club include tennis, lacrosse, squash and bowls.

Demographics

At the 2001 Census, the population of Oxton was 14,066, consisting of 6,680 males and 7,386 females.^[1]

Some 2005 demographic statistics of area CH43, which encompasses the geographical area of Oxton, Claughton and parts of Bidston and Noctorum, (total CH43 population (2005): 36,443) are:

Governance

Oxton is part of the Birkenhead parliamentary constituency. Frank Field MP (Labour) is therefore Oxton's parliamentary representative.

Local Councillors

After reorganisation in 2004, Oxton forms an electoral ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, with an electorate of 11,237 (as of 6 May 2010).^[8]

2010 local elections

The results of the Local Election for Oxton Ward on 6 May 2010 were:^[8]

Electorate: 11,237; Turnout: 65.1%; Majority: 631

Notable connections

• Sir Leslie Patrick Abercrombie - town planner, commemorated with an English Heritage blue plaque on Village Road, Oxton.
• Michael Chan - Baron Chan of Oxton in the County of Merseyside.
• Elvis Costello - singer/songwriter, lived briefly in Oxton.
• Nicola Horlick - businesswoman.
• Penny Hughes - businesswoman.
• Miles Kane - music artist in the band The Rascals and working with Alex Turner in The Last Shadow Puppets.
• Charlie Landsborough - singer/songwriter.
• Pete Price - radio DJ and talk show host.
• Patricia Routledge - actress, famous for the BBC television sitcom Keeping Up Appearances. From Tranmere, but went to school in Oxton.
• F. E. Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead - lawyer and politician, portrayed as "Lord Birkenhead" in the film Chariots of Fire.
• Colonel Philip Toosey - officer played by Alec Guinness in the film Bridge over the River Kwai.
• Cyril Scott - British composer (1879-1970) was born and grew up in Oxton.
• Fraiche - Merseyside's first Michelin starred restaurant.

References

External links

• Oxton Village Online
• The Oxton Society
• The Oxton Artists
  • The Oxton Society: Oxton In History, by John Green (2006) Word document Acrobat pdf file