Editing Crewe (section)

==History==
{{further|History of Cheshire}}

=== Medieval ===
The name derives from an [[Old Welsh]] word ''criu'', meaning '[[weir]]' or 'crossing'.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tXucAQAAQBAJ&q=crewe+welsh+weir&pg=PA138|title=A Dictionary of British Place-Names|last=Mills|first=David|date=20 October 2011|publisher=OUP Oxford|isbn=9780199609086|access-date=19 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120005607/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=tXucAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA138&lpg=PA138&dq=crewe+welsh+weir&source=bl&ots=D1pm97BrvO&sig=UGBNOx93gbidhi2CsLwYLs8BqQg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwim4L-zr7XQAhWpL8AKHY3sBTE4FBDoAQgaMAA#v=onepage&q=crewe%20welsh%20weir&f=false|archive-date=20 November 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The earliest record is in the [[Domesday Book]], where it is written as ''Creu''. The original settlement of Crewe lies to the east of the modern town and was historically a [[Township (England)|township]] in the parish of [[Barthomley]].<ref name=CreweTn>{{cite web |title=Crewe Township / Civil Parish |url=https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10156002 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=4 January 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Harvtxt|Youngs|1991|pp=15–16}}; {{Harvtxt|Dunn|1987|p=26}}; {{Harvtxt|Ollerhead|2008|p=10}}</ref> The original settlement formally changed its name to [[Crewe Green]] in 1984 to distinguish it from the newer town to its west.<ref name=CreweGreen1984>{{cite web |title=Cheshire |url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20221201173827/https://www.lgbce.org.uk/resources/database-of-local-government-orders/north-west/cheshire |website=Local Government Boundary Commission for England |publisher=The National Archives |access-date=5 January 2024}}</ref>

=== Modern ===
The town of Crewe owes its existence to [[Crewe railway station]], which opened in 1837 on the [[Grand Junction Railway]]. When the route for the railway was being planned, alternative routes and locations for the main station in this area were considered; [[Winsford]], 7 miles (11&nbsp;km) to the north, had rejected an earlier proposal, as had local landowners in neighbouring [[Nantwich]], 4 miles (6&nbsp;km) away. The company then settled on the route through Crewe and the station was built in fields near [[Crewe Hall]]. The station was in the township of Crewe, but the land north-west of the station was in the neighbouring township of Monks Coppenhall, which formed part of the parish of [[St Michael's Church, Coppenhall|Coppenhall]].

The company built its main [[Crewe railway works|locomotive works]] to the north of Crewe railway station; a [[railway town|railway colony]] soon started developing in the area north-west of the station. In 1840, [[Joseph Locke]], chief engineer of the Grand Junction Railway, produced plans for a new town there. The railway company built much of the early town itself in the 1840s and 1850s.<ref name=guardian>{{citation|url=https://www.theguardian.com/Columnists/Column/0,,1658974,00.html|newspaper=The Guardian|title=The beauty of Crewe|date=6 December 2005|access-date=10 August 2007|location=London|first=Jonathan|last=Glancey}}</ref> Although the nascent town was in the township of Monks Coppenhall rather than the Crewe township, it was known as ''Crewe'' from the start.<ref name="2003hist">{{cite web|title =Cheshire Historic Towns Survey: Crewe – Archaeological Assessment|url =http://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/visiting/heritage/archaeology/archaeology_planning_advisory/historic_towns_survey/historic_towns_survey_reports/idoc.ashx?docid=e3527012-1bd3-4b98-bb7e-c213b3bf0c8d&version=-1|year =2003|publisher =[[Cheshire County Council]] & [[English Heritage]]|access-date =25 August 2010|url-status =dead|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20111003092227/http://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/visiting/heritage/archaeology/archaeology_planning_advisory/historic_towns_survey/historic_towns_survey_reports/idoc.ashx?docid=e3527012-1bd3-4b98-bb7e-c213b3bf0c8d&version=-1|archive-date =3 October 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Harvtxt|Ollerhead|2008|pp=7, 10, 16}}; {{Harvtxt|Chambers|2007|pp=76, 94}}</ref> The modern town of Crewe was thus named after the railway station, rather than the other way round.

[[File:Crewe War Memorial 2007.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Crewe War Memorial]]

The population expanded rapidly to reach 40,000 by 1871.<ref name=guardian /> The town has a large park, [[Queen's Park, Crewe|Queen's Park]], laid out by engineer [[Francis Webb (engineer)|Francis Webb]]; the land for which was donated by the [[London and North Western Railway]], the successor to the GJR. It has been suggested that their motivation was to prevent the rival [[Great Western Railway]] building a station on the site, but the available evidence indicates otherwise.<ref>[http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/parks_and_open_spaces/parks_and_gardens-1/crewe_area/queens_park,_crewe.aspx] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150621045702/http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/parks_and_open_spaces/parks_and_gardens-1/crewe_area/queens_park,_crewe.aspx|date=21 June 2015}} states: "This can now be totally dispelled as records show the LNWR Co. originally thought their line to [[Chester]] would run alongside the river. However, it was discovered the ground was not firm enough and a more northerly route was decided upon. Had the original thought gone ahead it would have taken the land that was eventually used for Queens Park. It is obvious that a rumour became mixed with a proposal to open a station on the present Chester line called Queens Park Halt. To further clarify the situation, an entry on 18 December 1886 in the Minute Book of the board of directors of the LNWR refers to the area being given for a public park."</ref>

Webb took a great interest in local politics and was "the most influential individual in the town".<ref name=Redfern121>Redfern, p.121</ref> "Described just before his retirement as 'the King of Crewe', Webb came to exercise control over the working lives of over 18,000 men - one third of the total LNWR workforce. Over half these lived in Crewe, around 8,000 being employed at the locomotive works. Several recreational and sporting organisations were a direct result of Webb's influence and others received benefit from his support."<ref name=Redfern121/> These included the LNWR Cricket Club (established in 1850) and the Crewe Alexandra Athletic Club (established in 1867).<ref>Redfern, p.119</ref> However, Webb's influence allegedly also extended to intimidation of [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] supporters. In September 1885, the editor of the ''[[Crewe Chronicle]]'' published charges against Webb, saying "That through the action, direct and indirect, of Tory railway officialism, the political life of Crewe is cramped and hindered beyond recognition".<ref name="Chaloner">{{cite book |last1=Chaloner |first1=William Henry |title=The Social and Economic Development of Crewe 1780-1923 |date=1950 |publisher=Manchester University Press |location=Manchester |pages=308–309}}</ref> In November 1889, the borough council debated a motion which accused LNWR managers of working with Crewe Tories "to crush Liberalism altogether out of the town": "... by intimidation and persecution of your Liberal workmen, and by making the chances of promotion depend upon subserviency to the Tory political demands of the Management, they have created a state of political serfdom in the works."<ref name="Chaloner"/> In December 1889, Liberal statesman [[William Ewart Gladstone]] wrote a letter to the ''Chronicle'' condemning the company's behaviour in the town.<ref name="Chaloner"/>

The railway provided an endowment towards the building and upkeep of Christ Church. Until 1897 its vicar, non-conformist ministers and schoolteachers received concessionary passes, the school having been established in 1842. The company provided a doctor's surgery with a scheme of health insurance. A gasworks was built and the works water supply was adapted to provide drinking water and a [[public bath]]s. The railway also opened a cheese market in 1854 and a clothing factory for John Compton who provided the company uniforms, while [[McCorquodale]] of [[Liverpool]] set up a printing works.

During [[World War II]], the strategic presence of the railways and Rolls-Royce engineering works (turned over to producing aircraft engines) made Crewe a target for enemy air raids and it was in the flight path to [[Liverpool Blitz|Liverpool]].<ref name=dwc1>{{cite book|title=Discovering Wartime Cheshire 1939-1945|year=1985|publisher=Cheshire County Council Countryside and Recreation|pages=47–48|isbn=0-906759-20-X}}</ref> The borough lost 35 civilians to these.<ref>[https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/4003954/crewe,-municipal-borough/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208004811/https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/4003954/crewe,-municipal-borough/|date=8 February 2018}} CWGC civilian casualty record, Crewe Municipal Borough.</ref> The worst raid was on 29 August 1940 when some 50 houses were destroyed, close to the station.<ref name=dwc2>{{cite book|title=Discovering Wartime Cheshire 1939-1945|page=49}}</ref>

[[Crewe crater]] on [[Mars]] is named after the town of Crewe. Crewe was described by author [[Alan Garner]] in his novel ''[[Red Shift (novel)|Red Shift]]'' as "the ultimate reality."

Crewe was mentioned in 1984 as the setting of the 19th episode ''The Flying Kipper'', in the [[Thomas & Friends (series 1)|first series of ''Thomas & Friends'']].

The town unsuccessfully bid for [[City status in the United Kingdom|city status]] as part of the [[Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours]] in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1/11/2021 - Cheshire East Council supports town council's 'city status' bid |url=https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/council_information/media_hub/media_releases/cheshire-east-council-supports-town-councils-%27city-status%27-bid.aspx |access-date=2022-04-27 |website=www.cheshireeast.gov.uk}}</ref><ref name="Joyner-20May2022">{{cite news |last1=Joyner |first1=Lisa |title=Queen's Platinum Jubilee city status: 8 new cities created as part of celebrations |url=https://www.countryliving.com/uk/news/a38968502/city-status/ |access-date=29 May 2023 |work=Country Living |date=20 May 2022}}</ref>