Editing Trafford (section)

== History ==
The borough was formed on 1 April 1974 under the [[Local Government Act 1972]], covering the area of six former districts which were abolished at the same time, as well as four [[civil parish]]es from a seventh abolished district:
*[[Municipal Borough of Altrincham|Altrincham Municipal Borough]]
*[[Bowdon Urban District]]
*[[Carrington, Greater Manchester|Carrington]]‡
*[[Dunham Massey]]‡
*[[Hale, Greater Manchester|Hale]] [[Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland)|Urban District]]
*[[Partington]]‡
*[[Municipal Borough of Sale|Sale Municipal Borough]]
*[[Municipal Borough of Stretford|Stretford Municipal Borough]]
*[[Urmston Urban District]]
*[[Warburton, Greater Manchester|Warburton]]‡
‡ Parishes from [[Bucklow Rural District]]

Stretford and Urmston had been in the [[Administrative counties of England|administrative county]] of [[Lancashire]] prior to the 1974 reforms, whilst all the others had been in the administrative county of [[Cheshire]].<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government Act 1972|year=1972|chapter=70|accessdate=3 September 2022}}</ref> The new district was awarded [[borough status in the United Kingdom|borough status]] from its creation, allowing the chairman of the council to take the title of mayor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1974/mar/28/district-councils-and-boroughs#S5CV0871P0_19740328_CWA_145|title=District Councils and Boroughs|date=28 March 1974|work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]]|access-date=3 September 2022}}</ref>

The choice of the name Trafford for the borough was a "compromise between Altrincham, Stretford and Sale", and "seemed to have wide support".<ref name="Clark101"/> A Liberal councillor for the [[Municipal Borough of Sale]] suggested "Crossford&nbsp;... whilst "Watlingford" was suggested by councillors in Hale, after the supposed name of an ancient [[Roman road]] in the district.<ref name="Clark101"/> Those names were rejected in favour of Trafford, because of the district's "famous sports venue, a major employer as well as historic associations", referring to [[Old Trafford]] ([[Old Trafford Cricket Ground|cricket]] and [[Old Trafford|football]]), [[Trafford Park]] and the [[de Trafford baronets]] respectively.<ref name="Clark101">{{Harvnb|Clark|1973|p=101}}.</ref><ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973|year=1973|number=137|accessdate=3 September 2022}}</ref>

As a place name, Trafford is an [[Anglo-Norman language|Anglo-French]] version of Stratford, deriving from the [[Old English]] words ''stræt'' ([[street]], more specifically a [[Roman roads in Britannia|Roman road]]) and [[ford (crossing)]]. The Metropolitan Borough of Trafford has existed since 1974, but the area it covers has a long history. [[Neolithic]] arrowheads have been discovered in [[Altrincham]] and [[Sale, Greater Manchester|Sale]],<ref>Nevell (1997), pp.&nbsp;12–13.</ref> and there is evidence of [[Bronze Age]] habitation in [[Timperley]].<ref name="Timperley Old Hall">Faulkner (2004), pp.&nbsp;1–5.</ref> Fragments of [[Roman Britain|Roman]] pottery have been found in [[Urmston]], and Roman coins have been found in Sale. The Roman road between the [[legionary]] [[castra|fortresses]] at [[Chester]] ([[Deva Victrix]]) and [[York]] ([[Eboracum]]) crosses Trafford, passing through Stretford, Sale, and Altrincham.<ref>Nevell (1997), pp.&nbsp;17,&nbsp;20,&nbsp;75.</ref> The settlements in Trafford have been based largely around agriculture, although Altrincham was founded as a market town in the mid 13th century.<ref>Nevell (1997), p.&nbsp;51.</ref> Although the [[Industrial Revolution]] affected Trafford, the area did not experience the same rate of growth as the rest of [[Greater Manchester]].<ref name="90-91">Nevell (1997), pp.&nbsp;90–91.</ref> A 100% increase in population in the Trafford area between 1841 and 1861 was a direct result of an influx due to the construction of the [[Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway]], which allowed residents to commute more easily from Trafford into Manchester.<ref name="90-91"/> The area developed its own centres of industry in [[Broadheath, Greater Manchester|Broadheath]] (founded in 1885) and [[Trafford Park]] (founded in 1897).<ref>Nevell (1997), pp.&nbsp;127,&nbsp;131.</ref> They have since declined, although Trafford Park still employs 40–50,000 people.<ref name="Trafford Park1">{{cite web |title=Salford Quays & Trafford Park |publisher=Manchester Investment and Development Agency Service Ltd |url=http://www.investinmanchester.com/propertysites_salfordquays |archive-url = https://archive.today/20080117100823/http://www.investinmanchester.com/propertysites_salfordquays |archive-date = 2008-01-17}} Retrieved on 4&nbsp;May 2009.</ref><ref name="Trafford Park2">{{cite web |title=Trafford at GMeP.org |publisher=Greater Manchester e-Government Partnership |url=http://www.gmep.org.uk/ccm/content/map-links/trafford/|archive-url = https://archive.today/20071223210424/http://www.gmep.org.uk/ccm/content/map-links/trafford/ |archive-date = 23 December 2007|url-status=dead}} Retrieved on 12&nbsp;December 2007.</ref> Today, Trafford is mostly a commuter area. The borough was formed on 1&nbsp;April 1974 by the [[Local Government Act 1972]] as one of the ten metropolitan districts of Greater Manchester.<ref>HMSO.  Local Government Act 1972.  1972 c.70</ref>