Blackpool, a municipal borough, a town, and a fashionable watering-place on the west coast of Lancashire. It is 227 miles from London, and within convenient distance of Liverpool, Manchester, Preston, and Lancaster, and has three stations on branches of the L. & Y.R. and L. & N.W.R. Its situation is good and very healthy. It stands on a ridge of low clay cliffs; overlooks a fine bathing beach of hard sands; commands charming views along the coast and across the sea to Wales and the Lake district, and consists of well-built houses ranged in an irregular terrace about 2 miles long. The town is lighted with gas and electricity by the town council, and has a capital water supply. It has a post, money order, and telegraph office, a police station, and banking establishments. Markets are held daily during the season, and on Saturdays in the winter. The borough was incorporated in 1876, and its area extended in 1879. The Church of St John's was built in 1878 on the site of the old church. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Manchester; net value, £380 with residence. Patron, Trustees. Christ Church was erected in 1866, and is Early English in style. The living is a vicarage; gross value, £500 with residence, in the gift of five trustees. Holy Trinity Church, at South Shore, was erected in 1836, and is in the Norman style. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Manchester; net value, £260 with residence. The Roman Catholic church is a handsome Gothic edifice, and nearly all Christian denominations have chapels. Other buildings of importance are a drill hall, a floral hall, three theatres, free library and reading-rooms, and the court-house. The free library was opened in 1880. A tower, 500 feet high, on the model of the Eiffel Tower at Paris, was erected in 1893, at an estimated cost of about £40,000. Visitors are to be raised by hydraulic lifts to enjoy the extensive view. There is a handsome promenade about 3 miles long, and three excellent piers, which are lighted by electricity. There is an electric tramway on the promenade. The Victoria Pier was opened in 1893, and at the point there is a large pavilion for concerts and dancing capable of seating 2000 people. The Winter Gardens, the Royal Palace Gardens, Bellevue Gardens, the aquarium, a menagerie, and "Uncle Tom's Cabin,quot; are favourite resorts of visitors. At Claremont Park, with an area of 60 acres, and at Raikes' Gardens, there are ornamental grounds, conservatories, refreshment rooms, and buildings for public entertainment. Three newspapers are issued weekly. There are two large hydropathic establishments and numerous hotels and boarding-houses. The area of the borough is 3610 acres; population, 23,846. At the west end of the town a public house now occupies the site of a mansion, the seat of Sir Thomas Tyldesley, and the retreat of the Pretender in 1715 while the measures were in progress for the rebellion.
Blackpool Parliamentary Division of Lancashire was formed under the Redistribution of Seats Act of 1885, and returns one member to the House of Commons. Population, 72,955. The division includes the following:‹Amounderness‹Alston, Barton, Broughton, Elston, Fulwood, Goosnargh-with-Newsham, Grimsargh-with-Brockholes, Haighton, Hothersall; Lea, Ashton, Ingol and Cottam; Ribbleton; Whittingham, Woodplumpton; Kirkham‹Bispham-with-Norbreck, Bryning-with-Kellamergh, Carleton, Clifton-with-Salwick, Eccleston (Little) with Larbreck, Elswick, Freckleton, Greenalgh-with-Thistleton, Hardhorn-with-Newton, Kirkham, Layton-with-Warbreck, Lytham, Marton, Medlar-with-Wesham, Newton-with-Scales, Poulton, Ribby-with-Wrea, Singleton (Great and Little); Treales, Roseacre and Wharles; Warton, Weeton-with-Preese, Westby-with-Plumpton; Ley land (New Division, part of)‹Farington, Hoole (Little), Hoole (Much), Howick, Hutton, Longton, Penwortham; Preston, municipal borough.
