Upton, West Yorkshire

Upton is a village and civil parish in West Yorkshire, England. It had a population of 3,541 in the 2001 census.[1]

Upton

The Upton Arms
Upton
Location within West Yorkshire
Population3,541 (2001 census)[1]
OS grid referenceSE470134
Civil parish
  • Upton
Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townPONTEFRACT
Postcode districtWF9
PoliceWest Yorkshire
FireWest Yorkshire
AmbulanceYorkshire
UK Parliament

It is situated south of Badsworth and north of North Elmsall and is part of the SESKU (South Elmsall, South Kirkby, Upton) area. The village is also in the WF9 postal area (Pontefract) and very close to the South Yorkshire boundary.

History

A former coal mining community, regeneration is in progress as a housing overflow for the more expensive areas of Doncaster and Pontefract.

In the 1960s the village was in its prime due to the strong mining community, with retail outlets such as "Mr Farthings" Chemist, and "Mr Kings" newsagents.

Sport

The village was home to Upton Colliery F.C. who appeared in the FA Cup and featured Charlie Williams as a player.

A short-lived greyhound racing track was opened near the village by the Carters' Knottingley Brewery Co Ltd. The racing was independent (not affiliated to the sports governing body, the National Greyhound Racing Club) and was thus known as a "flapping track", which was the nickname given to independent tracks.[2] The lease was granted in 1933 to the tenant of the Greenfield Hotel, who wanted to attract the local mining community. The Greenfield Hotel and track are believed to have closed during World War II, with the six-acre site being made available for housing in 1947.[3] The Carters' Knottingley Brewery Co Ltd also leased out greyhound tracks at Great Houghton and Pontefract.

Notable people

Recent recognised villagers include playwright John Godber and Ada Mason (formerly the oldest living woman in England).

Proposed railways

In June 2020, Northern Trains Limited have applied to run three trains per day between York and Huddersfield via Goole, with a new line running through the outskirts of Upton, and proposed a railway station there. This would be the first station here since 1932.

References
  1. UK Census (2001). "Local Area Report – Upton Parish (00DB024)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  2. Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File, page 419. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-15-5.
  3. "Upton". Greyhound Racing Times. Retrieved 10 May 2019.



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