Aireborough Urban District boundary as of abolition
Aireborough was a local government district in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England from 1937 to 1974. It was formed through the abolition of the urban districts of Guiseley, Yeadon and Rawdon and enlarged by the addition of parts of Otley urban district and parts of the civil parishes of Esholt, Hawksworth and Menston in the Wharfedale rural district on 1 April 1937.[1] Aireborough Urban District was administered from Micklefield House in Rawdon which had been acquired by Rawdon UDC in 1930.[2] On 1 April 1974 the district was abolished to form the metropolitan district of Leeds.[3]
Aireborough is the name of a UK census ward, which was named "the most average place in England and Wales", following studies arising from the 2001 census.[4]
Background
In 1936, the urban district councils of Guiseley, Yeadon and Rawdon, along with smaller settlements belonging to Wharfedale Rural District, decided to form a new autonomous Urban District Council covering a similar to the former ancient Parish of Guiseley. The name Aireborough was adopted to reflect the equality of all townships included in the district and "wipe out old jealousies, and concentrate on the problems ahead, working together as a team".[5] On 1 April 1937, the urban district came into being. Aireborough Urban District was subsumed by Leeds metropolitan borough under the 1974 local government reorganisation.[6]
Current usage
The name Aireborough has been used by many official bodies or organisations. Yeadon and Guiseley Secondary School was renamed Aireborough Grammar School in 1937 (when the Urban District was formed) and retained the name until its closure in 1991[7] – the names of the different townships emblazoned on the school frontage are now set into the stone wall opposite Nunroyd Park. The Royal Mail has an Aireborough delivery office.[8]