"Home County - or ex-County" West Yorkshire by davidcross

Up to 1974 Yorkshire was divided into three ridings - North, East and West of which the West Riding was by far the biggest. Within the West Riding there were a number of County Boroughs, large towns or cities which carried out all their own local government services. These were Bradford, Halifax, Huddersfield. Leeds and Wakefield all of which went into the new metropolitan county of West Yorkshire and also Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield which went into South Yorkshire. <p>
North Yorkshire was by far the biggest county geographically but this was not a Metropolitan County [i.e. services such as education were administered for the whole North Yorkshire county area from
Northallerton whereas in West and South Yorkshire the metropolitan boroughs each provided their own.
Parts of the old West Riding were also taken into the new metropolitan county, smaller towns such as Ilkley, Otley, Pool, Csattleford, dewsbury Elland, Brighouse and Todmorden - among others.<p>
Three Metropolitan Boroughs in West Yorkshire kept their names: Bradford, Leeds and Wakefield. Huddersfield and Dewsbury with smaller places became Kirklees and Halifax, Elland, Brighouse and the area waet as far as Todmorden became Calderdale.

Sculpture, Hardcastle Crags, calderdale

The Metropolitan Counties created in 1974 were actually abolished in 1988, supposedly to 'streamline' the structure but practically everyone believed it was because the metropolitan counties all had Labour Party majorities and thus had become unacceptable to the Prime Minister, then Margaret Thatcher.

Tolls on bridge, Gibson Mill

Oddly enough, although the Met, Counnties only existed for 14 years, many residents talk as if they were still there. The vast majority of people in Todmorden, if asked which county they lived in, might say Yorkshire but if asked for more precision would say West Yorkshire.<p>
Thus the geographhical areas are now thought of as geographical counties in place of the old ridings which lasted from Saxon times to 1974!<p>
After all, if I said I lived in Calderdale, which I do, most people would say 'Where is that?' Of most who do not most would say, 'Isn't that Halifax?'
Iask you! I live in Todmorden, Wesr Yorkshire.
As in all the ex-metro. county areas the services which were provided by the county are now provided by a number of quangos. I find this unfortunate and I should like to see proper elected local government bodies such as the short-lived West Yorkshire Couty Council recreated with proper powers over areas such as Police, Fire Service and Housing policy.

• Pros:Great scenery and culture.
• Cons:I liked living in the West Riding!
• In a nutshell:Todmorden is here so it's good.