Downham Rural District (RD)

Created: 1894   Abolished: 1974

Statistics

Population

Population

Densities and rates of growth. Age structure: concentrations of young people, and of the old.
Industry

Industry

How people made their living: identifying farming communities, pit villages, mill towns and so on.
Social Structure

Social Structure

Social class and socio-economic groups. Concentrations of professionals, and of unskilled labourers.
Learning & Language

Learning & Language

How many people were at school. The distribution of graduates, and of the unqualified.
Life & Death

Life & Death

Numbers of babies born. Deaths, especially infant deaths. Causes of death by age and gender.
Work & Poverty

Work & Poverty

Unemployment rates and poor relief. What proportions of men and of women did paid work?
Housing

Housing

Numbers of houses. Overcrowding: persons per room. Amenities: central heating, baths and WCs.
Place marker map of Great Britain and Ireland

The following alternate names exist for this unit:

Name Status Language Start End Authority
DOWNHAM Preferred English     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
E250775 CASWEB identifiers for 1971 Local Govt Districts English    

This unit contained the following units:

Name Type Start End Authority
BARTON BENDISH AP/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
BEXWELL CP/AP Parish-level Unit 1894 1935 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
BOUGHTON CP/AP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
CRIMPLESHAM CP/AP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
DENVER CP/AP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
DOWNHAM WEST CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
FELTWELL CP/AP Parish-level Unit 1935 1974 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
FINCHAM AP/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
FORDHAM AP/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
HILGAY CP/AP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
HOCKWOLD CUM WILTON CP Parish-level Unit 1935 1974 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
MARHAM AP/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
METHWOLD CP/AP Parish-level Unit 1935 1974 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
NORDELPH CP Parish-level Unit 1930 1974 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
NORTHWOLD CP/AP Parish-level Unit 1935 1974 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
RUNCTON HOLME Ch/Hmlt/CP Parish-level Unit   1935 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
RUNCTON HOLME CP/AP Parish-level Unit 1894 1974 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
RYSTON AP/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
RYSTON WITH ROXHAM CP/AP Parish-level Unit 1894 1935 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
SHOULDHAM CP/AP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
SHOULDHAM THORPE CP/AP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
SOUTHERY AP/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
STOKE FERRY CP/AP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
STOW BARDOLPH AP/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
STRADSETT AP/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
TOTTENHILL AP/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
WALLINGTON WITH THORPLAND AP/CP Parish-level Unit 1894 1935 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
WATLINGTON CP/AP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
WELNEY CP Parish-level Unit 1889   F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 54.
WEREHAM AP/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
WEST DEREHAM CP/AP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
WEST WELNEY CP Parish-level Unit 1895 1935 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
WIGGENHALL ST GERMAN AP/CP Parish-level Unit 1894 1935 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
WIGGENHALL ST GERMANS CP Parish-level Unit 1935 1974 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
WIGGENHALL ST MARY MAGDALEN CP/AP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
WIGGENHALL ST MARY THE VIRGIN CP/AP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
WIGGENHALL ST PETER CP/AP Parish-level Unit 1894 1935 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
WIMBOTSHAM CP/AP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
WORMEGAY CP/AP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.
WRETTON CP/AP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.

This unit was part of the following units:

Name Type Start End Authority
NORFOLK Administrative County     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 658.

This unit was affected by the following changes:

Date Type of change Other unit involved Area transferred Authority
01 Apr 1935 was enlarged by gaining part of MARSHLAND RD part of Upwell CP Area: 367 acres. Population in 1931: 23.   1931 Census of England and Wales, Table B, 'Areas altered between 26th April, 1931 and 30th June, 1934, showing constitution as at the latter date, in terms of constitution as at the former date, together with particulars of acreage and population'.; M. of H. Order No. 78830. The County of Norfolk Review Order, 1935
01 Apr 1935 was reduced to enlarge MARSHLAND RD parts of Welney, West Welney, and Wiggenhall St. Mary the Virgin CP Area: 734 acres. Population in 1931: 47.   1931 Census of England and Wales, Table B, 'Areas altered between 26th April, 1931 and 30th June, 1934, showing constitution as at the latter date, in terms of constitution as at the former date, together with particulars of acreage and population'.; M. of H. Order No. 78830. The County of Norfolk Review Order, 1935; 1.4.1934 M. of H. Provisional Orders Confirmation (Ely, Holland and Norfolk) Act, 1933
01 Apr 1935 was reduced to enlarge SWAFFHAM RD parts of Barton Bendish, and Marham CPs Area: 502 acres. Population in 1931: 0.   1931 Census of England and Wales, Table B, 'Areas altered between 26th April, 1931 and 30th June, 1934, showing constitution as at the latter date, in terms of constitution as at the former date, together with particulars of acreage and population'.; M. of H. Order No. 78830. The County of Norfolk Review Order, 1935
01 Apr 1935 was enlarged by the abolition of THETFORD RD Feltwell, Hockwold cum Wilton, Methwold, and Northwold CPs Area: 39608 acres. Population in 1931: 4483.   1931 Census of England and Wales, Table B, 'Areas altered between 26th April, 1931 and 30th June, 1934, showing constitution as at the latter date, in terms of constitution as at the former date, together with particulars of acreage and population'.; M. of H. Order No. 78830. The County of Norfolk Review Order, 1935
21 May 1957 was reduced to enlarge SWAFFHAM RD part of Northwold CP Area: 1 acres.   1961 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Intercensal Changes of Boundary (between 8th April, 1951 and 23rd April, 1961)', for 'LAA, CP'.; M. of H. and Local Government Declaration under Section 145 of the LGA, 1933 (Alteration of watercourses)

Boundary Map of Downham Rural District (RD)

If the boundaries of the Local Government District changed over time, this map will show all the different boundaries.

Maps Census reports

How to reference this page:

GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, Downham Rural District (RD) through time, A Vision of Britain through Time.

URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10041971

Date accessed: 08th April 2026