Frankby

Frankby
—  Village  —
The Old Post Office, The Nook, Frankby
Frankby  Frankby shown within Merseyside
Population	310 (2001 Census)[1]
OS grid reference	SJ245868
– London	181 mi (291 km)[2] SE
Metropolitan borough	Wirral
Metropolitan county	Merseyside
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WIRRAL
Postcode district	CH48
Dialling code	0151
ISO 3166 code	GB-WRL
Police	Merseyside
Fire	Merseyside
Ambulance	North West
EU Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	Wirral West
List of places UK England Merseyside

Coordinates: 53°22′24″N 3°08′10″W / 53.3734°N 3.1361°W / 53.3734; -3.1361

Frankby (local /ˈfrænkbi/) is a village on the Wirral Peninsula, England, and is located between Greasby and West Kirby. It is part of the Greasby, Frankby & Irby Ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and is situated in the parliamentary constituency of Wirral West. According to the 2001 Census, of a total ward population of 14,667,^[3] 310 people live in Frankby.^[1] At the 2011 Census Frankby was no longer measured separately. For the ward population see Greasby.

History

The name Frankby come from the Old Norse Frankis-byr, meaning "Franki's/Frakki's (Frenchman's) farm".^[4] The "by" suffix, included in neighbouring place names such as Greasby, Irby and Pensby, applies to settlements believed to be Viking in origin.

The settlement of Frankby was mentioned in the Domesday Book entry for neighbouring Greasby.

Frankby was formerly a township in the West Kirby Parish of the Wirral Hundred. The population was 90 in 1801, 138 in 1851, 248 in 1901 and 413 in 1951.^[5]

Geography

Frankby is in the north-western part of the Wirral Peninsula, approximately 3.5 km (2.2 mi) south-south-east of the Irish Sea at Meols, 3.5 km (2.2 mi) east of the Dee Estuary at West Kirby and 9 km (5.6 mi) west-south-west of the River Mersey at Seacombe. Frankby is situated to the north of Thurstaston Hill, with the centre of the village at an elevation of 31 m (102 ft) above sea level.^[6]

Newton Brook joins with Greasby Brook to the north of the village.

Neighbouring places

	Larton	RAF West Kirby (Site)	Greasby
	Newton		Greasby
		Frankby
	Caldy	Thurstaston Common	Irby

Description

Frankby contains part of Royden Park with its miniature railway and meres. Named after local landowner Sir Ernest Royden, the park is jointly owned by the National Trust and Wirral Borough Council.

Within the grounds is a large Mock Tudor house known as Hill Bark, which was re-erected between 1929 and 1931^[7] by Sir Ernest Royden. Originally known as Bidston Court, it was initially sited near Bidston Hill in 1891, but moved brick by brick to its present position in Frankby to replace an earlier dwelling. The house contains a 16th-century fireplace, once part of a house belonging to Sir Walter Raleigh.^[8]

Frankby's local public house is known as the Farmer's Arms.

Sir Thomas Royden was an English shipowner and Conservative Party politician. He was created a baronet in 1905 and lived at Frankby Hall. His daughter, the writer, preacher, suffragette and former local inhabitant Dr Maud Royden (1876–1956) is buried in the local Church of St John the Divine.

In the village of Frankby lies 1st Frankby Greasby Scout Headquarters. The Roydens donated a strip of land to the group in 1929 when they were known as 1st Frankby. This happened not long after the recent World Jamboree in Arrowe Park a couple of miles up the road. They amalgamated with 1st Greasby not long after the war finished to become 1st Frankby Greasby.

Government

The village is part of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, in the metropolitan county of Merseyside. The village is part of the parliamentary constituency of Wirral West. The current Member of Parliament is Margaret Greenwood, a Labour representative.

Frankby is also part of a local government ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, this being Greasby, Frankby and Irby Ward. Frankby is represented on Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council by three councillors. These are Tom Anderson, Wendy Clements and Mike Hornby, who are all Conservative councillors.^[9] The most recent local elections took place on 22 May 2014.

The electorate numbered 11,501, there was a turnout of 43% and the majority is 1,007. The result was declared at 12:17.^[11]

Transport

Bus

Services operating along Frankby Road, as of 2014:

See also

• Listed buildings in Hoylake

References

Sources

• Randall, David (1984). The Search for Old Wirral. Countryvise. ISBN 9780907768807. OCLC 263480984. 

Bibliography

• Mortimer, William Williams (1847). The History of the Hundred of Wirral. London: Whittaker & Co. pp273-274. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Frankby.

• Hillbark Players
• Merseytravel
• 1st Frankby Greasby