1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Widnes

WIDNES, a municipal borough in the Widnes parliamentary division of Lancashire, England, on the Mersey, 12 m. E.S.E. from Liverpool, served by the London & North-Western and Lancashire & Yorkshire railways and the Cheshire lines. Pop. (1901) 28,580. It is wholly of modern growth, for in 1851 the population was under 2000. There are capacious docks on the river, which is crossed by a wrought-iron bridge, 1000 ft. long, and 95 in height, completed in 1868, and having two lines of railway and a footpath. Widnes is one of the principal seats of the alkali and soap manufacture, and has also grease-works for locomotives and waggons, copper works, iron-foundries, oil and paint works and sail-cloth manufactories. The barony of Widnes in 1554–1555 was declared to be part of the duchy of Lancaster. The town was incorporated in 1892, and the corporation consists of a mayor, 6 aldermen and 18 councillors. Area, 3110 acres.