Wombwell

Wombwell (locally /ˈwʊmwɛl/) is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England. In the 2011 census, data for the town was split between the ward of Wombwell^[1] and small sections that fell into the wards of Darfield (specifically the area south of Pitt Street, including Broomhill)^[2] and Stairfoot (specifically the area south of Aldham Crescent).^[3] Added together, these record the town's population at approximately 15,316.

Historically within the West Riding of Yorkshire, its name may have originally been "Womba's Well", meaning "well in a hollow".

Wombwell has one main

Wombwell Urban District Council was the administrative body for the town from 1865 until 1974.[5] The district also included Broomhill, Brampton, Aldham, Smithley, Lundhill, Jump and Hemingfield.^{[citation needed]}

The Old Town Hall was completed in 1897.^[6]

Parts of Wombwell were affected by the

• Netherwood Academy, established in 2012 from a merger of Wombwell High School and Darfield Foulstone School
• St Michael and All Angels Catholic Primary School, located on Stonyford Road, was established in 1903
• Kings Oak Primary Learning Centre, established in 2007 from a merger of Kings Road Infant School and Oakfield Junior School
• High View Primary Learning Centre, established in 2007 from a merger of Highfields Junior School and Wood View Infant School
• Park Street Primary Learning Centre

The town has had a number of football teams –

• Wombwell Town (I) – The first to represent the village in the FA Cup, in 1896. Won the inaugural Yorkshire League in 1899. Dissolved in the 1900s.
• Wombwell Rising Star F.C. – Defunct team who entered the FA Cup just once, in 1904
• Wombwell – Formed in 1920. Played in the Midland League and reached the 1st Round of the FA Cup in 1930, but dissolved in 1934.
• Wombwell Town (II) – Three times Yorkshire League
  champions, dissolved in 2000. Previously known as Wombwell Athletic, Wombwell & Darfield and Wombwell Sporting Association.
• Northern Counties East League
  .
• Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League
  .

The South Yorkshire Sports Stadium on Station Road existed from 1928 to 1965 and hosted greyhound racing and speedway.^[11]

The Wombwell Greyhound Stadium on Hough Lane existed from 1934 to 1972 and hosted greyhound racing. It had previously been a football ground.^{[citation needed]}

• William 'Billy' Clarkson (1891–1954), professional football player.^[12]
• Harold Godwin (1917–2004), actor, was born in Wombwell.^[13]
• Mark Jones, one of the eight Manchester United players who died in the Munich air disaster of 6 February 1958, is buried in Wombwell Cemetery, having been born in Wombwell in 1933.^[14]
• Roy Kilner, Yorkshire CCC and England cricketer was born in Wombwell and is buried in Wombwell Cemetery.^[4]
• Ernie Shepherd (1919–2001), professional football player and manager.^[15]

• Listed buildings in Wombwell

• Basterman, T. (1924), Crystal gazing: a study in the history, distribution, theory and practice of scrying, London: William Rider.

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "Wombwell".