The name Scunthorpe is thought to have arose because of an estate near the site of todays Market Hill was owned by a man of Scandinavian origin called Skuma: it was Skuma’s settlement or farm. The Domesday Book version of 1086 it’s called Escumetorp but by the 13th century this had become Scumtorp which in turn became Scunthorpe.

In 1841, the population of the five villages, which came together in 1936 to form the Borough of Scunthorpe, had been 1130; in 1861 it was still only 1413. By 1871 it had rose to 2422 and by the next ten years it had ballooned to 5754 and a mere 40 years later the figure was 19678.

Scunthorpe’s name indicates its was a hamlet – a ‘thorpe’ – within the parish of Frodingham but the hamlet of Scunthorpe was allowed to grow because there were small freeholders owning most of the properties in the centre who sold off their land for building; so rows of terraced houses for the iron filed workers appeared for the incoming labourers to live in.

Frodingham was overwhelmingly owned by the Winn family who didn’t want their village swamped with laboubers, who might drive up the level of the local Poor Rate if work on the iron fields should cease. Crosby being owned by the Sheffield’s, Brumby by Earl Beauchamp and Ashby in the parish of Bottesford having the Skipworths as the major land owners.
 

It was 75 years ago, 10th October 1936, that the Borough of Scunthorpe Charter Day was held, where the five villages of Crosby, Scunthorpe, Frodingham, Crosby and Ashby came together to form the new Borough of Scunthorpe. Borough Status was bestowed by Edward VIII but he abdicated and was never crowned so the Charter was signed by George VI. The Charter came into force from the 9th November 1936.

So although Scunthorpe itself is older than 75 years old, should we celebrate the Borough of Scunthorpes birthday on the 10th October or should it be 9th November?