Hartlepool, a municipal borough and seaport in the county of Durham, is situated on a small peninsula north of the estuary of the Tees, 12 miles NNE. of Stockton, and 18 ESE. of Durham. It formerly attracted many visitors for sea- bathing during the summer months; but, owing to the formation of railways connecting it with the Durham coal-mines, it is no longer visited for that purpose. Its ancient sea-fishing industry is retained, and has recently extended in consequence of the demand from Yorkshire. It is the only borough in the county founded by royal charter whose charter is extant. In the 13th century Hartlepool belonged to the Bruces of Annandale in Scotland, progenitors of the royal family of that name. After Bruce ascended the Scottish throne his English possessions were forfeited, and Hartlepool was granted to the Cliffs. The boundaries of the ancient borough were in 1883 extended so as to include the township of Throston and part of the township of Stranton, making the southern boundary contiguous with the modern borough of West Hartlepool. The local industries of Hartlepool are iron shipbuilding, marine engineering, and cement-manufacture. Formerly there was a considerable shipping trade, but that is now almost entirely transferred to West Hartlepool, where the chief custom-house and other facilities are situated. The harbour entrance is safe, and communicates by a channel direct to the more modern port. The public institutions include excellent public schools, a public hospital, an ancient parish church, and thirteen other places of worship. A substantial sea-wall and delightful promenade, completed in 1889, have added much to the attractive appearance of the town on the seaward side. Pop. of municipal borough (1851) 9503; (1871) 13,166; (1881) 16,998; (1891) 21,521.
WEST HARTLEPOOL, a modern municipal borough and seaport, is situated to the south as Hartlepool is to the north of Hartlepool Bay, and practically forms one town with Hartlepool. It was founded in 1847 by Ralph Ward Jackson, an enterprising railway speculator, afterwards M.P. for the Hartlepoos. It possesses a theatre, athenæum, and mechanics' institute, custom-house, market-house, exchange, a municipal hall opened by Prince Albert Victor in 1889, a school of art, and other public buildings. The first harbour was constructed here in 1847, of 12 acres, and has since been greatly enlarged. The dock area of Hartlepool and West Hartlepool together, including the timber and shipbuilding yards, &c., is over 300 acres in extent. Extensive iron shipbuilding-yards, cement-works, wood-pulp works, and marine engine-building establishments have been founded. There are graving-docks leased by the North-Eastern Railway Company, and also one extensive graving-dock open to public use. Besides coal, the following are the principal imports: Flax and hemp, grain, timber, butter, cheese, fruit, cattle, tallow, yeast, iron, zinc, &c. The exports consist of woollen and cotton goods, copper, cement, drugs, machinery, earthenware, yarn, hides, &c.; the trade being carried on for the most part with the Baltic ports, Cronstadt, St Petersburg, and Danzig, and with Hamburg and Rotterdam. The export of coal from the united port is about 1,500,000 tons annually. Governed from 1854 by a local commission, the town was created a municipal borough in 1887. Pop. of municipal district (1861) 12,603; (1881) 28,167; of municipal borough (1891) 42,492. In 1867 'The Hartlepoos' were constituted a parliamentary borough, returning one member. Pop. 46,990. See Sir C. Sharpe's History of Hartlepool (1816; new ed. 1851).