WIDNES, municipal borough, Widnes parliamentary division of Lancashire, England, on the Mersey, 12 m. S.E. from Liverpool on the L.M.S. and Cheshire lines. Pop. (1931) 40,608. It is wholly of modern growth, for in 1851 the population was under 2,000. There are capacious docks on the river, which is crossed, and the town connected with Runcorn, by a railway bridge and a transporter bridge. Widnes is one of the principal seats of the
alkali and soap manufacture, and has also grease-works for loco motives and waggons, copper works, iron-foundries, oil and paint works and sail-cloth manufactories. The barony of Widnes in 1554-55 was declared to be part of the duchy of Lancaster. The town was incorporated in 1892.