Leigh Poor Law Union was established on 26 January 1837 in accordance with the Poor Law Amendment Act covering six townships, Astley, Atherton, Bedford, Pennington, Tyldesley with Shakerley and Westleigh of the ancient parish of Leigh plus Culcheth, Lowton, and part of Winwick.
Peter Shakerley Boston (10 September 1918 – 19 November 1999) was a British architect and illustrator, best known for the illustrations he made to the books written by his mother, author Lucy M. Boston (1892–1990), who wrote under the name L.M. Boston.
It was created on 30 July 1838 for Charles Shakerley, High Sheriff of Cheshire in 1837.
Several generations of the Shakerley family had previously lived at Hulme Hall near Northwich since the mid-15th century before the family moved to Somerford.