Oldham (town), town, administrative centre of Oldham borough in the metropolitan area of Greater Manchester, north-western England, near the source of the River Medlock. The town’s main industries include aircraft components and electronics manufacture, vehicle assembly, health care products, confectionery manufacture, and food and mail-order distribution services. The 19th-century town hall is modelled on the Temple of Ceres at Athens, Greece. Oldham formerly had the world’s largest cotton-spinning industry. The Oldham Museum houses an exhibit devoted to this period, while the Saddleworth Museum and Art Gallery contains a display on the woollen industry. The composer Sir William Walton was born in Oldham, and each year the Walton Festival is held there. Population 218,100 (2000 estimate).