|
Written by Steven Dowd
|
From the first year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth (1558) down to 1832, Newton was represented in Parliament by two members, and just before its disfranchisement in 1832, its 500 families were of more account in the State than Manchesters 50,000, Lancashire having 14 members for its six boroughs of Clitheroe, Lancaster, Liverpool, Newton, Preston, and Wigan.
In 1558 the two representatives for Newton were Sir George Hawarde and Richard Chetwoode, Esq. |
|
Read more...
|
|
Written by Steven Dowd
|
On the southern boundary of the township of Newton, a wooded valley branches off east-wards from the Wigan-Warrington road. The northern side of the valley, known locally as Red Bank, formed the boundary of old Newton Park Estate, and was marked by a high man-made bank with a hedge running along it. On the opposite side of the valley, which is about 100 yards wide, stands a natural steep-sided sandstone bank, which in-places is between twenty and thirty feet high, In the year 1648 this was also probably topped by a hedge.
The valley and surrounding fields are the site of the English Civil War "Battle of Winwick Pass"
 |
|
Read more...
|
|
Written by Steven Dowd
|
Throughout the late nineteenth century St. Peters was extended and repaired.
If you click the Read More link below to see some views of St Peters on Newton High Street from the last 150 yrs. |  |
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Written by Steven Dowd
|
A VISIT TO THE WORKS OF THE VULCAN FOUNDRY,
NEWTON-LE-WILLOWS 8th APRIL, 1927.
By the kind invitation of Mr. S. Whalley, General Manager of the Vulcan Foundry, Ltd., Newton-le-Willows, a party of members of the Manchester Centre visited the locomotive works on Friday, 8th April, 1927.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Written by Steven Dowd
|
I recently acquired an original copy of "The Penny Magazine", dated March 31 to April 30, 1833.
(Needless to say it didnt cost me just "a penny", Infact I wondered if the Inflation in its recent price, was in direct relation to the age.)
The Magazine had a seven page article with illustrations on "The Manchester and Liverpool Rail-Road". Since a great part of Newton-le-Willows and Earlestowns history is directly related to the railroad, I have scanned and transcribed the magazine for those who might be interested. |
|
Read more...
|
|
Written by Steven Dowd
|
In the 1850's William Pilkington in St helens, operated Pilkingtons Glass Works in a market structure of oligopoly, to which the owners of Newton's Glass Works were not invited.
The result of this near monopoly, and the under-handed dealings within it, were then used by the LNWR and particularly its manager Hardman Earle to build more houses for its workers, extending the LNWR's housing stock, and thus forwarded the construction of Earlestown |
|
Read more...
|
|
