Burtonwood, from the Censuses of 1841 to 1921

Steven Dowd
A Century of Change: A Statistical and Narrative Report on Burtonwood Executive Summary This report analyses the population and occupational structure of Burtonwood, Lancashire, across eight censuses from 1841 to 1921. The data reveals a community transformed by the Industrial Revolution.- Population Growth: The village's recorded population grew significantly, from 403 individuals in 1841 to 3,299 in 1921, an eight-fold increase. The data from 1851 (643 people) confirms a steady growth phase before the most explosive period. The most significant single-decade increase occurred between 1871 and 1881, with a rise… Read More >>

A 1921 DIRECTORY OF THE TOWN OF EARLESTOWN

Steven Dowd
Compiled from the Census Enumeration of 19th June 1921 Comprising a Historical and Topographical Account, a Classification of Trades, Occupations and Professions, and a Description of the Population, its Origins and Character. Introduction What follows is a directory of Earlestown as it stood on the night of 19th June 1921. It is compiled entirely from the census enumeration returns for that year, covering every household and every inhabitant across six enumeration districts of the Newton-in-Makerfield Urban District that fell within the Earlestown settlement. Earlestown was, in 1921, not yet seventy… Read More >>

Newton-le-Willows in 1921

Steven Dowd
A 1921 DIRECTORY OF THE TOWNSHIP OF NEWTON-LE-WILLOWS IN THE COUNTY PALATINE OF LANCASTER Compiled from the Census Enumeration of 19th June 1921 Comprising a Historical and Topographical Account, a Classification of Trades, Occupations and Professions, and a Description of the Population, its Origins and Character. What follows is a directory of Newton-le-Willows, in the parish of Newton-in-Makerfield, as it stood on the night of 19th June 1921. It is compiled entirely from the census enumeration returns for that year, covering every household, every inhabitant, and every occupation recorded by… Read More >>

Local Parish Records – Search Tool

Steven Dowd
Census, Baptism, Marriages and Burial records

Census, Baptisms, Marriages and Burial Records I’ve been working on a new search tool for the site which brings together the historical records I’ve been collecting and transcribing over the years. It covers census returns and parish church registers in a single searchable archive for Newton-le-Willows, Burtonwood and surrounding areas. Census records are available for most local parishes from 1841 through to 1921, with full household details including names, ages, occupations and birthplaces. Church records from St Peter’s Newton and St Michael’s Burtonwood include baptisms, marriages and burials, with some…

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The St. Peter’s Schools, 1860 – 1960

Steven Dowd

THE STORY OF THE ST. PETER’S SCHOOLS TOLD IN THE YEAR OF THEIR CENTENARY Ever since the days when, in 597 A.D. Augustine set foot in Kent with the Bible in one hand and a Latin grammar in the other, education has been one of the special cares of the Church. Those of you who read this booklet will realize how that care has been honoured in the case of Newton-in-Makerfield, and how well the Church School and staff have served the community during its one hundred years’ existence. Now…

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Friar. Edmund Arrowsmith, born Haydock 1585, died Lancaster 1628.

Steven Dowd
Friar Edmund Arrowsmith

A True and Exact Relation of the Death of Friar. Edmund Arrowsmith, a Priest of the Society of Jesus. When God, who is wonderful in his Saints, manifests their Glory by wonderful Works of his almighty Hand, at the same time that he declares their Merit, he recommends their Virtues to our Imitation. To be silent, after God has spoke the Worth of his Saints by Miracles, appears ungrateful; not to join with the Voice of Heaven in publishing their Sanctity, betrays a Disregard to the extraordinary Effects of his…

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St Oswald’s Ashton-in-Makerfield

Steven Dowd
The-Holy-Hand-St_Oswalds

THE CHURCH OF ‘THE HOLY HAND‘ “The church of the Holy Hand” – that is how the Catholics of south-west Lancashire refer to the Catholic Church at Ashton-in-Makerfield. The ‘Holy Hand’ belonged to Edmund Arrowsmith, one of the Forty Martyrs canonized by Pope Paul VI on October 25th, 1970. Childhood       Studies and Ordination       Jesuit       Betrayal       Trial       Prison       Last Words       Aftermath       Apparition       The Hand…

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150 Years of the Liverpool – Manchester Railway

Steven Dowd
Railway 150

St Peter, Newton-in-Makerfield Celebrates ‘Railway 150’ Contents Plan & Key to St.Peter’s ‘Railway 150’ Exhibition. 3 A Message from The Bishop of Liverpool. 5 A Message from Lord Lee of Newton. 6 A Message from The Vicar. 7 ‘Railway gravestone’ verse. 9 A brief history of St.Peter’s Church. 10 The story of the opening of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway, by Ian Singleton. (Manchester Grammar School). 16 Exhibition Plan & Key Floor plan of St Peter’s Church, Newton in Makerfield, showing numbered exhibition areas. Arrows indicate visitor flow direction, entering…

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A Local History Timeline

Steven Dowd

I have just added another new feature to the website, its an interactive historical timeline, this is another wordpress plugin that I have built specifically for this website, I thought it might end up helping present historical events in a clearer and more engaging way. This timeline allows events to be explored visually across time, making it easier to see how people, places, and moments in our local history connect with each other. The timeline scrolls horizontally and automatically arranges events so they do not overlap, even when dates are…

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St Peters, Burials – 1813 to 1901

Steven Dowd

I have added the data and images for the Burials at St Peters Church on Newton-le-Willows High Street, for the years 1813 to 1901. The images from three original church burials books were transcribed almost 20 years ago by some of the fabulous members of the original message forum which was originally a part of this website back in 2007. The St Peters Burials which I have added are fully searchable, you can search by any part of a name, or by year. I am not sure that even now…

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A Revolutionary Wartime Simulator

Steven Dowd

RAF Burtonwood and Building 28 RAF Burtonwood, also designated as United States Army Air Force Station 590 and Base Air Depot 1, was located near Warrington in England. Among its many structures was Building 28 – a synthetic gunnery training dome situated on the technical site. This particular dome was constructed from reinforced concrete and built to Air Ministry Drawing Number 73/42. Sadly, the Burtonwood example has since been demolished. Origins of the Dome Trainer The story of the Dome Trainer begins with Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander Henry Christian Stephens…

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THE STORY OF BURTONWOOD

Steven Dowd

In the last 25 years the name of Burtonwood has been carried by thousands of American servicemen to countries all over the world. It is the only place in the British Isles to bear this name, and is possibly more widely known than Warrington, to which it was originally a subservient manor. THE WOOD BY THE TUN’ Probably the original name of Burtonwood was simply ‘Burton’, which means the ‘tun’, or farmstead, by a ‘burh’, or fortified manor. The burh could have been the borough of Warrington. The wood, however,…

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John Stirrup’s will, May 8th, 1677.

Steven Dowd
Dean School 1940

In the name of God Amen the eight day of May Anno R R Dom ini [Year of Our Lord] Caroli Dei gratia [by the grace of God Charles II] secundo et vicesimo nono Annoque Dni 1677 I John Stirrup of Lowton in the County of Lancaster Chapman being sick in Body but of perfect memory thanks be to God for the same doe make and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner following viz! And calling to mind the uncertain Estate of this transitory life and that…

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The Sankey Canal: Construction, Legislation, and Impact

Steven Dowd

Underhanded Dealings in the Construction of the Sankey Canal: A Study of Henry Berry’s Secrecy The Sankey Canal, often recognized as the first true canal of the Industrial Revolution in England, marks a pivotal shift in the country’s transport and industrial infrastructure. Under the direction of Henry Berry, its construction not only facilitated the efficient movement of coal but also set precedents in engineering and legislative interaction. This expanded essay which is built upon T.C Barker’s 1948 thesis, explores the detailed construction timeline, legislative framework, and broader impacts of the…

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THE SANKEY NAVIGATION THE FIRST LANCASHIRE CANAL

Steven Dowd

BY T. C. BARKER, M.A. Read 16 December 1948 When Arthur Young visited the north of England in 1771 he went “to Manchester with design not only to view the manufactures of that town but to make it my headquarters from thence to go the tour of his Grace the Duke of Bridgewater’s navigation about which such wonders are abroad.” (1) In the account of his tour in the north Young devoted forty- six pages, complete with maps and diagrams, to a description of these wonders: the twelve sets of…

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