Burtonwood Gleanings

1939: Historical Burtonwood Church re-opened

21 September 202428 September 2024 Steven Dowd

Newton and Earlestown Guardian – Friday 06 October 1939 Several years ago abandoned as unsafe and unfit for human habitation, St. Michael’s Church, Burtonwood. was re-opened and consecrated on Saturday afternoon us a modern church. It had been rebuilt and a more lofty tower has made its appearance, numerous structural alterations have been made to the interior, and the parishioners can now consider that the inconvenience of holding the services in the Church Hall, Green Lane, for the past years. has been well worth while. The church is one of…

1891: THE SANKEY VIADUCT DIVE.

9 September 202428 September 2024 Steven Dowd

TOMMY BURNS’ ATTEMPTED DIVE: Completed by local Collier.Newton and Earlestown Guardian – Friday 13 November 1891 The inhabitants of Earlestown, Newton and surrounding district were considerably moved last week end by the startling announcement that Tommy Burns, the champion diver, who has gained such notoriety around Liverpool, Runcorn and district by his swimming and diving feats, would dive off the Viaduct Bridge or “Nine Arches,” on Saturday afternoon at three o’clock. The bridge is nearly 70 feet high, while the water in the canal is only about seven feet deep,…

Burtonwood: THE LIMERICK HOTEL

6 September 202428 September 2024 Steven Dowd

With some historical gleanings from the archives. The Limerick was a pub located at the very end of runway 22 on the north east of the airfield fronting onto Cow Lane (now Burtonwood Road). It was a typical country pub with few home comforts but served a good pint of Burtonwood beer and basic food was sometimes available. It was frequented by the local farmers and villagers from Burtonwood and suddenly burst into life when RAF Burtonwood was built. Initially the Irish navvies who built the base went there for…

1889: A “SMALL RIOT” AT BURTONWOOD.

5 September 202428 September 2024 Steven Dowd

Leigh Chronicle – Friday 20 December 1889 Nine boys named Schofield Jackson, Charles Jackson, Thomas Haverty, James Haverty, Henry Dalton, James Dalton, Joseph Dalton, James Millington, and Ernest Naylor, were charged with assaulting Thomas Dutton at Burtonwood by throwing stones on the 17th ult. Mr. H. L. Riley prosecuted, and Mr. Jenkins defended. Mr. Riley stated that his client had been a witness in several cases in which Burtonwood boys were interested, and in consequence of that he seemed to have become obnoxious to the boys who formed something like…

1938: Burtonwood Parish Church Renovations’

3 August 202428 September 2024 Steven Dowd

Burtonwood Church Alterations.Newton and Earlestown Guardian – Friday 14 October 1938 Estimated cost OF £4,500 At the Liverpool Consistory Court, on Wednesday, Chancellor Challoner Dowdall, K.C., granted faculties for alterations at St. Michael’s Church. The Chancellor granted what he described as a important application for a faculty for structural and other alterations, estimated to cost £4,500, at St. Michael’s Church, Burtonwood, near Warrington. The scheme includes the erection of a new tower, the formation of an aisle baptistry, the strengthening of the north wall of the nave with buttresses, and…

1891: SHOCKING COLLIERY ACCIDENT AT COLLINS GREEN.

1 August 20249 September 2024 Steven Dowd

Newton and Earlestown Guardian – Friday 09 October 1891 The Inquest upon the bodies of Joseph Rigby, aged 40, of Ashbury-terrace, Burtonwood, and Richard Booth, 30, of Mercer’s New Cottages, Burtonwood, who were buried alive under a fall of nearly 100 tons of roof at the Collins Green Colliery, on Tuesday evening, was held on Saturday last at the Pear Tree Inn, Collins Green, before Mr. 8. Brighouse, county coroner, Mr. Jackson, general manager, and Mr. T. Glover, miners’ agent, of St. Helens, were also present. Mrs. Ann Rigby last…

The Dangers of Level Crossings

24 July 20242 August 2024 Steven Dowd

St. Helens Examiner - Saturday 23 December 1882

Saturday 23 December 1882 The enthusiasm which the new Ship Canal has evoked in commercial circles, having extended to Newton, naturally caused the mind to turn for a time to the “Sankey Canal” by way of antithesis. Not that this was the first canal made in England by any means, for the Romans, during their residence in England, cut a canal from the vicinity of their metropolis, the city of York, as appears from Drake’s Eboracum. In the year 1121, Henry I made a navigable canal of seven miles in…

The Burtonwood Church Dispute and Developments

2 August 20242 August 2024 Steven Dowd

A Historical Overview: The Burtonwood Church disputes highlight a complex interplay of religious, social, and personal dynamics within a small community during the late 19th century. This series of events reflects broader themes of ecclesiastical governance, community resistance, and the challenges of pastoral leadership in changing times. Detailed Chronology and Excerpts: October 30, 1891 – Death of Rev. W. Wilson Newton and Earlestown GuardianThe community of Burtonwood faced a profound loss with the death of Rev. W. Wilson, who had served the parish for fifteen years. His death was not…

BURTONWOOD: TIMBER to be SOLD by TICKET.

7 July 20242 August 2024 Steven Dowd

On Thursday the 8th day of February, 1827, at three o’clock in the afternoon, at the house of Mr. Isaac Turner, the sign of the Ship, at Sankey Bridges, near Warrington, in the following lots, subject to such conditions as may then and there be produced: Lot 1.102 Oak Trees and 16 Cyphers from No. 1 to 102 inclusive.16 Ash Trees from No. 1 to 16 ditto2 Alder Trees No. 1 and 2. This Timber is growing upon a Farm in Burtonwood, known by the name of Causeway Bridges, in…

1832: Murder at Burtonwood

17 June 20249 September 2024 Steven Dowd

LANCASTER SPRING ASSIZES. CROWN COURT, Friday, 13 March 1832. William Heaton, 27, was charged with the wilful murder of John Ratcliffe, at Burtonwood, on the night the 28th of October last. Dr Brown very minutely detailed the facts of the case, and called the following witnesses: James Andrews: I live at Burtonwood. On the morning of the of October last, as was going to my work, between five and six o’clock, with another man, we saw person lying dead. John Ratcliffe. had no hat on. There was a great quantity…

Six Airmen killed and Eighteen Injured

17 June 20242 August 2024 Steven Dowd

Sunday 6th June 1952. A board of investigation will sit at the American airbase at Burtonwood, near Warrington, to-morrow to determine the cause of the crash on Saturday night between a Neptune naval patrol bomber and a Dakota aircraft in which six airmen were killed and eighteen injured. A seventh airman is missing, believed killed, and last night the wreckage of the burned-out planes was still being searched for his body. The eighteen injured are in the base hospital suffering from burns and shock and one of them is stated…

Burtonwood Air Crash U.S. Airmen Killed

16 June 2024 Steven Dowd

Friday 11 January 1952 Seven U.S. airmen were killed, and one seriously injured when two planes collided at the U.S. air base, Burtonwood on Saturday evening. The planes crashed on the runway, with the result that both planes were set on-fire. One plane, a Neptune. was just returning to the base after a trip to Iceland, and the other machine a Dakota was just leaving for a flight to Manston, Kent. After the crash there was a series of explosions, which was believed to have been ammunition aboard the Neptune.…

Burtonwood Dahlia Queen Crowning Ceremony

16 June 202416 June 2024 Steven Dowd

Friday 08 August 1952 Threatening clouds affected the crowds attending the annual Burtonwood Dahlia Queen celebration on the Chapel Lane field on Monday afternoon. Up to 2 p.m. the arrivals were very thin, but afterwards when the clouds dispersed, the crowds began to arrive though not in sufficient numbers to create a record. As usual all the fun of the fair was available, and everything went according to plan. The procession through the village was just as colourful as ever, with gay tableaux, mounted characters and decorated horses. The streets…