In 1934 my grandfather worked at Bourne Transfer Instructional Centre in Lincolnshire, one of many work camps set up by the Ministry Of Labour to retrain unemployed young men. At Bourne, the men spent much of… Ministry of Labour Instructions Centres
In the late 19th century, my 3 x great grandfather William Higginson owned four houses on Mason Street in Bolton, numbers 78, 80, 82 & 84. He lived at number 82 with his family and… Mason Street, Bolton
My grandad told me many times that his father and uncle where at the mass trespass at Winter Hill near Bolton in 1896. As this is the 125th anniversary, it seems like a good time to write a brief post about the event.
Today Winter Hill is probably best known as the home of a television and radio transmitter, but in the 19th century its open moorland was a place for the residents of Bolton to escape the overcrowding, noise and grime of the town. The land was owned by Colonel Richard Henry Ainsworth of Smithills Hall, and used by him for grouse shooting. He considered the walkers a threat to the grouse and a nuisance. In the summer on 1896, he had gates erected to prevent access and instructed his gamekeepers to ensure people were kept out.
Winter Hill Mass Trespass
Euxton in Lancashire was home to two of Lancashire’s oldest Catholic families, the Andertons and the Molyneuxs. The Molyneuxs were the biggest landowners in the area, while the Andertons initially leased and later purchased Euxton… Euxton Catholics
While researching my family history, I found that some of the streets people had lived on in Bolton no longer existed. I compiled a list and then used census searches to locate surrounding streets that still exist, along with the National Library of Scotland‘s side by side map viewer to pinpoint their locations. This is by no means a complete list of all Bolton’s lost streets, and if you would like me to add any others, let me know. I will be adding to the list as I come across more ancestors’ addresses.
Map of Bolton in 1931 from the National Library of Scotland.
Vanished Streets Of Bolton