Westhoughton

A history of Westhoughton

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This compilation of over 200 archive photographs of Westhoughton illustrated the changes that have taken place in this part of Lancashire during the twentieth century, and the changing fortunes of a town that once relied heavily on the textile and coal industries. All aspects of life in Westhoughton are captured here. There are images of workers in spinning mills and weaving sheds; Taylor and Sons' ropeworks; coal picking at Stott's Pit during the Depression; and the tragedy of the 1910 Pretoria Pit disaster. We see a 1920s Rose Queen Carnival, cheering crowds at a Charity Cup final or War Weapons Week parade; a dance at the Carnegie Hall; and the Westhoughton wakes. The photographs in this book are drawn from the archives of the library service and came originally from family albums and the files of the Horwich and Westhoughton Journal. Detailed captions by author Ken Beevers, Area Librarian with Bolton Libraries, provide a wealth of background information to these images of everyday life and extraordinary events. Westhoughton in the Archive Photographs Series is a celebration of the town and its townpeople, and gives a fascinating glimpse into the recent past of this Lancashire town. Of interest to young and old alike, it is dedicated to Howfeners everywhere.