Login   |   Register   |   
Photos of Wigan
Photos of Wigan



Wigan Album

Wigan Coal & Iron Co.

13 Comments

WIGAN COAL and IRON WORKS OVENS
WIGAN COAL and IRON WORKS OVENS
Photo: RON HUNT
Views: 3,740
Item #: 25997
SENET OVENS? at the Wigan Coal and Iron Works site at New Springs/Ince. I would presume that these ovens were to produce coke?

Comment by: Albert. on 10th February 2015 at 10:51

Was this commonly known as "The Top Place"?

Comment by: RON HUNT on 10th February 2015 at 15:13

Albert yes it was. The bombs that fell on Wigan in WW2 were really meant for this place.

Comment by: Neil Cain on 10th February 2015 at 15:29

I have a feeling the ovens were actually named Selmet Solvay

Comment by: wiw on 10th February 2015 at 15:36

Why on earth would they want to bomb there?

Surely WC&I had ceased production before World War 2

Comment by: Albert. on 10th February 2015 at 17:23

Referring to Wiw's comment. When did this works close down?.

Did it move to Irlam,? If so, was there some particular reason, that this move occurred. The works had been operating in Wigan for many previous years, and it would seem the raw materials were still in plentiful supply.

Comment by: fred foster on 10th February 2015 at 18:54

In Don Anderson's book about Blundell's collieries He calls the coke ovens Semet Solvay ovens and these also produced benzene as a by-product.

Comment by: tuddy on 10th February 2015 at 19:42

It was in world war one that the Germans attempted to bomb the Top Place, and apparently it was the glow from the furnaces which made it a target for the Zeplin crew.

Comment by: Dave C on 10th February 2015 at 20:13

The bombs referred to would surely have been those dropped in the Zeppelin raid on Wigan, Higher Ince and New Springs in WW1. My Grandmother clearly remembered the raid, watching the Zeppelin pass over in search of "Top Place" where her Father worked

Comment by: Loz on 10th February 2015 at 21:05

The structure in front of the chimney is the end of the aerial ropeway bringing coal to the ovens. If you look carefully to the right, you can see one of the buckets suspended from the rope.

Comment by: James on 11th February 2015 at 21:55

My maternal grandfather worked here for a while - the wages were good but he was not a physically strong man and had to change his job.

Comment by: maggie on 1st May 2015 at 06:06

Would anyone happen to know if this is the steel works where Matthew and Francis Percy worked? Does this place still exist in any form or was it destroyed during the war?

was it destroyed during the war? We are just trying to piece together snippets of history together from Australia.

Comment by: Wigan Archaeological Society on 8th June 2015 at 20:52

Hi Maggie - we are currently investigating the site of the steelworks (details on or website www.wiganarchsoc.co.uk)

Leave a comment?

* Enter the 5 digit code to the right of the input box. Don't worry if you make a mistake, you will get another chance. Your comments won't be lost.