Wigan Album
Anderton House
5 Comments
Photo: Dave Taylor
Item #: 15779
This view is taken from Newton Road and shows the building partially demolished and the driveway being doubled in size to accomodate the housing estate traffic. Taken February 1989
No pits - No H.Q. = Housing Estate , how surprising.
Anderton House - when I first came to live in Lowton I was knocked for six by the huge statue of the miner (complete with Anderton cutter) on the entrance to the Anderton House driveway. And yes!...it has disappeared to somewhere in St Helens. What price our "Heritage"? Loads of coal still there, down the pits, but the pits were closed! Why should England tremble? My dad worked down the pits; had a letter from the "uncrowned King" congratulating him on his heroism in turning back and going down with the Rescue Party (I think that was Edge Green) and he knew Anderton and a guy called Billy Williams before they became mining engineers.
And Anderton's son, Jimmy Anderton of Police fame (CC Manchester, I think) was held up to us kids as an example of what pitmen's kids could achieve.
Never seen that fabulous statue since - but despite the economic situation and the necessary cuts I think it should be brought back to the entrance to the housing estate on Newton Road. It would be an inspiration!
Who sold it I know not - but that statue was utterly gorgeous and it should belong to us!
statue on island facing ravenhead retail park st helens where b&q and pc world are
"statue on island facing ravenhead retail park st helens where b&q and pc world are"
Yes, peterp, close to the colliery of it's conception, development and trial. Just where it belongs.
Why anyone should imagine it belongs in a place like Lowton is beyond me.
Dave Taylor states, "On the approach to the building along the main driveway was a rather large and splendid water feature come fountain affair with a bust of a collier with a large lump of coal on his shoulder. When Anderton House closed it disappeared and re-surfaced, I think, on a traffic roundabout in the St. Helens area of all places!!"
A water feature come fountain affair with a bust of a collier with a large lump of coal on his shoulder? is that what you took it as, Dave?
Why no mention of the Anderton Shearer/Loader?
Could it be that you haven't a clue about that sort of thing and you don't know why Anderton House was called 'Anderton' House?
You don't seem to know anything about the history of the shearer loader, as explained in the last post above.