Wigan Album

Oh Lord When was this demolished and where was it situated.

An absolute crime along with the many stately homes hundreds of years old pulled down. This is the first time I've seen such a picture it's a sad reflection on what was. The Standish's were no more and the last one showed no interest, being French of course. I still laugh at this gentleman succeeding to the estate but couldn't persuade 'Owd Nat' (Nathaniel Eckersley) to give up the lease at Standish Hall! 'Owd Nat' died here 1892.

The Hall was where the woods are now by Standish Hall Farm. All that remains of this once great estate is the barn, or what's left of it. Now owned by the Wignall's.

Sorry about my typing error!! My remarks above should refer to the photos of Standish Hall on page ONE!!
ann21: Follow Green Lane around to the back of the Cricket Club and on to Beech Walk. Take the road on the left to the bottom of the hill. The collection of farm buildings on the left are all that remains of Standish Hall.

On reflection, I'm concerned that the title 'Standish Hall Demolition' may not tell the whole story associated with this photo. The building being worked on has 3 storeys whereas in the first photo on page 1 there are only 2 storeys. Furthermore, the clothing worn by the workmen is anachronistic with the suggested date of 1980s!
Following the break-up of the estate in 1921 and the removal of the chapel and tudor wing to America, the third storey of the remaining georgian building, as well as a wing which had been added, were removed. Two dwellings were created out of what was left.
Hence, this photo must be of the 'reshaping' of what remained of the Hall(1920s) rather than its complete demolition.

This is a long shot but I'm trying to track down a shooting trophy which was in the posesssion of Nathaniel Eckersley of Standish Hall in 1865. Does anyone know if the family line is still going, and if so where are they?
Cheers, Helen

I agree that the photo must date from 1921, when Standish Hall was remodelled into two dwellings, following the death of the last Standish lord of the manor, Henry Noailles Widdrington Standish the year before. Andrew is half right in saying that Henry was French. While his mother was French, through his father, he was of course descended from a long line of Standishes of Standish going back to the 13th century. However, it's apparently true that Henry spent his whole life in France and never set foot in Standish. I can confirm that bits of Standish Hall were still standing in 1978, when I visited for purposes of genealogical research (my great-great grandfather was Henry's father, Charles Henry Widdrington Lionel Standish). I was sad to learn only a few years later (early '80s?) that the last vestiges had been levelled by the NCB.

As a child was told the story of my g.g.grandmother, Elizabeth Mary Woods, who lived at the Hall, running away with the steward of the estate, a Daniel Brum or Brumm and marrying him. Story went she was disinherited although her family did help educate their two sons. Just wonder if anyone could throw any light onto this story? Kathleen

Hello -- I have just found this site, as I'll be travelling through Wigan in a couple of weeks' time (I'm from Australia). Helen Heaton asks whether the Standish family line has continued. I am a part of it. Ethel Standish was my maternal grandmother. Her father, Arthur Standish, migrated to New Plymouth, New Zealand in the mid 19th Century (Ethel, his second youngest child, was born in 1881 in New Plymouth).
I have an old photograph of Standish Hall that must have been taken before 1921.
Best wishes,
Jennifer

Just out of interest - Does anyone know what happened to the part of Standish Hall that was shipped to the states? I have trawled through the tinternet and can't seem to find anything about it?

Donald Trump bought it.

He will be using it as part of the defense wall between Mexico and America...!

I use to live in there with mr cook and auntie jennie my dad use to work for him remember playing school in the big hallway ring the bell and sliding down the big bannister rails and the big father clock doing a big bell on the hour and sitting with them on their big table and the blue plates and playing in all the rooms with auntie jennys dolls then go home to the cottages at the side of the hall very good memoirs and will always remember the nicest people mr cook and auntie jenny learning me to do jigsaws and I still do them to this day

Ralph Standish Born 1458 was my 13th Great Grandfather and I can go back even further in his line to my 26th Great Grandfather Leising De Standish Born 1135.