Wigan Album

The Powell Childrens' Library, must have been dedicated to Sir Francis Sharp Powell, (Baronet.) Born in Wigan. M.P. for Wigan,1885 to 1859, and again from, 1885 to 1910. His statue is in Mesnes Park, It was erected by public subscription, in 1910. He must have been well thought of. Powell Street was probably dedicated to him.

Sorry for the mistake on the first date. It should read, 1857 to 1859.

Hi Albert, interesting you mention Francis Powell. He was first elected as MP for Wigan at a by-election in January 1881, but was unseated because of corrupt practices at the election. He sat in the House of Commons between 1863 and 1910. There is a statue of him in Mesnes Park, and local superstition has it that rubbing his shoe on his statue would bring luck!
From what I was told by a Master at WGS in the early 50’s it was Powell who was the lucky so and so - according to the teacher - Powell sat for donkey years in Parliament and was famous for saying nowt! So much for his service to the folk of Wigan - his reward? He was created a first Baronet and became a Knight of the Garter, I couldn’t possibly comment - but that was the view of my teacher.

Hi, John B. I was giving a quotation as to what was written on the base of the statue. I have no knowledge of the gentleman's background. It looks as if the statue is of bronze, if so it must have cost quite a sum, so long ago.

The biography of Francis Sharpe Powell seems to put him in a very favourable light.http://www.archive.org/stream/sirfrancissharpp00hulbiala/sirfrancissharpp00hulbiala_djvu.txt

nowt

Albert I know that you're just passing on the available information but I did notice that his life's work was written by his nephew. Two aspects that might be missing from such a review by a relative are ones of objectivity and critical analysis - I put this forward simply as an observation.

John.B Thank you for the interest that you have shown.

Visiting this place was a must if you'd been to the abths on a Saturday morning, even though you were only looking at the same stuff over and over, I never tired of it.

In the biography, it does mention that the cost of the statue, would have been in the region of two hundred, and seven guineas'. That would have been a colossal amount in 1907.