Wigan & Slavery

From the mid-18th through the mid-19th centuries Wigan and surrounding townships grew rapidly to become a significant hub in the Industrial Revolution that spread across the world. Population in the Wigan area mushroomed on the back of coal, cotton and iron industries, fuelled by private wealth and entrepreneurship.

More here Save Wigan

Colonel Blundell built a Sunday School for the children in the 1800s in Little Lane. It is now a Garage but you can spot it because it has a pointed roof just before Goose Green Labour Club.

Some eye opening figures there.

From 1695 to 1807, 5,300 voyages from Liverpool transported almost one and a half million slaves to the New World. By 1787, thirty seven of the forty one members of Liverpool Council were involved in slavery. Further, all of Liverpool's twenty Mayors who held office between 1787 and 1807 were involved. Liverpool's net proceeds from the African trade in 1783-93 are said to have been £12,294,116, which today would have a relative value of between £1.2 and £87.0 billion.

The Slave Trade Act of 1807 abolished the slave trade in the British Empire, but not slavery itself. It was not until 26 years later that slavery was abolished. With the Abolition of Slavery Act of 1833, James Lindsay, the 7th Earl of Balcarres and Baron of Wigan, was paid £14,473.15s.6d compensation for 895 slaves in Jamaica (between £1.1 and £48.2 million in today’s money). The Earl built Haigh Hall between 1827 and 1840 on the site of the ancient manor house.

I'll get your Standish Collieries book back to you...soon

Excellent read, as ever.

ARE you referring to DAVE WHELAN? he is akin to one of those plantation owner's ,I know for a fact he paid a pittance at the defunk JJB ,other examples if you were off sick you were interrogated by him himself before he would let you have what was and is still a statutory right the number of females coming out of his office was a disgrace, So the reply to slavery in WIGAN STILL DOES EXIST !

(MARIEM) I would just like to query your position of the school BLUNDELL built in 1800s, I believe it's at the top of Foundry lane with Pemberton road. When I first it was at the infants just across from the old school. Then when I moved up to juniors & seniors we were taught about all things the Blundell family did for Highfield .If I am wrong I apologise but I do not think so ,hope Marie you don't mind.

Golden Bear. I either read it or was told, but I bow to your greater knowledge. I'll try and make further enquiries at the History Shop but I'm sure you must be right.