top of page
Andrew Bullen

Storytellers.....​

Father Newns

Profile: Father Brian Newns has been the parish priest at St Oswald's and St Edmund Arrowsmith in Ashton for the last 22 years.

Story Intro: Father Newns tells the story of the English Martyr St Edmund Arrowsmith, whose severed hand is preserved as a relic and is believed to have healing properties.

Pat Grimshaw


 

Profile: Pat was born and brought up in Ashton. Her interests lie mainly in Family History and Local History. She is a retired teacher and a member of Friends of Ashton as well as a Founder member and current chairman of Ashton-in-Makerfield & District U3A (University of the Third Age).

Story Intro: Pat tells the story of how many of the streets of Ashton got their names and of tithing, where people gave a tenth of their income to the church.




  

 

Joy Winstanley

Profile: Joy is secretary of the Friends of Three Sisters. The group works at the Three Sisters recreation area to make it a greener place for people and animals.

Story Intro: Joy tells the story of how Three Sisters developed through the early years of coal mining, eventually becoming known as the 'Wigan Alps' to its present role as a recreation area.

Brian Merry

Profile: Brian is Chair of the Friends of Jubilee Park.

Story Intro: Bryan tells the story of how Jubilee Park was established and how it's still giving pleasure to the people of Ashton.

 

Join Our Team

Sheila Brown

 

Profile: Sheila has written a booklet on the history of Stubshaw Cross and is on the committee the Stubshaw Cross Residents Group.

Story Intro: Sheila tells the story of her mother Margaret (known as Meg) who was born in Ashton in 1898. It's a story of humour, resilience and hard work in the early years of 20th Century Ashton. 

 

Pat Gordon

 

Story Intro: Pat tells the story of how her father James Armstrong and two fellow miners helped to rescue workers in the Number Nine Pit Disaster.


 

Karin Dagnall

 

Profile: Karin lives in Ashton in Makerfield and is a fourth generation Ashtonian. She's part of a community group that works in the the ancient woodland in Ashton called Skitter's Wood.

Story Intro: Karin tells the story of Abel Ogden, who's parents farmed on Skitter's Estate. Abel died in the Boer War, and Karin reads some poignant letters sent to his parents.

 

Ian Lowe

 

Profile: Ian is Trustee Secretary at Park Lane Unitarian Chapel in Bryn.

Story Intro: Ian tells the story of the chapel which was built in 1697 by Church of England dissenters. This unique building is still going strong despite the years and being undermined by coal workings. 

Profile: Andrew is the clerk to the Linen and Wool Stock Charity which has helped the people Ashton for over 500 years.

Story Intro: Andrew tells the story of how the Ashton Linen and Wool Stock Charity was set up in Tudor times and how it has operated to the present day.

 
Dave Fearnley

 

Profile: Dave was born in Ashton and has always lived in the area. He is a historian with a passion for discovering Ashton's past.

Story Intro: Dave tells the story of Ashton's own regiment, the Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry Cavalry which served in the Boer War and of Sir John Gerrard its founder.

bottom of page