Westhoughton

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Westhoughton
Coordinates: 53°32′55.3″ N 2°31′28.2″ W (53.5487, -2.5245) Westhoughton shown within Greater Manchester
Population	23,056
OS grid reference	SD652059
Parish	Westhoughton
Metropolitan borough	Bolton
Metropolitan county	Greater Manchester
Region	North West
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BOLTON
Postcode district	BL5
Dial code	01942
Police	Greater Manchester
Fire	Greater Manchester
Ambulance	North West
UK Parliament	Bolton West
European Parliament	North West England
List of places: UK • England • Greater Manchester

Westhoughton is a town and civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, in Greater Manchester, England. It is ten miles (16 km) to the northwest of the city of Manchester, and four and a half miles (7.2 km) southwest of Bolton.

Historically part of Lancashire, Westhoughton was once a centre for mining,cotton-spinning and textile manufacture. Today however it is a predominantly residential town with a total population of 23,056.

Contents 1 Geography and administration 2 History 2.1 Etymology 2.2 Coal mining 3 Education 3.1 Primary Schools 3.2 Secondary School 3.3 Further Education 4 Culture 5 Notable residents 5.1 Robert Shaw 6 Libraries 7 Police 8 Pubs 9 Events 10 Health 10.1 Others 11 References 12 External links

[edit] Geography and administration

Until 1974 Westhoughton was an urban district of the administrative county of Lancashire. Westhoughton is represented by six councillors on the metropolitan borough council of Bolton. There are two borough wards - Westhoughton North and Westhoughton South. Due to its staus a a civil parish there are also twelve town councillors representing Westhoughton, on Westhoughton Town Council.

The Liberal Democrats control the Town Council and hold four out of the six borough seats.

[edit] History

[edit] Etymology

Westhoughton means "village in a western nook of land", from Old English west "west", halh "nook of land, dialectal "haugh" and tun "farm, village".

[edit] Coal mining

Westhoughton has the sad distinction of having had one of the worst coal-mining disasters in the United Kingdom. In December 1910, 344 men and boys lost their lives at the Pretoria Pit [1]. The Pretoria disaster was the third worst in British mining history, after the 1866 Barnsley Oaks disaster in Yorkshire (361 deaths), and the 1913 Universal Colliery disaster at Senghenydd, Glamorgan (439 deaths).[2].

[edit] Education

[edit] Primary Schools

• St. Thomas' CE,
• Westhoughton CP School,
• The Gates,
• Parochial,
• Sacred Heart RC,
• Washacre Primary School
• St Georges CE primary school
• Eatock Primary School
• Daisy hill primary school

[edit] Secondary School

• Westhoughton High School (Specialist Technology College)

[edit] Further Education

• Westhoughton High School Sixth Form

[edit] Culture

Westhoughton as well as the central town area, is made up of several "villages" which have (or at least had) their own distinctive character, sports traditions, amenities including railway stations, these include: Wingates (famous for its Brass Band), Fourgates, Chequerbent which was all but totally destroyed by the building of a motorway, Daisy Hill, and Hilton House. Westhoughton had for many years its own parliamentary constituency but is now included in the Bolton West constituency.

[edit] Notable residents

[edit] Robert Shaw

Born on King Street, in Westhoughton in 1927, he most notably appeared in Steven Spielberg's Jaws and the James Bond film, From Russia With Love. Robert Shaw is fondly remembered as one of the town's sons. A plaque on Westhoughton Town Hall commemorates him and his works. The J D Wetherspoon chain of Free Houses has also named its Westhoughton branch on Market Street, situated opposite King Street, after the actor.

[edit] Libraries

Westhoughton Library. Situated on Library Street, opposite the chip shop and has Carnegie Hall with it.

[edit] Police

Westhoughton police station was formerly opposite the Red Lion Pub and the building is now a place to assist pupils with behavioural issues, underachieving and other pupil problems. Westhoughton police station is now situated on Pavilion Square just near Cricketers Way. The Pavilion hosts a few shops like:

• Gee Tees
• Co-op
• Ethel Austin
• McDonalds
• Shell petrol (with car wash)

Westhoughton also has two Italian restaurants called The Casa Nostra and La Scala (Wingates) Westhoughton also has an Indian restaurant called The Nawab in Westhoughton Town Centre.

[edit] Pubs

• The Red Lion
• The Wheatsheaf
• The Cross Guns
• The Daisy Hill Hotel

[edit] Events

Annually every summer Westhoughton hosts a carnival called Westhoughton Show, consisting of brass bands, Rose Queens, parades and a funfair.

[edit] Health

• Stable Fold Surgery
• Westhoughton Clinic
• Rowlands Pharmacy, Westhoughton Town Centre
• Peter House Surgery, Park Road Westhoughton

People who have lived in Westhoughton for all of their life are called Keawyeds.

[edit] Others

• Francis Lee - Footballer. Bolton Wanderers, Manchester City, Derby County. England (27 caps).
• Nicky Hunt - Footballer
• Robert Shaw - Hollywood actor
• Matthew Holland - Footballer
• Houghton Weavers a local folk group who had their own BBC TV series in the 1970s entitled Sit thi' Deawn.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Westhoughton Liberal Democrats
• Parish of Westhoughton
• More information and photos of Westhoughton