RATTY

I replied to this on the Echo Look at this facebook page for the friends of Cannington Shaw, they will tell you all and also the story of how they saved it from demolition and how they are trying to get the place restored. https://www.facebook.com/CanningtonShaw/

We do own it, it was left along with a trust fund to run it. As I said it has been slowly robbed from us. Don't know about Sherdley (owner sold it to St.Helens Corporation on June 27th 1949 for £18,700. At the time of the sale, local newspapers reported that the council intended to develop the estate along the lines of a cultural centre for sport and recreation, stating that "every effort will be made to retain the beauty of the parkland". ) ....but we all as a town own Taylor Park, it was gifted. The mansion house and grounds were bought in 1886 for £11,000 by St Helens Corporation and the contents of the house and outbuildings were auctioned. They turned it into a museum but it closed in 1966 and all the exhibits went to the Gamble Institute. The building became the base for St Helens Parks and Cemeteries; however, was then abandoned and sadly become increasingly derelict. (What a surprise) In 1993 a local charity – Age Concern St Helens – purchased the house and immediate grounds (including formal gardens, courtyard, outbuildings and parking areas) and set about restoring this beautiful venue. With restoration work complete (thanks to many volunteers), The Mansion House became an ‘Active Age Centre’ offering a range of services for older people (thanks to partnership working and support from external funding).

Transforming it by turning it into warehouse city. We were just saying at the weekend, makes you feel like leaving and never coming back for the shock of seeing that nothing remains of what we once were added 0 minutes later And that looks nothing like the town centre these days

I used that dentist once or twice. I actually prefer the front of that building more than the Gamble, Gamble is a bit of a hotchpotch and I like the more Tudor style of this one

I think someone is opening a sewing shop at the top end and also another food venue, noodles related. Not heard what this is though, perhaps an extension to the Mexican?

WTH?

Anyone happen know what year they knocked the railway bridge down that crossed Boundary Road near Morrisons?

I did on Saturday, it was packed but we got served quickly. Not as big as you think it is. Clothes wise its slightly bigger than town center and on two levels. Lovely cafe, absolutely stunning. I didn't visit the food hall though sorry. Don't shop at M&S much and I use the food hall at Prescot along with Tesco there.

Have you looked in the images on here on Connect? They are in the menus bar under WEBSITE >PHOTOS but here is a link https://www.sthelens-connect.net/home/showpics.php?currentpage=1&search=railway&Go=Search+%2F+Clear This site may help too. http://www.8dassociation.btck.co.uk/TheStHelensRuncornGapRailway This is a thread about the old line https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/st-helens-central-st-helens-junction-rail-link.88384/ And this one shows the proposed renewal of the line from Carr Mill through to Junction although who knows if that will ever happen. https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/10559520.Town_is_on_track_for_joined_up_thinking/ added 1 minute later Just read this too, interesting. http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/s/sutton_manor_colliery/

I just wish they'd hurry up, people need the library. To get to Eccleston from where I live it would mean a bus into town and then one out to Eccleston because even though I live 10 minutes away by car there isn't a bus service. That means a fiver there and a fiver back. Fecking ridiculous. added 5 minutes later Like someone said in the comments. Buy the Citadel get it converted and put it there, then they can rebuild the Gamble at leisure over years and then return it when done. Bet they won't though. Because this is all about their plan for the World of failing glass and moving the library to that end of town, it will be shoved in an unused room there for the least outlay

Hmm! from what I've read the age limit in the mines in 1860 was no younger than 12 and in 1900 it was thirteen. No idea if they stuck to that around here but would imagine they did. I suppose mining injuries and deaths data would shed a light. Are you on ancestry because they have a dataset there that lists deaths and injuries?

Normally I would suggest reference in the History and Archives library in The Gamble Building in the town centre but alas it's closed down for alleged repair. They do allow access to information but it's by appointment only apparently. "Access to the St Helens Archive within the Gamble Institute continues to be available by appointment; please contact LHA@sthelens.gov.uk for more information. For now, you could try the bible of the industrial revolution in St Helens. There's a copy in the library but this is a google version, some pages may be missing. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=VoDuVD90N7QC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false There is probably more detailed information at the library though so try to contact the Archives staff who I'm sure will help you locate something. Here is their catalogue for your information : http://www.sthelensacl.ac.uk/ilearn/mod/url/view.php?id=519 And finally St Helens Townships Family History Society hold ‘help and workshop’ sessions at Eccleston Library every Tuesday from 3.45pm (subject to change, please check with Eccleston Library). Hope this helps

Actually Andrew Wilson and Mary nee Benson do live in Market Street Windle 1881 but I can't find a marriage for them, probably married in Ireland. It all hinges on what other info you have, siblings of John etc There are other John Wilsons born in Prescot Reg from 1873 - 1876 but none to a mother nee Benson.

Here is that image for 1939 It's Chapel Street. registration and sub-district 456 a/1 https://www.dropbox.com/s/0cii36vevcex3lj/wilson.jpg?dl=0 GRO index for birth WILSON, JOHN JAMES MULLIGAN (mother nee) GRO Reference: 1876 M Quarter in PRESCOT Volume 08B Page 741 Free BMD marriage index Andrew Wilson and Mary Mulligan married at Prescot District last quarter of 1874 (8b951 for the certificate) From St Helens Marriage Index CD 22 11 1874 Andrew WILSON Mary MULLIGAN St Helens Parish Church added 25 minutes later Strangely I can't find any of them in census other than 1939 added 9 minutes later Here's the marriage cert for Andrew and Mary (bottom left in image) https://www.dropbox.com/s/7bmrzv7bio220u3/wilson32883_276533-00232.jpg?dl=0 added 28 minutes later I can find just 2 other births, both in Prescot to Wilson and Mulligan Thomas Wilson in 1878 and Abraham Wilson in 1883 There is a tree on ancestry that says this family was born in Ireland and went to America after marrying and living in Prescot, They have the names as I do but they have the wrong mother because they haven't used the GRO index plus they don't have your John Wilson at all so ignore it. The mothers maiden name they need was Benson, all the children they have are on the index for her, they just mixed two families together in my opinion. Of course I could be wrong. That's why I've laid it out this way, to show my reasoning. Please check it all for yourself through the records.