Wigan Album

Nice to see an Eckersley Mill chimney roaring in the background. The Eckersley's built the church too.

Captain Robert Eckersley built the side Chapel on the church the Trowel which laid the first brick is still in the possesion of the Vicar now,I have seen it,Also Nathaniel Eckersley built the Eckersley Arms, plus Eckersleys Factory and two Mines known as OWD NATS,In front of St James is also the Eckersley Gardens,The Bridge over the Canal near Eckersley Mill is the Eckersley Bridge,Then there is Eckersley Street in Scholes,Nathaniel was a great benefactor to Wigan,He also was the man in charge who quelled the Peterloo rising in Manchester,His home is still standing on the main road through Hindley It is now a Garden Centre.St Judes Church is built over the top of OWD NATS pumping pit A Concrete Raft Had to be laid to build the Church on.All part of the Eckersley History We are the only Family in Great Britain to have had 7 Mayors of one town, [WIGAN]

I think the chimney in this picture is the one at Clifton Mills which was at the end of Brook Street,the factory itself was in Tipping Street which ran alongside the Church.

Nathaniel Eckersley was not at Peterloo - he was only 4 at the time. Captain Hugh Hornby Birley was in command at Peterloo. The Nathaniel Eckersley associated with Manchester was his uncle - who was in command of the Manchester Garrison charged with stopping any future dissent. The sword given to him by the grateful mill owners etc of Manchester is in Wigan Archives.
Nathaniel Eckersley may have been a great benefactor of Wigan - but where did his wealth come from? Thin air - or the sweat of others' brows?
His name lives one - he built St Nathaniel's church in Platt Bridge - and he and his brother James built St James' church, Poolstock. Self-effacing he wasn't.