Photo-a-Day  (Tuesday, 14th January, 2025)

The correct name is Wall Hey Pit Furnace Ventilation Shaft.
It belonged to the Earl of Crawford who resided at Haigh Hall and it was built in 1840.
The underground furnace provided air circulation to the pit 645 feet below.
It is Grade ll Listed but that does not give any protection agains the ravages of time.

Cracking photo Dennis

It needs to be demolished now and then capped. Most now have been done.

Despite my best efforts I cannot see the "huge crack running up the middle " unless it's on the other side. No jokes about Specs avers if you don't mind.

When I was very young, passing on a bus or occasionally in a car, that structure was Haigh. The concrete bus shelter was t'Fingerpost and the old Co op on Bolton Road, opposite the site of th'owd Caawp was Aspuh. A child's mind trying to make sense of the world!

I hope they leave it well alone; I hate to see the destruction of anything that has stood proudly for so long, be it buildings or old trees. I realise it is sometimes necessary for safety purposes but it is so sad to see.

It would be a shame to see it go after all the years it’s stood as a landmark. It’s a reminder of the industrial past and the tough breed of men in that time.

The underground ventilation depended on doors being kept closed in order for the fresh air to circulate around the workings. Children has young as six years old were used to do this job.
They would sit near these doors for many hours a day just opening and closing these doors for the miners has they came and went.
If it was not for the kindness of some of the colliers who gave them a bit of candle now and then they would have to sit for hours in the kind of absolute darkness that doesn’t occur above ground.
The Crawford Family lived very well, but the price for that was paid, in part by those children.

There's quite a few of these dangerous buildings demolished and capped around Ince and Hindley.

Shaft !
You're damned right .

The Furnace Chimney in Haigh must be the worst eyesore in Wigan. Yes, it needs knocking down, but it could be turned into a pleasant memorial and gardens.
If I were in charge I would knock it down to about 4 or 5 feet, fill what was left with a lot of potting compost, and plant a nice tree in it.
The bricks could be used to make a block paving area, with a few flower beds, it could be finished off with 4 benches around the base where visitors could have nice views of Winter Hill, Blackpool, and Shevington.

I hope they leave it well alone, It would be a shame to see it go after all the years it’s stood as a landmark.
It is a tower of poor-quality old bricks, god knows how the families living in those posh houses feel when they open their curtains in a morning.

Does any one in authority know about the crack and how often is the structure inspected?

They probably feel like you do Mick when you behold the concrete wonders of the M6 running through the centre of Shevington.
P.S. the furness chimney is in Aspull, not Haigh.

M6 is a wonderful piece of engineering and technology, that can get us miles away in minutes, we are very lucky to have it built on our doorstep.

Winter Hill perhaps but not Shevy or Blackpool, even from the top.
Kids of 6 down there, better than wasting away their time on computer games and iPhones filling their heads with rubbish. That’s what call learning a useful trade and character building. Bring it back, kids are leaving school these days with no jobs and no prospects, all they want to do is sit at home all day on their computers playing dubious games and sponging off parents.

WN6, whatever are you thinking?? We are talking of little children of six years old here, in their second year in the Infants' School, not 14-year-olds! Little more than babies, sitting in a pitch-black space, opening and shutting a trap-door for hours on end was "learning a useful trade and character-building"?? How on earth do you make that out? My own Dad worked at the Maypole Pit in Abram at twelve years old, but even twelve is on the way to being an adult, but SIX-YEAR-OLDS? My own children were taught by example from us, their parents, that they would be expected to work for a living, and, at 43 and 48, they DO work. My granddaughter, 17, holds down two jobs to earn spending money whilst at college, and my grandson, 15, is waiting for the time he is old enough to have a part-time job. Please don't tar everyone with the same brush!

Somehow I don’t think the NSPCC would agree with that ridiculous comment. Thank God children are spared in the workplace in this country at least..but not in other third world countries.

I retired in 2022 after 51 years working life, left school at 15 years old and learned a trade, I retired age 66.
I've not received any awards from the King ie MBE etc , because I'm Mr
nobody. But one things for sure, I'm not Lazy never have been.

I would give you a medal Arthur and I bet the members of your family would too. 51years is a long time to be in harness. I hope you have a long and happy retirement and I hope you enjoy it in good health.

Many thanks DTease.