Displays that give a rare insight into town’s history

TWO displays running at Warrington Museum and Art Gallery are giving residents a rare insight into the town’s history.
“William Charnock’s Diary”, situated in local studies and archives, celebrates the completion of a transcription project undertaken by the Warrington U3A Family History Transcription Group.
The group has painstakingly transcribed a diary written by a working class Victorian gentleman called William Charnock who was a Warrington resident, and whose diary dating to 1886, sheds light on the life of a working class man during this period.
Within the display, visitors can see the original handwritten diary, museum collections used to illustrate William’s story, a copy of William’s family tree and photographs of some of the public houses he frequented.
“Manchester Ship Canal 125” marks 125 years since the opening to traffic of the waterway which has been essential to the commercial growth of the North West.
The canal has handled a wide range of ships and cargoes, ranging from coastal vessels to inter-European and intercontinental cargo liners.
The enormous feat of Victorian engineering took seven years to complete and is claimed to be the largest river navigation canal in the world.
To find out more about the canal visit Warrington Museum and Art Gallery before Saturday August 31; William Charnock’s Diary runs until Saturday July 27.
Admission is free.