Eight facts about Warrington that you may not know

WARRINGTON History Society meets monthly for people who are interested in the history of the town and it has guest lecturers visit to share their insight.

The society’s website contains 11 fascinating facts about Warrington that you might not be aware of – even if you have lived here for a long time.
Warrington Worldwide has picked eight of our favourites.

1) Former Warrington Mayor Arthur Bennett was often nicknamed Warrington’s Dreamer as back in 1925 he wanted to establish an airport and seaport in the town. He even established a committee to explore the ideas. Long after his death, the Burtonwood Airbase was regarded as a regional airbase until subsidence from Bold colliery stopped the plans in its tracks.
Warrington is still a shipping route with boats passing through the Manchester Ship Canal so it’s not perhaps such an outlandish idea.

2) A bellringer, named Hamlet Savage, was paid three shillings (the equivalent of 15 pence) a week in 1863 to ring a bell in the town centre from 5.55am to 6am Monday to Saturday to wake up workers and two hours later on a Sunday for those attending church. He also had to ring the bell on every evening between 8pm and 8.05pm, with further ringings from 10.45pm to 11pm on Saturdays and between 9.45pm to 10pm on Sundays.
The town bell still rings out today in the tower of Trinity Church at Market Gate – but it chimes automatically.
3) The town used to be a major hub for glassmaking between 1780 and 1820 and pressed glass was a particular speciality. Among the key figures were Thomas Glazebrook, Edward Boulton, Peter Seaman, Josiah Perrin and the Cartwright family. They operated from Bank Quay, Cockhedge and Orford Lane.
Manchester’s booming population led to the industry moving there with most of the craftsmen employed there having perfected their skills in Warrington.
4) A Shakespeare play may have been performed in Warrington. The performance of Henry VIII took place on Sunday May 6, 1632, in the loft of a Warrington ale house after nine men purchased a can of ale (the equivalent of several pints).
As the play was performed during the hours of divine service, the nine men involved in the performance were arrested by churchwardens and Warrington’s constables. They admitted performing a play called ‘Henery the Eaight’ and were prosecuted. The claim has never been disproven.
5) An entry in the Anglo-Saxon chronicle dating back to AD 924 recorded Edward the Elder ‘went with his levies to Thelwall’ to have a fortress built, settled and garrisoned.
This has led to the popular claim of the suburb to be a bona fide city. But, according to Warrington Historical Society, no trace of the fort has ever emerged. The location of Warrington’s ancient ford is three miles from Thelwall at Blackbear Bridge in Latchford.
But to add to the confusion, some Victorian maps show this area to be a ‘detached part’ of the parish of Thelwall.
6) Warrington was the first town in the UK to open a rate-supported public library, back in 1848. A private library had operated from the Horsemarket Street premises of printer William Eyres since 1760. It was known as the Warrington Circulating Library and was mostly used by tutors from Warrington Academy.
An unrelated library service, Warrington Perambulating Library, is recognised as one of the first mobile libraries in the country, established by the town’s Mechanics’ Institute in 1858, using a travelling one-horse cart to transport the books.
7) Warrington employed the then tallest police officer in England back in 1932. PC Albert Puffett was 6ft 9.5in tall and was often seen walking the beat and directing traffic in the town centre.
And Warrington was one of the last forces to reduce its height requirements from 6ft for police officers. Although PC Puffett was the tallest PC back in the 1930s, his record has been surpassed now.
8) Many people are aware of the ‘moving’ of the old Academy Building from Bridge Foot to Bridge Streer in the town centre 44 years ago.
But there is a lesser known relocation which took place in the town. The building was a stable block belonging to Orford Tannery in 1906.
The tannery was short of cash so a local builder, Harry Fairclough, moved the entire company across a road using beams, horses and manpower.
Unlike the Academy, which had to be rebuilt once the dust settled on its move, the old stable block was moved without a hitch.
https://warringtonhistorysociety.uk