Golborne
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Golborne is a town located in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester. It was until the 1974 local government reorganisation part of Lancashire. Golborne is listed by the Post Office, however, as being part of Warrington and lies mainly in the WA3 postal code area.
Population
Golborne has a population of around 30,000 people. The population is made up of many older people who have lived in Golborne all of their lives and in recent years, many former inhabitants of Liverpool and Manchester have settled in Golborne, many continuing to commute to work in these places as well as in nearby Warrington and Wigan. There are also many families which have lived in the area for generations.History
Golborne's name is derived from gold bourne, referring to the golden flowers that used to grow by the banks of the Millingford Brook.The town was referred to in the Domesday book. The town owed most of its early growth to the mining industry.
Much of the population growth occurred in the 1970s and 1980s, when the town largely developed as a satellite town for the nearby towns of Warrington and Wigan. In addition many inhabitants moved in from the nearby cities of Liverpool and Manchester.
In the late 1970s there was an explosion at the town's Colliery which took the lives of some of the miners. The colliery closed around 10 years later in 1989. The location of the former colliery is known locally as the 'Bonk' and is now used as a recreation area.
For some years there has been an on-going campaign to re-open the town's former railway station, which could potentially enable passengers to reach Wigan and Warrington in as little as 10 minutes. The plans seem recently to have been shelved, in favour of further development of residential areas.
Economy
Landmarks
The parish church of Golborne is St Thomas Church. Peter Kane Square and memorial clock.
A monument signifying a village's contribution to Lancashire's coal mining industry was unveiled and dedicated. On Sunday, March 19 the Rector of Golborne the Rev Robert Williams officiated at a service in Kidglove Road at what was the entrance to Golborne Colliery beside the inscribed memorial stone.
The service was attended by ex-miners and their families are invited to the event which is the fruition of two years of fund-raising to erect the six feet by three feet stone which was commissioned in memory of men and women who died and worked at Golborne Colliery which opened in 1880 and closed in 1989.
The memorial was the idea of Golborne Ex-Miners Association who staged a series of concerts to help towards the cost of the stone. Also funding was received from a community chest grant from Wigan Council, Alpla (UK) Ltd of Golborne and The Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation.
Photograph from the Lowton Websites Collection March 2006.
Famous Haydock Race Course is also nearby, and is located in Golborne, and neighbouring town Ashton-in-Makerfield, and not Haydock as the name suggests.
Famous residents
- Liverpool and Bolton Wanderers striker, and England World Cup Winner of 1966, Roger Hunt was born in the town just before the outbreak of World War II in 1938.
- Former WWF and WCW professional wrestler Davey Boy Smith was born in Golborne.
- World Flyweight Champion Boxer (1938-1943) Peter Kane lived in Golborne and recently a new town square on the high street was named after him.
- Wigan Warriors Rugby League star Danny Tickle is from Golborne.
Web Site http://www.golborne.ipfox.com
External links
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