Videos of Westhoughton’s history

Lostock Aerospace

David Kaye narrates the story from his extensive library of historical information

A significant part in the history of aviation during the second world war and beyond was played by De Havilland at Lostock. How it came into being and details of the development are recounted here by David Kaye.

Dedicated to our founder

Founder member and our former chair, Pam Clarke, tells us her memory of a walk in Hall Lee Bank Park many years ago.

The Town’s Historical Events

Commemoration of the 344 lives lost in the Pretoria Pit mining disaster [0h 06m]
Westhoughton Mill was burnt down in 1812 [0h 34m]
The bicentenary exhibition about the burning of the mill [0h 04m]
How Lancashire’s cotton industry developed [0h 08m]
Fun times and hard times working in a cotton mill [0h 40m]
Shopkeepers and entertainers got dressed up for the Victorian Fayre in 2012 [0h 11m]

Improving Westhoughton Station

Westhoughton railway station opened in 1848. It became a part of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. These days it is largely a commuter station on the Manchester/Bolton – Wigan line. This video is a contemporary look at how the station has been brightened up by the Friends of Westhoughton Station.

[0h 30m]

Another video coming soon

Video

Compliments of WLHG

[0h 15m]

Interviews with our senior citizens

note: these interviews are up to an hour long

Elsie Atkinson and Rita Fairhurst recount their days in a cotton mill [0h 31m]
The Manchester Overspill comes to Westhoughton [0h 58m]
Action with the Royal Air Force during World War 2 [0h 41m]
Fun times and hard times growing up in Westhoughton [1h 01m]