Description
Industrial wasteland with the parish church visible in the distance. This is now the site of Trinity Retail Park.
Wasteland By Humphrey Spender - November 1937
- Copyright Bolton Council
- Image ref. 1993.83.10.39
- Page author:
Have you any memories, new information or corrections relating to this picture?
Could this be a more a case of land creation than land gone to waste? The hieght of the man hole brickwork and cover (right of centre) would suggest the surrounding area was ro be made up to that level. The photo was probably taken at least 15 years(?) before St Peter’s Way or the retail park were thought of.
The only industry in the immediate area was Springfield Paper Mill (shown), together with cottages, between the Croal and the canal and Rose Hill Colliery on Manchester Road, between Rose Hill and Scholey Street. The colliery had closed in the early/mid 1930’s and the site was used as a car/coach park for Burnden Park until that area was developed for retail (MFI/Fab?? Now Screwfix, etc)
The photographer is stood on the slope of the colliery spoil tip.
The skyline shows some prominent features, from left to right:-
houses on Westbrook Street,
Bolton Parish Church tower,
River Street Mill lift tower,
houses in Lower Bridgeman Street,
The Art School in Hilden Street,
Chadwick Orphanage tower in Bromwich Street.
The white building above the canal embankment is the pavillion of the Bolton Borough Police Sports and Social Club bowling green, football and cricket pitches, which extended along bromwich Street to Strawbwerry Hill Road. Bolton Wanderers used it as a training ground.
Thank you for the additional detail Peter