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* [[Michael Atherton]] ex-England Cricket Captain.
* [[Michael Atherton]] ex-England Cricket Captain.
* [[Benjamin Brierley]] Poet and Essayist.
* [[Benjamin Brierley]] Poet and Essayist.
Mike Hamnett musician. www.snap-dragon.org
* [[David Heyes]] MP for The Ashton under Lyne constituency.
* [[David Heyes]] MP for The Ashton under Lyne constituency.
* [[Gary Mounfield]] (Mani) of [[Stone Roses]] & [[Primal Scream]].
* [[Gary Mounfield]] (Mani) of [[Stone Roses]] & [[Primal Scream]].

Revision as of 21:46, 6 August 2007

Failsworth
PopulationExpression error: "20,555 (2001 Census)" must be numeric
OS grid referenceSD8901
Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townMANCHESTER
Postcode districtM35
Dialling code0161
PoliceGreater Manchester
FireGreater Manchester
AmbulanceNorth West
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Greater Manchester

Failsworth is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. With a total population of 20,555, it is a predominantly residential area that directly links the town of Oldham to the city of Manchester.

Whilst now a populous urban area, it was an area of unspoilt countryside until the boom of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century.

History

Little more than 300 years ago its population was over just 1,000; today it is about 20,555. Farming was the main industry of the area with villagers supplementing their meagre incomes by hand-loom weaving until the advent of cotton and the Industrial Revolution.

Governance

File:Failsworthcrest.jpg
The coat of arms of the former Failsworth Urban District council. The motto, "True worth never fails" and crest is still used in an unofficial capacity by some local organisations today.

Since 1974, Failsworth has formed part of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in Greater Manchester, having previously been an independent local government unit (Failsworth Urban District) in the administrative county of Lancashire. Failsworth contains two of the twenty wards of the Oldham Borough, Failsworth East and Failsworth West.

Failsworth formed part of the ancient ecclesiastical parish of Manchester.

Failsworth forms part of the Ashton-under-Lyne parliamentary constituency and is represented in the House of Commons by David Heyes MP.

Geography

The town is on the A62 near the A663 junction, close to junction 22 of the M60. To the west is Newton Heath, and to the east is Hollinwood. The Rochdale Canal follows the A62 as does the Oldham Loop Line.

Economy

Failsworth was once a centre for the production of hats. Manufacture began as a cottage industry before the firm of Failsworth Hats was set up in 1892 to manufacture silk hats. For a time the company operated from a factory near the former Failsworth Council offices and remains in the area to this day. Today, Failsworth's main areas of economic activities are in electrical goods manufacture (such as Russell Hobbs) by Salton Europe (formerly Pifco Ltd pre-2001), and plastic producers and distributors Hubron Limited. Many Failsworth residents work in Manchester, with many commuters choosing to live in the area because of its good transport links, including train services from Failsworth railway station on the Oldham Loop Line. There is a Morrisons on Poplar Street.

Landmarks

Failsworth Pole.

A major landmark of the area is Failsworth Pole on Oldham Road. The first 'political pole' was erected in 1793 although a local historian suggests there were others before and that maypoles probably stood on the site for centuries. The pole that now stands on the site replaces one blown down in 1950.

Following a major restoration of the Pole, clock tower and gardens in 2006 a bronze statue of Benjamin Brierley was erected in the gardens.[1]

The Failsworth Pole is not the only landmark on the A62 Oldham Road. At its junction with Ashton Road West stands the cenotaph, built in 1923 in remembrance to over 200 Failsworth men who lost their lives in the First World War. Attendances at the cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday remain high, averaging around 1500 people.[citation needed] The annual Remembrance parade is led by the Territorial Army, also based on Oldham Road. In June 2007 the War Memorial was rededicated after at £136,000 makeover by the Failsworth War Memorial Steering group, lead by local councillor, Jim McMahon and officially opened by Colonel Sir John B Timmins.

Failsworth War Memorial.
Ben Brierley Statue at Failsworth.

Despite being close to both Oldham town, and Manchester city centres Failsworth is home to the Daisy Nook Country Park.

Education

Failsworth School on Brierley Avenue is for ages 11-16. St Mary's RC primary school is on Clive Road. South Failsworth primary school is on Paddock Lane and there is Mather Street primary school.

Future developments

Failsworth is seeing regeneration in its town centre with the construction of a new Tesco superstore which, it is claimed, will bring life back into the district. This is due to open by the end of Summer 2007. As part of the redevelopment a new £2.5 million community centre will be built, together with luxury apartments overlooking the Rochdale Canal.

Transport

Failsworth is easily accessed on the roads, with the A62 linking Manchester and Oldham, the A663 with Chadderton and Royton, and the M60 motorway.

There are frequent buses running through Failsworth towards Oldham and Manchester on First Manchester's 82 and 83 services. There is also frequent services running towards Oldham and Manchester with services 180 and 184. Other destinations which can be reached from Failsworth on the bus are Ashton-under-Lyne, Chadderton, Huddersfield, Rochdale, Royton, Saddleworth and Shaw. The bus services in Failsworth are:

  • 20 Bacup - Whitworth - Rochdale - Royton - Chadderton - Manchester Express (First Manchester - Peak Times only)
  • 24 Rochdale - Royton - Chadderton - Newton Heath - Manchester (First Manchester)
  • 52 Oldham - Limeside - Failsworth - Newton Heath - Moston - Cheetham Hill - Pendleton (First Manchester) (Does not run along A62)
  • 72 Chadderton, Sportsmans - Newton Heath - Manchester (Bluebird)
  • 76 Oldham - Limeside - Failsworth - Brookdale Park - Manchester (Stagecoach Manchester) (Does not run along A62)
  • 78 Oldham - Limeside - Hollinwood - Woodhouses - Failsworth - Brookdale Park - Manchester (Bluebird) (Does not run along A62) (Evenings and Sundays only)
  • 82 Uppermill - Delph - Waterhead - Oldham - Hollinwood - Failsworth - Newton Heath - Manchester (First Manchester) (Peak time journeys to/from Uppermill)
  • 83 Sholver - Moorside - Oldham - Hollinwood - Failsworth - Newton Heath - Manchester (First Manchester)
  • 151 Chadderton - Hollinwood - New Moston - Newton Heath - Cheetham Hill - Manchester Fort Shopping Park (Bluebird)
  • 159 Oldham - Chadderton - Hollinwood - Woodhouses - Failsworth - New Moston - Middleton (Bluebird)
  • 180 Greenfield - Grotton - Lees - Oldham - Hollinwood - Failsworth - Newton Heath - Manchester (First Manchester)
  • 181 Rochdale (First Manchester only) - Shaw - Royton - Chadderton - Newton Heath - Manchester (Bluebird/First Manchester)
  • 182 Rochdale (First Manchester only) - Shaw - Royton - Royal Oldham Hospital - Chadderton - Newton Heath - Manchester (Bluebird/First Manchester)
  • 184 Huddersfield - Marsden - Diggle - Uppermill - Oldham - Hollinwood - Failsworth - Newton Heath - Manchester (First Manchester/First Calderdale & Huddersfield)
  • 396 Ashton-under-Lyne - Hathershaw - Fitton Hill - Garden Suburb - Hollinwood - Failsworth - Newton Heath (Speedwellbus) (Does not run along A62)
  • X84 Carrcote - Uppermill - Grotton - Lees - Garden Suburb - Hollinwood - Failsworth - Newton Heath - Manchester (First Manchester - Peak times only)

There is also a train station in Failsworth, which is part of the Oldham Loop line. Trains from Failsworth run towards Shaw and Crompton and Rochdale via Oldham and towards Manchester Victoria, Bolton and Wigan. There are plans to convert the train line into a Metrolink line, with conversion of the line to take place in the near future.

Notable residents

 Mike Hamnett musician. www.snap-dragon.org
  1. ^ J. McMahon and J. Crompton, The History of Failsworth Pole and the Ben Brierley Statue published June 2006.
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