Westhoughton

Template:Infobox England place Westhoughton is a small former mining and cotton town which lies between Bolton and Wigan. It forms part of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Lancashire and constitutes a civil parish with a town council. The parish had a population of 23,056 according to the 2001 census. The town is served by both Westhoughton railway station and Daisy Hill railway station.

Until 1974 Westhoughton was an urban district with considerable independence from its then administrative county of Lancashire.

Westhoughton has the sad distinction of having had the worst English coal-mining disaster. In December 1910, 344 men and boys lost their lives at the Pretoria Pit [1]. For Britain, only the Welsh Senghenydd mining disaster (which claimed 439 lives surpassed this terrible death-toll [2].

Westhoughton as well as the central town area, is made up of several "villages" which have (or at least had) their own distinctive character, sports traditions, amenities including railway stations, these include: Wingates (famous for its Brass Band), Fourgates, Chequerbent which was all but totally destoyed by the building of a motorway, Daisy Hill, and Hilton House. Westhoughton had for many years its own parliamentary constituency but is now included in Bolton West.

Etymology

Originally, Westhoughton was called Westhelcthon in 1240, and Westhalghton in 1327.

Westhoughton is known locally as keaw yed city, a term meaning "Cow's head" in the dialect of Lancashire. The origin of this name is debated, and several explanations have been proffered. The most widely believed is a pastoral tale, describing the actions of a local farmer whose cow had accidentally lodged its head in a gate: considering the price of the gate and the comparative prices of a dead or living cow, the animal was decapitated, an action seen by inhabitants of surrounding villages as barbaric and lacking rationality or intelligence, despite the aforementioned reasoning. The term 'Keaw yed' was subsequently coined as a derogatory phrase describing a person of Westhoughton and their associated stupidity. In a more modern context, inhabitants of Westhoughton take a mixed reaction to the term; some see it still as a slanderous allusion to cerebral inferiority, whereas many have adopted the term as a point of pride and heritage. This opinion has become manifest in the town's symbol, the head of a cow. This is the most popular story, possibly because of a photograph existing depicting a scene at the farmer's gate.

Another explanation derives from the practice of the inhabitants of Westhoughton challenging those of Daisy Hill, a small village nearby, for the dubious trophy of the head of the cow eaten at a festival: the victors, those of Westhoughton, were dubbed 'Keaw yeds' by the latter. Yet another manifests itself in the form of the 'Bone Club', who on Wakes Mondays carried the bones of a cows head adorned with regalia to various public houses.

Keaw Yed festival takes place in Westhoughton on the 24 August each year.

The head of a cow appears on several buildings and plaques around the town and most prominently on the clock tower of St Bartholomew's parish church of which there are four, each one facing in a different direction - the saint being the patron saint of butchers. There is actually a plaque above the market hall in Westhoughton to this.

Another term often used to describe somebody born in Westhoughton is "Howfener". In reference to the traditionally loud and vociferous nature of 'Howfeners' (probably derogatory, reminscent of the Keaw Yed tale), it is said that "a true Westhoughtoner could whisper across field".

Robert Shaw - Hollywood Actor and Writer

Born on King Street, Westhoughton, Lancashire in 1927, he most notably appeared in Steven Spielberg's Jaws and the James Bond film, From Russia With Love, amongst others. Robert Shaw is fondly remembered as one of the town's sons. A plaque on Westhoughton Town Hall commemorates him and his works. The J D Wetherspoon chain of Free Houses has also named its Westhoughton branch on Market Street, situated opposite King Street, after the actor.

Political makeup of the town

Westhoughton is represented by six councillors on the borough council of Bolton. There are two borough wards - Westhoughton North and Westhoughton South. There are also twelve town councillors representing Westhoughton, on Westhoughton Town Council. The Liberal Democrats control the Town Council and hold five out of the six borough seats.

Schools in Westhoughton

Primary Schools

• St. Thomas' CE,
• Westhoughton CP School,
• The Gates,
• Parochial,
• Sacred Heart RC,
• Washacre Primary School

Secondary School

• Westhoughton High School (Specialist Technology College)

Further Education

• Westhoughton High School Sixth Form

Famous People From Westhoughton

• Nicky Hunt - Footballer
• Robert Shaw - Hollywood actor
• Mike Watkinson
• Maxine Peake
• Martin Sheehan

References

• Parish of Westhoughton, Lancashire
• More information and photos of Westhoughton