Failsworth

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Failsworth
Failsworth Pole
Failsworth shown within Greater Manchester
Population	20,555 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference	SD895015
- London	163 mi (262 km) SSE
Metropolitan borough	Oldham
Metropolitan county	Greater Manchester
Region	North West
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	MANCHESTER
Postcode district	M35
Dialling code	0161
Police	Greater Manchester
Fire	Greater Manchester
Ambulance	North West
European Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	Ashton-under-Lyne
List of places: UK • England • Greater Manchester

Coordinates: 53°30′37″N 2°09′27″W / 53.510282, -2.157593

Failsworth is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. Lying on undulating ground by the River Medlock and the Rochdale Canal, it is 2.7 miles (4.3 km) west-northwest of Ashton-under-Lyne, 2.9 miles (4.7 km) south-southwest of Oldham and 4.2 miles (6.8 km) to the east-northeast of Manchester City Centre. The orbital M60 motorway bisects the town diagonally from northwest to southeast. Failsworth had a total population of 20,555 in 2001.

Historically a part of Lancashire, until the 19th century Failworth was a small agricultural township linked, ecclesiastically, with the parish of Manchester. Farming was the main industry of the area with locals supplementing their incomes by hand-loom weaving until the introduction of cotton manufacture via the Industrial Revolution which facilitated process of unplanned urbanisation giving rise to Failsworth as a mill town.

Failsworth's major landmark is the Failsworth Pole—a maypole which occupies the site of several former political poles. Daisy Nook is a country park at Failsworth's southern boundary with Droylsden. Notable residents of Failsworth have included the poet and writer Benjamin Brierley, who was born and raised by a weaving family.

[edit] History

Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.

^[1]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.

Failsworth is generally seen as the town linking Oldham to Manchester yet it was countryside until comparatively recent times and the boom of the Industrial Revolution.

^[2]In 1745 Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed overnight at the Bulls Head Public House, Oldham Road.

In 1914 the regular Daisy Nook Easter Fair ceased due to the outbreak of war, but reopened in 1920.

In 2007 the new Tesco Extra superstore opened in the Town Centre

[edit] Governance

The coat of arms of the former Failsworth Urban District council.

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 East covers the districts of Higher Failsworth, Wrigley Head, Woodhouse Green and the village of Woodhouses and Failsworth West covers the district of Lower Failsworth. The wards are each represented by three councillors, 2 Labour and one Conservative in each ward, Aileen Bell (Lab), Glenys Butterworth (Lab), Paul O'Martin (Con), Peter Dean (Lab), Ian McBarkerford (Con), and Jim McMahon (Lab).^[3][4]

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.

[edit] Geography

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

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.^[5]

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.

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

[edit] 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. Higher Failsworth primary school is located on Stansfield Road, and St John's C of E Junior School (ages 7-11) is located on James Street.

[edit] Church

New Life Church on Thorley Street off Pole Lane New Life Church is a family church based in Failsworth and our culture is centred on being ‘Passionate about God and passionate about people’. New Life Church is here to serve and support our community and to express God’s love to a world that needs it.

[edit] 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 opened at 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.

[edit] Transport

A British Rail Class 142 train passing at Failsworth railway station.

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 and Crompton.

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.

[edit] Twin Town

In 1974, Failsworth Urban District Council established formal twinning arrangements between Failsworth and Landsberg am Lech, in Bavaria, Germany.^[6]

[edit] Notable people

Benjamin Brierley statue at Failsworth.

• Michael Atherton ex-England Cricket Captain.
• Benjamin Brierley Poet and Essayist.
• David Heyes MP for The Ashton under Lyne constituency.
• Gary Mounfield (Mani) of Stone Roses & Primal Scream.
• Dale Longworth of N-Trance.
• Agyness Deyn
• Abbie Reed & Anders Rusden, members of AR-AR.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• www.carnival.failsworth.info, Official website of the famous Failsworth Carnival.
• www.failsworth.org, The independent voice of Failsworth with lively forums.
• www.failsworth.info, Original Failsworth Website since 2003, run by the Labour Action Team
• www.failsworthfirst.co.uk, Website of the local Conservatives.
• www.failsworthcommunityband.com, Website of the Failsworth Community Band.
• www.newlife-church.co.uk, Website of the New Life Church Failworth.