Heritage Pages 1 (of 3) - Parts 1 to 23 (of 92)
Part 1 - Heritage Home - This page discusses the relationship between the Sutton township and the town of St.Helens.
Part 2 - Sutton’s Lords & Masters - The history of the 'lords and masters' or people of influence in old Sutton. Included are the two William Blinkhorns (managers of Sutton Glassworks), Arthur Sinclair (Mayor of St.Helens), William Roby Pilkington (Lord of the Manor of Sutton), Holland family, Eltonheads, Daresburys, Norreys and the Bolds.
Part 3 - Michael Hughes - In the latter annals of Sutton's history, the name of Michael Hughes of of Sherdley Hall appears regularly as the three Michaels dominated life in Sutton for 150 years. The original copper industrialist and his son and grandson were land owners, employers, benefactors and patrons with numerous tenants.
Part 4 - Michael Hughes Quotes - A selection of quotes from correspondence from 1911 to 1918 between Michael Hughes (or his wife Edith) and their Sherdley Estate Agent, Dr. Henry Baker Bates of Sutton Hall. The Hughes's often wintered abroad and also spent much of their time at their Thornham Hall estate near Eye in Suffolk. The couple regularly sent letters to Dr. Bates in which they responded to his questions on estate business, described their lives and shared their strong opinions on events and politics.
Part 5 - The Sherdley Estate - This page describes the Sherdley estate in Sutton with articles on Sherdley Hall, Costeth House, Sutton Hall, Sutton Grange & Choccy Hill, the Roughley Coat of Arms and Sherdley Delph. An appendix to this page is 'The Remarkable Life of Photographer R.G. Brook'. This article describes the ironmonger who took many photographs of the two Sherdley Halls.
Part 6 - Sutton’s Halls & Houses - This heritage page describes some notable halls, houses and homes within the Sutton district. Separate articles are devoted to Bold Hall, St. Michael's House, Brook House, Green End House, Middlehurst House Farm, Ellam's House (a.k.a. Tripe Shaws) and Ravenhead House.
Part 7 - Dr. Henry Baker Bates - This page is dedicated to this remarkable man who was much loved by Sutton folk as their doctor and councillor, Sherdley Estate agent and four-times Mayor of St.Helens during the war years. The St.Helens Reporter in their 1940 obituary described him as the "uncrowned king of Sutton". In recognition of his services Dr. Bates was made a freeman of the St.Helens Borough and awarded the CBE.
Part 8 - Religion in Sutton Part 1 - Apart from an introductory article on the history of religion in the Sutton & Bold district, this page is devoted exclusively to the Church of England Parish Churches. Although its main focus is St.Nicholas in New Street, the history of All Saints church in Ellamsbridge Road is also covered in some depth, along with the other places of worship.
Part 9 - Religion in Sutton Part 2 - The second and third parts in the history of religion series concentrate on Roman Catholic places of worship within the Sutton district with part 2 exclusively devoted to St.Anne's Church, Monastery & Convent.
Part 10 - Religion in Sutton Part 3 - This second Roman Catholic page is devoted to the history of the church of St.Theresa of the Child Jesus in Sutton Manor (also known as The Little Flower) and St.Joseph's in Peasley Cross.
Part 11 - Religion in Sutton Part 4 - The fourth religion page has articles on a) Welsh Chapels (inc. Sutton Oak) & the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel; b) Independent Methodist Chapel in Herbert Street & Emmanuel Mission in Helena Road; c) Other Chapels including the Congregational Church, St.Helens Junction Railway Mission, Sutton Baptist Mission, Primitive Methodist Connexion chapel and a Sutton Manor Methodist Mission.
Part 12 - Rev. Henry Vallancey - The first Vicar of Sutton Parish, Henry Edward Francis Vallancey, was an influential figure during the second half of the 19th century. He ministered to the denizens of his parish for a remarkable thirty-nine years and was also the driving force behind the creation of Sutton National Schools. However, the long-standing Sutton cleric concealed a secret throughout the four decades that he served his Sutton flock, as he was the father of twin, illegitimate sons.
Part 13 - Education in Sutton - This page features articles on Henry Vallancey and his Sutton National Schools, Sutton 'Nash' during the 20th century, Marshalls Cross Infants School and Clock Face School / St.Aidan's. There is also an article on the history of Sutton library, which was first opened in Sutton Road before moving to Carnegie Crescent.
Part 14 - Robins Lane School Part 1 - This is a 5-part history of Robins Lane Secondary Modern and Sutton High, which also includes the infants and junior schools. Part 1 covers the period from 1909 to 1969 and is illustrated by 17 photographs. The page includes Doris Gee's plays, hobbies days, success in the St.Helens Inter-Schools Athletics competition and other sports, awarding of wrist watches for good attendances and the creation of a single mixed school.
Part 15 - Robins Lane School Part 2 - This is a 5-part history of Robins Lane Secondary Modern and Sutton High, which also includes the infants and junior schools. Part 2 covers the period from 1970 - 1979 and is illustrated by 20 photographs. The page includes sporting and dramatic successes and a new head for the secondary school. Plus a sports centre, talking newspaper, annexe in Elton Head Road and a change of name.
Part 16 - Sutton High School Part 1 - This is a 5-part history of Robins Lane Secondary Modern and Sutton High, which also includes the infants and junior schools. Part 3 covers the period from 1980 - 1989 and is illustrated by 16 photographs. The page includes descriptions of the school nature reserve, protracted staff dispute with the headmaster, a student Town Hall protest, threat to axe the school's sixth form and a murder.
Part 17 - Sutton High School Part 2 - This is a 5-part history of Robins Lane Secondary Modern and Sutton High, which also includes the infants and junior schools. Part 4 covers the period from 1990 - 1999 and is illustrated by 14 photographs. The page includes descriptions of a new arts centre, a terrible fire and the closure and demolition of the Robins Lane secondary site. Plus great academic success, along with an extension of the school’s charity and community work.
Part 18 - Sutton High School Part 3 - This is a 5-part history of Robins Lane Secondary Modern and Sutton High, which also includes the infants and junior schools. Part 5 covers the period from 2000 - 2013 and is illustrated by 13 photographs. The page includes two name changes for the secondary school, several changes of head, a ‘Notice to Improve’, diamond jubilee party, centenary exhibition and a £8 million investment in a fabulous new building.
Part 19 - St. Anne's RC School - This page documents the history of St Anne's, the only 19th century school in Sutton to have continued into the 21st century. Some of the information and images have been sourced from the personal collection of photographs and cuttings belonging to John Duffy, the longstanding headmaster of St.Anne's. A former pupil of the school, Duffy joined its staff in 1909 and was made headteacher four years later at the young age of 24, only retiring in 1950.
Part 20 - Industry in Sutton Part 1 - Separate articles are devoted to Clay, Pottery and Brickworks, Glassmaking in Sutton, Sutton Rolling Mill & Copper Works, Chemical & Alkali Works (which also includes Sidac, Leathers etc.) and Crone & Taylor Bone Crushers.
Part 21 - Industry in Sutton Part 2 - This second Industry page contains articles on Iron Works and Engineering Firms, Locomotive Makers (Edward Borrows & Sons and John Cross & Co.), plus an article entitled Other Sutton Works.
Part 22 - Industry in Sutton Part 3 – Sutton Mill - This third Industry page is exclusively devoted to relating the history of Sutton Mill, which was a water and steam-powered corn mill situated off Mill Brow. The page discusses the Lamb family, who were closely associated with Sutton Mill, with a number of members serving as millers.
Part 23 - Industry in Sutton Part 4 – Crone & Taylor - For almost 100 years Crone & Taylor was a major industrial concern in Sutton Oak, initially producing fertilisers along with animal feed, before re-inventing themselves during the 1940s as an engineering business making mechanical handling equipment – such as mobile conveyors for the gas industry – before switching focus to the coal industry.
This website is written and researched by Stephen R. Wainwright ©MMXX Contact Me