 It
was the end of an era in July 2002 when Wingates Independent Methodist
Church on the corner of Manchester Road and Dixon Road was demolished.
The Church was very important in the history of
Westhoughton and in the history of Wingates Band, which originated at
the church in 1873. Developers demolishing the church found a time
capsule buried under the foundation stone in 1871. The glass bottle,
sealed with a cork, contained a report by Alfred Roscoe who opened the
building, newspapers including Bolton Guardian dated June 24th, 1871 a
copy of the Independent Methodist magazine and a church plan for the
half-year. The time capsule has been donated to the Library for display
in the Westhoughton exhibition space. Already on display are memorial
stones from the church including one commemorating men from the church
killed in the Pretoria Pit disaster in 1910. |
