IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Main Street, MANCHESTER, M35 9PD

This photo shows the sign at the South end of Main Street M35 9PD near Ashton Road West. It has the coat of arms of the former Failsworth Urban District Council which disappeared on the 1st April 1974 when it was included in the new Metropolitan Borough of Oldham.

Ben Brierley (1825-1896), a renowned Lancashire dialect poet, was born in a house not far from this statue, which has been erected in a small public garden area in the historic heart of Failsworth.

I do not know why this house is triangular and has such an elaborate date perched above its shortest side. There is no indication of a former use such as a Co-op. It may simply have had to fit into a certain available space.

The facade of this house has been given generally ornate brick treatment overall. On the right of the roof can be seen the back of its flamboyantly styled date pediment.

Looking north west.

This sculpture of Ben Brierley by Denise Dutton was unveiled at Failsworth in 2006 Image It is based on an earlier sculpture by John Cassidy which had once stood in Queen's Park http://www.johncassidy.org.uk/brierley.html but which was lost due to the various ravages of time. For more information on the writer see Gerald Massey's website: http://gerald-massey.org.uk/brierley/

The plaque at the base of the sculpture of Ben Brierley Image reads: True Worth Never Fails BEN BRIERLEY 1825 - 1896 by Denise Dutton presented to the people of Failsworth on 14 June 2006 by Councillor Jim McMahon and John Crompton, Chairman, Failsworth Historical Society OLDHAM Metropolitan Borough.

These cottage-style houses look out on to a small public garden area in the historic heart of Failsworth. The church spire is that of St. John the Evangelist.

The bronze plaque on the east side of the Failsworth Pole was produced by H Carr & Son. It reads: FAILSWORTH CLOCK TOWER THIS CLOCK TOWER WITH A REPLICA OF THE ORIGINAL POLE WAS ERECTED TO REPLACE THE FORMER WOODEN POLES AS A PERMANENT FEATURE OF THE URBAN DISTRICT AND WAS INAUGURATED. TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE ON THE 15TH MAY 1958. It is followed by a list of councilors: Ronald Ord (Chairman); J Fogarty (Chairman of Parks Committee); G.A. Hughes (Chairman of Pole Lane Site Committe); R Aldcroft; G E Edge; D Simcock; J Stamhope; Dr F D Bacon; H Jones; F H Sledge; C E Tucker; J H Bell; D Makinson; R Smith Jnr; G F Wilson; and also E D Turner (Engineer and Surveyor); John Walton (Clerk and Solicitor)