The Bailiff Bridge Fountain .....just a faded memory!

The Bailiff Bridge Fountain .....just a faded memory!

Here is the Bailiff Bridge fountain and drinking trough which was formally handed over to the Hipperholme Urban District Council to be custodians of it.  LadyJanet Firth, the wife fo Sir Algernon Firth of T.F.Firth Manufacturing Co Ltd, who donated and presented it left a sum of money to ensure that it would not become a financial burden to the rate payers. 

Sadly, by 1962 the authorities decided that it was a road hazard and had to go. Now it would have been a nice gesture for it to have been rebuilt in the memorial park. But no having cost £500 pounds to remove and it was as many people know placed on a council depot, as they described it to me when i rang the council. To the casual passerby it did resemble a tip, made up of material that would be possibly used as hardcore for road repairs.

Bailiff Bridge School town centre market mural 11.12.1990.  

Bailiff Bridge school students with their completed mural that was to be placd on the canalside Walk of the new market December 11, 1990

Their choice of subject for the mural was to re-create the Bailiff Bridge fountain scene which shows all the children having probably what was to be their only ever photograph taken. 

Bailiffe Bridge fountain remains inscription stone post 1962

A photograph of all that remained on the council depot which is / was situated near to the junction of Rookes Lane and Whitehall Road (A58)           I took this photograph almost 35 years ago.

1 comment

  • Dave Lister

    Dave Lister - Thursday, 23 July 2020

    I don't suppose that the inscription stone survived Chris? If so could be put in the memorial park at Bailiffe.

Leave a comment

London Light Music Meetings Group

Broadnib Music

Harrison Lord - art, photography, framing

Wigan FM

Wythenshawe Radio 97.2

Brass Band Radio (York)

Tempo FM Wetherby

Phoenix Radio 96.7FM

Preston Hospital Radio

Radio Christmas - Charity Festive Radio Station

Sounds of Brass logo

BAM Web Radio

Drystone Radio

World FM

Radio 88FM

Lionheart Radio 107.3FM

Oldham Community Radio