Farnworth Town Hall, Farnworth - September 2012
Having been left stumped by Farnworth's only other 'high' offering, I decided to have a little look at the Town Hall building. Some nice little architectural details including a carved stone panel with the District Council's Coat of Arms, a central cupola atop a hipped slate roof. The building is smooth red brick with ashlar sandstone dressings.
History
Farnworth Town Hall has been a focal point of the community and a hub of local democracy for more than a century.
Designed by Farnworth Council engineer W J Lomas, the Grade II-listed hall was built by T E Coope for £10,000 and opened in 1909 after a grand civic ceremony. For the previous 43 years, 22 council representatives had to squeeze into a room in Darley Street measuring 14ft by 30ft for their monthly meetings.
The town hall housed most of Farnworth Council’s staff and provided the town’s 18 local elected representatives with a council chamber, committee rooms and a mayor’s parlour. The building staged council meetings until the mid 1980s when decision-making powers were transferred to Bolton. It has since been used for community meetings and for Citizens Advice Bureau drop-in sessions. It is currently being refurbished.
The town hall boasts a portrait of local man Thomas Bonsor Crompton. Crompton was well known for the extent of his transactions as a paper manufacturer and cotton spinner. Perceiving what an eligible site Farnworth presented for manufacturing purposes, he obtained a lease from the Duke of Bridgewater, and built a paper mill and bleach works - giving birth to the growth of Farnworth from a rural village to an industrial town.
tweek
Having been left stumped by Farnworth's only other 'high' offering, I decided to have a little look at the Town Hall building. Some nice little architectural details including a carved stone panel with the District Council's Coat of Arms, a central cupola atop a hipped slate roof. The building is smooth red brick with ashlar sandstone dressings.
History
Farnworth Town Hall has been a focal point of the community and a hub of local democracy for more than a century.
Designed by Farnworth Council engineer W J Lomas, the Grade II-listed hall was built by T E Coope for £10,000 and opened in 1909 after a grand civic ceremony. For the previous 43 years, 22 council representatives had to squeeze into a room in Darley Street measuring 14ft by 30ft for their monthly meetings.
The town hall housed most of Farnworth Council’s staff and provided the town’s 18 local elected representatives with a council chamber, committee rooms and a mayor’s parlour. The building staged council meetings until the mid 1980s when decision-making powers were transferred to Bolton. It has since been used for community meetings and for Citizens Advice Bureau drop-in sessions. It is currently being refurbished.
The town hall boasts a portrait of local man Thomas Bonsor Crompton. Crompton was well known for the extent of his transactions as a paper manufacturer and cotton spinner. Perceiving what an eligible site Farnworth presented for manufacturing purposes, he obtained a lease from the Duke of Bridgewater, and built a paper mill and bleach works - giving birth to the growth of Farnworth from a rural village to an industrial town.
tweek
Last edited:
