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One of this year’s field walks, on 21st
June 2009, will be around Tockholes. Although the village is outside the
boundaries of Chorley Borough, it is only just over the border, and has
some fascinating links to Chorley and District.
The manor house for Tockholes was at Hollinshead Hall. One of the
leading figures in late 18th century Chorley was John Hollinshead. He
was responsible for the development of Hollinshead Street, gave Chorley
its first Town Hall, financed canal development, and was involved in
coal mining and stone quarrying. When he died in 1802 he was Lord of the
Manor of Tockholes and owner of Hollinshead Hall.
In 1826 there were riots, disturbances and attacks on mills and
factories by Loom-Breakers from East Lancashire. One of the main
incidents was an attack on Hilton’s Mill in Water Street, Chorley, run
by Harrison and Lightoller. The meeting that plotted that attack took
place in Tockholes; one of the “Captains” of the plotters was Thomas
Sharples, a Tockholes handloom weaver; the attackers gathered on the
moors by Tockholes and were led by Sharples who was familiar with the
many lanes and tracks to guide the attackers clear of the Blackburn to
Chorley turnpike.
One of the more famous sons of Tockholes was Alfred Ephraim Eccles.
Those of you who joined Boyd’s field walk last year will remember that
he was the White Coppice mill-owner and Lancashire Temperance Reformer.
He was born in Tockholes in 1830. His father had built the first cotton
mill in Darwen. His grandfather had manufactured cotton cloth for Sir
Robert Peel senior to print.
John Harrison |
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