A Fact File with Skelmersdale Heritage.

Historians, sleuths, and overall lovers of our town, the Skelmersdale Heritage Society is a group of volunteers who uncover the insights and hidden gems of Skelmersdale’s past. A non-profit organisation with over eighty members, a regular “Skemcast” and newsletter, and plans for in-person talks restarting soon, the society aims to preserve and share the history of Skelmersdale, the old and the new. They share stories, pictures, and histories on their amazing Facebook page, and their work is inspiring to say the least!

In early August, we at About the Town got in touch with Skelmersdale Heritage Society after we came into possession of some old photographs, courtesy of a member of Bev’s family, and they came to have a look. After a discussion and scanning session, we found some interesting facts about the old and new town, which we’ve compiled for you in semi-chronological order. 

• Time for About the Town History class! (About the Time? We’ll workshop it…)

• Believe it or not, Skelmersdale is nearly a thousand years old! To put this in perspective, the new town is only around fifty. That would date Skelmersdale to around the 1000’s or so, or Anglo Saxon times.

• Skelmersdale was built primarily on coal mines, but they were closed during the nineteenth century. Reportedly, a large explosion killed two workers, which was the catalyst for this closure. So now, all that’s left is a few creepy shafts beneath us and a lot of mysteries. 

• The area of Skelmersdale, known as ‘Stormy Corner,’ now an industrial estate, was once was a village of its own, complete with a school, two pubs, and grand plans to build a hospital. The plans didn’t seem to go through, though, and the area was a wasteland for the greater part of the last few years until its rebirth.

• A passenger train line ran through Skelmersdale for a while, with its own station, established in the 1800s, but it was cut in 1951. This was before the new town’s insurgence, ironically, and was done so due to government “Beeching Cuts,” which was meant to make the rail system more efficient and modern, with the competition of road transport systems leaving the need for it dwindling. Where the train station once was, is now aptly named “Railway Road,” near the JMO Sports Park. 

• The new town began its creation in 1964, with the idea that it would be a self-sustaining community. However, this became a problem when no real facilities were established once the houses were built; only Sandy Lane at the time had anything the community needed! 

• Our beloved Concourse was opened officially in 1973 by Liverpool comedian Ken Dodd. 

Once again, a big thank you to the Skelmersdale Heritage Society for chatting with us about all these facts! If you’re interested in learning more, have something to show them, or just saying hi, follow their Facebook page @skemheritage, tune into their Skemcast, or keep a lookout for in-person talks and events scheduled soon that you can visit and engage with!