The Anne Hurst Collection
Anne grew up in Wigan and has strong family connections with Standish. She has kindly donated material to be digitised and displayed here.
Her grandfather was James Martland Ainscough from Standish, onetime mayor of Wigan. He chaired the committee that erected the Cenotaph in Wigan Parish Churchyard. He worked closely with Giles Gilbert Scott on this, and later took his advice on laying out the Market Place in Standish.
He was an accomplished antiquarian and good friends with fellow antiquarians, Cannon TC Porteus and A J Hawkes the Borough Librarian. The collection includes JM Ainscough’s biography written by his daughter.
Anne’s great grandfather was JB Almond, the brewer based in Standish. He owned and supplied a string of public houses in the area and had sufficient wealth to live at Standish Hall and build The Beeches on School Lane. His daughter Margaret married JM Ainscough, bringing the two prominent Standish families together.
JM Ainscough built up the Pendlebury Department Store in Wigan, as the Managing Director, and his daughter Dorothy married Gerald Pendlebury. They were Anne’s Father and Mother.
I was introduced to Anne by Bill Aldridge when I was researching Standish Hall. I am pleased to say she became a friend. She is Standish Royalty.
Jim Meehan
1. Order of Service for the unveiling of the War Memorial - 1925
This unique document is the order of service used by JM Ainscough on the day. It includes the text of his speech; you can even see some of his hand-written amendments.
He was standing in for The Earl of Crawford but read a letter from him, the text of which is included.
The speech is an interesting bit of social history. It refers to the huge difficulties the coal industry is experiencing. There is reference to General Lawrence, who performs the unveiling, being part of a Royal Commission to look at the future of mining. The commission will go on to side with the colliery owners and recommend a pay cut for miners. This precipitated the General Strike the following year.
2. Photograph of War Memorial Unveiling
JM Ainscough can be seen with his order of service in hand
3. Photograph of the Mayoral banquet for JM Ainscough
Photograph of the Mayoral Banquet in honour of JM Ainscough. The event took place in the Empress Ballroom in 1922.
You might notice a single woman in the picture. This is Martha Hogg the ground-breaking woman councillor.
4. The biography of JM Ainscough written by his daughter
This includes details of his work as an accomplished Antiquary. He worked with AJ Hawkes to secure the priceless Standish Family Solicitor’s papers for Wigan Library.
5. Traveller’s Tales of Wigan, Rev TC Porteus
A summary of some of the classic descriptions of Wigan made by well-known travellers and historians over the centuries.
6. Memories of an Antiquary – Cannon TC Porteus
Personal recollections from Cannon Porteus.
7. The marriage of JM Ainscough and Margaret Almond – Standish Hall 1908
A photograph with a description by Anne Hurst. It includes a number of significant Standish figures.
8. Portrait of JB Almond the Standish based brewer
9. Photograph of Gerard and Dorothy Pendlebury 1938 (Anne’s parents) photo courtesy of Christine Barbour-Moore – (Anne’s cousin)
10. Picture of JM Ainscough and Margaret Almond (in the doorway of Standish Hall)
11. Calendar of the Markland Deeds and Papers
An important historical document that catalogues the ancient Markland family papers donated to Wigan Library in the late 1920s. It was produced by AJ Hawkes (the Wigan Librarian) and Rev TC Porteus (the Standish historian). It is a valuable resource and gives an insight into who the landowners and key players were in the Wigan area over the centuries.
12. Newspaper article from 1930 describing the handover ceremony of the remodelled Standish Market Place.
The article gives an insight into the work that was carried out to remodel Standish Market Place, steered by JM Ainscough. It reveals the scheme was influenced by Giles Gilbert Scott, the architect famous for designing Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral and the red telephone box. JM Ainscough had worked with him on the creation of the Wigan War Memorial.
The article also reveals that the scheme did not have the support of the church, although it does not shed any light on why.
13. Handwritten note from Rev TC Porteus to JM Ainscough from Dec 1928.
The note was written to accompany the gift of a copy of the “The History of Standish Parish” published by Porteus in 1927. Interestingly the note refers to another work Porteus has in progress, a biography of Myles Standish.
14. Memorial Booklet about Frances James Chavasse – Bishop of Liverpool.
This was a gift with an accompanying letter from Bishop Chavasse’s son. It was by way of thanks for a donation by JM Ainscough to the fund to create St Peter’s Hall, an Oxford college, in memory of Bishop Chavasse. The bishop was a driving force behind the construction of Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral. He worked closely with Giles Gilbert Scott, the architect. Both Chavasse and Gilbert Scott were buried in the cathedral grounds. Another of Chavasse’s sons was Noel. He was one of only three people to earn the Victoria Cross twice.