The first representation of a coat of arms resembling the present one is on an old seal dating from the late 1300's and so predates the order of King Henry V in 1417 which forbade the bearing of arms without authority from the Crown. In the year 1563 Clarenceux King-at-Arms (an official from the College of Arms) visited Poole, and confirmed the coat of arms which had been in use prior to that date without apparent authority. This document is preserved in the town's archives and shows the coat of arms in colour. In 1623 there was a Visitation of Dorset by the Heralds and the arms were then drawn again but not in colour. It was only in 1948 that a written description of the arms was confirmed by the College of Arms, clearing up and explaining the many variations in the colouring or tinctures of the blazon in the intervening centuries and authorising the crest, incorporating a mermaid, which had been used without authority for about 200 years.
The wavy bars typified water, the dolphin and lion represent the "the king of fishes" and "the king of beasts" respectively. The dolphin reminds us what the custom was, and still is, i.e. maritime activity. This enterprise was the town's chief source of prosperity from early times down to the middle of the 19th century. The three escallop shells derive from the emblem of St. James and remind us that St. James is the patron saint of the parish church of the Old Town of Poole. The escallop shell was the badge of the pilgrim and crusader. Its presence on the Poole arms may also have been an allusion to William Longespee, the Lord of the Manor, and a gallant knight, who gave Poole its first charter in 1248 A.D. and who died in Egypt fighting for the Cross in the year 1250. The pellet (or ogress), coloured black, in the mermaid's left hand may represent a cannon ball and with the cable and anchor call to mind again Poole's maritime past, when the sailing ships were often given Letters of Marque to act as privateers and when no Poole ship ever thought of putting to sea without cannon and shot ready for immediate use.
The motto is -"AD MOREM VILLAE DE POOLE" - according to the custom of the Town of Poole.In the 1881 Census of England Richard Edward Poole is shown as residing at 71 Leigh St., Golborne, Lancashire, and is employed as a tinner. A boarder, named Alice Speed, lives with him. She is 25 years of age and was born in Liverpool. A marriage is registered between Alice and Richard in the spring of 1883.
In the 1891 Census of England he is shown as residing at 7 Cross St., Golborne, Lancashire, and is employed as a tinsmith. He is a widow. A son, named Richard, age nine, is shown living with him.
In the 1901 Census of England he is shown as residing at 14 Leigh St., Golborne, Lancashire and is employed as a tinsmith at a cotton factory.
The following historical information on the town of Golborne is attributed to Alan Nixon, The Copy Shop, 26b Heath Street, Golborne, Warrington. It can be found on the web at: www.lancstowns.co.uk/golborne.htmGolborne is situated at the western edge of South Lancashire. It is midway between the large towns of Warrington and Wigan and the two cities of Liverpool and Manchester. It is now in fact a district of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, but does have a Warrington postal address and post code. Nearby is also the old Borough of Leigh, now also a district of ‘Big Wiggin’. Golborne draws much from these nearby towns and communities but is indeed most independent in its outlook along with its sister township of Lowton.
Golborne is now an important part of Wigan. In some quarters it is known as the gateway to Wigan and the North. Until the merger with Wigan the township was a part of Golborne Urban District at that time made up of Golborne, Lowton, Newchurch and Glazebury (Culcheth), and Kenyon. Golborne and Lowton became part of Wigan, Culcheth and Kenyon went into Warrington and moved from Lancashire into Cheshire at the same time Golborne and Lowton became part of Greater Manchester much to the disgust of the proud Lancastrians of the area.
GOLBORNE (The stream where the marsh marigolds grow). Many of the people that I have spoken to have asked the question, 'Where does the name Golborne come from’? Well as long ago as 969 AD the name GOLDEBURNAM is mentioned and again in 1100 AD, but by 1187AD the name had changed to GOLDEBURN and by 1314 AD to GOLD BURN. In the Lancashire Pipe Rolls of a latter date it is noted as GOWBURN, GOLBURE and GOLDBURN. The word burn means a brook and the word bourns means a boundary, the word golds suggests golden coloured flowers. So It seems likely that the name is derived from Millingford Brook that forms part of the boundary and the golden marsh marrigolds that grew along its banks, thus giving the name to the settlement that developed along its banks.
Golborne's History: In one form or another Golborne has been around for many centuries. The Venerable Bede as early as the 7th century, in his Ecclesiastical History of England mentions the well located near Golborne that was dedicated to Saint Oswald. As this is mentioned by Bede it seems to point to Golborne having been involved in a major event in the history of England in the Time of Bede England was divided into seven Kingdoms, Wessex, Mercia and Northumbria were the most important. During the first part of the seventh century the good King Oswy or Oswald ruled the Kingdom of Northumbria and his Kingdom was both prosperous and peaceful during his reign. However Mercia at this time was ruled by a King named Penda who was not of a peaceful disposition and had ambitions to rule over Northumbria and gain its prosperity. With this in mind he declared war on Oswy and marched his army north to attack. Oswy in order to defend his kingdom moved his army south and was engaged in battle with Penda at the battle of Maserfield in the year 642. Now there are a number of theories as to the location of Waserfield, some historians believe that it was near to the town of Oswestry in the county of Shropshire and that it is from King Oswy that the town gets its name.
The other explanation is that the battle was fought in the Golborne area. It is known that Oswy was killed in the battle and the mention of St. Oswalds well by Bede I believe marks the spot that he was killed. The well was to be found on farm land at Got borne Dale on the way to Winwick. It is also an historical fact that when he was killed, Oswv’s body was carried to a nearby church and again at Winwick we find the Parish Church dedicated to Saint Oswald. Another point worth considering is the similarity of the name Maserfield to that of Makerfield found in the, names of some local towns, Newton in Makerfield (now le Willows), lnce in Makerfield and Ashton in Makerfield. Also it is known that Golborne was on the boundary of the Northumbrian Kingdom and it seems more likely that Oswy would defend his boundaries rather that march into Shropshire deep into the lands of Penda the aggressor, it is more likely that Penda would march on North to invade the Kingdom of Oswy at its boundary -Golborne.
THE NEW WAR MEMORIAL: Once again in 1648 the southern boundaries of the town are the venue of more conflict during the campaign that was known as the second civil war the battle of Red Gap took place. The Scots who had joined with Charles the first rapidly advanced on England. The leader of the roundheads Oliver Cromwell (What is thought to be the only statue of Cromwell stands outside the Academy at Warrington ) intercepted the Scots at Preston. They were engaged in running battles between Preston, Wigan and Warrington, that at Red Gap being one of them. Eventually Cromwell defeated the Scots even though his army was outnumbered by the Scots 10 to 1. It was after this battle of Red Gap that Cromwell decided that he would bring the King to trial and not long afterwards as the Roundheads called the King ‘That man of Blood' was tried and was executed on 30th January 1649.
However even though the King had been executed the Cavaliers had not given up and in 1651 the son of King Charles 1, Prince Charles led a Scots army led by the followers of his father once again into England. Once again they were deleted by Cromwell's army at Worcester. The prince escaped and eventually managed to reach Europe. After the battle at Worcester the most famous of the Lancashire Cavaliers Lord Thomas Strange - The Earl of Derby was captured. He was led through Golborne on route to his execution in the market Place at Bolton. As they passed through Leigh he asked if he could pray in Leigh Church at the tomb of his friend Sir Thomas Tyldesley however his captors refused to grant his request. Sir Thomas had been killed at the battle of Wigan Lane (Wigan) a few months earlier. A monument to his memory still stands in Wigan Lane at Wigan.
Death notice possibilities
Richard Poole, age 67, died 2nd quarter, 1903, Salford, Volume 8d, page 78Death records checked from Jan 1899 - Dec 1905
Shown residing at 4 Wellington Street, Warrington, Lancashire in 1881 census, employed as laundress.
10. James Booth
In 1901 census shown living at 39 Leslie Street, Bolton, age 26, employed as worker. A cousin to James, Hannah Ward, age 33 also resides at this address.
11. Sarah Jane Terry
In 1901 census shown living at 39 Leslie Street, Bolton, age not indicated, birth place Warrington, Lancs. Her death certificate issued in 1956 states her age as 82 indicating she was born about 1874. A search of the British census of 1881 reveals only one Sarah Terry born in Warrington in 1874, who resides at 23 Elizabeth Ann, Manchester. It is concluded that this is the correct Sarah Terry, and from this her parents name are derived. There is only one other Sarah Terry born in Warrington between 1869 and 1879. She is born in 1877.
13. Alice Holt
In the 1901 British census Alice, age 27, is shown residing at 73 Harper Green Road. She is listed as the sister-in-law of the head of the family, Spencer Wild, age 29. His wife (presumably Alice's sister) is listed as Annie, age 32. A nephew, James Norris, age 8 is also listed.
15. Selina Ashworth
Listed as cotton weaver in 1901 census at age 13.