Shipbuilding & subsidence: A look at Northwich through the years

The river Weaver is joined by the Trent and Mersey canal via the Anderton Lift, and together they leave the town and meander gently through some of Britain's most peaceful and picturesque countryside.

One of the 'Wyches' of Cheshire, salt has been drawn from beneath Northwich for centuries; the once uncontrolled pumping of brine led to spectacular incidents of subsidence, where buildings were left at weird angles.

This evocative photograph taken in 1910 is a view into the Bullring from Dane Street and shows the store of Dolan Brothers clothiers at 9 High Street.

The Bullring in Northwich in 1910 (Image: Paul Hurley)

The corner of the Angel Hotel can be seen on the right. Before it, the opening to Church Street, once a narrow road passing the ancient market hall, is now a major thoroughfare.

Then a photo approaching the Bullring via Dane Bridge after considerable subsidence.

The Bullring in Northwich (Image: Paul Hurley)

Northwich was famous for shipbuilding through the years despite being well inland. Still, it is no longer with its firm of W.J. Yarwoods & Sons Ltd, who, from 1840 to 1966, built 1,000 vessels.

These include coasters, tugs, river and canal boats and small military ships. As already featured, Lawrence of Arabia spent time there in 1934, designing an RAF Rescue craft.

Isaac Pimblott & Sons was the second Northwich boatyard that built small river and ocean craft, including torpedo boats and other warships in the last war.

Yarwoods shipyard (Image: Paul Hurley)

They traded from 1867 to 1974. Both companies have now gone, although their products can still be found worldwide. 

Many changes have been made in the area of the present Memorial Court and Northwich police station.

The first police station was a lockup in Cross Street, a small brick building with three cells erected in 1840.

Old Northwich police station (Image: Paul Hurley)

A much larger black and white building replaced this during the later 1800s. It was demolished in the early 1960s, along with the rows of substandard terraced houses in the area.

In 1960s, Northwich Court was built on the site. A new police station was built over the road, which has now been modernised and updated.

The first of these new-builds, however, albeit by a small margin, was the quite famous Northwich Memorial Hall, better known as 'The Morgue'.

It was opened on the June 1, 1960. This was at the dawn of excellent and seminal 60s music.

The old Memorial Hall (also known as The Morgue) (Image: Paul Hurley)

I could go on forever, listing the class acts that appeared at this famous venue. Accordingly, the likes of The Beatles, who performed there six times, Gene Vincent, Joe Brown, Acker Bilk, The Animals, The Kinks, The Hollies, and The Who.

Before the removal of the terraced houses upon which the police station now stands, The Memorial Hall can be seen on the right from what was John Street.

Over the years, both the police station and the Court served the town well, but this did not stop the powers that be deciding to demolish both 'The Morgue' and the Northwich Court in 2015.

The current Northwich police station (Image: Paul Hurley)

A new facility was built on the site of the Court, and 'The Morgue', named the Memorial Court, as seen in the new photo.

The exterior design met with much criticism, although the interior is said to be quite pleasant!

• Paul Hurley has a Facebook group titled Mid Cheshire Through Time, where many old, new and interesting images can be viewed. His latest book, written with his wife, is Cheshire Murders and Misdemeanors. Published by Amberley and available on Amazon and bookshops.