Washington Hall, Chorley

[anotheoldgit]

When I was in the RAF I was stationed for a short time at Washington Hall, Chorley, Lancs. This base was an ex US forces WW2 base. On one outside wall near the gate it had a stone female figure, similar to a ships figure head. Can anyone please tell me if Washington Hall is still there,is the figure head still there and are there any pictures of it on the web?

[gary baldy]

Washington Hall is used as a training college for Lancashire Fire Service and is still there.
I have only driven past and dont remember the statue but that doesnt mean it isnt there!
One for dot hawkes i think!

[Golden Shred]

Some current use information and an aerial photograph at http://www.washingtonhall.co.uk/ .

[gary baldy]

I'm sure these lot will help you out.
drop em an email:

[email protected]

[dot.hawkes]

well i just drove past it at about 4pm as I left tescos, i would have pulled over and had a butchers If I had known u needed to know. I'll be driving past there about 9.20 tomorrow am as i have to be at the hospital at 9.30, i will have a look.

[dot.hawkes]

hiya youoldgit (lol)

just got in from a reci at Washington hall and a guy moving big wheelie bins who has worked there 15 years took me up to see the statue, he was a bit worried that i was on crutches and must have thought i was mad!

Anyway, he told me that it used to be on the outside of the old administration building but when that was pulled down it was moved to inside one of the newer admin buildings.

It is now in the hall of this building high up on a wall with a glass roof above it, and as she seems to be looking up to the sky it looks amazing. She is about 8ft high, has a bright red skirt and very vivid blue jacket and is clutching i think a bunch of flowers, but I would have had to walk up the stairs to see properly and it was a bit difficult for me.

Anyway, there is a plaque beneath the statue that says it was 'recovered by American seaman from Liverpool Docks during WW11' and that is is a replica of a ships figurehead circa 1880.

MMm, I wonder if they swiped it off a pub wall lol

The guy who showed me round said during the rebuilding and renovation of the old hall and grounds, the workmen discovered an old tattered Stars and Stripes, and this has been preserved and framed and is hanging in the Hall.

It was really interesting and I did not know about the figurehead and so cheers for bringing it to my attention. I have taken a pic on my mobile and will get it onto a tinypic file tonight when Redbel is online, cos she can do the techno stuff lol!!

Dotty
xxxxx

[anotheoldgit]

Tha'ts absolutely amazing thank you all for your imput, and a very special thank you for all the research you carried out dotty which could not have been easy for you, and your vivid description of the statue, you have taken me back many years.Hope you don't think me rude but in those far off days when ever we passed the statue we would salute her for being the only virgin on the station. I would love to see the photo, but I dont understand about Redbel. Once again thanks Dotty
lol

[dot.hawkes]

hiya youoldgit

the pic will be on here tonight, i have to send it via my mobile to Redbel (bez) another aber, and she sends it from her mobile to her computer by email, then she sends it to me on msn and I will copy it to puit on this thread.

I know that sounds long winded but up to a month ago I had to text a pic to Bez and then she text it to Lindapinda (another aber) who would email it to bez's computer to msn to me, cos Bez did not know how to email from her mobile, but she does now, so we are progressing lol

[dot.hawkes]

here you go, the technological scouse wizard our Bez (Redbel) has worked her magic, I am gonna ask her to have a stroll down the Mersey Docks and ask if anyone is missing a figurehead lol
http://i7.tinypic.com/287jeyc.jpg

Dotty & Bez
xxxxxxxxxxx

[Redbel]

My pleasure Dot, glad to help. :)
I'll ring around a few of my scallys tomorrow and put the word out about the figurehead :)

[dot.hawkes]

hey, like those firefighters (currently from all over the world on secondment apparently) would let us go back in there on a covert op, (I wish)

[anotheoldgit]

Yup! That's her, glad to see she is now in out of the rain.
Thanks alot Dotty & Bez for the photo and all your efforts. The photo will now go in amongst my other sovenirs of my days in the RAF.
lol

[shaza1958]

Hi anotheroldgit,
Hope you are still around and on your PC. or at least someone who knows or knew you. I am trying to find any staff member that were based at Washington Hall during or round about 1956-1959 + or - a year. Have a few questions about the place and people.

[anotheoldgit]

Well Hi shaza1958. I am sorry but although I was there around 1956, I was only there for a very short time and cannot remember any names of the staff.

I do know that although I was there along with many other RAF personnel, there was also a very large proportion of civilian Fire fighter instructors also.