Athershaw
Our Only Fictional Town
For more information about where, how and why Athershaw exists and its significance in our narrative, see: 1987: Athershaw North {Jennifer's Political Landscape)
Location and Description
An industrial (or, perhaps more accurately, post-industrial) town somewhere in the northern reaches of Greater Manchester.
Industry and Commerce
Athershaw Locomotive Works
Opened in 1887, the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway locomotive workshops employed the best part of two thousand people for many decades. Its slow decline began in 1957 when the final new-build steam locomotive left the works. In 1964 the last steam locomotive overhaul was completed and, although maintenance of other rolling stock continued it was obvious to all that the works had no long term future. By 1983 all maintenance work had ceased or been transferred to other facilities. The work’s foundry continued production for a little while thereafter but only for as long as it took British Rail to source what it made elsewhere and, by the time Jennifer had arrived on the scene, the entire site had fallen silent.
Cotton Mills
In common with every town in the region, Athershaw had several large cotton mills although the town was, perhaps, a little less dependent upon cotton than some of its neighbours. By the end of the 1970s just one mill remained in production, having diversified into specialist yarns over the years, but that, too, found itself unable to compete with cheap imports and closed in 1984.
Coal
Small scale coal extraction had been happening in the area since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution and by the 1930s there were several deep level collieries in the area. From then on, however, it was the same old story of slow but inexorable decline and by 1965 only Chandler’s Wood Colliery remained. By 1979 it had become clear that there was little coal remaining in the seams being worked. Although they actively investigated the possibility of opening up new seams, the National Coal Board concluded that it was not economically viable and closed Chandler’s Wood early in 1981 by which time fewer than 550 workers remained on the payroll.
Post Industrial Times
With its major industries gone by the early 1980s, Athershaw, like many similar towns in the North of England, could have been facing a bleak future but throughout the sixties and seventies, Athershaw, particularly to the north of the town where open land was still plentiful, had been expanding rapidly as a dormitory town for Manchester’s growing population of white collar workers.
Sport
Athershaw has never been a town upon which the eyes of the sporting world have gazed in awe but it has maintained its traditions amongst the faithful.
Cricket
Athershaw Cricket Club was a founder member of the Lancashire League and has been a member ever since. Success has been a rare visitor to Athershaw in recent times, having last won the league in 1972.
Rugby League
Athershaw RFC was founded in 1864 and became a founder member of the Northern Rugby Football Union (latterly the Rugby Football League) in 1895. Though never able to match the prowess and fame of clubs like Wigan or St Helens, Athershaw maintains a loyal enthusiasm for the game of Rugby League and a steadfast support for its team.
Association Football
Athershaw, being primarily a Rugby League town, has never had a professional soccer team. Its most notable non-league team is Athershaw Railway Mechanics Institute Football Club (usually referred to as Athershaw RMI), founded by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway when it opened its works in the town in 1887.
Unlike the Newton Heath Lancashire and Yorkshire Railwaymen’s Football Club, Athershaw RMI never advanced to bigger and better things. They did reach the third round of the FA Cup back in the 1949-1950 season where their valiant cup run was unceremoniously ended by the aforementioned Newton Heath outfit, by then known as Manchester United.
Not to be Confused With...
Hathershaw, a locality to the south of Oldham, or Atherton, a town in the Borough of Wigan, both of which are also in Greater Manchester. In the fictional Greater Manchester, the latter confusion is largely averted by the fact that Atherton is more generally referred to by its alternate name, Chowbent.
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