Up to date there have been five “Political” poles on the same site in Failsworth. Previous to them some sort of pole must have stood on the site, as it was called “Pole Lane End” in the Parish records of 1746 when Joseph Schofield was made constable for the area. It was possibly a may pole “on the village green,” or even a signpost showing the directions to Ashton, Oldham, and Manchester — it would have been on the right spot. Cyrus Armitage who was born in Failsworth in 1781 was twelve years old when the first Political pole was erected, and he wrote an eye­witness account of the celebrations in later life.

William Rowbottom in his diary for the year wrote: “This year commenced with very temperate weather for the season, (The first pole was erected on New Year’s Day), but people’s minds were far from temperate. A kind of frenzy has burst out amongst the people of this land under the cover of loyalty and shielded by the cries of ‘Church and King,’ and ‘King and Constitution’ have burst out against the people that have countenanced the opinion of Thomas Paine. The effigy of Tom Paine was burnt &c in most towns and villages in England. A similar procession took place on the same day in Failsworth, and. a very superb new pole was set up for the occasion, and a large crown set upon it.”

Thomas Paine, a stay—maker by trade, (29th Jan 1757 — 8th June 1809), was a Norfolk born revolutionary who supported the French revolution, and were termed “Jacobins,” who wanted the same thing to happen here; to set up a Republic, thereby ousting the Royal family. After all his plans went awry he fled abroad and died in New Rochelle, USA, and was buried there. But that is not the end of the story — no Tom Paine, no Failsworth pole. When William Cobbett returned from the USA in 1819, he brought Tom Paine back with him. The US (which is a Republic) authorities had refused the atheist revolutionary to be buried in hallowed ground.

Cobbett dug up the bones and brought them back, thinking that thousands of Englishmen would welcome the opportunity to pay homage to him. Nobody was the least bit interested, and in the end his son sold the bones for very little when he was clearing out his father’s estate. Byron wrote on the subject:

“In digging up your bones, Tom Paine,
Will Cobbett hath done well;
You’ll visit him on earth again,
He’ll visit you in Hell.”

The first pole, as we have been told, was surmounted by a crown symbolising Royalty. The later poles were lorded over by a cock — the emblem of Republicanism. However, back on New Year’s Day 1795 things were not looking too healthy for the effigy of Tom Paine in Failsworth which, according to Joseph Fielding, a Middleton writer, “was taken on a cart headed by a band of music and flags to Newton Heath (boundary) and returned to the pole, after which they proceeded to Clegg’s Croft where a gallows was erected. Joseph Tetlow of Newton Heath, who had been a marine, officiated.”

Cyrus Armitage gave an account of the erection of the first pole written in later life, probably in the late 1840’s. He stated that the procession comprised of four grades; the first, having paid ten shillings, wore broad sashes, a cockade in their bats, and bore a long staff painted white topped off with blue. The second rank, who paid five shillings, wore the same, but with a narrower sash and shorter staff. The third, who paid two shillings and sixpence, had a cockade and staff. The fourth, who brought up the rear, consisted of “the thirsty mob” in such attire as the occasion called for, or their circumstances admitted. He added that in preparation for the celebrations a beautiful oak tree was selected from a wood nearby and cut down. It was then handsomely cased with boards and. painted. After the effigy of Tom Paine had been destroyed, William Winterbottom, a local Jacobin, went into mourning and wore black crepe in his hat for several months afterwards.

It was in 1850 that the first pole was taken down, re—gilded, and re—erected in readiness for the coronation of William IV. An ox was roasted outside the Crown and Cushion and served up to all the Royalists. A soup was made from the “boiling parts,” and a young Ben Brierley (born 1825) was sent by his mother with a jug from their nearby home in the Rocks to collect “for want of that God made for me,” as he later wrote. He was told he could have none as “his grondfeyther were a Jacobin.” Ben returned home empty—handed and no doubt heart—broken, but this incident didn’t put him off Failsworth Poles, because he was principal speaker at the inauguration of the third pole in 1889, some sixty years later.

In the same year (1850) Johnny Moffatt of “Crockey Hall,” opposite the Pole, a tailor and prominent Jacobin, was found drowned in the nearby Rochdale canal. “Foul play was suspected.”

“Old Johhny Moffatt” lived in the Rocks in the next house to that in which Ben Brierley was born. He was librarian to the local Jacobin Club. Whether there was any connection between the two Moffatts I don’t know, but lines dated 1882 written by John Moffatt are inscribed on a bronze plaque at the base of the present pole clock tower, presented by Fred Day - hence Day Drive of Failsworth and Thornton to perpetuate the memory of his mother and father. These lines are remarkable for their patriotism. He must have been a mild sort of Jacobin.

The Standard stands under a Cock and Crown;
Three Boards for three Roads are fix’t on’t lower down;
Hands with long Forefingers are painted on them,
To point to Ashton, unto Oldham, unto Manchester
N.E.W.S. are four letters which shew
That Newspapers come from four quarters Winds blow.
Lo: under the Crown are two G’s and two B’s (George Rex)
Which have been renewed since the end of the Wars.
A patriot King is a Nation’s delight;
His yolk is easy, his burden is light;
Not like the French Cock turned by every Wind
Of Favourites, Flatterers, and such like kind.

The Second Failsworth Pole

Little is known of the second pole’s history. Did the first one rot and decay, or was a more impressive one required? Whatever the case a 78ft tall shipsmast was erected “at the instruction of, if not at the expense of, Harry Walmsley, a local textile manufacturer in the August of 1850. Complaints had been made to the Local Board in the early part of 1889 as to the unsafe condition of the second pole and the ironwork at the top, which caused them to have an inspection made by Mr Joseph Hall of York Street, Oldham, who, in his report dated 22nd April 1889 said. “That having removed the iron work from the top of the pole, he found it completely rusted away in many parts and required renewing.

The pole itself is in a very decayed. Condition in several places, part­icularly where the corbels have been fixed on with wood screws. It is very dangerous, as in wet weather the water had lodged and soaked in, and had completely rotted the pole in these places. I should not like to guarantee it for a day. It will make no difference if you reduce it, as it is decayed more or less all the way from top to bottom, and. my advice is to take the pole down and put a new one up.” Accordingly the Fails— worth Local Board at a meeting held on 2nd. May 1889 passed a resolution ordering it to be taken down. They then set about procuring another “Ancient Landmark and useful fingerpost.” A meeting was held. at St John’s school on the second of July presided over by Mr James Wild.

The meeting decided that a new pole and drinking fountain for pedestrians and. dogs be erected. (The fountain never saw the light of day). They set vigorously to work, and a new pole of pitch pine from the southern states of the USA was purchased. (There may be something symbolic in this, as in the cotton famine of the 1860’s Lancashire suffered dread­fully during the American Civil War — “Lord, give us cotton” was the cry. After all, Scandinavia could have provided one, and it wouldn’t have had to travel megamiles). 

The Third Failsworth Pole

The new crown &c at the top has been supplied by Messrs Baxendale & Co of Miller Street, Manchester, and is of copper, as are the other parts supplied by them, viz, the “WV’ and. “E.N.S.W.” &c, the cost of which is a little over £4.
The iron scrollwork has been made and fixed by Mr James ?Thomas? of Failsworth, Mr Thomas Taylor has made the pitch pine ornaments, and to Mr Robert Jackson, Failsworth painter, has been entrusted to the job of beautifying the whole. The pole has been erected by public subscription, and it is estimated that the total cost will be from £70 — £80.
Ben Brierley was the principal speaker at the inauguration of the third pole on the 26th October 1889, and he was met with a hearty reception, but his speech is too long to record here.

The Forth Failsworth Pole

Above: Erection and opening of the 1924 Failsworth Pole.

The fourth pole was inaugurated on Saturday 23rd August 1924, not as stated on a plaque affixed to the present day pole clock tower, 1925. The new pole was selected for the Pole committee by messrs Hibbert, Taylor, Whittle, and Brown, and was conveyed on trucks up Oldham Road from Evans’ timber yard at Newton Heath. The pole started life growing in Louisiana.   After being painted and decorated it was slung and. fixed in position on Sunday morning 10th August 1924. The unveiling of the pole coincided with a fancy dress cycle parade, but some of the prizes offered would hardly excite modern—day Failsworthians — a walking stick, a ladies mackintosh, six tea spoons, and a plant pot. Mr Joseph Standring JP, described as being one of Failsworth’s oldest residents (at the age of 80) was asked to unveil the pole, which be did by unfurling a large Union Jack near the top. James Middleton (author of “The Old Road” of 1920) and noted for his wit said. in his speech “that the history of Failsworth went back 1,700 years, and that was older than anyone present that afternoon. (laughter). That was in Roman times. They had. been engaged in making arterial roads; there is nothing new under the sun. (referring to the nearly—completed. Broadway). He had been telling the chairman of the council that the local road bearing the same name had been built by the Romans, and had not been repaired. since. (laughter). The Romans brought money with them and. buried it and just after he moved to Hollinwood he found. it. (laughter). (He set up business in Hollinwood as an apparently well-off grocer). One hundred and fifty years ago Failsworth was just one big green space stretching from Moston Brook to the Medlock. (Fails— worth is built between two “rivers”). In addition to the Morris dancers they also had present that afternoon a rush cart which was harking back to olden times.” The chairman of the Pole Committee then banded over the pole (metaphorically speaking) to the chairman of the Failsworth Urban District Council asking Councillor Wade to accept it and maintain it, but they could not buy it as it had been done by public subscription that was the law, he added. In accepting the gift Cllr Wade said the pole was 2ft less in height than the previous (3rd) pole, but that did not mean a lowering in standards. The Rev James Smith briefly outlined the history of Failsworth Pole. He said “that in 1760 Pole Lane House was occupied by Edward Moores who was followed by William Booth. It was plain there must have been some kind of pole previous to the Political one of 1793 for there to have been a Pole Lane and House. The cock stands 2ft 9ins high and measures 2ft from tip to tip. He is made of copper and is heavily gilded. The new pole was selected by Messrs Hibbert, Taylor, Whittle, and Brown of the Pole Committee, and conveyed on trucks along Oldham Road belonging to Evans’ timber merchants of Newton Heath to Failsworth on the evening of 22nd July 1924. The total cost of the new pole and. its fixtures and fittings is approximately £300.” In the afternoon a fancy dress parade was held, the procession leaving Regent Park (where Nixon St/Valentine St now stand) and pro­ceeded along Old Road and Old.ham Road to the Pole where it was joined by St John’s Band and maypole dancers, after which it proceeded up Wrigley Head., Wickentree Lane, Manchester Road, Hollins Road, Oldham Road, Church Street, Ashton Road. East, Pole Lane, Oldham Road, and so back to Regent Park. This is a long route walking it, never mind dancing it; and why they entered Hollinwood is a mystery. This, the fourth pole, blew down in gales on Easter Monday the 10th of April 1950 at 11 o’clock in the morning. The pole snapped near the base into five or six pieces, the weather vane hitting the wall of the Royal Oak Inn. If the pole had fallen with the wind it would have been a south—westerly one. Small pieces of wood were snapped up by souvenir hunters, but nobody was injured by the fall. The pole had only been re­painted the previous year in an expectation of a long life, and. all that remained was a ten or twelve foot high jagged stump with a splintered top.

The council resolved that samples of the broken pole be sent to the Works and Building Laboratory of Research for a full test regarding structure, as it was pointed out that the pole was erected. Within twelve months of being felled, and had there been enough time for seasoning? The reply came back that “The decay has been caused by one of the wood— destroying fungi which attack timber in contact with the ground....There appear to be transverse cracks which might have been caused by high winds...These would be subject to alternate drying and. wetting ...It is no use painting another pole if it is wet, as this will only encourage decay.” The late Jack Borwick of Failsworth told me that the pole had snapped at the places where holes had been drilled through for iron bolts which held the ironwork in place. Photos of the broken pole bear this out. Being a bus driver he said that his guard (conductor) used to shout out “Failsworth Stump” as they approached. the remains.

The Fifth Failsworth Pole

Not to be “poleless,” a Failsworth Pole fund of £335.12s.3d. was raised. by public subscription by the August in an attempt to obtain a tree from Canada, but this proved abortive. There was no Failsworth Pole from 10th April 1950 to 15th May 1958. The council and most others wanted a replacement, but the general opinion was that it should not be of wood. It was decided at a council meeting on 3rd. September 1952 that for once they had listened to public opinion and. that a pole other than a wooden one should. be built from a design submitted in a competition, and a £5 prize was offered for an acceptable one. After all the designs had been looked over, some of which “could. have flew unaided,” and others “which could have provided a staircase to the moon,” a design submitted by John Sutcliffe BA. ARIBA. of York Chambers, Oldham, was accepted. It was to have been of pre—stressed. concrete 65ft high with an extra 5f t of ironwork. Twisteel of Manchester made a structural design, and George Dew of Oldham were engaged to cast it and place it in situ. The unveil­ing was set for Saturday afternoon on 30th May 1955, but then trouble started. George Dew’s estimate was for £1,020, which was accepted by the council, but Sutcliffe added that with all the other bits and pieces it would cost £1,670, and the idea was promptly dropped, and so became the pole that never was. On Thursday 15th May 1958 at 7.SOpm the fifth pole with its clock— tower base was inaugurated, and the structure was dedicated by the Rev BJ Hughes of St John’s. The Failsworth Boys’ Band played, and £16 was spent on refreshments. It was while excavating for the clocktower base that a bottle was found. containing literature relating to the origin of the pole, and. a bill advertising the parade for the fourth pole. The council decided that a copy of the council minutes authorising the erection of the clocktower be sealed in its base. EB Jones &. Rawlinson Ltd (builders) of Leaf Street, Ualford, had. their bid for £4,226.17s accepted for the building of the clocktower plus ancillary work on the gardens. They had. a yard where the Robert Sidlow Library now stands. The height of the clocktower from base to the top of the brickwork is Sift 6ins, and to the centre of the clockfaces 27ft 6ins. Stonework supplied by S & J Whitehead, Oldham. Steel Pole — Stewart & Lloyds Ltd., Glasglow Aluminium details to pole — R Murphy & Co, Failsworth Bricks —Accrington Brick Co Ltd. Clocks — Gent & Co, Leicester Metal grills and weather vane — GA Harvey & Co, London. Motifs — Ward & Co, Bristol Lightning conductor — Faulkner & Co Ltd. The Failsworth coat of arms on the railings was supplied by Jones & Rawlinson, and the two bronze plaques on the brickwork were produced by H Carr & Son at £68.15s and £66 each. They read: (East side) Failsworth Clock Tower! This clock tower with a replica of the original pole was erected to replace the former wooden poles as a permanent feature of the urban district and! was inaugurated. to the public service on the! 15th May 1958. Followed by a list of councilors &c. The FUDC Engineer was ED Turner, and the site foreman was T Lock.

(West side) On this site, the centre of local life, and reputed from time immemorial to be the site of a maypole, was erected a new pole with the following inscription: “This our Loyal Standard of Failsworth was erected on the 1st January 1793 to the King, Church, and Glorious Constitution.

Failsworth Pole Refurbishment

The Failsworth Pole was renovated, together with the gardens in June 2006 at a cost of £400,000.