Local Life - St Helens - May/Jun 2021

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poor condition of the roof meant that the facility had to
be closed to the public.
The building underwent renovation, the roof was
replaced, and the museum reopened in 2006. The
building is now home to over 60 heritage buses from
all over the North West including a trolleybus, open top
buses, coaches, and vehicles built by Daimler, Leyland
and Crossley.
Transport Depot Hall St
Victoria Square
Earlestown Town Hall
Earlestown Town Hall was designed in 1891 by local
architect, Thomas Beesley following a competition. The
two-storey brick building was constructed in 1892 at
a cost of £10,200 and is finished with stone dressings
and slate roofs. There is a five-stage clock tower on the
northeast corner complete with bells, produced by
Messrs Potts & Sons of Manchester.
It has been suggested that the cost of the hall was
provided as a gift for the community by William John
Legh, the local lord of the manor (Lord Newton), to
celebrate his rise to a peerage in 1892.
Through the years the Town Hall has been home
to events and community groups such as Newton
Amateur Dramatic & Operatic Society. The hall even
had some famous guests in 1962, when the Beatles
visited and played a gig.
The Town Hall
closed its doors to
public use in 2008
but plans are
now
underway
to transform the
building
and
bring it back
into public use
once again. The
restoration of the
Grade II listed
building began last summer with the demolition of
two annex buildings and the caretaker’s house.
Earlestown Town Hall and its fascinating history are
now featured on information boards that have been
placed around the building, detailing some of the
building’s historic moments.
Earlestown
Town Hall