Dear DM:

Thank you for the information. I have one follow up question. Is there a central municipality or local government institution or perhaps newspaper that might maintain old records? In the US we can often find old records and maps in libraries, courthouses, even churches.

Regards,
-R

Town: rogerskelton@msn.com

You could try contacting the Wigan Heritage Service - http://www.wlct.org/Culture/Heritage/heritage.htm. They have a magazine called Past Forward which carries items of local history and related subjects, and also requests for information similar to your own.

- David -

Thank you David. I'll give them a try.

Idont know where the name Skelton comes frombut there was a Skelton well across from Skelton Street

Town: pm001c1974@blueyonder .co.uk

Peter:

Thank you for the info. Hmm, sounds like it could have been a farm or something.

-R

Town: rogerskelton@msn.com

Hi Roger -

I don't know if it is relevant, but I thought you might like to know of the following which appeared in a Summmer 1988 souvenir edition of the Wigan Observer:

On the sale of the contents of Haigh Hall in 1946 "there was considerable interest shown in a portrait that was sold for two guineas of Thomas Skelton, a jester known locally as the Fool of Haigh, who wore a harlequin's dress and carried a wand in his right hand.

It is thought to be one of two pictures of Thomas Skelton now in Muncaster Castle, near Ravenglass. History records that Skelton hailed originally from Maryport in Cumberland, became both jester and manager of Muncaster Castle and was known as the Fool of Muncaster.

There is a definite link between Haigh and Muncaster in that the wife of James, Earl of Crawford who built the existing Haigh Hall, was Maria Margaret Frances, daughter of John, Lord Muncaster, of the ancient and loyal house of Pennington.

Another fascinating link is that Thomas Skelton was a friend of William Shakespeare, who used his name to coin the word 'tom-foolery'.

According to Mr Patrick Duff Pennington, whose wife now owns Muncaster Castle, Skelton moved from Muncaster to Haigh where he drowned in a pond."

- David -

Skelton Well is mentioned in the introduction to the History of Park Lane Chapel.

- David -