Tracey Bennett

Well done to both Dizz and Gary for bringing this to light.

Where is the plaque? I hope something can be arranged to commemorate the date, will watch with interest.

I love the description 'maritime Warrington, it's easy to overlook our rich maritime history.

Dizz - I've pinned down the date of the journey, Saturday 27th August 1910, so that'll help if you want to go and look through the microfilms. They arrived on an ordinary Liverpool to Euston train. Not found a mention of the escape attempt yet but will keep looking.

<appears in a puff of smoke> Ooh, I love this story! I now live in Diss, Norfolk where Ethel Le Neve was born. Her house still stands though I've never seen it as it's tucked down a weird little private road. I'll have a nose about and see what I can uncover.

Geocaches by the stones is a fantastic idea - that'd make a great series (not sure I'd fancy being the cache owner though!)

Oh! What a tiny pitiful nub it has become!

Davy - Kendrick wanted to supply the whole route from Liverpool to Manchester with stones at 2 mile intervals. I don't think he took other stuff like road junctions and hostelries into account. Joe - could that be the Thelwall one?

Here I think. Just where Thelwall brook joins the road. I had a quick street view look but couldn't see anything. I suppose it could have been moved like the others.

I think this thread is fast becoming one of my favourites on this forum! That's great Joe - just what we need, a compilation of photos of other stones. I'm already planning a week in Warrington in August, if there are any still unphotographed then I'd be happy to have a wander and do it. I'm sure the kids would love trudging around looking at old stones Which map are you using Dizzy? Are they still marked on a modern OS map or do I need to get hold of an old one?

I think it'd be a great project to try and find as many of these stones as possible, try and record those that remain. Looking at the map I'm surprised there are so many so close together. Wish I lived closer so I could help!

Wow Dizzy, that's great! Well done.

No worries Algy

Algy - in the original article Dr Kendrick explains that is his 'medical opinion' the stones are designed to be the optimum height for a seated person to get most rest. He also mentions that the steps will help nursing Mothers (I can confirm from personal experience that a foot rest is useful when breastfeeding) He also says that lots of Irish itinerant works would walk from Liverpool out to Warrington/Cheshire looking for agricultural work. It's those foot travellers he was thinking of and hoping to line the whole route from Liverpool to Manchester with Traveller's Rests. If you read the article it says he produced a sketch plan showing how he intended for the seats to be used and that the size of the block was carefully considered in how many travellers/bags it would take.

There's a thread on the Newton Le Willows site that has a lot of information about the spring on it. You have to be a member to see all the images but it's free to join. http://www.newton-le-willows.com/history/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1927