Scottish shale Scottish shale

Crooke oil works

Former parish and county:
Parish of Wigan, County of Lancashire
Owner:
Charles Goudie & Co.
Opened:
Opened 1864
Closed:
Site sold by auction, 1872

Sited on the banks of the Leeds and Liverpool canal, Crooke oil works were constructed in 1864 to produce oils from cannel coal. A newspaper report of a fire that damaged the works in 1865, indicated that the site was equipped with ten "condensers" - perhaps retorts? The wording of a sales advertisment of 1872, suggests that the works were not then a going concern, but the site was suitable for conversion for other industrial purposes. The precise location of the oil works is uncertain, but might coincide with the Crooke Hall Chemical Works marked on the 1892 25"O.S. map. The Crooke Hall Chemical Works seems first to have active from 1872.

The proprietor of the oil works, Charles Goudie & Co., seems to have been active in the oil trade at other sites, from at least 1861.

  • Location map
  • Newspaper references
    • ON SALE – 2,500 Burton ale and porter hogsheads, in shooks. Apply to C.W. Goudie, Albion Oil Works, Duke-st, Birkenhead

      Liverpool Daily Post, 24th April 1861

      ........

      Charles Goudie of Penketh, Oil Refiner, listed as a jurer at Kirkdale quarter sessions,

      Liverpool Mercury, 20th January 1865

      .......

      FIRE AT CROOK OIL WORKS.

      About half past two yesterday morning a fire broke out the Crook Oil Works, the property of Mr. Goudie of Warrington, situated on the banks of the Liverpool canal, a short distance from Crook Hall. The premises, which have only been in existence for about a year, were erected for the purpose of extracting the oil found in cannel, and in that part of the works where the fire occurred stood row of 10 condensers from which the oil extracted dropped into a small trough conducted It to cistern situated in the rear.

      The origin of the fire is not very plain, the man who was in charge give a rather confused account of the occurrence, but there can be little doubt but that passing by the condensers with light when, by some means or other, the dripping oil be. Ignited. The fire ran, of course, with electric rapidity along the trough, and thus communicate with all the condensers, and then with the cistern. This however, was not all, for the man, it supposed dashed bucket of water into the trough, and caused some of the liquid to fall to the ground, where lay a large quantity of barrels filled with oil, which of course were soon in a blaze. The exertions of those who were attracted to the spot by the conflagration were directed to the removal of as many of these barrels as possible, and a large number were saved although the majority became pray to the flames, which, as may be supposed, burnt with great intensity.

      A messenger was dispatched to the Wigan police office for assistance, where he found that the engine was at work at Haigh, and be consequently to return without help; and, indeed, had it been sent, it is not like that it would have been of much service, for it would scarcely have been possible to extinguish the flames, which were only checked at half past seven. The principal loss is the oil, fully 150 barrels of which are destroyed as well as a quantity in the cistern. Of the ten condensers fire or six are seriously damaged, but fortunately the retorts, the engine, and other machinery escaped uninjured. The loss will amount to several hundred pounds, and it is not covered by insurance.

      Wigan Observer and District Advertiser, 11th February 1865

      .......

      SHEVINGTON. Drowned the Canal.

      On Tuesday, Mr. M. Myres, coroner, held an inquest at the Crook Hall public house, Shevington, on the body of man named John Gilligan, labourer. It seems that the deceased went to the Crook Hall public house Tuesday night, last week, about half-past nine o’clock, and stayed there for a short time. Afterwards he went away. At half past eleven o’clock he made his appearance again, mid then was half drunk. He wanted some more drink, but the landlord refused to let him have any. The deceased had to go to Upholland, a distance of two and half miles. The landlord of the inn named took him to the bridge on the canal, and tried to persuade him to stay at the oil works where he was employed; but the deceased refused to so, and proceeded homewards along the canal bank. He was heard singing for some distance but he never got home. His dead body was found on Saturday in the canal. There was no person with him when he left the landlord mentioned. No marks of violence was found upon the body, and he had evidently fallen into the canal. He had all his clothes on when found. The deceased was a married man, and was 33 years of age. He has left a widow and several children. A verdict of “Found drowned” was returned the jury.


      Wigan Observer and District Advertiser, 12th July 1867

      .......

      WEDNESDAY NEXT.

      TO MANUFACTURING CHEMISTS, OIL MERCHANTS AND OTHERS.

      CROOK OIL WORKS, NEAR WIGAN. Re. C.W. Goudie & Co. - in liquidation.

      WHEATLEY KIRK AND PRICE are favoured with instructions from the Liquidator herein to SELL BY AUCTION, on Wednesday next, the 11th of September, at Five for Six o'clock in the evening, at the CLARENCE HOTEL, WIGAN, the Tenant’s interest in the lease, Goodwill, Buildings, Erections &c. of the premises known as CROOK OILWORKS, situate at Crook near Wigan, in the county of Lancaster. The land contains 7,320 square yards, and is held on a lease for 99 years from l6th February 1864 at the yearly rental of £30 15s. 10d. With the option of purchase. There are spacious brick and timber erections, workshops, engine-house, stable, office, chimney, shaft, &c; large quantity of building materials on the premises. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal runs alongside, and the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway is within few minutes' distance. Coal and labour are cheap, and the premises are easily convertible for any manufacturing purposes. Further particulars from the Auctioneers at Albert-square, Manchester.


      Wigan Observer and District Advertiser, 7th September 1872