Map showing the plan of the Church Iron Works at Ince near Wigan, c.1922.
Facility Type & Function:
A privately owned iron works primarily engaged in the manufacture of Light bridges, flange rails and fish plate rails during the period c.1909 to c.1922.
Brief History:
The Church Iron Works Company Limited was based on the former site of coal pits just to the south-east of Christ’s Church at Ince-in-Markfield near Wigan. It operated from c.1909 to c.1922 and specialised in the production of Light bridges, flange rails, fish plates rails and iron bars. In 1918, it is recorded as having a workforce of 42 people of whom only 2 were women.
It is known that the works was engaged in British Government-contracted war work during the Great War as Thomas Jones, a furnace man at the works, appeared on a charge brought on him under the Munitions of War Act of 1915. Jones was charged with not being at work for the start of a morning shift, resulting in the furnace not being ready to allow the rolling plant. His actions resulted in the entire works standing idle. The defendant admitted his guilt and said he had been drinking with soldiers. He was fined 20 shillings for wrongfully leaving his munitions employment.
Today, nothing remains of the Iron Works. Its former site is now largely occupied by residential housing.
Location Details:
Ince-in-Markfield, near Wigan, Lancashire, England.
Associated Token, Check & Pass Issues:
Type I
Function: Unknown (Note 1)
Material: Brass
Design: Uniface with a plain edge and pierced for suspension.
Shape & Size: Circular with upper round extension lug for piercing , 52.0 mm 38.3 mm
Obverse: Raised legend around edge reads . CHURCH IRON WORKS Co. LIMITED . WIGAN all within an outer and inner beaded borders. In the upper part of the central field, the legend No above an incuse stamped identification number 134 above a raised line (Note 2).
Reverse: Blank.
Date: 1909-1922
Maker: Unknown
Published References: None.
Type II
Function: Unknown (Note 1)
Material: Brass
Design: Uniface with a plain edge and pierced for suspension.
Shape & Size: Oval, 35.2 mm 57.8 mm
Obverse: Raised legend around edge reads . CHURCH IRON WORKS Co. LIMITED LTD. . WIGAN all within an outer beaded border. In the upper part of the central field, the legend No above an incuse stamped identification number 178 above a raised line (Note 2).
Reverse: Blank.
Date: 1909-1922
Maker: Unknown
Published References: None, but known to Malcolm Johnson (see Mal’s Tokens Web Site).
Notes:
- The large and unusual shape of these tokens may suggest that they are employee identification pay checks and/or possibly a time registration check.
- The high identification numbers stamped on these checks are unusual considering that the site is recorded as having only 42 workers in 1918.
British War Work Tokens 