Band gets Blue Plaque

WINSTON Churchill, Charles Dickens, John Logie Baird, Ian Fleming and John Lennon all have one, and so do Bow Street and Scotland Yard – and now Wingates Band is set to get one too! Blue plaques first appeared in London in 1866, and have subsequently become a world-wide phenomenon, linking famous people with buildings in which they lived and worked. Courtesy of the generosity of Westhoughton Local History Group, a superb blue plaque (the third in a series commissioned by the ambitious local heritage organisation) is to be unveiled at the entrance to Wingates Square, denoting the birthplace and home of Wingates Band since 1873. The unveiling ceremony on July 24th, and was heralded by a fanfare from the band's musicians. The ceremonys take place just yards from the historic bandroom in Wingates Square, Westhoughton, BL5 3PS. Wingates Band has been a magnificent ambassador – both nationally and internationally – for Westhoughton, Bolton, Lancashire, and indeed the country, for over a century, and the plaque represents the third tangible tribute to the band from the local community, following the award of the Westhoughton Community Medal in 2007, and the erection in 2009 (by Westhoughton Town Council) of three district boundary road signs, proudly declaring: 'Welcome to Wingates – Home of the world-famous Wingates Band'.

Have your say

Duck race sends fans quackers

Up the junction!

Pretoria is remembered