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Reload this Page ARCHIVE: Ormskirk POW Camp, Ormskirk, March 09
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ARCHIVE: Ormskirk POW Camp, Ormskirk, March 09
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Arrow ARCHIVE: Ormskirk POW Camp, Ormskirk, March 09 - 16-04-2009, 13:09

This must be one of the best kept secrets in the MOD, only because I cannot find any history on this site. The only reason I know where it is, is because my Great Uncle was a Prisioner here.

From what he has old me, he was here from 1942 to 1945. There were 6 to 8 sleeping buildings, a large workshop a few out buildings and a resovour.
There was a large bunker at the site. He was sent to work on local farms as he wasnt skilled, the skilled POW's were to work in the workshops repairing local Farming equipment. The resovour was used for swimming and cleaning.

He is in his 90's now, and his memory isnt that great, but did remember quite alot.























My Favourite bit, the entrance to the underground bunker, unfortunatly it has collapsed, but you get the idea.







Im sorry I dont have any real history of this site, but I just dont seem to be able to find any, only what my Great Uncle has told me.

If your visiting this site just be careful as there are a few underground shafts, which I dont think are very safe.


"Try again.......Fail again.......Fail Better!".............Samual Beckett.....
Bickerstaffe Colliery!
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Exclamation Bickerstaffe Colliery! - 15-05-2009, 22:31

This site is in fact 'Bickerstaffe Colliery'.
The remains of the brick building in the 12th pic was one of the winders & the capped shaft can easily be bound nearby in the undergrowth.

Shafts marked on the map:-LINK

Here is an aerial photo from the 1960's showing at least 2 shafts:-Link

...Lister;~)
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Default 19-05-2009, 21:41

Sorry about the link here are the 1960's aerial shots;





....Lister;~)
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Default 19-06-2009, 19:24

Got down there today to have a look. Very overgrown but quite an interesting little site. Here are a few piccies:

HDR shot of the metal hanger. Looked like it had been some sort of garage or workshop.



Another HDR shot in the brick building next door. Was in a bit of a state and the floor was quite damp.



The entrance along with random rubbish.



Found this by the collapsed brick entrance from the first post. It seemed to be some sort of vent or drain. The ground around it was soaking.



Found a bit more info here, West lancs council have reviewed the site for possible housing development but decided it was a poor site. Interestingly they identify it as Jubilee Colliery and a quick search shows that the area next door is called jubilee woods. Don't know if that might help anyone who wants to investigate it further.
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Default 19-06-2009, 21:17

Them HDRs are immense!!
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Default 22-02-2010, 17:23

Hi.
The photos are of the Old Bickerstaff Colliery.
When I found the site, back in the sixties long before the M58 was built alongside, it was used by a car company in Liverpool for storing vehicles.
The area shown was mainly flat it had high walls surrounding the pit shafts, the building shown have been erected since.
There was a POW Camp further down the Rainford Bypass towards St Helens.
If you pass the turnoff to Rainford you see a lane going to the right into the woods the T junction at the end is the Old Coach Road from the East Lancashire road that cuts through it.
Just before you reach the junction the camp was on the left. The site was used as a chicken packing factory.
I have not been down that way for some years but I remember some concrete bases in the woods that I believe to have had Searchlight and Anti aircraft guns mounted on them.
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