h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I found the write-up of the history of Widnes very intresting. I could not see the name of the author, but he should be complemented on his collection of historical facts.

Without reducing the value of his work in any way, I do think someone ought to spend a few minutes editing the scipt to show that even Widnes ws capable to teaching its children some basic rules of gramma, spelling, etc.


The history differs a little from that which I understood to be the case, for I was told that Widnes was formed by German scientists who had settled in Trafford Park, Manchester to produce their wares, but had been driven out by the city council because of their noxious smells,and poluting chemicals. I was told they simply packed up their bags moved down river to the first open space they could find and etablished to new Town of Widnes, complete with their own council which gave them the freedom they needed to develop their new industry.

I think the hitory published here sounds more interesting !

You may be interested to hear a little "small world" story.

When I met my Amricn wife, and she took me around to meet her family, one of her sisters lives in her home town of Saltville, Virginia, and when we visited the town, I found that it was a sad place, very depressed, because the local chemical company had been sold and the new owners moved the and plant and equipment out of town.

I was told that the chemical factory was formed in 1860 by a man from England, so I asked for the name of the town he had come from, and, yes, it was Widnes.

The founder of the Company, and his collegues from England, built a row of houses in the town and thie row was called English Row, out of respect for the English families living there.

The company has gone, but the row remains. As does some of the polution left behind by the chemical processes, including an escape of mercury from the plant and polluted the local river. The fish are still toxic today.