St James and St Elizabeth, Bickershaw Lane, Bickershaw, (Johnson Memorial Church)

Built as a memorial to James and Elizabeth Johnson by their family, the proprietors of the Abram Coal Company. The foundation stone was laid in 1904 and the Church opened 1905. Perspective drawing by R Knill Freeman and Son on Church web-site.

JOHNSON MEMORIAL CHURCH, BICKERSHAW, NEAR WIGAN This church is to be consecrated shortly, and has been erected by the trustees in memory of the late Mr. James Henry Johnson, J P., of Abram Collieries and Hall Garth, Lancashire. It provides seating accommodation for over 200 people, and externally the building is faced with Yorkshire parpoints, with all dressings, window tracery, etc., of red Rainhill stone, the roofs being covered with red tiles. The internal woodwork is of selected pitch-pine throughout, with waggon-shaped boarded inner roofs, with moulded ribs, battlemented cornices,etc. The internal walls are plastered, and the aisles, etc., tiled with red tiles, and the floor of chancel is enriched with encaustic tiles of suitable ornamental character. A small organ chamber and vestries are also provided, and the electric light has been used throughout. The whole of the work has been carried out from the designs and under the supervision of Mr. Frank Freeman, architect, Bolton; Messrs. Moore Bros., of Rawtenstall, being the contractors. [Building News 12 May 1905 page 677] 

Reference           Building News 12 May 1905 page 677

Builder             R K Freeman Obituary
Reference         Pevsner: Lancashire: South
Reference         Pollard; Lancashire South West