The lively town of Wigan lies along the River Douglas and the historic Leeds and Liverpool Canal, approximately 20 miles northwest of Manchester. The town was established in 1246 and, as with most areas in the north of England, benefited from the traditional industries of coal mining and cotton manufacturing during the industrial revolution.

The mechanisation of the textile sector in the late 18th century increased the number of factories in Wigan, leading to considerable economic and population growth. Wigan’s status as a centre for coal production, engineering and textiles in the 19th century led to the town becoming one of the first in Britain to be served by a railway, intrinsically linking to the economies of Manchester and Liverpool.