Whilst I was waiting to get a new bulb for my car (they gave me the wrong size yesterday), I remembered that there are two very large bronze carvings on the wall of the nearby supermarket. With 10 minutes until they opened, off I popped!
 
The carvings are part of the Irwell Sculpture Trail which winds its way from Bacup to Salford Quays and features over 70 artworks by locally, nationally and internationally renowned artists.
 
Two brass panels were made by renowned artist Steve des Landes, each measuring over 14 ft by 4 ft.

The first tells the story of the Besses o’ th’ Barn Band, one of the oldest brass bands in the world.

This blip is from the second panel which depicts the washer women of the now demolished Lilly Hill Steam Laundry. Judging by their faces, I imagine life in the laundry wasn't easy! 
 
Until 1894 Whitefield was an area of Pilkington, a large estate of 5,500 acres which contained the medieval deer park.
By the fifteenth century a small community of weavers and farmers was established and it is believed that this was the origin of Whitefield.
There are two theories regarding the name, one of which is that the Flemish weavers spread their fabrics in the surrounding fields to bleach the cloth in the sun.
The other theory relates to the historic agricultural use of the area, with many acres of wheatfields.
 
You learn something new every day!
 
Quote for today:
Laundry is the only thing that should be separated by colour.
-Anonymous