Spike Island, Widnes

This article is about the island in the estuary of the River Mersey. For other Spike Islands, see Spike Island.

Spike Island
Spike Island viewed from Catalyst Science Discovery Centre
Type	Park and Urban open space
Location	Widnes, Cheshire, England
Coordinates	53°21′14″N 2°43′50″W
Operated by	Halton Borough Council

Spike Island is an island between the Sankey Canal and the estuary of the River Mersey, part of Widnes in the borough of Halton in north-west England. The island is an urban open space that contains parkland, woodland, wetlands and footpaths. It is adjacent to the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre, the only science museum in the UK solely devoted to chemistry.

Spike Island contains the world's first rail-to-ship dock. After its creation, John Hutchinson who was described by his contemporaries as "the Father of Widnes", built the first chemical factory in Widnes on the island. The chemical industry in Widnes grew rapidly therafter. By the 1970s no chemical factories remained in operation and beginning in 1975 the island was cleaned up and turned over to public recreation.

A famous concert by the Stone Roses took place on the island in May 1990. The concert was subsequently the subject of a film and has been used in popular culture.

History

Drawing of the island in 1875

The island was formed circa 1757 when the Sankey Canal was created and separated a section of Widnes near the River Mersey from the remainder of the town. The canal starts at the West Bank Locks on Spike Island and passes through Warrington and into St. Helens town centre. The canal fell into disuse and closed in 1963. The canal footpath now forms part of the Trans Pennine Trail.

The island was at the centre of the British chemical industry during the 19th century and part of the Industrial Revolution. Widnes Dock, built in 1833, was the first rail-to-ship dock in the world. Uniquely the dock allowed goods, such as coal, to be taken off a train and deposited directly into a boat for transport along the River Mersey to other parts of the UK and abroad. Goods and raw materials could also be brought in via a boat and then deposited directly onto a train for onward travel to local factories. The dock was topped up with water from the nearby reservoir to prevent its level becoming too low when the River Mersey was at low tide.

Beginning in 1848 John Hutchinson built the first chemical factory in Widnes on Spike Island. It was called "Hutchinson's No 1 Works" and was constructed along the Sankey canal near to Widnes dock. Thereafter chemical factories proliferated in the town. Around the year 1860 he built Tower Building, which he used as the administrative headquarters of his chemical business. Later it became the head office of the Gossage soap company, which at one time was the largest soap company in the UK and handled half of the UK's soap exports. Today, Tower Building houses the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre. Hutchinson was described by his contemporaries as "the father of Widnes" because of his influence on the growth of the chemical industry in the town.

By the 1970s the area contained abandoned chemical factories, rail lines, canal and industrial dockage, and extensive chemical pollution. Between 1975 and 1982 the island was reclaimed and returned to green spaces. All of the chemical works were removed and only two former pyrite kilns remain.

Facilities

The Trans Pennine Trail passing through Spike Island

There are footpaths, canal walks, cycle paths, woodland, wetlands, birdlife, fishing, the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre, industrial heritage, picnic tables, car parking, a multi-purpose sports pitch, a children's play area and the Trans Pennine Trail passes through the parkland. Mersey River boats are moored in the Sankey canal. The canal, although in water, is not navigable past the island because footbridges form an obstruction.

In popular culture

2012 Film about the concert on the island

Spike Island was the site of a famous outdoor concert by The Stone Roses in May 1990. The support acts included DJs Dave Haslam, Paul Oakenfold and Frankie Bones, a Zimbabwean drum orchestra, Dave Booth (DJ) and the reggae artist Gary Clail. The NME wrote "Spike Island was to be the Roses’ defining statement, a celebration of not only their own success, but of an entire youth culture" and also "It was a real moment in time; the beginning of a long hot summer that saw England nearly go all the way in the World Cup, the peak of a period when Manchester and the north-west felt like the centre of the universe." 30,000 people attended the concert, the organisation was described as "amateurish", and this increased the fame of the event. The police informed the organisers that the tide was so high that everyone might have to be taken off the island. As the Stone Roses took to the stage a cloud of red dust formed in front of the stage, triggering asthma attacks among some members of the crowd.

A film about the concert called Spike Island was released in 2012. The Pulp song "Sorted for E's and Wizz" is inspired by one girl's memories of the concert. Jarvis Cocker remarked that he'd spoken to the girl about the concert and she could remember virtually nothing apart from the drug taking. A tribute concert on the island by "The Clone Roses" was planned for May 2020, thirty years after the original concert. The event was rescheduled for 2021 because public gatherings were prohibited due to the COVID-19 pandemic.