The Fascinating story of the ‘Doctors of Whitworth’ is based in the town of Whitworth, which has been built up around the stone quarries, and later the wool and cotton mills of the Rossendale Valley. The Doctors of Whitworth are probably the most famous residents of the town and were all decedents of a family called TAYLOR, who settled in Whitworth in the 18th. century. It all started with JOHN TAYLOR who was an itinerant Blacksmith who practised his trade on either side of the Pennines. In a time of ill health he settled in Whitworth and he became known locally as a skilled man and one with a very considerable sympathy for animals. His ” doctoring ” began when he built a tin case to heal the broken leg of a cat. The leg healed well and his reputation quickly spread. Very soon he was dealing with humans. He was joined by his brothers and they treated patients from all over England.
They had many hundreds of clients , including the Archbishop of Canterbury, who would wait in queues around the Hamlet, sleeping in the cots provided or in the Red Lion if they had the money, to be seen. They took over much of the hamlet for recovery wards and the square was known as ‘cripples walk’ for the constant streams of the walking wounded taking the air.
