Golborne is possibly the site of the battle of Maserfield in which Penda the pagan king of Mercia was victorious over the Christian king (and later saint) Oswald. Formerly part of the parish of Winwick (church dedicated to St Oswald), Golborne did not get its own church until 1849 when St Thomas was built of local Billinge stone. The major industries were farming, cotton mills and coal mining. It was the scene of a major mining disaster at Golborne Colliery on March 18 1979 in which 10 men were killed and two serously injured.
Golborne Urban District Council was formed by the Local Government Act of 1894 and was enlarged in 1933 with the addition of the areas of Lowton, Kenyon and part of Culcheth. Administrative offices were at Lime House, formerly the home of Capt PT Eckersley, (once the Lancashire Cricket Club Captain) from 1936. Armorial bearings were granted to the Council in May 1954 and show heraldic representations of part of the Arms of Lord Newton, principal landowner, the red rose of Lancaster, the coal industry, cotton and rayon spinning, and agriculture. The black lozenges representing the coal, are also part of the arms of the Naylor family.
Other prominent manufactures were fruit preserves at WT Mather Ltd, electrical, gas and mining plant at Naylor Bros Ltd, sheet metal at Comet engineers, plastic containers at Rexpak , textiles at William Tatton and Co etc.
