IT will be an amazing sight to see when hundreds of Bolton primary school children congregate to say their own special thanks to someone who has gone down in the history of the town and whose legacy still supports local schools.

The children will start their special walk at the Victoria Halls in Knowsley Street before heading into Victoria Square in Bolton on the afternoon of Wednesday June 27.

They will gather around the statue of Dr Samuel Taylor Chadwick and the memorial plaque to his wife Mrs Ann Chadwick, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Chadwick Educational Foundation.

Amazingly all these years later this legacy continues to contribute to their education today and to contribute to their education.

The event marks the 150th anniversary of Dr and Mrs Chadwick endowing money for the building of model housing for the working poor of Bolton — which the charity still owns and rents today — and the building of an orphanage.

The orphanage closed its doors in the 1940s and, with the proceeds from the sale of the building and land, the charity was able to continue supporting young people.

Beyond his medicinal career, Dr Chadwick married Ann nee Hall, a wine merchant’s daughter, and the couple had two children, Sarah and James, who died aged six and five.

The deaths affected Dr and Mrs Chadwick greatly and spurred the couple on to establish a charitable trust and an orphanage, in what is now Chadwick Street, The Haulgh.

The orphanage addressed the town’s lack of provision for women, taking on only girls, as a previous boys orphanage had been built by James Eden.

Around 80 inmates, as they were known, were housed in the orphanage and trained in domestic service, with girls being taken on by the orphanage into the 1940s.

The orphanage closed in 1961, and the land and property went to Bolton Institute, before it was demolished in 1963.

However, to fund and support their project, Dr and Mrs Chadwick also built a block of model housing on The Haulgh, between 1868 and 1873 — and the homes are still owned by their charity today.

The children will be performing a new piece of drama with songs on Thursday June 28: The Remarkable Gifts of Dr and Mrs Chadwick which was written by David Coggins with music composed by Eve Harrison.

The drama charts the lives of the Bolton philanthropists and shares what the local children have learned about the doctor and his wife.

Project manager, Amy Liptrott, said:

“This remarkable project is a unique opportunity to bring the history of Bolton to life for children from across the town.

“It was conceived as a celebration of the lives of Dr Chadwick and his wife and the incredible legacy they left, which still continues.”