The Albert Lee Memorial

The people of Heywood were shocked by a double tragedy in 1907 when two teenagers drowned in the River Roch, near Queens Park. David Ashworth had fallen into the swollen waters and was swept away as his friend Albert Lee jumped in to rescue him. It was two days before Ashworth's body was found, and a full week before Lee's body was discovered three miles downstream from the park.

A memorial to Lee's heroism was erected in the park in 1908. The short documentary below looks at the story:

The incident also made the news in other countries. The article below is from Brisbane, Australia.

The Week [Brisbane] (26 June 1908)