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Elswick

Elswick maps

Historic maps of Elswick and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis.   View all Elswick maps

Elswick area books

Displaying 1 of 16 books about Elswick and the local area.   View all books for this area

Memories of Elswick

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Lancashire memories

How Inskip Has Changed so Little

I have lived in Inskip most of my life, it is a nice little village that has changed very little in the past 32 years of my life. My parents have lived in Inskip over 30 years and my nanna a lot longer. The changes I have noticed are a few more houses, the loss of our shop and post office, and HMS Inskip has changed hands.

St Michaels on Wyre

My dad had a cousin who was Vicar at St Michaels on Wyre during the 1945 - 55 era. His name, Raymond Bell. As a child visiting his parents in Wray, near Hornby during the Second World War years I only met Raymond once. His parents, Rev Alfred Bell and Edith Bell and sister Eileen were in Wray for many years. Raymond sadly died in St Michaels while working in his garden, so I believe. I married and moved to Canada but had no contact with his mother or sister who had moved to a retirement cottage near Lancaster Cathedral, Eileen was in Calderstones hospital near Blackburn as she had a disability. This was a sad story as from what I did hear, Raymond committed suicide. If anyone knows of the family I would appreciate contact. My parents are long gone and I am trying to trace some of the family tree.

Growing up in Catforth

I was born in Catforth. We lived at Lilac Cottage next to the shop. My parents were Ruth and Frank Carter. Dad worked at Barons as a delivery driver. I have an older sister called Rebecca and an older brother called Roger. I grew up in Catforth and lived there from 1961 until I married in 1982. I attended St Roberts school until it closed down [there was only 12 pupils including myself and my brother attending] and then we went to Catforth primary school on School Lane. It was a wonderful place to live and I have many happy memories of the being there

Shovels Inn - 1952 to 1971

The Shovels Inn c1955
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My grandparents, John & Betty Whiteside, were Landlord & Landlady of The Shovels Inn 1952-1971. I was born in 1955 and clearly remeber the pub as it was then, before they tore down walls! The old men of the village taught me how to play dominoes in one of the little rooms that used to be off the main bar. As you walked through the door there used to be an open fire on the right with the dartboard above it. On the photograph, on the extreme right, just outlined against the white building, you can see the petrol pump which was used to fill the charabancs that used to call at the pub on day trips to the Over Wyre area.

Little Nellie

Thornefield Holiday Camp c1960
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Hi anyone remember "Little Nellie" (husband Joe) and their daughter Annie and grand daughter Margaret, from Sultan Street in Accrington. We used to travel down on the same bus with them every Friday night. In those days, we got the bus from the bottom of Water Street/Melbourne Street (now Eastgate). They had a caravan on Thornfield for years and years. When you passed the shop and turned onto the site, their caravan was way down the bottom, tucked in a corner.  Little Nellie was extremely small and always seemed to wear mens wide legged trousers, with turn ups!  

June

I Was There When Pic Was Being Taken

Thornefield Holiday Camp c1960
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The camp shop pic was being taken when I was stopped while leaving the Bungalow next to the orchard, I was 8 yrs old. I was going to the shop. The 2 women I think were Auntie Dorene on the left from the house on the left, she was working in the shop part time, and Auntie Nellie Scott who also worked there, she rented the second house down from us, from my mum Clara. We later had Sunnyside Cafe built in 1967. Margaret Hall worked for my mum then, they were new to the village, she worked at the mushroom factory as well.

1960 Onwards

"Oh Happy Days". My first view of Staining was the 9th June 1960.  I remember it well.  I seem to remember the Staining bus did NOT go into the village, but stopped across from the old Plough pub. My gran had bought a caravan there, just up Chain Lane, on Mrs Smiths caravan site. Mr and Mrs Smith lived in the farmhouse, their 4 daughters lived nearby in the two red brick semis which Nana Smith had had built. (Auntie Fred'a has now been altered beyond all recognition). I got to know them all over the years.  "Auntie Irene" Openshaw, with husband Norman and sons Charles, Dennis and Philip - their house was next to the caravan site and known as "Glentoo". Then there was Auntie Annie and Uncle Richard next door. Then Auntie Rosie and husband Joe who lived in the farmhouse, down the old lane, near the windmill (near a pig farm where Charles worked at one time). Then lovely lovely Auntie Freda and husband Fred Chadwick, with... Read more

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