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Books > Accrington Old and New Photographic Memories
Accrington, Blackburn Road 2004 (ref. A19701) | Once this was the part of the street with clothing shops; it is now the part of town with the banks,
building societies and estate agents. The accommodation in the upper floors, no longer needed for
shop storage, is available for offices. The cast iron lampposts show a return to Victorian styles, with
the hanging baskets a brave attempt to cheer up the area.
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Accrington, Museum, Oak Hill Park c1935 (ref. A19003) | The Corporation renovated
the house, and the museum
opened in 1910. There were
eight rooms displaying
various eclectic items
of local history, art and
specialised collections. Most
items were donated. During
the Second World War, the
museum closed to the public
and never reopened. For
some years in the 1950s and
1960s, Whitewell Dairies ran
a café on the ground floor.
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Accrington, Broadway c1965 (ref. A19032) | The hoardings on the right
cover the work being done
on the new extension to the
Town Hall, which was to be
completed in April 1966. The
new Broadway and the shops
proved immediately popular,
and linked through with the
outside market. The Coppice
can be seen in the distance.
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Accrington, Broadway c1965 (ref. A19024) | The Arndale House shops opened in September 1961. Whilst some of these shops were newcomers to the town - Hardy
& Co the furnishers, Macfisheries, and Marks & Spencer - others relocated to Broadway from other parts of the town.
Woolworth's later moved here next to Marks & Spencer.
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Accrington, Oak Hill Park c1935 (ref. A19008) | Four cannons from
the War Office were
purchased by Henry
Parkinson (calling himself
'Accrington Friend and
Well Wisher'); two were
sited on The Coppice,
and two in Oak Hill Park.
The guns were sent for
war salvage in 1940.
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Accrington, Blackburn Road c1955 (ref. A19015) | In a few yards
there were many
clothes shops here,
including Weaver to
Wearer, Burtons and
Fifty Shilling Tailors
Ltd. The building
on the corner of
Broadway with
the stylish curved
frontage (right)
housed Woods the
tobacconist's and
Porter's Wallpapers,
both familiar names
to Accringtonians
over many years.
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Accrington, St John's Church 1899 (ref. 43499) | The Church of St
John the Evangelist
was completed
in 1870. The new
parish was carved
out of St James'
parish as more
and more houses
and industry were
attracted to the
Burnley Road area.
It has always been
the largest Church
of England church
in Accrington,
accommodating
800 people before
alterations in the
last century. The
tower, very much
a feature of the
townscape, is
unusual in that it
is constructed in
three stages with
freestanding
pinnacles beside
the spire.
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Accrington, Blackburn Road c1915 (ref. A19004) | This part of
Blackburn Road
was a hive of
activity with lots
of shops. The
electric tram
(just visible
under the bridge)
shows that the
photograph was
taken after 1907,
when the old
steam trams of
the Baltic Fleet
were withdrawn.
The Baptist
chapel (centre
left) was built in
1836, but since
a larger building
was erected on
Cannon Street
in 1874, it has
undergone many
changes of use.
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Accrington, Town Hall 2004 (ref. A19702) | Land behind the
Town Hall was used
for industry for many
years: the Spring Mill
buildings and the
cupola of Pleck Brass
Works are visible to
the right. Notice also
the stonework at the
back of the Town Hall
in front of the mill so
that a future extension
could be keyed in.
The pub on the left
of the photo was
the Thwaites Arms,
demolished to make
way for Broadway.
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Accrington, Town Hall 1897 (ref. 40119) | The Town Hall was
originally known as the
Peel Institution, and
was used as Assembly
Rooms. The etching on
the windows, 'Magistrates
Room' and 'Solicitors
Room', reminds us that
the Magistrates' Courts
were also housed here
for many years. The
police station, just visible
behind on the left at
the top of Union Street,
was accessible from the
court via an underground
passage for the prisoners
to pass through on their
way from dock to cell. The
imposing ballroom has
seen many gatherings of
different types, including
the Grand Fancy Dress
Ball that is advertised on
the large poster along
with the Cyclists Parade.
These events were amongst
fundraising activities
for the provision of a
Cottage Hospital. Recently
refurbished, the ballroom is
still in regular use today for
a variety of events.
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Accrington, Roman Catholic Church interior 1899 (ref. 43504) | The high altar was designed by Pugin and manufactured in Dublin at a cost of £700; it was of Gothic design and made of
Caen stone, richly carved. It was given by James Lomax of Clayton Hall. Around the apse were figures of angels, and the
church was rich in stained glass.
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Accrington, Town Hall 1968 (ref. A19025) | This busy junction
had cars battling
for right of way. On
the opposite corner
from the Yorkshire
Bank was Redman's
the grocer's (centre
right), beloved by
local housewives
for their selection
and good value.
Beyond that, the
Co-op furniture
store is in the
building which was
formerly the home
of Woolworth's.
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Accrington, Technical School 1899 (ref. 43498) | The Technical School,
designed by a local
architect, Henry
Ross, was erected by
Accrington Corporation
in 1895. It was officially
opened on 28 August,
with Henry Hills as its
first headmaster. Both
boys and girls were
admitted, having first
had to pass an entrance
examination. Under the
headmaster, Dr Edkins,
the school was renamed
Accrington Grammar
School in 1921.
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Accrington, Market Hall c1965 (ref. A19021) | The outside stalls
made way for
flower planters
and trees, and
neat railings
direct foot traffic
to safer road
crossings. The
Central Bus
Terminus was
completed at
this date, and
so were the
new 'umbrella'
markets behind
the Market Hall.
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Accrington, Blackburn Road 1897 (ref. 40116) | Although not a market
day, there is still plenty
of activity along the road.
Henry Wormwell, a mill
and general furnishing
engineer, had premises on
the corner of Piccadilly, the
block of shops just opposite
the Town Hall. The block
opposite the Market Hall
was demolished and rebuilt
as more imposing shops in
about 1924.
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Accrington, Market and Bus Station 2004 (ref. A19705) | The main part of
the new outside
market lies along
Peel Street; its
construction
forced the
alteration of the
bus station into a
line of stands on
each side of the
street. The break in
the middle allows
the skylight of the
central passageway
of the new building
to reflect the shape
of the decoration
on the Market Hall.
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Accrington, Blackburn Road c1965 (ref. A19022) | Garth Dawson's
Camera Cabin, located
behind the clock
(centre, behind the
bus), has had several
locations around the
centre of Accrington,
and is now sited
round the corner on
Blackburn Road.
E J Riley's, once the
towering giant of
snooker and billiards
and based in the town,
had a shop on the left.
They also made other
sports equipment such
as golf clubs and bowls.
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Accrington, Blackburn Road 2004 (ref. A19710) | The opposite
side of the road
from A19709
(above) shows the
new frontage of
Altham's, now very
much a travel firm;
the tea sales are a
distant memory,
although the shop
still occupies the
same site.
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Accrington, New Jerusalem Church 1899 (ref. 43500) | Situated on Abbey Street next to the Swan Hotel, the New Jerusalem Church was one of the most
striking buildings in the town. It was the largest Swedenborgian church in the country, and came to
be known as the 'cathedral' of that denomination.
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Accrington, Oak Hill Park 1897 (ref. 40128) | At the time the park opened, Oak Hill Mansion was empty, having been tenanted from the time
Jonathan Hargreaves left in 1856 until about 1880. It was said that the house, built in 1815, was
second only in importance to Accrington House in its design and splendour.
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