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Preston
Preston maps
Historic maps of Preston and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Preston maps
Preston area books
Displaying 1 of 16 books about Preston and the local area. View all books for this area
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Memories of Preston
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Preston.
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PRESTON ROYAL INFIRMARY (maternity)
My mother was a midwife sister during the 1940s and early 1950s at the old PRI. She must have delivered lots of babies from the area during this time. There was once a photo of her in the LEP with 3 babies born on Christmas Day. She was also in charge of the Premature Baby Unit there. She went on to nurse at Mount Street Hospital. Her name was Nurse/Staff/Sister Savage. My own son was born there. I had a lengthy stay there myself in Alice Ward late 1960s and went on to Lostock Hall Continuation Hospital (now St Catherine's Hospice). I loved this old hospital - there always seemed to be loads of nurses on the wards, also ward cleaners. I was sad when it closed.
Preston Market
It was a great market gaff to stand on, what a buzz. I had the time of my life there. The majority of the stallholders were legend and the locals were spot on. Times were good then and so were markets, unfortunately times and business change, not all for the best, and markets have suffered. Preston Market is the best market I've ever stood at. R.I.P. Frank Councell and Mr Henshaw, and all the best to all past and present traders, you deserve a medal for standing in the row on a cold January morning,. I just hope they let you get your vans on early on Birley Street etc.
Happy Memories of The Harris Orphanage
I have happy memories of the Harris orphanage. My two brothers and I spent 18 months there. We livd in no 7 and our foster parents were Mr and Mrs Perkins, who was a first rate cook. The govenor was a retired police Superintendany by the name of Mr Howarth, ably assisted by his wife whom we called Matron. The teacher in my class (11 to 15 year olds)was a Mr Bridge(a very kind man)who was also the Producer of The Preston playhouse. He took us to see plays put on by him, and later showed us backstage to see how things worked. I wonder if anyone out there was at the Harris at that time and remembers me and my brothers, the Porters.
Preston,Fishergate. C.1965
I knew and worked with P.C. McGinty in Preston Borough Police from 1965 to 1968, when I worked there as an Inspector, before moving again on promotion. If this photograph was taken during that period it is not of P.C. 100 who at that time had, very sensibly, got himself a job in Headquarters (except during North End home matches (where he was a tower of strength in every way). If Mac is still with us - Hello! It would be great to hear from him - and,indeed any other ex-member of 'The Borough'. Bob Dale.
School Memories at Harris Orphanage
My oldest brother Jack, and my older sister Dorothy and myself all attended Harris Orphanage School in the 1940s. We lived in Greyfriars Crescent, Fulwood, and although our nearest school was at Cadley Causeway, because the war was on and because Cadley Causeway school was already full, we were sent to the Harris Orphanage School. I remember the teachers, the first class I was in was taught by Mrs Westry who was very nice. She lived on Blackbull Lane and had an Airedale dog. The next class was taught by Miss Moss, who was very strict, and I think most of us were slightly afraid of her. The headmistress was Mrs Taylor who lived in Castleton Road. She was the person you were sent to if you had misbehaved. She had a strap, but fortunately it was only the boys the got the strap, not the girls! I can remember the Christmas services we had in the lovely chapel at the Orphanage.
St Walburg''s
My great-grandfather Hugh Bell (born 1854) was the 13th child to be baptised at the then new church. He was later married there in 1874 to an Alice Gradwell from Preston. One of many children of William Gradwell (born 1818) and a descendant from the famous GRADWELL family. I, Brian Freeman, was a painter and decorator and served my apprenticeship with John Corbishley and Sons, 170 North Road, Preston from 1950/1956, and was not aware when Corbishleys decorated St Walburge's Church that my family had any connection with the said church.
Preston, Fishergate c1965
We are sure that the policeman standing in his box doing point duty was our dad, PC Mcginty or number 100. He was a policeman for forty years with Preston borough and we and a lot of Preston people have fond memories of him standing in that spot.
Waiting Room
In Spring 1948 I caught my finger in a folding chair at school and by the evening an abscess had formed. It was so painful that because our doctor's surgery was already closed my father took me to the Infirmary, but we landed in the maternity department, where we were really out of place! The next day we went again, and as there were no penicillin tablets in those days I had to have injections morning and evening and had to wait for them on a hard bench in the very crowded waiting room where there were all manner of patients, most of them far worse off than I. On Saturday mother took me to see the doctor in the Infirmary, and then the abscess was lanced. This treatment went on for 2 weeks, and at the end all was well again. In 1954 my younger sister was born in the Infirmary and I went to visit mother in the maternity department, where I'd been by mistake 6... Read more
