Preston, Lancashire

My Mother: Veronica Kenny (Vera) Preston Lancashire

My mom had a best friend, her name was Marie, who married Bill and my mother was their maid of honour. My family in Scotland still have the picture of the wedding day with Bill in his army uniform.

I was born in  Preston in 1944. Mom married and moved to Scotland,  friendships in Preston continued and around 1950... [more]

bricks and mortar

my fathers maternal grandfather was involved with the building of this building.

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,... [more]

Information about this Church

* St Walburge's is the tallest spired parish church and the third tallest church spire of any type in Britain.

* Preston was made a City for the millennium celebrations so it is likely that St Walburge's will be elevated to cathedral status in time.

* Completed in 1854.

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... [more]

Marriage of John Naughton & Ann Conroy

John Naughton (b.1842; Kings County, Ireland) & Ann Conroy (b.1851; Queens County, Ireland) were married in St Walburge's RC church, 3 April 1880.
John was known as a "peaceable" & quiet man who played the flute. They had 3 daughters, Mary Ann, Julia (known as Jessie) & Catherine, but sadly John died suddenly in 1886 before Catherine was born, leaving... [more]

Father taught here

From 1944 to 1956 my father Mr. G. Pember was head of the Electrical Engineering Department of the Technical School, which was also known as the Harris Institute. I can remember going there only once, at the time of the Preston Guild celebrations of 1952, when he let me watch some of the processions from the steps on the photo. Others... [more]

Horrockes

My mother (90) is the daughter of  Fred Goodier who was the chief cotton buyer for Horrockes between the wars.

The Fylde Photographic Memories

This splendid town hall was burned down in 1947; it was built in the Market Place on the site of the old town hall, which was demolished in 1862. R Townley Parker, the Guild Mayor, laid the foundation stone. On 3 October 1867 the building was opened with all the ceremony that such a splendid pile demanded. Sir Gilbert Scott was... [more]

Preston Pocket Album

Here we see Preston Post Office just a couple of years after it opened. The original Preston Post Office had been at the south end of Wide Shambles in a building leaning on the side of the shambles. When this much-needed new Post Office was built, to make it look more impressive it was faced with stone from Storeton Quarry in the Wirral. After opening, one... [more]

Lancashire - A Second Selection Photographic Memories

The grandest monument to Harris' memory is the magnificent Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery, photographed here as it nears completion. Workmen are still busy on ladders, putting the finishing touches to the building, whilst blinds have not yet been installed at the numerous windows which pierce its ornate façade. The books and fine collection of art exhibits have yet to... [more]