Great Harwood

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Coopers and Booths

My Great, Great Great Grandfather, William Booth, used to push a cart up and down the streets of Clayton le Moors with his son John Booth, selling shellfish. He was known as 'Muscle Bill' and his son, 'Oyster Jack'. (This is actually a memory passed down from my ancestors to my 3rd cousin.)
They lived at 'Old Sparth House' from around 1895 onwards. William died in 1900 age 79. Most of the family married and brought their children up in Clayton le Moors. A few emigrated abroad. Robert Booth to Australia, Ellen Booth married Charles Battersby and moved to Canada. John Booth's daughter Luciana Booth married William Cooper from Great Harwood at All Saints, and my Grandfather, Robert Cooper was born ...read more here
A memory of Clayton Le Moors contributed by DONNA COOPER

The place where I was born

I was born in Whalley, in the second cottage opposite the Catholic Church in the Sands, in December 1924. Next door to us was Mr Sutton who was well known around Whalley for his ice cream. He used to stand outside the abbey gates with his ice cream and he always had raspberry vinegar to put on top of the cones. I went to Whalley C of E School.  Mr J Chew was the headmaster, Miss Edith as we knew her was my kindergarten teacher, other teachers I remember were Miss Forster, Miss Baxter [ who I was in Love with], Miss Roberts, Miss Dyson. I was in the church choir when I was 7, also the Boy Scouts when I ...read more here
A memory of Whalley contributed by Trevor Williams

Accrington as I recall

We moved to Accrington fom Whalley 10th December 1941. I remember it because Syd Ashmeed and his band was broadcasting that day and Ronnie Brooks was the drummer and I wanted to listen to the broadcast but as we were moving I missed it. I started work at Howard & Bulloughs in April 1941 as an apprentice mechanic in the milling room, but after a year I asked for a transfer to the tool room. George Crawshaw was the foreman. I was in Bulloughs Home Guard and did our guard duty in Fountain St. We lived in Buxton St and one Saturday night a shop window was broken on Charter St, I believe that happened for three Saturday nights, when they ...read more here
A memory of Accrington contributed by Trevor Williams

Mrs Kilshaw

I remember the creaky stairs and stodgy atmosphere of Central Preparatory so well, even though it's now 44 years since I last heard the sterling tones of Mrs Kilshaw resounding through the classroom.
Miss Backhouse was my personal favourite: a gentle, caring teacher who had the patience others seemed to lack.
I still live locally (Ossy) and occasionally wander round the area where the noble old building that began my experiences of the world of British education once stood. So much has changed of the Accrington I knew then and having moved back after 35 years away - in Scotland and Cheshire - it's nice to know that others have soothing and happy memories of Central Prep.
A memory of Accrington contributed by Karol Gajewski