Nostalgic memories of Preston's local history
Share your own memories of Preston and read what others have said
For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.
Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.
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Displaying Memories 11 - 20 of 22 in total
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 Mom brought her little family back to visit her friends Marie and ...see more
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, ...see more
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.
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 ...see more
My parents had a baby Stall on Preston Market when I was 11 years old. Mum stood Mondays and Wednesdays, and we went as a family on Saturdays when we were on the Flag market (corner top left hand stall near the Harris Art Gallery). It was freezing cold on that corner !! Everyone who was on the markets helped one another, there was a wonderful cameraderie.
my fathers maternal grandfather was involved with the building of this building.
Unfortunately, though this photo shows the timber quay, it doesn't show the timber! Sometimes Father took my brother and me to Preston docks, and this was always a wonderful outing. I can remember scrambling around on the huge tree trunks stacked up on this quay, and indeed have two photos to prove it. In 1953, Coronation year, the submarine "Amphion" paid a visit to the docks, and half Preston came to see it. The ...see more
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 I watched from one of the upstairs windows.
Between two of the shops on this photo runs a small lane called Anchor Court. It is still there, but all the houses which formerly lined it have been demolished or altered beyond all recognition. In the court there was a shop selling farmers' supplies, and my brother and I used to like going there, just for the fun of it and looking around. I can't remember the name of this shop - perhaps someone else can?
My mother (90) is the daughter of Fred Goodier who was the chief cotton buyer for Horrockes between the wars.
