Parish School, Avenham Lane, Preston c.1974: You can see St James Church to the far right and Preston Minster in the background to the left. I would be very interested to see how many people attended this school and what their memories of it are. On a final note, it looks like the Guild Centre is being built at this time as it just appears above the school.

Houses between Church Street & Percy Street, Preston c.1976: I really would not have normally recognised this scene at all if the info had not been with the photo. This is the north side of Church Street where all the more modern buildings have replaced all you see in this picture. It is quite strange how someone built the small house in between the buildings on Church Street and Percy Street, especially with there being very little space there.

Horrockses Cotton Weaving Sheds, viewed from Church Street, Preston c.1976: The high wall still remains but the weaving sheds are long gone. This patch of spare ground has been there for so long and over time has increased in size as buildings on Church Street have been demolished. I should imagine that the original buildings which would have been there were swept away due to them being unsafe or dilapidation beyond repair. Some nice cars there, can anyone name the grey one with a white roof?

Former Canal Warehouse, Corporation Street, Preston c.1978: This is now the site of the Aldi and Poundland stores on the Corporation Street Retail Centre. Although long gone, the building in the centre of the image was one of the oldest premises there in the year of this photo. It is strongly believed that it could have been a shed for the coal trams coming from Walton Summit across the Tram Bridge over the River Ribble.

Birthplace of Francis Thompson, 7 Winckley Street, Preston c.1979: How unusually different these buildings looked then! Since the time this photo was taken, the whole of the east side of Winckley Street has been completely remodeled, creating shop fascias as opposed to the residence type fronts you see here. Francis Thompson was a worldwide renowned poet but his parents moved from here and Preston when he was four years old.

St Peter’s Church, Fylde Road, Preston c.1979: This old church was destined to become part of Preston Polytechnic when it closed in the early 1970’s. In later years it became St Peter’s Art Centre for the University of Central Lancashire. An interesting fact is that the graveyard holds the body of Richard Turner (Dicky Turner), alleged to have coined the word ‘Teetotal’, as in total abstinence of alcohol of the temperance movement. It is said that he uttered the words ‘T’Total abstinence’ due to a stutter he suffered from.

Former Medical Association Building, St Paul’s Square, Preston c.1978: This building remains to this day and I believe it is now residential accommodation. Someone informed me that in the 1950/60’s this was the surgery of a Doctor Eatough. The public house to the left on Egan Street was the Windsor Castle and nowadays is …more accommodation.

Penwortham Hill, viewed from Liverpool Road, Penwortham, Preston c.1978: In a time before the Penwortham bypass and flyover bridge, this is a picture of a typical scene of that era. Essentially, the view hasn’t changed so much and neither has the traffic volume either at times.

Isolation Hospital Wards, Deepdale, Preston c.1972: Many of you will recall this vast hospital and may well have been a patient or visitor there at some point. The whole complex was swept away to enable the Sainsbury superstore to be built there.

Former British Railway Ladywell House, Heatley Street & Ladywell Street, Preston c.1976: Close by to the former site of the Lancaster Canal, this building has been refurbished and if used as student residential accommodation. A few years ago a medieval cemetery was discovered withing close proximity to this building and was found to be inhabited by several complete skeletons.

St Mary’s Church entrance, Friargate, Preston c.1978: Although completely swept away, the very old church that lay behind the buildings on Friargate was a charming and much loved place of worship before it closed its doors for the last time. Many Prestonians fought to save the place but unfortunately did not succeed in their efforts.

Friargate (north side) featuring John Westhead & Co, Preston c.1978: I’m certain that there will be a memory or two of these shops on the upper part of Friargate. Westhead’s was one of the oldest retailers in Preston to survive well toward the latter part of the twentieth century from the start of the business in 1845. They also had premises in nearby Orchard Street.

Former Broomfield Mill, Broomfield Mill Street, Preston c.1978: Another mill building which has disappeared from sight. I believe there was a slipper works somewhere among these buildings. Anyone belong to the Preston Squash Club?

Former Horrockses cotton mill, Yard Works, Stanley Street, Preston c.1976: Another picture of the Yard Works site with the former engine house building in the centre with green doors. The spire to the left of the former engine house is that of the Grimshaw St Seventh Day Adventist Church.

St. Walburge’s School, Weston Street, Preston c.1979: This part of the school was demolished some years ago; however, the remainder, that being the Talbot Library which was, up until last year, on the right hand side of the demolished school. The building in the background on the left of the picture was the Fylde Road Cotton Mill which has also been swept away.

Bray Street School, Bray Street, Preston c.1979: The official title of this small establishment is ‘Bray Street Wesleyan Sunday School, Day School and Mission Hall’. It started life around 180 as a meeting place for the Methodist community and eventually became a school. I have known a few people who attended this school around the mid to late 1900’s. Did you go there?

Lingard’s Outfitters, 44 Fishergate, Preston c.1979: Now, how many of you readers were fitted out with your school uniform at Lingard’s? It was one of those shops where you ‘bumped’ into school pals before the autumn term started when they too were being escorted by mothers and fathers to be kitted-out with the full school regalia.  Can you spot Sweeten’s bookshop side entrance there in Mount Street? Loved that shop!

St James Church, Avenham Lane, Preston c.1978: A full-on view of this long gone church on Avenham Lane. Just across the road was the Parish School which can be seen in the very first image. I’m sure that many will remember this old church as do I.

Cannon Street, looking down from Fishergate, Preston c.1978: I love this picture and this street. It’s a shame that it is not more popular than it is. I have been attempting to work out what shops were on the opposite side, just out of view here. Anyone got any ideas?

Cannon Street, looking up towards Fishergate, Preston c.1978: Although the photographic shop is no longer operating in the premises we see in this picture, I have noticed, to my utter surprise, that the ‘AGFA’ sign remains on the wall above the window to this day, in the original orange, blue and white colours!