Infamous Preston artist strikes bronze with latest sculpture

Nostalgia

Infamous Preston artist strikes bronze with latest sculpture

26th, February 2011 by Jonathan Gilbert

Peter Hodgkinson, the Preston artist who created the city’s famous sculpture of Sir Tom Finney, had his latest piece of work unveiled today – in a pub. Forty-five-year-old Hodgkinson has immortalised another North West legend – artist LS Lowry – with a life-sized bronze statue that sits at the bar in Sam’s Chop House, the Manchester inn where Lowry used to drink. Hodgkinson, who lives [...]

A guide to Valentine’s Day in Preston: The single’s special

14th, February 2011 by Lucy Spaven

Some single people will go to any lengths to get a date on Valentine’s Day. I wonder whether it might be better for them to stay in with a cup of tea instead. Fluffy teddy bears, bright red hearts and couples who can’t keep their hands off each other. As Valentine’s Day rolls around again, many single people are left feeling lonely and depressed. As [...]

Preston stops to remember Holocaust victims

2nd, February 2011 by Katie Bamber

A Holocaust survivor visited Preston to speak out against hatred and prejudice, as the city paused to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day. Mrs Thea Hurst described her memories of her escape to England and her father’s death in a concentration camp. The talk at the Harris Library was part of a series of events held to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. Mrs Hurst, who now lives in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, kept [...]

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Good Old Fashioned Fun

6th, January 2011 by Lisa McManus

Fancy a bracing New Year’s walk with a non-calorific treat at the end of it? Earlier this week we braved the gnarly weather and headed to Southport for a stroll along Southport Pier and a play on some old fashioned penny slot machines.

Calendars for a Local Cause

5th, January 2011 by Olivia Pinnock

Rachael Lloyd is no charity case. She may be raising money to fund an operation which could dramatically change her symptoms from Multiple Sclerosis but she doesn’t want tea and sympathy. “I have a friend who’s always saying ‘you’re such an inspiration’ I’m like ‘you’ll inspire my foot up your a***!’… I suppose I’ve got some pride issues to get over.” Rachael, 23, was diagnosed [...]

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Harris Museum celebrates Preston’s contribution to the war

1st, December 2010 by Jess Edwards

The Harris Museum has been celebrating Preston’s role in supplying refreshments to troops during the two World Wars. During the First and Second World War 15 million cups of tea were given to tired troops who passed through Preston train station. The Free Buffet was organised and run by volunteers from the Preston Women Citizens Association. The Harris Museum owns memorabilia from this time, including [...]

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What Victorian Benefactors Did For Preston

10th, November 2010 by Peter Demain

The industrial era is one easy to overlook in a provincial context in the face of what I and people of varying ages learnt in school. We are granted a rough idea about how life changed, but my education in the matter was confined to general developments leading up to the years when Victoria was on the throne. But what of the individuals who sought to change Preston for the better?

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Old Pubs of Preston – Black Horse and The Academy

4th, November 2010 by Peter Demain

Some months ago a pledge to examine various pubs in Preston was made here. This article follows an introductory post which sums up the rich heritage behind Preston’s drinking establishments. Modernity witnesses the country’s pub numbers drop in the face of plummeting sales. This article examines two widely contrasting pubs in Preston’s town centre.

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Blog Preston – The best of September

4th, October 2010 by Joseph Stashko

We’ve had a surge of new contributors this month on Blog Preston, which we’re hoping will continue into the months ahead to give you the best content that Preston has to offer. I’ve pulled together the top five articles from September in case you missed any.

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Nights to Remember

26th, September 2010 by Lisa McManus

Bumped into a ghost from drunken past last weekend and we started talking about places we used to frequent in the early 90′s. There was an abundance of places to go out in Preston back then, the country was in recession but everyone was still partying hard. I wanted to pay tribute the the crazy days and ask you, the readers of Blog Preston, to [...]

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Interview with Kitty Cointreau

20th, September 2010 by Joseph Stashko

Kitty Cointreau is late for our meeting in the Frog & Bucket by approximately 120 seconds. I’ve barely had time to get out my notebook before she bounds in, profusely apologetic whilst ordering up a vodka and coke from the bar. Dressed in an unexpectedly casual ensemble of hoodie with jeans and trainers, she’s tiny but bursting with energy, all big smiles and dazzling eyes. When [...]

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Examining Preston’s Fossilised Past

2nd, September 2010 by Peter Demain

It’s difficult even with help of study and older relatives to imagine the days when Britain was a leader in domestic manufacturing. Factories, mines, and shipping have largely been superseded by gleaming office blocks, shopping centres and colourful high streets. Massive outsourcing of labour, coinciding with a rapid period of decolonisation introduced commerce to the fact that both labour and resources were plentiful abroad; and both [...]

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