Lancashire

Fishergate c.1901

Preston Past: Fishergate,100 years of change (Part 5)

16th, May 2012 by

 This week we take the final part of our journey along the south side of Fishergate looking at the buildings, shops and alleyways going in a westerly direction. Looking at the above image from 1901, we can see a view of part of the south side of Fishergate and how splendidly ornate the shops looked at that time. The street just to the right of centre is Guildhall [...]

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1902 Preston Guild Trades Procession, Fishergate.

Preston Past: Fishergate,100 years of change (Part 4)

9th, May 2012 by

Southeast side of Fishergate during 1902 Preston Guild  In this weeks Preston Past we continue with the changing views over 100 years along the south side of Fishergate in a westerly direction. In the above splendid image of Fishergate in 1902, we can see a view of the buildings from Glover’s Court to the west side of Cannon Street. The shop premises on the far left was originally Woolworth & [...]

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Looking down on the shop frontages of the south side of Fishergate 1950

Preston Past: Fishergate,100 years of change (Part 3)

3rd, May 2012 by

 In this weeks Preston Past we take a look at the south side of Fishergate from where it meets with Church Street and continues in a westerly direction. At the junction of Church Street and Fishergate on the south side there is a narrow passageway, which is the site of one of the many ‘Burgess plots’ (see footnote) that there is in this area of Preston. This passageway is known [...]

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Fishergate c.1898

Preston Past: Fishergate,100 years of change (Part 2)

25th, April 2012 by

 Compare the above image of Fishergate around 1898 with the Fishergate 1952 below. It is interesting to note how much changed in only 50 years or so. Both images show the Gilbert Scott Town Hall, except that in the 1898 image the Town Hall was still in remarkably fine condition; whereas, in the lower 1952 image the Town Hall tower is somewhat truncated due to the fire damage it suffered in 1947. [...]

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Fishergate 1862 near the railway station. Photograph by Robert Pateson

Preston Past: Fishergate,100 years of change (Part 1)

18th, April 2012 by

The three oldest streets in Preston are, Churchgate (now Church Street), Friargate and Fishergate. The latter has always been a thriving area for shoppers, places of entertainment and eventually the emergence of the railway station. The image below shows a photograph of Fishergate taken by Robert Pateson in 1862. The photographer would have been situated with Butler Street a little further behind him to the right. The [...]

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The Fountain At Millar Park

Preston Past: Avenham & Miller Parks (Part 2)

11th, April 2012 by

Avenham and Miller parks were both opened in 1867, however, Miller Park was created on land extending from the East Lancashire Railway to the North Union Railway embankments and was laid out on eleven acres of land which was donated to Preston Corporation by Alderman Thomas Miller, a principal partner in the  firm of cotton manufacturers, Horrocks, Miller & Co. As with Avenham Park, Miller Park [...]

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brockholes nature reserve visitor centre

Preston in the Picture: Brockholes

8th, April 2012 by

It was Easter Sunday 2011 when Brockholes Nature Reserve opened its doors to the public for the first time and as the nature reserve is in effect celebrating its first birthday, I thought it would be appropriate to make this view of the visitor centre my ‘Preston in the Picture’ for this week. I think the magnificent floating visitor centre looks great in the late [...]

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Avenham Park on Easter Monday in 1956

Preston Past: Avenham & Miller Parks (Part 1)

4th, April 2012 by

  Avenham Valley from the Vicarage Grounds,Preston 1862 (Courtesy of Preston City Council) A very early image of the area that was soon to be transformed into Avenham Park. This photograph was taken from the back of the old Vicarage garden in East Cliff. It appears that sleepers, rails and a quantity of cast iron chairs are stacked at the bottom of the slope in [...]

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Junction Of Chapel Walks & George's Road Looking Westward (Lancashire Lantern)

Preston Past: An Area Known As Bamber’s Yard (Final Part)

28th, March 2012 by

The second and final installment from last week’s article involves the remainder of the Bamber’s Yard area. Immediately below is an aerial image showing the complete area including the remaining part for the conclusion of our journey into the past of the Bamber’s Yard labyrinth. It is most probable that Prestonians of a certain age, at some time, will have walked along George’s Road down to Chapel Walks and Lune Street or vice versa. [...]

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kfc

Preston in the Picture: Claims to Fame

25th, March 2012 by

Preston has a few claims to fame and to be honest some are more noteworthy than others. This week’s picture relates to one of those ‘Factoids’ as Steve Wright calls them on his radio show. A useless bit of information that you’ll find yourself dropping into conversation at some point, I can guarantee it! You’ll have to go back to the swinging sixties for this [...]

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Bamber's Yard Forshaws, Reg. Daniels (Junction Of Bamber's Yard & George's Road

Preston Past: An Area Known As Bamber’s Yard

21st, March 2012 by

  Aerial View Of The Area With Annotated Street Names & Approximate Layout   Up to the mid 1960′s the area surrounded by Fishergate, Lune Street, Friargate and Market Place (Cheapside) was densely populated with old buildings which appeared to be built in quite an ad hoc fashion. It comprised of mainly six small streets and alleyways; Anchor Court, Bamber’s Yard, St. George’s Road, Aspinall [...]

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The Castle and Commercial Hotel Watercolour by Edwin Beattie

Preston Past: The Castle Hotel On Cheapside, Market Square.

14th, March 2012 by

  Originally known as the Castle Inn and was built in 1623, the Castle Hotel was situated in Cheapside opposite the Market Square.  It was very much a favourite hostelry in the centre of the town for many Prestonians. This was also the chosen establishment for the meeting place of many building societies and insurance companies of Preston and the surrounding areas. The whole building, especially the [...]

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train arriving in Preston

Preston in the Picture: The Train now Arriving…

4th, March 2012 by

I have a funny feeling this train was actually leaving Preston Station but that didn’t really work as a title! Having spent about half an hour on the old East Lancs Railway bridge waiting for the sunset, I was happy to finally get a result. A few trains had trundled across the current railway bridge coming in and out of Preston Station while I was [...]

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