Beejays Bits and Pieces

3 Old Rawtenstall Photos to add...

2009-10-28T12:58:00.004Z

Haslingden, Rawtenstall & Ramsbottom Early day Buses, Trams & Trolleybuses

2009-07-13T13:27:00.019+01:00

Here is a couple of photos of Haslingden's very first bus No.1 (B2113), which operated a regular service between Haslingden and Helmshore 1907-1908...the bus was a Leyland “X” type 35 H.P.18 seat body (originally 20 inc. seats against driver). In service to Helmshore 12/11/07
Last Ran Sat 24/7/09 and later Converted to Tower Wagon...

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And here on the left is Haslingden's second bus which is registration No.B3455 and this was a 12 str which came into service in 1919
and withdrawn in 1920. On the right
is the third in the fleet reg no: TB
2518 Austin/Barnes 22 seater.
In Service 1920 to 1929..

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And here on the left is TC8566 Parked up outside of Helmshore Station.On the right is TD4047, No.2 a 32 seater GUY converted to 30 seat in 1931. Worked on the Helmshore Route 1925-1933....

(Click over photos to enlarge).....

If you want to check out the rest of my private collection of old Haslingden Bus photos, please click here

if you want to see photos of Haslingden's old 11CTB during its private renovations by Mr. William Read and Mr. Bert Kay and also the photos of it being filmed by LOOK NORTH, click here . Thanks to Jackie Ramsbottom for allowing this Mr. William Read memorabilia collection to be offered for public view...

Also it is well worth having a look on Peter Gould's site if you want Fleet Listing and history information on Haslingden Buses & Trams - Click Here....

If you want to check out my private collection of old Rawtenstall Bus photos, please click here then when page opens, select page and then go to top left hand corner of page and click again for 100% size.

If you want to check out my private collection of old Ramsbottom Bus photos, please click here then when page opens, select page and then go to top left hand corner of page and click again for 100% size.

Peter Fisher has kindly sent me the following history of Rawtenstall Corporation Buses and other Rossendale Transports click here then when page opens, select page and go to top left hand corner of page and click again for 100% size...

If you want the Rossendale Bus Site please click here

If you want the Rossendale Bus (Yahoo Enthusiasts Site) click here

EAST LANCS RAILWAY WAR WEEKEND 2009 PHOTOS

2009-05-26T14:50:00.008+01:00

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT MY WAR WEEKEND PHOTOS: (and then click over thumbnail to enlarge) (Please feel free to use any of these War Weekend photos if you so wish)

Appleby & It's Horse Fair.....

2009-05-19T19:19:00.018+01:00

APPLEBY HORSE FAIR photos from years past (Click here to see a further 560 which includes the 2010 fair, then select and click to enlarge) (Please feel free to use any of these Appleby photos if you so wish)

Ben Barnes & Sons Ltd - Part Two - Haulage Contractors

2009-04-22T16:18:00.154+01:00

Ben Barnes & Sons, haulage started off in 1906 from 419 Bury Road at Townsendfold close to the Hare and Hounds Hotel. The business was started by Ben Barnes (see above photo) and his wife Mary and at first they had horse and carts to transport their goods and by 1913 their business had grown to about ten times its original size and the the two horses they had at the start had become 29, in the following year 1914, they bought their first steam wagon (see photo on left).... Strictly speaking "haulage" could well have already been in Ben's blood for many a year, after all his father John Barnes had begun a haulage business in Haslingden going back to the 1850's when he would transport by pack horse, corn from the local corn mills to the many surrounding farms of the area....

By 1916 Ben Barnes had purchased their first Thorneycroft Petrol chassis from Messrs. Cordingleys of Haslingden and the Company continued to prosper. By 1927 they were operating five steam wagons and also five petrol vehicles which used to be run as transport vehicles during the working week and then at weekend after a quick changeover of upper bodywork they would be converted to passenger carriers and this was the origins of the char-a-banc.

Most of Ben and Mary Barnes sons, Jack, Tom, Jim, George and Dick and their daughter, Margaret (Mrs. Middleton) worked for the business over the years. Jim Barnes was the youngest of the sons and entered the business in 1924 and by 1926 he was driving one of their Thorneycroft vehicles. Jim continued in the business right up until his retirement in 1975 and Margaret (Mrs. Middleton) worked in the firm up until her 81st birthday in 1977.

Ben Barnes died in 1932, and the firm then was made into a Limited Company.. His wife Mary, died six years later and Mr. George Barnes (Snr) then became Managing Director of the Company.

By 1941 the business had grown even more and now had 17 commercial vehicles and some of these actually had trailors and would be running anywhere between Scotland and London.

It was customary in years gone past for local haulage contractors to offer for free of charge the hire of a wagon or two to local firms who where taking part in the local Sunday Schools and Churches annual walking day processions. You can see in the photo left is one of the early Ben Barnes wagons carrying out such duties for the local Bacup firm of James Hargreaves (Taylor & Hargreaves Musical Midgets).....Just look how the tyres also have been spruced up for the occasion.

For most of the existence of the Ben Barnes business, their Office and garage had been at Holme Bank off Newhallhey Road, the garage is still there today.. but with a evergrowing fleet of wagons there would come a time when it was necessary to move to a larger site to run their business from.

In 1950 Nationalisation came along, and after 45 years of being in business there was now a posibility that the State would take over their complete fleet which would then become part of and amalgamated into the British Road Services. Thankfully for the family firm the Nationalisation eventually did happen but only appertained to 11 vehicles and their trailors. A large part of the business remained unaffected by the Nationalisation...

Over the many years Barnes's had also become established as Morris & Seddon agents based from Holme Bank and did supply many local firms with their vehicles, some examples here in photographs of vehicles supplied by Barnes's to: Rossendale Combining Company, Slater Ltd, Rhodeson Ltd, Welcher...

This 6 wheeler which later was converted to a 4 wheeler was driven from new by Milton Hoyle whom still lives at Staghills. He drove this vehicle for many years and its a good example showing the early livery colours of green and red, long before it was all changed over to orange....

In 1952 Tom died, and then in 1962 George had also died, And it also resulted in the early 1960's that Jack and Dick wanted to retire from the family business, and so the opportunity to sell out came along and the family agreed to sell.

During 1964 within East Lancashire and especially around the Accrington and Rossendale areas, a major take over of several very well known Cotton Manufacturer businesses took place eg: Nicholas Worsley Ltd, Rothwells, Carr Parkers etc etc.. but also involved in these take overs was the transport company of Ben Barnes & Sons Ltd whom for many years had held contracts with these particular Cotton firms. The takeover was by Sir David Alliance who purchased these firms under the banner of his already acquisition Messrs. Simpson & Godley whom at that time where based at Deans Mill, Swinton in Manchester and traded under the trade name "Spirella group" or later the "Coates Yvella Group or even later IPT. Although Barnes had been taken over by this group, they where still in the fortunate position to be able to run their business and remain autonomous.

As mentioned in a previous article The Ben Barnes and Sons Ltd up until 1964 had also ran coaches and limousines, the coaches based at Holme Bank and the Limousines based from West End. When in 1964 this takeover was in place, Sir David Alliance was only interested in the Haulage side of the business and so the Coaches where sold off to Ellen Smith Tours of Rochdale and the Limousines were sold on to Eric Shufflebotham who incorporated the cars into his already established business...and the West End was sold on to Cordingley's of Haslingden..

When the takeover was in place during 1964, Mr. Jim Barnes was offered the position of Managing Director, a position he was to hold until his retirement on his 65th birthday in 1975. There where one or two employees whom had been with the Barnes's business for many years and here we do have a photo of a presentation to George Albert Holden (better known as Wally) and this presentation was for something like 60 years service to the firm. On the left of the photo is Mr. Jim Barnes, Wally in the centre, and to his right is Mr. Jack Bertrum Woods whom was brought into the Company from the Rothwell/Worsleys during the 1964 takeover...

By 1975 the Company had 38 lorries and 50 staff and Jim's son David had now followed his dad into the firm and was now the Transport Manager, and would later become the Managing Director, and he had also just like his dad learned the business from the roots, by first becoming a driver's mate and also later taking the wheel himself.

By 1979 it had become absolutely necessary to find alternative garaging for the vehicles because by now the fleet was still growing, and so alternative garaging was found at Lower Mill which had many years previously been the old home of the Whitehead Brothers. The photo on the left shows a group of employees having a quick "welcoming to Lower Mill" party..and the photo on the upper right is showing Mr. Jim Barnes and his sister Mrs. Middleton whom where at the elm of Ben Barnes for most of its lifetime.

By 1980 and aged 30 David Barnes had become the Managing Director with a fleet of approx 84 vehicles which comprised of two articulated lorries (although this was to increase to about eight articulated) and 82 rigids of which most of them were Seddon Atkinsons, but some were Leyland DAF and Mercedes. The total workforce at that time was 115 with 12 office staff and the rest drivers, mechanics and loading bay workers.

Ben Barnes and Sons Ltd would make 300,000 deliveries a year, travelling some three million miles. 50 per cent of their work was for Coates Vyella and the remaining 50 per cent was general haulage, nation-wide. The turnover of the business was £3.5 million.....

In 1994/1995 The IPT group had taken over Ben Barnes Transport, yet owing to varying circumstances which included the sale of the Lower Mill premises to the Hurstwood Group, it was decided to close the transport business of Barnes's in the Spring of 2000.....

(Please Click over advert to enlarge) Thanks to Paul Anderson for kindly letting me have this photo of the advert which was from January 2000 Edition of Commercial Motor.)

To finish off the Barnes history it is great to be able to include below, S653RJA the only survivor in the Barnes's original livery nine years on after closure (2009). When the fleet was auctioned off in 2000 this vehicle was purchased by local businessman whom owns Response Footwear at Cloughfold and it has been driven all these years by ex Barnes man of 25 years, Bob Wallwork who takes the vehicle on deliveries mainly to the Midlands and Burnley areas..

I am indebted to David Barnes for kindly supplying most of the factual information and photos.

I have today (4th December 2011) kindly received from Paul Anderson, the undermentioned photo of HTJ 538K which was taken by Peter J. Davies

Cloughbottom Reservoir Construction Photos....

2009-04-14T18:41:00.011+01:00

Here are 4 photos showing workers belonging to Enoch Tempest during the Construction of Clough Bottom Reservoir for the Bury and District Water Board.

The photo above is of "ADA" (0-4-0 T OC - W. Bagnall)

This photo is of the "Steam Navvy" which was used during the Construction....

This photo is of "Minnie On The Bridge" - Minnie 0-4-0T OC W.B. Bagnall 170.699 Apr 1887.

This photo is of some of the navvies who worked on the Reservoir....

If you would like to read more about the Construction of Cloughbottom Reservoir please click here and check out this article at the Bacup Times website.....

Ben Barnes & Sons Ltd - Part One - Coach Proprietors

2009-03-13T13:01:00.161Z

Many, many moons ago, I used to work for Ben Barnes & Sons cousin's who where Mark Barnes & Sons of Haslingden. I can remember having the great privilige of speaking with Jim Barnes or his sister Mrs Middleton whom where at the elm of Ben Barnes's coaches them days. When they were super busy we would supply coaches to them or vica versa. They also had amassed a great haulage business which took prominence in the firms later years.

The Company was originally formed by Benjamin Barnes (see above photo) and was based at Townsendfold in them early days of the 1900's, and would them days have started with horsedrawn carraiges, later evolving to the char-a-banc and then on to the early modern day coaches of the 1950s and early 1960s.

During the heyday of the business we think there would have been a fleet of between 10 and 15 coaches and for most of the life of the Coach Business would have been administered and garaged at Holme Bank, just off Newhallhey Road. Holme Bank had previously been a Foundry. In fact Holme Bank garage is still there today.

The Coach side of the business was actually sold in 1964 and were taken over by Ellen Smith Tours of Rochdale.

Besides Coaches and Haulage, Ben Barnes & Sons Ltd also ran the West End Garage which was next door to the Rossendale Free Press Office (them days 1930s - 1964) and very close to the Rawtenstall Library. West End is where they ran there Limousine business from and besides selling Petrol or Derv to the public, they also carried out maintainance repairs and the administration of cars for Weddings, Funerals and special occasions. In 1964 when the Coach business was sold, also West End was sold and this was taken over at that time by Cordingleys of Haslingden who where very well known within the Motor Car Business. Barnes's Limousines where took over by Eric Shufflebottom who also ran his own limousine business from the Wood Top area. Below are newspaper cutting pictures of West End kindly sent in by Dave Haworth. Nowadays on the site of West End is the large Petrol Station (just before the Public Library).

The acquisition of West End came about in the 1930's when Barnes's took it over from Messrs Billington's who themselves had also ran limousines. It also appears that the firm of Belshaw & Barcroft who were a coach firm actually based out of Crawshawbooth did themselves garage a couple of their coaches out of West End and Barnes's did actually take over this firm also ..

The Photo on the left is of Roland Billington's Shop and Cheapside, which was just across the road from West End. Here if you look close you will see the shop was also used as a Booking Office for Ben Barnes, and the photo on the right is of the hearse which Barnes's owned.. (please click over pictures to enlarge...)

Recently I was very lucky to obtain a few photos of some of Ben Barnes & Sons coaches which they owned.

I am indebted to Mr. David Barnes (Grandson of the founder) and also other members of the Barnes family, who have so kindly helped with information on the Company and also provided a large amount of the above photographs shown in this short article...

Here on the left is a lovely Barnes family photo with the founders sons, on the left is George Barnes (Snr), in the centre is Jim Barnes (father to David), and to the right leaning on the Coach is Richard Barnes (Snr). Also the photo to the right is Richard Barnes (Jnr) with his coach JTB 964.

Also many thanks to Dave Haworth who sent in the newspaper pictures of West End. and there is lots more information and photographs about Ben Barnes's wagons in Part Two (Click here)........

If you want to see other photos of neighbouring Haslingden's Independant Coach Firms click here

Wesley Villa - Bacup Road, Rawtenstall.

2009-01-17T08:23:00.040Z

Wesley Villa has been many things over the more recent years. Here are six photos which also include three of the gorbal stones sculptured faces(there are 4 of these sculptures in total) which sit around the front upper windows of the building, and it is thought they depict the Wesley's Methodist pioneers...

It was originally thought that Wesley Villa started out in life as a Manse or vicarage for the very nearby Longholme Methodist Church, but it now seems that this is not the case and that the Manse was built further along the Road almost alongside the Queens Hotel.

I personally can only remember it has being owned by the Insurance people - The Refuge Assurance Co of Manchester, I know this because I did at one time have a office in Wesley Villa which is the annexe to the rear of the main building which is currently occupied by the Taxi firm, and all rents had to be paid to the Refuge.

Whilst I was there the bottom floors where occupied by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marraiges who was Mr. Hartley a Ex Burnley Football Club player. Also the main office to the left just has you walked through the side door was occupied by the Burnley Evening Star and there where usually about 3 or 4 personnel worked there. I remember Gordon who was their main Sports Correspondent.... Further upstairs within the building was Duncan Adams whom ran the Trade Protection Society (Later Rossendale Investigations) and also there was a another office upstairs which was occupied by employees of the Rossendale Borough Council, not sure but think they may have been draughtsmen.

Somewhere around the mid 1980's I remember Duncan Adams bought the building outright from the Refuge Assurance and leased some of the offices to various businesses. Over the years there have been several business's based here eg: a Vetinary Surgeons, A Royal Doulton Outlet (used to be in the old Burnley Evening Star Office and run by Celia, Duncan's Wife, A Recording Studio in the basement and run by Duncan, and also a Art Gallery again run by Duncan etc etc..Also up until about 10 years ago the left hand side ground floor room was a a Consulting Clinic for the Bury Health Care Trust. After this Duncan's main business (Rossendale Investigations) expanded rapidly and they needed most of the main building for their main business, or at least until the time came when they moved over to the Hardman Mill complex but long before this move Duncan had actually sold out the business and had retired to Wales and it must then have been sold over to Hurstwood Developments.

With regards the EMS 1867 which is on the Porchway, probably the best suggestion so far is that it stands for "Ebenezer Missionary Sugden" who may have been a draper (1819-1876)(thanks Vic).

With regards the sculptured faces may it be suggested that they could be Charles Wesley, John Wesley and George Whitfield? - (thanks Snighole)

Here is some information kindly supplied by Duncan Adams about Wesley Villa (20th January 2009):-

Yes, EMS is Ebenezer Missionary Sugden. A friend (elderly) of mine is related to him and visited Wesley House as a young child. He (my friend) is still living in Rawtenstall, no more than a quarter of a mile from Wesley House. He may know who the three heads are.

Yes, it was owned by the Refuge when I bought it, circa 1976 (having been a tenant for a few years prior to that) – I think you, Bryan, were there before me; certainly we were both there at the same time and I recall, we quaffed a few merry pints together. The purchase was a cock-up on the part of the Refuge, for which I have always been grateful. Bryan, you will recall that the rent payable for the two rooms you had, and the two I first rented upstairs, was piddling small. But who were we to complain!? One of the chaps who worked for me had a lunch-time liaison with a girl in one of Rawtenstall’s estate agents. He came back from his assignation and asked me if I knew that the building had just been put on the market and the asking price was an astonishing six grand. I grabbed a grand out of the safe and went round and put it down as a deposit ‘subject to contract’. No sooner was I back in the office than the agents rang to say there had been a mistake about the price (understatement of the century) and the price was actually seven grand. I managed to sound ‘put out’ and ‘reluctantly’ agreed. It turned out later that the reason the Refuge was selling it was that it was out of the way and they couldn’t manage it properly (hence the silly low rents). The valuer (?Estate agents) had valued it on the basis of rents receivable, rather than bricks and mortar! I know this because I later employed a couple of people who worked for the Refuge at the time and they told me heads rolled.

Anyone researching the history of the building should know that what I bought was the Leasehold (999 year) rather than the Freehold . The Leaseholder was The Oddfellows and they were very probably the original owners/builders of the property, or they owned the land on which it was built.Anyway, I was a tenant first, from about 1973/74.

At that time, the occupants were: Ground Floor: Yourself, I think.Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.Burnley Evening Star.An accountants office that I never saw open.First FloorMyself.The ‘Works Study’ department of the local council.Top Floor.Was locked up and unoccupied (So no piddling rent at all).I don’t think I remember ever charging you rent, Bryan, so I guess you moved out before I bought the place - please correct me, if I’m wrong. I think the Refuge had already let it to a taxi firm. However, after I bought it, my own business expanded almost exponentially and as offices became vacant, I took them myself. There were two exceptions to this. The first was a prime ground-floor suite that I let to a vet (Mainly because I wanted prime tenants who were unlikely to moonlight). However, he didn’t stay very long.The other was the suite that you used to occupy (I bet you didn’t pay much more than £2-£3/week for it). It wasn’t really part of the main building – rather a single-story annexe at the rear. When the (first) taxi firm went, there was immediately some other taxi firm knocking on my door wanting it. The walls had been replastered with second-hand curry and it was in a generally unhappy state. However, it was a much-valued site for a taxi booking office, being centrally located, adjacent a car park, opposite from public toilets, the cinema and the bus station. So, I let it at a much-increased rent and an internal full-repairing and decorating lease to include scraping the curry from the walls and recycling it back to the restaurant from which it originated. After that, taxi firms came and went under similar circumstances right up to the present day.
Other posters are correct when they say it was also home to various side-endeavours my wife and I had running in tandem with Rossendale Holdings Ltd. The principal ones being the recording studio (Vortex) and the Royal Doulton Shop (My Fair Lady). The recording studio proved to be a stunningly successful exercise in losing money really fast. I have no happy memories of it. The Royal Doulton shop was surprisingly successful in that Rawtenstall could never really be described as ‘show-off posh’ and we didn’t expect much local trade. We were wrong in this and local trade was quite brisk, so as well as attracting true collectors on a national and even international basis, there was a local backbone trade. This was a factor in the later decision to open the art gallery.

I retired at the back end of 1985 handing over control to my brother, but I retained ownership of the building, receiving rent from my old company and the inevitable, ever-present, taxi firm.

In 1990 we left Rawtenstall and moved to rural North Wales, where we had bought a forest and an interesting cottage in the nearby village. Almost simultaneously, Margaret Thatcher introduced the Poll Tax and my old company’s workload increased massively, resulting in them moving to Hardman Mill and leaving me with an empty building apart from the taxi firm. So, I was faced with either finding new tenants or selling. In the event, I did neither; with my two sons I opened a very substantial art gallery on the basis that if the Royal Doulton Shop could succeed, so should an art gallery. My sons were living in Rawtenstall, so the fact I was 100 miles away was unimportant. There were around 1500 paintings on display: around 500 of our own, being Chinese imports, around 500 being local artist’s work sold on commission and the other 500 being international artists, again sold on commission. We had a bespoke framing shop in the basement. Sadly, it didn’t follow the Royal Doulton pattern and we closed it down again pretty quickly.

I then decided to sell the property and I put it with agents. No buyer was forthcoming, but I got an offer from the Bury NHS Trust to let it to them as consulting rooms. This I was glad to do as they were clearly quality tenants. However, I insisted on a full-repairing lease due to the distance between myself and the property. All went well. Then the Bury Trust was taken over by the Pennine Acute Hospitals Trust and the lease transferred to them. Again all seemed to go well until around four years ago when they told me the trust was reorganising and the premises were no longer required. A buyer (Hurstwoods) was soon found, but the sale was delayed by solicitor incompetence and cockups about which one day I will write a book. Eventually, the sale went through and Hurstwoods erected scaffolding soon afterwards and they re-roofed it (which should have been done by my tenants, but that’s another story).

You, Bryan, will be interested to hear that I didn’t sell all the building to Hustwoods. I excluded that little annexe you occupied which was then let to a taxi firm for the (in my opinion extortionate) rent of £120/week. This decision was based partly on the fact that I rather liked this income, and partly on the fact that a sitting tenant in a tiny part of the building would hardly increase the sale price to Hurstwoods. However, as soon as the ‘for sale’ notice went on the building I was approached by the taxi firm proprietor to sell the annexe to him. I told him I would not. He persevered and eventually, not expecting him to bite, I said he could have it for twelve years rent. Talk about snatch my hand off! We shook hands on it and I went away shaking my head in disbelief. Then a couple of days later, I was approached by his competitor who had heard about the agreement and offered me an extra ten grand. Naturally, being a man of my word I declined this, and the sale went through to the sitting tenant. But I bet if I’d played my cards right, I could have got a six figure price for those two, tiny rooms.

So, the main building is now owned by Hurstwoods, but the taxi firm bit isn’t. Celia, my wife, is an avid amateur genealogist and she has now got her teeth into Wesley House. Already, I can confirm that Ebenezer Missionary Sugden appears on the census in 1871. I’ll post more info when I have it.Hope this is helpful.

I’ve got Census information now. It’s terribly confusing.First, I’ll tell you what my wife heard (local knowledge). That Wesley House used to be the Manse to Longholme Methodist Church, but the upkeep was too much, so they built another property on Bacup Road to the rear of the Queen’s Hotel, and that became the manse.This is completely logical. John Wesley was a Methodism founder. Also, there is a property in the position described that looks as though it was built after 1867. Problem! Is Wesley House actually entitled to be called Wesley House? If it is, then it corroborates the manse theory, otherwise, it doesn’t. To be honest, it’s looking to me to be more likely that it was ‘EMS House’. If it’s engraven in stone, then that has to carry some weight. And it does say ‘EMS’ over the entrance. When I bought the place the deeds (no longer in my possession, of course) variously described it as ‘Wesley House’, Wesley Villa’ and ‘4/6 Bacup Road’. However, I recall that my deeds didn’t go back very far, probably only as far as the acquisition by the Refuge.I could never get my head round ‘4/6 Bacup Road’ because there was no possible way I could see of dividing it into two logical properties.

Neither the Words ‘Wesley House’ or ‘Wesley Villa’ appear on the 1871, 1881, 1891 or 1901 censuses. Nor is Ebenezer Missionary Sugden ever described as any sort of a cleric, but always as a ‘Draper’. Now let’s look at the census information:1851 This is before the date 1867 accompanying EMS in the stonework.Property: LongholmeHead of house: Ebenezer Sugden, aged 31, General Draper. His wife: Ann, aged 30 His daughter: Martha, aged 1A visiting Widow, Elizabeth ?, aged 52An apprentice, John Harland, aged 19A widowed General Servant, Ellen Wildgoose, aged 20A Nurse, Charlotte Parker, aged 11 (young to be nurse to a 1-year-old)An Apprentice, John Newton, aged 13.This is quite a large household, suggestive of a draper with a fairly substantial business. 1861Property: LongholmeHead: Ebenezer Missionary Sugden, Linen and Woollen Draper, Aged 41.His wife: Anne Peatfield Sugden, aged 41His daughter, Martha Bradbury Sugden, aged 11His son, Frances Allen Sugden, aged 10An Apprentice, Edwin Vickers, aged 18An Apprentice, Francis Stephenson, aged 20An Apprentice, Samuel Sugden Smallwood, aged 16A Servant, Charlotte Parker, aged 21 (was a nurse on previous).A Servant, Ann Prince, aged 19.More apprentices and more servants, suggest a growing, thriving business.1871Now after the date 1867 accompanying EMS in the stonework.Property: 1 Bacup Road.Head: Ebenezer Missionary Sugden, Draper, aged 51.His wife: Ann P Sugden, aged 53 (she seems to lie about her age)His daughter Martha B Sugden, aged 21His son, Frances A Sugden, aged 19A Draper’s Assistant, William Wrigley, aged 23A Draper’s Assistant, Thomas Eastwood, aged 21An Apprentice, John Swann, aged 19An Apprentice, Steven Sugden, aged 16His Niece, Mary Margaret Bradbury, aged 21His Niece, Sarah H Bradbury, aged 12A Servant, Maggie Hughes, aged 23A Servant, Susannah Davies, aged 23.On this census, there is no mention of Longholme at all. It is logical to assume that 1 Bacup Road is the first property on Bacup Road, which it would have been if it were what we call Wesley House and the new ‘manse’ hadn’t yet been built. It is compelling to say that this is the property I bought and to which this thread refers. It could be that Longholme had been demolished to make way for it. More research needed!But what is certain is that if Wesley House was built in 1867, it isn’t the same property as Longholme.1881.Now it all goes pear-shaped.1 Bacup Road appears with a new family, most of which is illegible, but it’s just a young husband and wife and two children. I can make out the wife’s occupation as confectioner.4 Bacup Roadappears with a small Tattersall family including a Professor of Music and a Schoolmistress.6 Bacup Road appears as a John Heywood, a hatter, and his wife.No trace at all of the Sugdens.The 1891 and 1901 censuses are largely illegible, but shed no light. No legible evidence of Wesley anything, or anyone with a clerical occupation.My guess is that Ebenezer was a successful business man who lived in a property called Longholme, from which he moved (or demolished and rebuilt upon) to what is now called Wesley House, and that he had no connection with the Church whatsoever, and therefore the stone heads have nothing to do with the church either and are probably ‘vanities’. It is perfectly possible that in the early 1900s the church acquired it and named it as Wesley House, used it as a manse, then it followed the fate my wife remembers as being local knowledge, after which the Refuge acquired it.This does not, however, explain my friend who I mentioned was a relative of EMS and who had been at Wesley House as a child. I shall ring him tonight and attempt to clarify.Curiouser and Curiouser!DA

Burnley Casino Club or Burnley Mechanics.....

2009-01-03T13:54:00.005Z

The Burnley Casino was a early-mid sixties Cabaret Club (2006 picture below), which also featured many famous and not famous groups. It was then in the early 1960s owned or managed by the Howcrofts Brewery, Bolton, who beside this venue also administered the Bolton Casino (Nr Crompton Way) and I am sure the Wigan Casino which in later years got prominence with Northern Soul. The Manager of Burnley Casino at that time was Lew Askew, whom later went on to become Manager of the Empire Cinema (see picture 3rd right) , this was on the Burnley Main Street where they also had groups on from time to time.

At that time I put many groups on at Burnley Casino but to be honest with you names do not spring to mind. One I do remember putting on their was a band brought down from Scotland via the Northern Star Organization (from Nelson Nr. Burnley) they where called Maureen & The Thunderbeats – they where a very tight group with a vivacious front girl singer.

I was later to book cabaret acts into this venue (probably late 60s early 70s) and the Manager at that time was called Mr. Robinson. I think it was after the Casino had shut, that another Club opened within the basement of the Old Casino which was called the CAVERN CLUB, this was certainly later, probably in the late 60s (you can see the entrance to this on the 1st photo with the Cavern entrance to the bottom right of the photo).

Today the venue (Old Burnley Casino Club) is called the Burnley Mechanics, (see photo-bottom right) which has been more recently established since about 1982 and which has got World recognition even today for its Blues, Jazz, Folk etc and at one time was the eminent venue for the Burnley Blues Festival – today the billboards of forthcoming events show many headliners.

This grandeur building attached to the Burnley Town Hall has had long tradition of promotion of the arts, where from the early part of the last century it was actually then a Theatre called the Burnley Mechanics Institute...

http://www.manchesterbeat.com/venues/burnley/casino/casino.php

Whitaker Park, Rawtenstall, Now and Then photo

2009-01-03T13:20:00.007Z

Here is my now and then photo contribution to Whitaker Park. The top postcard is very old (not sure) but would have thought around 100 years old, and the bottom photo I took in 2003. (Click over photo to enlarge)...

RAWTENSTALL ASTORIA

2008-12-03T09:54:00.205Z

Rawtenstall Astoria Ballroom December 16th 1932 – 7th February 1966 – 34 yrs

The very popular old Rawtenstall Astoria was built originally in 1932 out of the motor car showrooms and workshops of John Myerscough & Co. The new venture was the brainchild of brothers John (snr) and Noel Myerscough. The Ballroom remained under the ownership of the Myerscough family up until its sad closure on Tuesday 7th February 1966.

The original site dates back to 1839 when it had been the site of the Holly Mount School, a school for the very young employees of the adjacent local Cotton Mill called the Fold Mill and owned by David Whitehead and Sons.

The Astoria was a very special and up market venue for its day being able to boast about the purpose made sprung dancefloor which measured approx 585 sq ft and covered in maplewood and was capable of holding a capacity of up to 800 dancers. And following on in 1959 this floor was yet again resprung with over six thousand pieces of Canadian Maple laid on steel springs – and yet again the Astoria was able to boast that it was one “of the finest sprung dance floors in England. The cost of this work in 1959 was £1000.

The Ballroom opened on December 16th 1932. The very first event held at the Astoria was the Annual Ball of the Rawtenstall British Legion, when on this occasion the then Mayor, the late Ald. John Hamer welcomed the Lancashire Cotton Queen, Miss Marjorie Knowles.Those early years supported dancing almost throughout the week with learners sessions, all Modern sessions, an Old Tyme Music Night, a 50/50 night and probably the favourite the “Popular” night which was on Saturdays. As time went this levelled out and the norm seem to settle down to a regular three nights a week activity.

The band in them early days was led by Henry Haworth with Ruth Raymond on vocals, this band was later succeeded by bandleader Alan Hargreaves, then in 1950 James Heyworth took charge and under his direction The Astorians gained national fame.

In the Late 40s and during the 50s it boomed with dancers, the Astoria hosted some of the biggest band names and star vocalist around at the time such as: Joe Loss Orchestra with vocalist Rose Brennan, Johnny Dankworth Orchestra with Cleo Laine, Eric Delaney Band, Ted Heath Orchestra, Dickie Valentine, Lita Roza, Dennis Lotis, Ray Ellington with Marion Ryan, Edmundo Ross, Ken Mackintosh, Ivy Benson and her all Girls Orchestra and the list went on…..

By 1959 John Myerscough (jnr) came to elm, and thankfully he had the foresight to prepare for what was to become the mighty beat boom which arrived in the early 60s. During the early 60s up to and sometimes more than 600 teenagers would come to the Saturday night beatnights which featured lots of headline groups of the day like: The Animals, Kinks, The Who (see poster above), Small Faces, Moody Blues, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Hollies, The Mojos, Yardbirds, The Spencer Davis Group (see poster thanks to Kieran Ridehalgh ), Maurauders, Honeycombs, Rocking Berries, Unit 4 plus 2, Sounds Incorporated, Rhythm & Blues Incorporated. Their was a cramped dressing room to the right hand side, just after coming through the main entrance where the groups would prepare themselves, before having to be escorted through the noisy crowds making their way to the stage. Cost of admission those days was anything between six shillings to 15 shillings and sixpence, levied in accordance to the status of the band playing on that evening. Besides the great headliners there was also two other groups supporting. These groups also where always of a fine quality handpicked by John Myerscough himself and would usually consist of the best bands around at the time from Lancashire including Manchester and Yorkshire - amongst them where: Wynder K. Frog, The Warriors, The Dappers, The Imps, The Swinging Hangmen, The Pagens, The Avalons, The Avengers. The Travellers (Rochdale). The star attraction groups during those explosive years of the 60s where booked into the Astoria by Lewis Buckley Entertainments of Southport.

And when John Myerscough finally closed the doors in 1966, and he actually moved to Southport and took over that very Agency (Lewis Buckley Entertainments) himself.

I would like to thank Bacup Times for kindly supplying me with the photo of the Astorians & also the poster of the Astorians with Jim Heyworth & The Astorians.
http://www.manchesterbeat.com/venues/rawtenstall/astoria.php

Click over newspaper cuttings to enlarge, and also thanks to James Heyworth for kindly supplying the photo of his dad, and the photo of the Decca Record and also the photo of the orchestra (click over photos to enlarge).....

Mail added 3rd February 2009, which was kindly received from Joyce Whelan (Nee Newton) with some notes about the Band especially about her dad who was the saxaphone player and whom had also been responsible for most of the musical arrangements of the band:-

I have just enjoyed looking at the Astoria ballroom newspaper cuttings, in particular the Jimmy Heyworth articles, I was just a child in those days but my father Mr Eric Newton was a saxaphone player in the Jimmy Heyworth band during the fifties and sixties, he also did a lot of the arrangements for the band and I have seen photos of the band winning the melody maker cup, also photos of my dad taken with John Dankworth, Ted Heath etc. It is even more nostalgic to me and my family as my father died on January 14th of this year (2009), after a short illness. He was 87yrs old when he died, but he remembered the happy days of the band at the Astoria and often talked about the people and the music. I do vaguely remember going to the Old Astoria as a child, but my memories are mainly with the new building, especially a couple of re unions the band did in the eighties for charity. My brothers and I have copies of the Decca record that the band won the championship with, of course this record is very precious to us, as my dad is mentioned for the arrangements.Thank you for printing the cuttings on your page, it has been a lovely trip down memory lane for myself and my family. Regards. Joyce Whelan (nee Newton).

Mail added 18th February 2009 kindly received from James Heyworth:

Dear Bryan,

I am James Heyworth son of Jimmy Heyworth and Margaret ( nee Myerscough)

I just wanted to send you a note to say how appreciative I am for your feature of the blog on the Astoria which I discovered on the internet. Dad died in 1994 and Mum died in 2006. Her brother John Myerscough is still alive and lives in Ainsdale Southport. I have many fond childhood memories of the old Astoria and your blog enabled me to show my children nephews and nieces what the old Astoria was like.
I am currently researching the Myerscough Family tree and have got back to the 17th Century. They hail from Kirkham and were blacksmiths, John Robert arrived in the Rossendale valley as a blacksmith journey man and as you probably know set up one of the first motor car sale rooms in the country selling Chryslers. The show room was converted to the Ball room.
Thank you very much for your photographs

Regards

James Heyworth

Mail added: 18th March 2009 from John Myerscough:
Dear bee jay,

I much appreciated your article about the Old Astoria in Rawtenstall. I have been passing some of my memories on to James Heyworth (son of the famous band leader) and he is planning to send some of it on to you.

I am John Roy Myerscough, son of John Myerscough and grandson of John Robert Myerscough, the blacksmith who became a motor dealer in quite a big way. I was running the ballroom for quite a time, and booking the groups who appeared. I now live in Ainsdale. Anyone who would like to contact me can do so at john-myerscough@uk2.net.

Keep up the good work, and I may try to add more info later.

Regards,

John Myerscough.

(Here we have four photos below kindly given by Dave Haworth (Goodshawlad) which shows the great floods of the early 60s, and just shows the Astoria with their billboard advertising the Mojo's..- please click over photo to enlarge.

John Myerscough "remembers that day well. A Saturday, heavy rain, and water overflowed from the river and poured down the road at the side of the Astoria called The Fold. It started to come into the basement, where the boiler room and the gents cloakroom and toilets were. It came in through a manhole, which must have originally been for the delivery of coke, and in later times was used for delivery of heating oil. It must have got to 12 or 18 inches deep in the basement during that afternoon. Eventually it subsided, and we tackled the clean-up operation to be ready for the dance in the evening. Amazingly, a member of the public came downstairs and offered to help us with the clean up. I can't now recall who else was there helping.
Anyway, we were able to open for the dance - I see from the poster outside that it was The Mojos appearing, though I would have said Unit 4 + 2, but my memory must be wrong".

Here we have a very old photo (Click over photo to enlarge) kindly sent in by John Myerscough via James Heyworth showing when it was the Myerscough Garage before it was converted to the Astoria. And below this we two further photos of when it was a garage kindly sent in (August 2010) by Peter Fisher.
Below we have the following replica "Astoria flyers" which I have been so kindly given by Kieron Ridehalgh. Please note that the one with the Clayton Squares headlining was the final dance held at the Astoria before its sad closure a few days later...

Click over flyers to enlarge.....

All gone now! and this below is a more recent photo showing the Old Fold Garden on the actual Astoria Ballroom site and also a plaque to commemorate.......