It’s the first time we’d been in the Harris Museum and needed hard hats and hi-viz jackets, but it was Friday the 13th. Our tour was arranged for members of the Friends of the Harris as a preview of the building before they start bringing in the collections. We were generously guided by Programmes & Collections Manager, James, and by Fundraising & Development Officer, Robina.
The first room visited was the Family Library although temptingly we could see the Ground Floor Rotunda which would enable sight of the main feature of the building which is the view up 100feet and the new lantern roof.
The Harris Rotunda and the new lantern ceiling window from where the awe inducing Foucault Pendulum will swing, demonstrating our planet’s rotation.
The rooms look large without furniture and collections. This will be the entrance room from Lancaster Road, note the uncovered fireplaces:
Looking up the stairs:
The First Floor Discover Preston Gallery will have a light refresh but will be largely unchanged. The Harris Office has moved down into the basement creating a new gallery space and IT Hub, and the Reading Rooms will also host events.
The first floor with a view of the Miller Arcade upper floors. The museum format will be a ‘blended’ display where related items will be displayed together rather than divided by collection.
The Balcony Area on the upper floor. The tone of the wall paint is darker on higher floors where the light is brighter.
The frieze between floors:
Looking down:
Looking up to the Egyptian Gallery:
A closer view of the lantern:
Down in the basement, the staff office and collections storage will take up some of the space:
Other areas seen were the modern toilet facilities in the area next to the Flag Market and the new location for the cafe on the ground floor. Also the new stairs at the Lancaster Road side.
The big question is; When will it re-open? You may ask but let’s say next year just in case.
It was a good tour mirroring the one we had after the building was emptied and before the work began in 2022.
Related posts on our website:
Here’s our Harris webpage which has a short piece about our last visit on the 6th May 2022. Click here
Here’s a post dated 2022 on our blog about ‘the Harris your place’. The original proposal – Click here
Here’s a post on this blog about The Friends of the Harris visit to the Lancashire Conservation Studio.Click here
It’s unfortunate that two Grade II listed empty buildings in the middle of Preston have been damaged by fires in the last month.
The first fire was in Mount Street at the old Grade II listed, St Joseph’s Orphanage on the 4th November 2024. This building was empty and having some reconstruction to the tower facing Theatre Street which doesn’t seem to be effected.
Photo of the tower taken on 23rd July 2024
Photo of St Joseph’s former orphanage, after the fire, in Mount Street taken on 21st November 2024. The road is fenced off.
The other fire was behind Grade II listed building at 131, Church Street on the south side. The fire weakened the listed building and it has since been pulled down.
Photo of the listed building just prior to demolition taken on 21st November 2024.
There are several old warehouse style buildings in that area of Preston. None of them look in good condition. They are attractive but presumably the work to make them usable costs too much.
Another good walk in Preston: Tram Bridge – Harris Institute – Edith Rigby House – St Wilfrids – Harris Museum – Upper Friargate plus bonus places
The word is on the street is the Old Tram Bridge is gone. Time to check it out.
The River Ribble in Preston after demolition of the Old Tram Road Bridge. 4th September 2024
Heading into Avenham Park, up onto the former East Lancs Railway Bridge, now a footpath. Look left, a space where the Tram Bridge was. There’s a digger creating islands for the work on the new bridge. That’s something, a space, after 200 years.
Looking over the other side we see the West Coast Main Line on the North Union Bridge over the River Ribble.
Turning back we see the former Park Hotel ever threatening to be restored. Going straight along the path takes you to a barrier so we turn right and head back down into Avenham Park.
But what happens if we don’t turn back. Skip the next paragraph if you don’t want to know.
It’s good to walk on former railway lines. The track goes towards Bamber Bridge but doesn’t reach there as a footpath. On the way you can turn left to the Capital Centre, or right to Vernon’s Cricket Ground as in Freddie Flintoffs: Fields of Dreams Series 1. You can turn onto the Tram Road and walk back in a triangular track or go further on to Lostock Hall. The rail track passes what was a large gasworks but is now a housing estate before the line comes to Todd Lane. I doubt you can walk past there. It’s years since I walked along there.
Another option is to go down the other side of the bridge to Penwortham. Or go the other way to where the Tram Road bridge works are but can you get past? If you can get past it goes to the Capital Centre or Winery Lane, Walton Le Dale.
Back in the park we walk along the river bank enjoying views of bridges and trees. It’s nice in there.
This riverside avenue of trees looks good in all seasons.
The totem pole which contains a chain to denote the old trams and the steam driven chain that hauled them up the steep bank climbing around 100ft above the bridge. These horse drawn trams(trailers) could carry 2 tons of coal.
The message ‘Tram Bridge. Reviving history. Reconnecting Preston.
The tram bridge opens walks over the river and along the Tram Road. These trams being horse pulled carts on rails between the Leeds Liverpool Canal and the Lancaster Canal. An aqueduct and locks being too expensive. It was started in the 1790s and operated for about 30yrs dragging coal dug in Wigan sent by barge before being dragged by ‘tram’ to Preston for loading onto a barge for Lancaster and Kendal. This was before the railway came to take over the job. Things don’t stop evolving.
The Old Tram Road was a badly maintained dirt track in the 1960s, capable of taking a car if essential. Trains were still running from Blackburn(and further east) and Liverpool over the East Lancs Bridge and track. That route closed to passengers from Bamber Bridge to Preston in 1968 and Todd Lane Junction station closed.
The gasworks would be fired by coal and produced coke and gas. By the time the line closed it was fired by Fuel oil which was shipped by rail for many years until North Sea gas came along and closed the site. Every gas cooker in Britain had to be converted to burn North Sea gas instead of Town Gas. The gasworks lasted from around 1924 to 1970. I used to be able to see the gasometers going up and down across the fields from our back window. The giant gasometers are gone all over Britain.
Here’s a better shot of the former bridge stands in the river and at the far side the first of the workers islands. The new bridge is covered in a previous post on this blog.
Moving on, instead of going up the steep former tram road go a bit further on and see the cannons from Sebastopol on either side of the steps.
Then up to the promenade and the tower building, now flats, maybe apartments.
Halfway along the promenade some interesting looking houses down a side street to the right. Enjoy the architecture.
The Harris Institute. A fine building pending another proposal for use. At this point Avenham Lane changes to Ribblesdale Place a formerly affluent area, now mainly offices.
Ribblesdale Place. A road with some fine houses overlooking the park at the back.
The home of the Reverend Robert Harris and his son Edmund in Ribblesdale Place, Preston.
Ribblesdale Place. The house of the Rev Harris whose son was benefactor the Harris Museum.
The Blue Plaque for the Rev Robert Harris and his son Edmund on the building they lived in at the gates of Avenham Park. Edmund being the benefactor of the Harris buildings in Preston.
On to Winckley Square, Chapel Street. The house of Edith Rigby proposed for a museum to commemorate the Women’s Movement. See the Blue Plaque below.
Blue Plaque in Preston. Edith Rigby. Suffragette. Secretary of Preston Branch Women’s Social and Political Union.
This building looks good in the September sun. The next building is the site of the Preston Catholic College which was the Catholic Grammar School in the not too distant past.
St Wilfrid’s Church. Roman Catholic across the road from the former Catholic College. It’s interior is finer than its exterior. Going into churches in Preston wasn’t something I did but lately there’s been two firsts, both exceeding expectations.
On Winckley Square north side is the former house of Thomas Miller, mill owner and one of the benefactors of Miller Park. See the Blue Plaque below.
On the south side just beyond Winckley Square is another house of a Women’s Movement lady, Beatrice Todd. Blue Plaque below.
Read more about Winckley Square on our website. Click here
In Glovers Court leading to Fishergate is the Wellington pub. It looks better now than it did. Formerly it was very popular with teenagers in the 1960’s as the Beachcomber club was at the Fishergate end.
Booth’s clock bridge on Glovers Court. On the left upstairs used to be a high class fashion shop whose name escapes me. 1960/70’s.
A view along Fishergate the main shopping street in Preston. The banner is for BBC Radio 2 in theP ark. Held in Preston from Friday to Sunday 6th to 8th Septembe 2024. A successful event with big audiences on Moor Park, to the north, and good weather until Sunday when it rained, as it did all over the UK.
The Harris Museum awaiting re-opening in early 2025. The announcement this week that a major supplier of the update has gone into administration puts a chunk of funding at risk as well as the opening date. Although we can only wait to learn what the administrator and council does.
The best built view in Preston.
Read more about the Harris Museum, Art Gallery and Library on our website. Click here
Another project on hold is the old post office conversion. Plans for a hotel are on hold.
Continuing into Friargate just on the left is the former Boars Head pub looking tired. This was a popular pub.
The Black Horse pub has an interesting interior. It had an old chap with a moustache and a white jacket who waited on in the late 60s.
The Methodist Church on Lune Street. Venue for Preston Historical Society meetings.
The Old Vic across from the Railway Station. Next door is Rise a nice coffee place and sister to the one in the Miller Arcade which also offers food.
Preston Railway Station from Butler Street. It’s good that Preston kept the prestige of having a real fully covered railway station when all the other towns in Lancashire had their’s knocked down and replaced with large bus type shelters. Perhaps that helped give Preston city status. That and the astounding bus station.
That was a good walk, very enjoyable and thought and memory provoking. Preston has many layers of history and still moves on powered largely by UCLan and payments from students and their demands for youthful life. Keep that youthful life and keep walking.
Read more about the Railways around Preston and the Tram Road on our website. Click here.
Many years ago this week, 23rd July, would have been Preston Wakes Week, usually 2 weeks. The town closed down and everyone went to Blackpool. The factories and shops were closed and even the newspapers weren’t delivered.
Today was a sunny Tuesday and the streets were quiet at 9.30am. The objective was to reach the new Tom Finney mural on North Road taking in the urban scenery and UCLan on the way.
The Corn Exchange pub Preston, The former Public Hall, dance and music venue.
Starting at the Corn Exchange in Lune Street with it’s large brutal statue commemorating the put down of the workers protest nearly 200 years ago.
Then, noticing St George’s Church was open deciding to take look inside, a first, a very nice interior, probably the best in Preston, high-anglican judging by the catholic style statues. St George’s Ward where the shopping centre of the same name stands. The church was built in 1723 but modified several times, the exterior casing over the old church being 1848. I was reading that Real Madrid updated their ground by casing the old one, Preston set a good example.
St George’s Church, Preston
Crossing Ringway there was a good view of the re-modelled surface of Friargate.
Friargate viewed from Ringway
The Black Bull pub, further down than the Black Horse, both feature tiles. It was a Boddington’s pub last time I went in but that was a long time ago, in fact it’s frightening to think it was over 50yrs ago.
Halewood’s Book Shop for old books, there’s another further down Friargate.
The Dog & Partridge pub
The Sun Hotel
The mural of Pauline in the Yellow Dress, painted by Shawne Sharpe, on the side of the Northern Way. Pauline looks to have more attitude than the original.
It was an ambitious purchase of the painting by the Harris Art Gallery some 80yrs ago. Then early in this century buying the actual dress on the painting for the Harris dress collection. Those interested in art know that Pauline is Preston’s Mona Lisa.
Then it’s the last pub on Friargate. The Lamb & Packet
The Lamb & Packet Friargate Preston
Across the roundabout is UCLan and the Adelphi Pub. UCLan having two new buildings; the Innovation Centre and the Student Centre. To keep up with the flavour the Adelphi has been painted blue and a mural of flowers has been painted on the side.
The Adelphi’s mural. Colourful, floral.
The old Harris College Corporation Street building, now UCLan, still stands.
An old Harris building behind the UCLan Innovation block looks so 1960s, which is what it is. It’s unlikely they foresaw that this whole area of Preston would be re-built to accommodate the buildings and student living accommodation.
Behind here was the Engineering Block, about 4 stories high. It had asbestos problems.
An aside. In those days we used slide rules to do calculations, I still have three. In my last year I bought a Sinclair calculator with sines and tangents etc but the battery only lasted about half an hour. Then an awesome Texas TI51 or thereabouts.
Back across the roundabout and along Moor Lane. So called because Preston moor was along there, now Moor Park, believe it or not. But there was a battle on the Moor in the Civil War where Cromwell beat the Royalists. It was a telling victory. Preston’s seen quite a few battles, Jacobites.
The tall building was a telephone exchange.
The last windmill in Preston. There are a few round about, Clifton, north west of Preston, is probably the nearest. I always thought there was a windmill at the back of the Adelphi but perhaps it was an alcohol fuelled hallucination.
There was a pub called the Crossed Keys beyond the old telephone exchange that competed for pie and peas with the Adelphi. Now it’s all student apartments. Quite a shock to see the Urban Hub on the other side of Moor Lane. I wouldn’t have believed it was Preston.
The UCLan Vernon Building looks quaint among the modern architecture.
Next door to the Urban Hub is the building with the Tom Finney mural. Another created by Shawne Sharpe in June 2024. If Pauline is Preston’s Mona Lisa then Tom Finney is Preston’s Pele. He played over 400 times for Preston, and over 70 times for England, scoring 30 international goals.
Is this peak mural?
The former Unicorn Pub and the Moorbrook Pub on North Road
Looking north where Garstang Road begins
Walking back through UCLan. A bit surprising to find these old flats sitting so squat among the higher rise new buildings. They seem to be empty.
The Vinyl Tap pub and music ‘rock and roots’ venue with food. Adelphi Street. Looks good.
There used to be a pub near here called the Lancaster that had local bands, or groups as they were, several times a week. It was very popular and a bit off the normal drinking route. Having looked it up The Lancaster pub was quite a walk up Walker Street to Lancaster Road and looks like it’s a letting agency now.
The Vinyl Tap
The UCLan Library. Across the road has changed so much. Looking on Google Maps Street View this building was faced by terraced houses, if you view Streets it still has the old terraces viewing from the west, but not when viewed from the east. Quite pleasing terraces with arched front doorways. They’re a good feature in Preston, around Winckley Square. Now it’s faced by the modern Student Centre, dramatically different and pleasingly open.
The Student Centre that also faces onto the Adelphi Roundabout.
Nice to see that St Peter’s Church is kept as a UCLan building.
Onto Fylde Road showing more UCLan buidlings. This road leads to Preston Dock and the Fylde and Blackpool.
Fylde Road and another pub, Ships. Next to the UCLan Innovation Building.
The Student Centre
The view up Friargate from the Adelphi Roundabout.
The view up Friargate from Ringway, towards the Harris Museum and Art Gallery.
St Joseph’s Orphanage. A characterful building that set on fire awaiting renovation. It looks like the tower might remain.
Bistro Pierre took over the old Baptist Church on Fishergate and it now looks better than I ever recall.
Onto the Preston Railway Station or is it Train Station. A Pendolino bound for London, taking the longer route via Birmingham, sits at Platform 4.
A short visit to the Ribble Steam Railway on Saturday 24th March 2024. Furness Railway No. 20 being the star of the show. Refurbishment of this was completed at the Furness Railway in their workshop at Preston. Before that work was done at BAE Systems at Barrow.
Photos of the train at the Ribble Steam Railway depot and crossing the swing bridge at the Preston Dock. Also photos inside the RSR Museum.
Another walk around Preston. This time it’s on International Women’s Day 8th March 2023. It added some flavour when we reached Winckley Square as there had been a Blue Plaque mounted for Beatrice Todd, Suffragist. On the square was a display of wall boards and balloons for the 3 women of Preston who campaigned for women’s rights in the early 20th Century.
The wall boards, Left to Right. Beatrice Blackhirst 1866-1955, political and suffragist activist and Preston Soldiers and Sailors buffet. It’s hard to imagine she lived in Preston when I did, dying at 89. Edith Rigby 1872-1950, militant Suffragette Activist, living to the age of 78, I was in Preston then as well. Beatrice Todd 1876-1958, living to 82, political and suffragist activist and Preston Soldiers and Sailors buffet. They had long lives. Did they die with recognition in their time?
Just to the left of the wall boards is a balloon display. Purple for loyalty, white for purity, green for hope are the colours of the suffragette movement.
A Blue Plaque for Beatrice Todd was unveiled on the day.
The Blue Plaque for Beatrice Todd, Suffragist, near Winckley Square, Preston
A walk up Friargate, Preston’s second shopping street, with the well known angle on the Harris Building.
The Harris Building still under wrappers, due to re-open in 2024.
The Miller Arcade, one of the best buildings in Preston. Shops and cafes. A Rohan shop being it’s best offer we think.
The former National Westminster Bank, now Revolution with a reversed E.
The death has been announced of Stephen Sartin who is well known in Preston heritage circles for his talks and books and worked at the Harris for many years. Born in 1938
There are tributes in Blog Preston, and the Preston Historical Society wrote a tribute on their Facebook page.
Our own experience is of attending several talks at Alston Hall where Stephen gave many of his inimitable talks. He’d turn up with enough slides to last 3 days and then in between his anecdotes would apologise that he was unlikely to show us all the slides he’d brought. Although in reality he didn’t need any slides as people were absorbed. What he had to say and his genial style gave him charisma.
He often said he was available at the Judge’s Lodgings in Lancaster. It’s an interesting building operated by Lancashire County Council and worth a visit.
Below is a photo of the front and rear cover of one of his books that we own, published in 1988 ‘The people and places of Historic Preston’ by Stephen Sartin, with drawings by Martyn Hanks.
Front Cover of Historic Preston by Stephen Sartin, 1988Rear Cover of Historic Preston by Stephen Sartin, 1988
Another book is Beattie’s Preston, published by the Harris in 1979.
Although published in 2015, we only recently stumbled upon this book in Preston Libary. The library is now in the Guild Hall unfortunately while the Harris is refurbished, what a shame about the Guild Hall as well, but that’s another story.
The reading of this book was largely by dipping in. Although the book isn’t very long, 145 pages, it seems more the sort of book you’d dip into. It’s written in an academic manner which is good but isn’t the easiest read.
It begins with a foreword by Lord Derby who makes the stand out comment that for people in the south the term ‘once in a Preston Guild’ means nothing. It’s one of those things that small and unintended slights niggle. Although I have actually met Lord Derby and he went out of his way to greet people and gave a great speech very fitting to a local event.
The next section is called the Introit. Looking it up, it’s a psalm or antiphon sung or said while the priest approaches the altar for the Eucharist. This starts with a nicely written page describing Preston’s link with the church and continues in two more sections.
The book then covers the history of Preston in not too much depth but with depth of thought in the areas covered. There are a lot of old maps and church art. It’s always interested me that Preston has one of the strongest Roman Catholic presences in England. The book also covers each church in the parish.
I’ve written this without reading the whole book and if it wasn’t so highly priced I’d buy it without doubt. But for now it will be returned to the library and if I stumble upon it somewhere it might become a purchase.
Types and Shadows – A history of Preston City Parish by Edmund J Crichton.
Preston appeared to have less Covid 19 than similar places in northwest England but in late February the slow decline left Preston in the top ten case areas in England and on some measures, it is said, at the top.
On 10th March 2021 Preston was 7th in England and top in the north-west with 142 cases per 100,000 on a 7 day average. Blackburn and Darwen was 12th. South Ribble 23rd. Data taken from Gov website by @UKCovid19Stats on twitter.
The charts below are from the Government websites:
An interesting display between 21st September and 24th November 2019 to mark the 50th year of Preston’s Bus Station and it’s car park. Controversial because of its brutal style and that it was accessible to passengers only through subways and an overpass.
For many years it was the largest bus station in Europe. Now only one side is in use.
The Harris display laid out plans and models of the architect ideas. Plus some items from the bus station like the barber’s chair.
To match the grey concrete most of the display was in grey with only a couple of coloured items which stood out.
The Beautiful and the brutal at the Harris Preston
A lovely day 30th October 2019. Just right for a walk in the country, a wander round some shops and pop into The Harris Museum and Art Gallery. About 3 miles.
Leaving the station in Butler Street, turn right towards the multi-storey car park and then across and over the Fishergate Centre car park to the far corner where you bear right up the road into Avenham Park.
In the park turn right. You’re quite high up and need to drop and cross the main route, that goes into Miller Park, and carry on above the Japanese Gardens. After 50 yards bear right on the cycle track onto the former railway line and cross the river. Good views.
Crossing the river with the Tram Road Bridge in the distance:
The view downstream crossing the river:
Cross the Ribble on The East Lancs Bridge, now a footpath/cycle track for today’s walk:
Then turn left at the other side and follow the river past the Tram Bridge and carry on until you can see the Capital Centre where you can get a coffee in Waitrose. The tributary is the River Darwen, from Darwen near Blackburn. The river side path has some mud and you need to keep on the raised bit on the left. Turn left at the obvious track crossroad.
At the side of the river path. Farmers working the rich soil of the Ribble flood plain:
You might find the road has a huge puddle. There is a 1 foot high fence you can step over before reaching puddle.
After your coffee you can look in some shops.
Then follow London Road, the main road,A6, over the bridge and turn sharp left along the other side of the river.
A nice track along the river with a good view across to the River Darwen and it’s bridge. Also a view of the Tram Bridge.
The Tram Bridge (closed) from the north bank:
Just Before you get to the Tram Bridge, climb up high on the right on a winding path, up a steep tarmac slope then onto steps with the captured guns from Sebastopol. Then onto the Promenade with view over the park. Facing is the Harris Institute an old place of learning, now empty.
The captured guns from Sebastopol overlooking the river:
The view over Avenham Park from the Promenade:
Then go to the left of the Institute till you come to Winkley Square. Nice Georgian sunken square. Go to the far end up Winckley Street as it’s a nice street with a cafe or two.
The Harris Institute, former place of learning:
Winkley Square sunken Georgian Square:
Turn right on Fishergate and make your way toward Waterstones, where you turn left and head onto the Flag Market which is an open square with good buildings around it. The Harris being the main one, Grade I listed.
The War Memorial, and Shankly Hotel in work:
The Harris has a fantastic collection. Must be one of the best in Britain for a place of Preston’s size. There is a cafe.
The Harris Museum and Art Gallery:
The latest exhibition inside the Harris, The Beautiful and Brutal: 50 years of Preston Bus Station:
Another new feature, The Wellness Room inside the Fine Art Gallery, a place for peaceful reflection:
Plenty more to see in The Harris. Large Fine Art Gallery, Discover Preston. Lot’s of pottery and perfume bottles. Fashion. Community Heritage Library and Main Library, Cafe.
August 1968 was the month of the last steam services. Preston was involved in these services. Also in August 2018 Alstom officially closed the Strand Road West Works were trams, trains and motors had been built for over a 100 years.
Below is an extract from our website, read the whole page on the link below.
‘In 1968 two trains left Preston on the last standard steam hauled services in the UK. The Lancashire Evening Post of 2nd August 2008 has an article about a book called ‘Steam – The Last Finale’ by Alan Castle. The article relates to the 8.50pm Preston to Blackpool hauled by 45212, and the 9.25pm Preston to Liverpool Exchange hauled by 45318. The latter gaining 80mph across the flat terrain of West Lancashire. Drivers of both trains came from Lostock Hall shed – Bob Barker and fireman Roy Duckworth on 45212 and Ernie Heyes and fireman Tony Smith on 45318. The following day August 4th plenty of special steam hauled trains were run on farewell trips.
The following weekend on August 11th 1968 45110 ran from Liverpool to Manchester and was then replaced by 70013 Oliver Cromwell from Manchester to Carlisle via Bolton, Blackburn and the Settle to Carlisle route. This was the last BR passenger train called the ‘fifteen guinea special’. The return journey was double headed by 44781 and 44871, with 45110 hauling from Manchester back to Liverpool according to Wikipedia. 70013 is said to have returned to its base in Norwich under its own steam.’
A second piece of history this month is the closure of the Alstom factory on Strand Road which was formerly English Electric Traction, Strand Road West Works, Dick Kerrs, where diesel locomotives including the Deltic Prototype were built. It also has a history of building diesel shunters, trams and electric motors.
Dear Harris, (abridged)
Is your permanence set in stone?
On the road to death do you tread?
Frequented by the old, neglected by the young,
But the young will polish your dreary lungs.
Will the alien beam of technology blight your splendour?
Yours, Blaze Transformers
A thought provoking piece and nicely written. In reply, apologies for the poetry in advance:
Dear Blaze,
Does splendour and excellence improve with age,
Does fashion change though the beam be the rage,
A classical line loving the light,
Was it that ‘Everything is going to be alright’,
Ideas and energy expanding thought,
Bringing your offspring to see what were,
The good old days of 2 nought 2 nought.
Yours Made in Preston
The Preston Courtaulds factory operated from 1939 to 1981 producing Rayon. The display at the Harris shows a video of its history along with worker’s stories, maps and a painting from the Courtauld Gallery in London. The painting was selected by former workers and is on loan at the Harris until 20th May 2018.
Painting by Eugène Boudin, ‘Deauville’ painted in 1893.
Grade 2 listed Fulwood Barracks, one of the few intact from its time, is to be closed as a barracks. This follows a property revue by the Ministry of Defence who are to close several other older and smaller barracks.
The barracks was completed in 1848 after the Chartist riots and now holds the 42nd Infantry Brigade who will be moved to Weeton Barracks near Blackpool.
What will happen to the Infantry Museum on site is another matter. The Museum of Lancashire is currently closed and has a similar collection.
What will become of the site is a bigger matter. It certainly is an interesting looking building made of large blocks of stone and with the old quarters still in place. The Ministry is suggesting they are creating building land. If that is to be the case let’s hope it’s a sympathetic plan and that some interesting use can be made of the barracks.
In October on BBC2 a four part re-enactment of life in an East London Victorian Slum through 1860 to 1890. Hard to believe this was only 120 years ago. Living hand-to-mouth with no income for no work and no health provision. The whole family working at home doing piece work up to 20 hours a day. Being turned out for not paying the rent and moving to the doss house with a choice of coffin bed or hang-over rope. Eating bread dipped in fat for a meal. Next down was to do a runner or head for the workhouse. The population of London was rising fast and immigration, largely of Irish, was keeping wages down.
How did it compare to Preston? It is known that conditions in the mills were hard with people working long shifts from an early age in noisy and dangerous conditions. Yet it was warmer and dry and the terraced houses gave at least a small area of ‘castle’. Watching the programme it seemed those Londoners would have been better moving north. Although comparing Preston to life in London is perhaps unfair as big cities, including Manchester, have a much broader range of poverty and wealth.
It might be wondered how we got from there to where we are 120 years later. Whether there was a time that was better than now for more people. What we have now is amazing, the NHS has equipment and drugs costing millions of pounds available to every individual without charge at use. Schools and libraries have banks of computers available to every family without charge at use.
The Museum of Lancashire in Stanley Street closes on the 30th September except for school visits. Negotiations are underway with a group who could re-open it in the new year.
Other Lancashire County Council operated museums in a similar situation are Fleetwood Museum, Queen Street Mill Burnley, Helmshore Cotton Museum, Lancaster Judges Lodgings. We’ve been to all these and they’re all very good. They’re all in areas that need tourist attractions and jobs.
Our website contains reports on visits to them all, except our visit to the Judges Lodgings.
Winckley Square is being restored and work is well underway. Paths are being resurfaced and a direction marker will be placed in the centre pointing to items of historical interest around the square. The Peel statue will be cleaned and an illuminated walkway across the square created.
Until the work is completed Groundworks are running a guided tour at 12noon every Friday from the Winckley Street entrance.
More information about the Winckley Square area is on our website including some sketches of lost buildings.
Harris Museum & Art Gallery, Saturday 10th September, 10am to 5pm. Architectural Gem Tour 12noon. Egyptian Balcony 1pm t0 3pm. Virtual Egyptian Balcony Tour 1pm and 2pm.
Haslam Park & Local Nature Reserve, Saturday 10th, Sunday 11th walks at 11am and 2pm.
Hidden Art Nouveau, 1&2 Lune Street, Saturday 10th September, 10am to 5pm. Sunday 11th September 11am to 3pm.
Lancashire Archives, Saturday 10th September, 10am to 4pm
Museum of Lancashire, Saturday 10th September tours at 11am, 12noon, 1.30pm, 2.30pm.
Preston Playhouse, Sunday 11th September, 10am to 4pm.
Winckley Square Gardens, Saturday 10th September and Sunday 11th September, tours 11am, 1pm, 3pm.
For full information and any booking details where necessary, download the pdf that is on our website click on this link:
The Lancashire Archives are held in Bow Lane Preston and contain an extensive collection of textile information reflecting Lancashire’s position as the centre of the world’s textile industry in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The plan is to hire an archivist to catalogue and promote the collection. An appeal for £12,000 has been made and donations can be made either on line or by post. Please read more on the Friends of Lancashire Archives Website linked below.
