The vision is to make the Harris a big regional tourist attraction. There must be a lot of opinions ranging from academic and cultural interest to all out commercial interest. How would the Virgin Harris Museum sound? How do you fit in the Lancashire Library or should it be there at all. Madame Tussaud’s hasn’t got a library. Click on the survey and have a say.
Preston Historical Society along with the Harris Museum, UCLan and Lancashire Archives are putting on a series of events related to the Battle of Preston, the last battle on English soil. Also an excellent series of articles in Blog Preston written by Karen Doyle of PHS, linked below.
A sound, light and performance on Church Street. Sunday 15th November 4.30 to 6.30pm.
On 10th November at 1.30pm in the Market Square there will a Proclamation of James III.
Plus several talks, debates and study sessions:
Wednesday 11th November 7.30pm Jacobites in the Archives at Lancashire Archives, Bow Lane.
Wednesday 11th November 7.30pm The Build up to the Battle of Preston, at Garstang URC Hall, small charge.
Saturday 14th November 10am to 4pm Discover the Battle of Preston activity day in Preston Minster.
Sunday 15th November 3pm to 3.50pm Commemorative Service in Preston Minster.
Tuesday 17th November 12.30-1.30pm Reflections on Rebellion, talks and debate with historians from UCLan at the Harris.
Thursday 19th November 12.30-1.30pm Reflections on Rebellion, talks and debate with historians from UCLan at the Harris.
Saturday 21st November 9.30am to 4pm The Jacobite Rebellion study day at UCLan, £10.
Monday 7th December 7.15pm Battle of Preston aftermath, talk by Bill Shannon. Preston Minster, £5.
Commemoration events Battle of Preston-1715
An excellent series of articles in Blog Preston written by Karen Doyle can be found on the link below:
Denis Healey, a forceful Londoner brought up as a Yorkshireman, died this weekend at the grand age of 98. After impressive war service, gaining an MBE in 1945, he joined the Labour Party becoming an MP in 1952. He was a minister through a turbulent time in British politics between 1964 and 1979 and in the shadow cabinet up to 1987, retiring in 1992. As new Defence Secretary in 1964 he made decisions that had a major effect in Preston.
The TSR2 was a big project to build Britain’s next bomber. Stuffed with the latest high technology it was a large aircraft to be able to fly at supersonic speed beneath the Iron Curtain at night. The British aerospace industry had been restructured around the aircraft with Preston’s English Electric Aviation plants transferring to the newly formed British Aircraft Corporation.
On election in 1964 the new government significantly cut defence expenditure and with it the TSR2, which was to be replaced by the American F111, an order that was also later cancelled at some cost.
At the time this resulted in thousands of redundancies, but it also spawned the beneficial era of international collaboration in defence projects. At the Preston area sites this includes; the Anglo French Jaguar, the Anglo-German-Italian Tornado and 4 nation Eurofighter Typhoon which have brought expansion, good jobs and continuity of work to the area despite ups and downs.
Sometimes major disruption can be for the better in the longer term although the cycle continues.
Just a footnote perhaps in the career of Denis Healey. RIP.
Disappointing that Preston Council is selling an element of its inheritance for a pittance. The old registration suffix numbers CK and RN are part of the symbols of Preston. For a few pounds the council is going to sell car registration CCK1. Does Civic Pride exist in the council chamber. It seems not.
Preston symbolic registration number CCK1 to be sold for a pittance.
The BBC historical dramatisation ‘The White Queen’ based on a book written by Philippa Gregory, seeks to give a female perspective to history in the 15th Century by portraying events from the Queen’s view. The three ladies most in the drama are Elizabeth Woodville, Anne Neville and Margaret Beaufort. You may say you’ve never heard of them and that is what the programme seeks to address.
Following defeat of the House of Lancaster by the House of York, Elizabeth Woodville, a Lancastrian marries the new king and becomes a Yorkist. Margaret Beaufort is mother to Henry Tudor the future Henry VII and lives at Pembroke Castle in Wales. They say the code of chivalry enabled women to survive when their husbands had been brutally murdered after being on the losing side in battle.
Basically Lancaster is all but finished but Henry Tudor is their hope. Margaret Beaufort is a woman of very strong belief with a mission to put her son on the throne. After the death of her husband in battle with the Yorkists she marries Lord Stanley. This is the local link.
Lord Stanley is a major landowner and ruler in north-west England. He’s known to have a foot in both camps and manages to remain alive who-ever is in power. Stanleys were in their seat at West Derby, now in Liverpool, and known as the Earl of Derby (in Lancashire). Although Liverpool wasn’t significant in the 15th century.
The Stanley’s were MP of Preston. Several parks, pubs, even a football team in the region are named after them. Greenhalgh Castle at Garstang was built by the same Stanley as in the White Queen in 1490, it was ruined by Cromwell in the Civil Wars.
Another regional link is that a painting of Elizabeth Woodville hangs in Dunham Massey (National Trust) near Manchester. Don’t know why though. Click Here for a link to a print of it.
This is an interesting programme although difficult to grasp who the main players really are until you’ve watched a few episodes. The companion programme, The White Queen and her rivals, also on now assists in making sense of it.
Designed to bring airport comfort to your local bus station.
Yesterday, 17th Dec, Preston council cabinet sat and voted to demolish the Market Hall, Market Car Park and Lancastria House. The bus station vote was that it should be demolished in principle but a number of alternatives will be looked at before making a decision in the new year.
This seems a reasonable outcome for the bus station at the moment. Although Lancastria House is an attractive and characterful building and it is a mistake to demolish it. Can’t say I’ll miss the Market Hall or its car park.
The council Chief Executive Lorraine Norris said Preston only needs a 36 bay bus station. This would appear to be true at the moment although Lancashire County Council are planning to spend a lot of money on bus routes into Preston.
The bus station has a number of foibles. Buses need to reverse out and it is quite a walk from the shops. Many years ago Corporation buses terminated outside the Harris and Miller Arcade and this would seem a better place, although having an exchange terminal for those who get off the other buses is a benefit.
The new bus station car park is also awkward to get in and out of and the ramps between levels are very tight. Otherwise it is an excellent car park, the one I use when I visit Preston.
Halving the bus station capacity seems very simple. Just block off one side, all buses could use the Preston Bus side. The other side could be developed maintaining the car parks and leaving one frontage. In America traditional city centre building frontages are maintained but just behind is a high rise office block.
As for buses reversing, there is such a lot of space on the concourse that an adaptation could be possible although it seems a step of imagination.
The other worry that could smooth the loss of the bus station is the design of the proposed replacement. It’s hard to believe it will be anything but a low budget design if funding is so hard to come by. This is a bad time where the council is claiming to be squeezed by running costs in the existing bus station and then squeezed to pay for a replacement. There is a fear that people are making long term decisions based on short term criteria.
Overall the council has got itself in a mess by waiting for the Tithebarn Project and allowing the bus station to deteriorate. Similar to Blackpool who waited for their casino and ended up with a car park. Yet Blackpool claimed special hardship and got a lot of money for a new prom and tram system and the council borrowed £20m to buy the Tower and £30m to resurface every road in Blackpool. Why can Preston council not make more effort to save the bus station.
Special thanks to the Evening Post for its running Twitter commentary on the council meeting.
Demolition of Preston Bus Station will leave an anonymous space where once was a late 20th Century icon.
Preston Bus Station destroyed by vandals might be a bit hard. Yet Preston Council have neglected the building and then announced that it will cost too much to refurbish. Even though it is one of Preston’s main features.
Quoting huge costs the council seeks to justify its case. Yet in nearly every case it looks like the council has opted for Gold Plated Solutions Ltd to do the work and since when did a council pay £2m interest on a £23m loan.
The council has let it deteriorate so it doesn’t look so good at close inspection and many will be taken in by that. Yet from a distance it becomes more iconic with every passing year. Along with the Harris Museum and St Walburge’s it is surely a symbol of Preston and how it was prospering beyond the cotton era.
It is situated a mile from the railway station so if they said it was being moved then maybe that would increase the case. Or if they said something equally magnificent was going in its place. But no, this end of the centre is going to become a small bus station and a car park. Welcome to Preston or is it Bury or Blackburn. Maybe like Blackpool it will have no bus station and no-one knows where the buses are and they jam the streets.
There might be an option for knocking down half of it to leave a shortened building although no doubt that would be said to cost even more.
There is something solid and magnificent that adds to the claim to City status about the bus station. The other towns will be laughing and saying no Tithebarn, no iconic bus station, Preston is falling, come to us.
Not a lot to say about Preston Guild 2012 – just brilliant. The processions, ceremonies, shows, events, displays and the crowds were the cake and the cream. The small touches like the Temperance Display and the P3 20 added scattered a few thousands on top. It was well planned and presented, professional and the weather played its part by behaving itself. Congratulations to the Council and the staff, helpers and participants. Job well done!
Preston Guild is once every 20 years so we weren’t going to miss this one. We loved the Royal Jubilee, the Olympic Games and we were sure we’d enjoy Preston Guild.
It seemed everyone was in a great mood, the weather was good. The streets were packed and the Square Food Festival ram jam full. The Vintage Weekend filled after the procession and Miller and Avenham Parks were in good form.
Wake me up on Friday in time for Preston Guild. There are some great things being planned, but here is our plan.
Saturday 1st September will be our main day. Will be fighting the crowds flooding in for the Final Proclamation on the Flag Market. Then will we find a great spot to watch the Trades Procession and will we get a piece of Preston Cake City. These are major questions.
The proclamation is at 10.30am, the Trades Procession starts at 11am presumably from Moor Park so what time does it hit the centre, before 12? The Square Food Festival with Victorian Pop Up Pie Shop in Winckley Square and drink as well! Probably should get the Guild train if there is one. Then those City cakes; will we be able to eat the Harris Museum Cake and what time is it eaten.
Fill up then float into Avenham Park to look at the Vintage Market on the Promenade and take in the atmosphere and activity in both Avenham and Miller Parks. My wife’s great at threadwork so we’ll be looking at craft. There are plenty of displays and shows as well as Tringe Festival activities in the centre, but we’ll take that as it comes.
Discover Preston in the Harris Museum and Art Gallery will be a must see but maybe in mid-week and we had a preview when it was half open. We’ve seen the Deltic in the Ribble Steam Railway so we’re already Guild hardened.
Question marks over going to the fair on Moor Park, sounds good. Then there is the Torchlight Procession on Friday night.
Will we be get so carried away we buy a Preston Guild flag to hoist outside our house, and the mandatory plate or cup to be handed down as done by our forefathers.
Looking at the longer term weather forecast it looks dry on Saturday. See you there!
Preston comes together as events are announced for the 2012 Guild. Here are four unmissables:
The new multi-million pound ‘Discover Preston’ display in the Harris Museum, opened on 28th July, is something I’ve been burning to see. On Friday 17th August 12noon to 3pm it will be closed for it’s official opening. There’s a joke there somewhere. Read about it on the Harris Museum website:
The Vintage Guild Weekend website and video have been produced with style and the food, craft, art, music, dancing, pop-up theatres will show Preston off in the attractive and decorative Miller and Avenham Parks and the Winckley Street area on September 1st and 2nd: http://vintageguildweekend.com/
Watch the Vintage Guild Weekend YouTube video with Paul Hemingway:
The Deltic prototype at the Ribble Steam Railway in Preston is something I never thought I’d see and represents one of the most iconic things ever made in Preston. Deltic locomotives were the pride of the East Coast Main Line hauling the top link expresses from Kings Cross to Edinburgh Waverley for over 20 years. Find out more on their website:
The Made in Preston theme has been adopted by the Guild and 9 projects covering an imaginative range of themes including memories of English Electric and Leyland Motors will be presented.
It can never be allowed to pass that Made in Preston has been the name of this website for over 10 years and will support the Guild whole heartedly but has no official links with it and gets no thanks. None wanted though and no worries. Come together, right now:
July 22nd, 1812. Salamanca, Spain. Wellington’s troops defeat Napoleon’s in the first major victory of the Peninsular War that demonstrated the prowess of the Duke of Wellington, then an Earl. To mark this victory the Rifles were given the freedom of the City of Salamanca in a special ceremony that took place on the 20th to 22nd July 2012.
Today a trophy of that war stands in Fulwood Barracks, Preston: The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, Lancashire Infantry Museum. One of the two French ‘Imperial Eagles’ captured on that day is on display. This one belonged to the French 22nd Line Regiment and was taken by Ensign John Pratt of the Light Company of the 2nd Battalion, 30th First. (much reduced account from the Times, an excellent write up on Saturday 21st July 2012).
To be a burgess at Preston Guild is quite an honour. Putting yourself into a line that goes back centuries. It is a hereditary role so new ones are joined at the Guild Ceremony by existing burgesses and those who have had the honour passed down.
A former colleague who is a hereditary burgess jokingly described that when he appeared in the procession his pompous boss standing in the crowd nearly had a seizure.
Twenty new honorary burgesses for 2012 will be formally appointed at the Adjourned Guild Court on Saturday 8 September in the Guild Hall.
Their names have just been announced, it is an impressive list and good to read what they have done. They include some I’ve met and some recognised from their work such as:
Stephen Sartin who was art curator at the Harris Art Gallery and now presents interesting courses on the history of Preston at Alston Hall. With one on Preston Guild on the 10th August.
Alan Crosby of the Lancashire Records Office who knows all there is to know about the history of the area and also gives great local history lectures, without notes it seems.
Some of Preston most successful businesses: Edwin Booth of Booths Supermarket and Eddie Topping of Barton Grange. Ian Hall and Chris Miller whose businesses are familiar via their lorries have been a part of Preston for as long as most can remember.
Peter Ward who has spent a lot of time in Trade Union politics and charity work and who was once a long distance cyclist who we went to specially to watch in the Milk Race a very long time ago, maybe 50 years ago.
This week Preston Council granted planning permission for houses to be built on the land now occupied by the Park School on Moor Park. This school educated generations of Preston females who passed their 11+ exam, including my mother and her sister some 70 years ago. It is granted that the school doesn’t look very interesting except for the tower over the entrance which has some elaborate stonework. To appease conservationists this will be put into storage, including the pieces containing the Preston crest and the words ‘Park School’.
Whether demolishing the building is good or bad is open to question. The attractiveness and potential uses of a building change with time. Many an old hovel was knocked down and now they are classed as characterful and in demand to live in or as tourist attractions. At this time the elaborate stonework contrasting with the red brickwork is the main feature of Edwardian buildings and it could be said there are still quite a lot of them around. Also there is a need to build on brownfield sites rather than greenfield and as travelling becomes more expensive building near town centres is likely to become more popular. On balance the decision seems acceptable.
The other old building in the news is the former Park Hotel, built 1883, a major feature of Preston, having a commanding position over the Grade II listed Miller Park. This building is deemed surplus to Lancashire County Council’s use as offices and staff are being moved into the main Pitt Street offices. The building will then be put on sale. If justice was to be done it would be kept as Council Offices as that is one of the best ways to preserve it. It might be thought that a preservation grant would be available to councils for this. Let us hope that a good use is found although the recession and general cut backs make this unlikely in the short term.
The preservation of buildings is a controversial subject. There are as many opinions as people and we can’t keep every building. Those no longer fit for a purpose have a difficult time. The main bus station and Mount Street Hospital being two buildings at risk. Proposals to modernise buildings and places are often sacrilegious, like the hanging letters on Winckley Square. Careful planning and cash are needed. Of the above buildings it seems the Park School isn’t worth keeping but the former Park Hotel should certainly have its exterior shape preserved at least.
For those with an interest in the area the new course programme has been issued by Alston Hall, the day and residential college for adult learning near Longridge.
Local historian Stephen Sartin will be speaking about the history of Preston to be found between Ringway and the River Ribble. While other local history talks feature local parishes as well as farther afield, Liverpool, Manchester, West Midlands and Lancaster. Other more general talks on Cotton, Victorian life and canals. There are courses in many other subjects but these might appeal to anyone interested in this website.
For more information look at the Alston Hall website. Alston Hall is quite a cosy place with beautiful views over the Ribble Valley, the meals are good and the bar quite amenable.
The Harris Museum is to spend £1.5m on rejuvenating displays, in particular the history of Preston room. This room has had a tired look for many years and got a bit of a filip when the recent Industrial Revolutionaries display was presented. Now it is to be smartened and improved in time for the Guild.
Personal preferences are for the model of the Horrocks Mill to be put in a better setting making it more alive as it’s very bare. The dock, Dick Kerr / English Electric trams and traction shouldn’t be forgotten and the aircraft. Favourite painting in the Harris is the view over the railway tracks into Preston centre dated 1953, this should be the theme of a whole presentation. Although the history of Preston is interesting with many major events, it only developed into a place of significance in the last 170 years and the exhibition should balance older major events with events as a result of population and industry increase as shown in the Industrial Revolutionaries exhibition.
Congratulations to the Harris staff and look forward to seeing it.
The Industrial Revolutionaries is a display at the Harris Museum in Preston. The revolutionaries are the people who made an impact in Preston and include cotton magnates and reformers, mill workers and inventors. The display was funded by a number of organisations to make that key part of Preston’s history come alive for locals and tourists. This is achieved to some degree although if you already have a decent knowledge of local history it might not be deep enough whereas to many it will be just right.
Entering the museum it isn’t obvious where the display is if you come in when the monitor is showing something else. It’s on the third floor.
The information is in a modern well presented display made of a number of islands in subdued light. The story is formed around 7 people in different segments of society which can still be recognised to this day in the UK wrapped in 200 years of new legislation while the changes from rural to urban industrial can be seen today in the development of China. As a side issue, sort of worrying about where we are heading, we need some new inventors in the north west.
For me the most interesting part was the 100 year old film of the raw cotton being processed into material in the Yard Mill. Looking at the workers, their reactions to the camera and thinking they were walking round Preston over a 100 years ago sparked curiosity. Ladies in shawls, men in flat caps or bowlers. We see where the flat cap worker image comes from in the north, whereas in the south it often represents the wealthy country gentleman. The story of the workhouse and prison reform was interesting as well. They’re all interesting and even though it might not appear too deep there is enough, as it would be a good test to name the main characters on leaving. I’d fail.
It would be good if this could be made into a permanent exhibition coupled with updating the History of Preston exhibition. Having been ‘Stuarted’ which is a term used for those intercepted and spoken to by the enthusiastic and knowledgeable museum worker Stuart, it appears that to do that will cost a lot of money and probably at this time the cash will be difficult to find. If I win the Euro Millions maybe. Been to see this twice now and overall it’s definitely worth a visit. On until 6th November 2010. Website; http://www.revolutionaries.org.uk/index.php
This morning, Sunday, was warm and bright and it was necessary to drive across Preston quite early. Just the day to take a leisurely detour. It’s times like this when Preston looks very pleasing, so much greenery, several old buildings and generally looking in decent condition.
The A6 from Broughton, left at the Black Bull to pass the hospital, nice area. The old hospital and workhouse at Sharoe Green is a character building and some kind of public museum facility would be a great feature there. Then all those trees lining Watling Street Road and it was tempting to go into some of the side streets as they have a lot of character as well. Turning right at the old 1840 Barracks into Deepdale Road. Past the PNE football ground which is so transformed and contrasting with the trees and park across the road. The former Park Grammar school looking quite small nowadays. Was impressed by the cleaned up architecture of the offices at the old Bus Depot, had never noticed it before. Then a bit further on the original former Preston Royal Infirmary is an attractive building. The well built stone fronted terraced houses are a stand out feature as is the small green area just further along the road. At the end of Deepdale Road is the old harsh looking prison building. Deepdale Road has a barracks at one end and a prison at the other and they’re both built using those large old stone blocks that look like they would withstand a bomb.
Just round the corner on London Road is the remaining wall of the former Horrocks Mill complex that once took up a quarter of Prestons centre. While across the road is the Lancashire Museum building in a fine old house, a church and another Horrocks Mill just along New Hall Lane. Travelling out of Preston on London Road down the hill to the river is a view of trees and hills that reminds you that Preston is on the edge of lush and remote countryside. At the bottom of the hill is the river bridge where Jacobite armies crossed and fought and Joseph Livesey lived nearby while forming the Teetotallers. There’s so much heritage in Preston. It was a pleasant drive, quite lifting.
Yesterday I attended a 4 hour talk at Alston Hall by Stephen Sartin, one of Prestons most knowledgeable local historians as well as art expert. The subject was ‘Preston through its maps’. The subject of Preston and of maps creates double appeal to myself and I wasn’t disappointed. Even though Stephen did his usual trick of having enough material to talk for days even though I think he could talk for days on a single slide and no-one would mind at all.
Starting at Ptolemy in AD150 the Ribble estuary was clearly shown. Roman routes and then through time to maps of the 19th century along with pictures of what the maps were showing. The story of the Battle of Preston was presented as a battle commentary, John Simpson eat your heart out, using a map showing the burning houses and troop positions. We followed the progress of the troops coming up from the river and the fighting and burning along Church Street. As well as the positions to the north of the town and their push into the centre.
We were treated to the development of the town from its core in the Flag Market and Town Hall. The speculation about the origin of the orchard or garden now under the covered market. Also the story of the fine alibastar church mantle given to Preston by Queen Mary and possibly also buried under the covered market which was the site of the vicarage of St John’s. An excuse to dig up the floor of the covered market is required to check this.
Mr Sartin gives regular talks at Alston Hall usually about Preston with a couple more coming up soon. Not to mention the magnificent lunch that Alston Hall is renowned for and its coffee break refreshments especially the cakes after the talk. A good day. To be recommended.
The LEP reports that the sale of Miller Arcade has fallen through. The building is looking in good condition and quite welcoming although it doesn’t have many shops in it and seems a bit isolated. It’s on the corner of the shopping area with nothing beyond it to create passing trade. Although it could be said that the new bus station, if it’s ever built, will rejuvenate that area. But perhaps not as both routes into the current bus station aren’t what you aspire to with a building like the Miller Arcade.
Miller Arcade is beautiful building fully worthy of its Grade II listing. When inside with the doors it’s quite welcoming and sheltered although perhaps the doors deter entrance and make it less obvious what is inside. With an uncertain future it can’t be guaranteed that it will be properly maintained and many buildings in such a situation get lost to fires. It is said the council are hoping the Heritage Lottery Fund will provide some cash although what would be done with it isn’t said, as the building looks alright on the surface. The problem appears to be location.
Recently Blackpool Council made a bid to buy it’s two iconic buildings, the Winter Gardens and the Tower, with the help of a European Re-generation Grant. That the Conservative Blackpool council is taking buildings into public ownership while the Labour Preston Council is seeking private solutions appears to be the wrong way round. Buildings like Miller Arcade are more than commodities to be bought and sold. St Georges was sold and personally I wouldn’t worry if it disappeared. But Miller Arcade is irreplaceable. The council should be involved at least in the investment to ensure it is maintained as one of Prestons icons and that the main shopping area is driven more in its direction.
