42 Abbey Street

[Morecambe Ex Pat]

Our family history research has thrown up a connection with 42 Abbey Street Accrington.
To save you looking, it is at the to the left at top of Little Blackburn Rd, where the relatively new solicitor's offices are. I vaguely remember that building being built back in the 1970's and it could have been something to do with a trade union.
Does anyone know what it was before and what shop was where the little garden is now?
I have contacted the present owners but they cannot provide any further information.
I have found a few photographs looking down Little Blackburn Road but none show that corner, can anyone she any light on our quest.

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Morecambe Ex Pat

Our family history research has thrown up a connection with 42 Abbey Street Accrington.
To save you looking, it is at the to the left at top of Little Blackburn Rd, where the relatively new solicitor's offices are. I vaguely remember that building being built back in the 1970's and it could have been something to do with a trade union.
Does anyone know what it was before and what shop was where the little garden is now?
I have contacted the present owners but they cannot provide any further information.
I have found a few photographs looking down Little Blackburn Road but none show that corner, can anyone she any light on our quest.

Morecambe. That little garden was once occupied by a wine shop, it was demolished by an out of control wagon, myself and another foreman saw it career past the fire stn on the wrong side of the road, we immediately put the stn bells on and turned, knowing there would be a catastophy waiting for us down the road, and there was. There is already a thread on this some where. and it was recently brought up again on Hyndburn Chat. Not certain but before them union offices, might have been a furniture shop not sure.

[maxthecollie]

It was the Transport and General Workers Union. Before that was built I remember Wolstenholmes craft shop was there where I used to get my Airfix kits from

[Morecambe Ex Pat]

bye eck, the driver did well to get that far before hitting a solid object.
I didn't mention the year I was looking at 1901, well before any of us but I was hoping there may be photographs.
MaxTheCollie - mentioning Wolstenholmes made me sit up and take notice as I too used to be a regular visitor but I could not for the life of me tell you where it used to be. I thought it was further down, near the post office.

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by maxthecollie

It was the Transport and General Workers Union. Before that was built I remember Wolstenholmes craft shop was there where I used to get my Airfix kits from

Wolstenholmes model shop was on Whalley Rd, just past Broadway.

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Morecambe Ex Pat

bye eck, the driver did well to get that far before hitting a solid object.
I didn't mention the year I was looking at 1901, well before any of us but I was hoping there may be photographs.
MaxTheCollie - mentioning Wolstenholmes made me sit up and take notice as I too used to be a regular visitor but I could not for the life of me tell you where it used to be. I thought it was further down, near the post office.

That driver didn't do well at all, he slammed into a car, peeled the side of a ribble bus, and pushed the car into the side of a big white van which ended up against the wall of the Canine, took a while to cut the young woman out of the car, we were later informed that she died in hospital, one of the senior officers was going round berating blokes for not being fully dressed in fire gear, (we hadn't time) when he got to me I told the ignorant bas***d to F Off, unless he wanted his name in the local paper "uniform is more important than lives". We were old adversaries, I was the union rep, he went out of his way to try and nail me for summat, I went to see his senior and told him if any of my members got injured because of his stupidity, the union would sue their arses off, they moved him else where. (I hated bloody hoccifers, have done all my life, especially after what them donkeys did to the PALS.

[steve2qec]

Originally Posted by Retlaw

Wolstenholmes model shop was on Whalley Rd, just past Broadway.

Near the Hope & Anchor.

[Morecambe Ex Pat]

Retlaw, I bet there was never a dull moment working with you. I worked at a builder's merchants in Accrington, when I left school and the guy in charge of the yard was an old school roofer who took no prisoners. Having said that he was always fair if you did what you were told to do and I never had a problem with him.

[maxthecollie]

Originally Posted by Retlaw

Wolstenholmes model shop was on Whalley Rd, just past Broadway.

I stand corrected. What was on the corner before then?

[DtheP47]

Pretty sure the original Wolstenholmes was on corner of Tasker St and Whalley road. Opposite big imposing red brick building joined to the Canine building.The same block that the lorry crashed into. Now demolished.
Then they moved further down past Broadway opposite what was Clarkes Motorcycles, now a polish shop that sells a wonderful range of breads great source of roughage, keeps me moving anyway.
ha FOS not me.

[Morecambe Ex Pat]

It amuses me that, in our family history, we are looking into people and places well before my time and yet I can't remember the location of a shop I used to go in regularly. I remember the later one being opposite and a bit towards Broadway from Mary's Music but I cannot for the life of me recall where on Abbey Street the original was.

I think you maybe right but a photograph would prove it.

[pifco]

Wolstenholmes Craft shop was opposite the Cannine Club before moving to Whalley Road and Wolstenholme Funeral Service was next to it.

[Atarah]

This shows the area you are talking about I think

[Morecambe Ex Pat]

Wow that is brilliant Atarah, I was beginning to think that no photographs of the area survived.
A searchable archive of old Accrington photographs would be a great legacy to leave for future generations.
Do you have a date of when the photo was taken?
Do you know who holds the copyright of the photo?
Are we able to use it on our website?

[Atarah]

Hi, trying to find you a photo. This is the area, but don't know if good enough for you. No, its not! :-(
Will keep trying.