Altham
 

I have an address 32 Rock Mount, Altham from the 1936 phone book. Will this be the Altham on the A678 Burnley Road out of Clayton-le-Moors or Altham West on Whalley Road?

Re: Altham
 

Rock Mount is in Altham West, Whalley Road, Clayton Le Moors

Re: Altham
 

Cheers, Has that always been called Altham West, just wondering why it appeared as just "Altham" in the phone book.

Re: Altham
 

i dont know, i do know that It's definately in Altham though, its right next to the Greyhound pub(just up a bit)

Re: Altham
 

A house on that block (large terraced) was bombed out of existence in WW2
Is that why you are seeking its whereabouts?

Re: Altham
 

Its not far from me , i know exactly where you mean Margaret

Re: Altham
 

My dad was in the AFS (auxillary Fire Service) and I recall him saying that it was the only house that was bombed round here - all other bombs fell on the moors, which just shows that 'the blackout' was effective. The germans were trying to bomb Howard and Bulloughs and ROF

Re: Altham
 

My mother used to work for Riley's Chemicals and Colours in Clayton-le-Moors just before and during the war and her boss Conly Riley lived at number 32. I'm trying to find out about this firm (archives, members of the Riley family &c).

From what I can find out Conly lived there in 1936 and a Mrs C. Riley (presumably his widow) was there in 1954.

Re: Altham
 

This is the place where the bomb dropped - looks like the gap has been partly built on now
Altham West Accrington UK - Google Maps

Re: Altham
 

I know where it is too...about 5 mins from my house...

Re: Altham
 

Go to Observer website, there is an article with photo of the bombing, in the history section.

Re: Altham
 

Any chance of a link to the History Section please? - can't see it on the home page.

Re: Altham
 

I struggled to find it too - but found via the Community section - then 'Looking Back'
Two die in first air raid on World War Two - News - Accrington Observer
The article says 'Clayton' - dont let that put you off - we are used to bad reporting in our local rag

Re: Altham
 

Thanks Margaret!

Re: Altham
 

There was never any bombing raids on Howard & Bulloughs. The nearest Royal Ordnance Factory was at Chorley.
It was the Germans on the way back from bombing Manchester, clearing the bomb racks, two incendiaries dropped on those houses, I saw them the day after. Chief Officer Crabtree was in charge at the fire.

I used to see and hear the Jerry planes flying over during night, then a few minutes later the sky would be lit up by the search lights around Manchester and all the ack ack guns would start up. A lot of those shells went up to 20,000 feet before they burst, and the fragments from some landed in Accrington, I still have some of those bits of shells.

Retlaw.