Dirty memories of Accy

Terry · 16-02-2005, 09:00

Hopefully I don't step on anyones toes with this thread, but as an old Accringtonian, I have been very impressed with the way that Accy has changed. In my day, Accy was a dirty smelly filthy town with not much going for it at all. It was all black and sooty with terrible winter killer smogs. Since the 60's when smokeless fuels policy was introduced, Accy has gradually been transformed into something that I thought was nigh impossible. When I visited in 88, it was already on its way to becoming clean. At that time Accy was a veritable patchwork quilt of colour and blackness. Accy has always had some absolutely wonderful architecture. In the old days these buildings were not even worth lookin at considering the filth that adorned them. But what a different picture today(going off some of the pictures posted on this site). Despite all the nuances, all you Accringtonians at last have a town that is worth preserving and looking after and a town of which you can be very very proud.

slinky · 16-02-2005, 11:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry

Hopefully I don't step on anyones toes with this thread, but as an old Accringtonian, I have been very impressed with the way that Accy has changed. In my day, Accy was a dirty smelly filthy town with not much going for it at all. It was all black and sooty with terrible winter killer smogs.

Has'nt changed a bit then how weird!!!!! only got a bit more graffiti and dog S'''''t now

Terry · 16-02-2005, 11:40

Good onya Slinky. I got a good chortle with that

cashman · 16-02-2005, 11:47

sorry to disagree in the 60s accy had 6 picture halls,numerous dance halls,and plenty of jobs-also church youth clubs.im to ancient for them now,but theres not much going for the young these days-maybe thats one of the reasons for the graffiti.regards.

Terry · 16-02-2005, 12:36

Yes Accy did have all that. We certainly had lots of places to go and things to do cashman. My post really was on the subject of how it looks today as compared with say 40-50 years ago. Slinky:- I don't remember too many dogs that far back.

Just cats mostly. No graffitti at all. I don't think you would remember the 'black age' of Accy. On an overcast day Accy was in black and white, apart from the odd coloured car,curtains, and one or two coloured front doors.

Perhaps I exaggerate

All coloured film used to come out black and white.

chav1 · 16-02-2005, 12:40

accrington is the the most dirty and scruffy i have ever seen it

takeaway containers all over the place , mcdonalds and kebab shops main culprits

rats walking around in broad daylight , seen them both at the tax office and willows lane

boarded up houses all over accy because landlords can be bothered to repair them after having bad tennants

town centre is just a joke its a total eyesore to look at

dont get me wrong guys i like accrington and i grew up here but its nothing like it was 10 years ago and if i was visiting accrington for the first time i would tthink god wat a s**t hole

accrington is slowley turning into burnley

weve got the boarded up houses , weve got the dirty streets and now we got the chavs

Margaret Pilkington · 16-02-2005, 12:42

I have to say that you have to be here to appreciate the changes that have happened in Accrington. We may not have the smog and the grime of the 50's and 60's but it is still a dirty place. The muck has changed from honest industrial dirt to what can only be described as social dirt. This, I think, is infinitely more disturbing because it means that people have lost the respect for their environment.
We have chewing gum discarded on the pavements, cigarette ends, drink bottles and cans, fast food wrappings and dog mess.
People just discard rubbish like it is not their responsibility anymore......it's OK, someone else is paid to pick it up. And the Graffiti, well it is all over the place.
I wish that we could organise a general clean up day like they do in so many places in Oz......people go out and clean up their own local environment. If this were to happen, then folks may just think before throwing their Mc Donalds styrofoam cup into the hedgerow.
Terry, I am sorry if I have popped your bubble about how Accrington is....... but there you go.

Margaret Pilkington · 16-02-2005, 12:47

I agree wholeheartedly with Chav on that one.
I preferred it when it was industrially grimey.......you did see women cleaning the front of their houses, making sure their gardens were tidy. Donkey stoning their steps.
Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating that women go back to that kind of routine.....what I am saying is that people were proud of their property and their neighbourhood and there was a better community spirit.

Terry · 16-02-2005, 12:49

Thanks for that info chav1 and Margeret. I can't see the rubbish or muck in the photos I have seen on this forum. It just looks sparkling clean.

. It would seem then from your comments there is no pride for the town(generally speaking) from Accy residents. I dare say there are some who do care. Well at least it's not black anymore. Would that be a fair assessment?

Margaret Pilkington · 16-02-2005, 12:56

I'm sure there must be some people who have a sense of pride in their surroundings, but they must feel like they are fighting a losing battle. No, it isn't black anymore.....well the buildings aren't anyway.......and we don't get the pea soup fogs of yesteryear.......and as far as photographs go, well today with digital imaging you can make a picture what you want it to be......and even before digatial imaging you would always avoid getting the eyesore into your snap.

Margaret Pilkington · 16-02-2005, 12:57

I know what Terry......if I had a chance of living here, or living over there..... there would be no contest. It would be OZ everytime!

slinky · 16-02-2005, 12:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry

Thanks for that info chav1 and Margeret. I can't see the rubbish or muck in the photos I have seen on this forum. It just looks sparkling clean.

. It would seem then from your comments there is no pride for the town(generally speaking) from Accy residents. I dare say there are some who do care. Well at least it's not black anymore. Would that be a fair assessment?

which brings me back to what I said earlier I think.
I live here day in day out, I say what I see with my own eye's not the pictures. And yes maybe I can't remember what it was like in the older days, but I can sure see what a mess people like hbc and other numpty people are making of my home town.

chav1 · 16-02-2005, 13:06

Quote:

I wish that we could organise a general clean up day like they do in so many places in Oz

within 5 mins somone would drop somthing where you had just tidyed up an not understand what they had done wrong

Terry · 16-02-2005, 13:08

Well thanks for responding all. I am now much more enlightened

No longer disillusioned. I have to say though that I'm disapointed(not with you. With the people of Accy). Perhaps I am too used to the 'hoovered ' appearance of Oz as Billy Connelly used to say.

Margaret Pilkington · 16-02-2005, 13:12

That is why I said that the people who do have a pride in their surroundings are fighting a losing battle.
I live close to a large office complex/call center and we have had no end of trouble with folk dumping chip wrappers,pizza boxes, McDonald wrappers etc.....oh and dumping unwanted food on our street and in the gardens.....I contacted the company concerned and they have put a dustbin for their workers to put their rubbish in. It has been better but the problem rears its ugly head from time to time.......and I complain yet again. Now when I ring up and tell them my name they send someone out to cleanup the rubbish.....persistence pays off, but there is so much apathy about.