Union Street, Accrington

[lindashanks2]

Hi. Has anyone got any photos of Union Street in Accrington when there were houses there. My grandad and great uncles lived at number 55.


Linda

[Bob Dobson]

The library will have some. They are indexed under street names and good copies can be made quite cheaply. Goiing off memory, I think there were Union St photos in my book 'Accrington Acclaimed'

[Gremlin]

An old now deceased mate of mine lived on Union street when he was little, probably 1950's.
His parents had a shop and his name was Jack Leach.

[susie123]

Here are three photos from a book of old Accy pics in my possession. The first two are looking towards the viaduct and the third is looking towards the Town Hall. These are the properties demolished to make way for Tesco and the Astronaut pub in the early sixties. Union Street dates from 1787.

[claytonx]

Good photos Susie, The one looking down towards the church and viaduct with the houses on the right hand side I think those would have been knocked down by the 50s I can remember the Blackburn bus stopping there before going back to Blackburn,but I don't remember any houses there I think it was open ground.

[susie123]

Originally Posted by claytonx

Good photos Susie, The one looking down towards the church and viaduct with the houses on the right hand side I think those would have been knocked down by the 50s I can remember the Blackburn bus stopping there before going back to Blackburn,but I don't remember any houses there I think it was open ground.

Yes I would imagine they knocked those down when they made the Broadway Gardens in the fifties.

[claytonx]

No they were further back down the road.

[susie123]

Originally Posted by claytonx

No they were further back down the road.

They were probably flattened in preparation for the car park then.

[cashman]

I cannot remember those houses at all, so reckon if twas 50s, musta been gone very early on.?

[Claytoner40]

Great photos Susie. Where do you get them from. I love old photos and would love to get some of Clayton

[Bob Dobson]

Originally Posted by susie123

Yes I would imagine they knocked those down when they made the Broadway Gardens in the fifties.

I think they went long before the gardens were laid out. One of the families who lived in the long row on the other side were Everetts, who had a mobile fruit business and later a shop up by the Clock Garage

[susie123]

Originally Posted by Bob Dobson

I think they went long before the gardens were laid out. One of the families who lived in the long row on the other side were Everetts, who had a mobile fruit business and later a shop up by the Clock Garage

I remember Ernie and his van coming down Owen Street in the fifties. He wore thick black framed glasses and a little trilby hat. The shop was what had been Thornbers chemists on the corner of Whalley Road and Knowlmere Street. My cousin used to work there and I spent many a happy hour behind the counter in the pharmacy looking at all the lotions and potions. There were several other rooms behind the shop that weren't used but Ernie opened them all up when he opened his little supermarket. I didn't know the family lived in Union street.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by susie123

I remember Ernie and his van coming down Owen Street in the fifties. He wore thick black framed glasses and a little trilby hat. The shop was what had been Thornbers chemists on the corner of Whalley Road and Knowlmere Street. My cousin used to work there and I spent many a happy hour behind the counter in the pharmacy looking at all the lotions and potions. There were several other rooms behind the shop that weren't used but Ernie opened them all up when he opened his little supermarket. I didn't know the family lived in Union street.

That was Ernie Everett, remember him well. used to come around all the streets that area wi his little van.

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by susie123

Yes I would imagine they knocked those down when they made the Broadway Gardens in the fifties.

That side of Union St was cleared, circa 1950's and the area of land now occupied by most of the Arndale was used as a car park, the Blackburn bus stop was approx where the arcade entrance is now, there was a red brick toilet block built there as well. During the last war that site was surrounded by a wooden boarded fence & was used as a barrage balloon site. The balloon was struck by lightning twice during that time, because they didn't get the dammed thing down in time, saw it burning once, think the remnants landed some where near Park St, Plantation St area, plus 1/2 mile of wire cable drapped across all the roof tops. Broadway has been remodelled 4 times during my life time.

[joaner3]

I remember in the early '50s when I was very young the gardens on Broadway then they filled it in and I think they built Woolies and marks and Sparks.