Brownback’s were classed as the lowest of the low, people didn’t want to know them or discuss them in conversation. In 1878 a letter appeared in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph which the Bacup Times reprinted. The “factory hands” are an entirely different class. They are as insignificant physically as the “brownbacks” (quarrymen) are prodigious. Cadaverous […]
The Bank Holiday weekend of August 1914 shattered all records. Blackpool, one of the most popular holiday resorts, saw some of its largest crowds ever. In Morecambe, despite the bad weather, holiday spirits remained high. Hotels and boarding houses in Southport were fully booked, and within 24 hours—between 6 AM on Saturday and 6 AM
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1669 Certain lands in Spotland were sold off to different persons. 1672 Fairwall farm built about this date. 1692 The Chapel of Rossendale built on what is today’s Bacup library the former Mechanics Institute. It was used as a school then demolished in 1844. 1702 The first Stubbylee Hall built, further additions occurred in 1736,
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C1200 Roger de Lacy gave the lands of Brandwood to the monks of Whalley Abbey. The area of Bacup known as Ffulbachope, the meaning given as baec-hop “ valley by a ridge” hop, “ a small enclosed valley” from old English. 1216 The Abbott of Whalley builds houses at Brandwood. 1324 Bacop is mentioned as
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In June 1931, 236 people from three Rossendale Boroughs embarked on a journey of over 900 miles to the Somme battlefields of World War I. This second annual pilgrimage was organized by the Rossendale Liberal Association. The train, which left Bacup at 2:25 PM on Friday, May 29th, carried 32 passengers from Bacup. It picked
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On July 29, 1857, the Bacup Court House was inaugurated at Bankside, hosting its first petty session on the same day. Before this, the Police Station was located on Todmorden Road, in a building that was recently known as the Wellington Hotel. On August 6, 1887, the Bacup Watch Committee, responsible for the Bacup
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As we approach the 2024 Olympics I thought I would share the story of our very own Bacup Olympian Willie Foster. Born on the 10th of July 1890 Willie was a freestyle swimmer who took part in the 1908 London Olympics. In 1908 he won the Gold medal as part of the 4 x 200-meter
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P.C.25 Martin was one of Bacup’s most respected police officers. Known as Felix, by local people he earned this nickname as he carried out point duty in Bacup Centre, where he walked backwards and forwards with his hands clasped behind his back just like Felix the Cat a 1920 cartoon character. One of his most
The Mechanics School was taken over by Bacup Board School in 1893 with Mr Bell of Burnley submitting plans to build the new Central Board School at Thorn in 1894. The plans were made up of two schools; the infant school could hold up to 500 pupils and the junior school 325 pupils. The infants
Warrant Officer Fred Cooper 115 Squadron R.A.F aged 24, a well-known Bacup cricketer and player for Lancashire CCC Second XI, joined the R.A.F on the 24th July 1940. Fred’s parents John and Margaret Cooper of 114 Bankside Lane received word that Fred had been reported missing after flying operations on Wednesday 29th July 1942. Fred