Walton-le-Dale and District in Times Past
by Bob Burns
Publication date: 1987
ISBN: 086157253X
EAN: 9780861572533
I referenced this book in the post about Taberners hardware shop that was originally the reading rooms (referred to as the ‘institute’). This building, in Higher Walton, was later the Cann Bridge Ale House and is currently Bar 47.
I have had a printed copy since the early 90s, which I picked up in one of those bargain book shops that used to be quite common at the time.
However, if you want to look at it, you can read it online. There is a copy on the Internet Archive, which does require you to sign in. It free to do this, and I don’t think that it was too onerous a process (…I did it a while back, so it’s a little vague as to exactly what I needed to do). You don’t need to sign up to look at everything they have got, but this particular publication does require it.
Walton-le-Dale and district in times past
by Bob Burns (Publication date 1987) .
Read online:
https://archive.org/details/waltonledaledist0000burn/mode/2up
Bob Burns was a self employed painter and decorator, married with two children. He joined the mass exodus from Preston in the sixties and has lived in the Walton-le-Dale area ever since. He admited to having a tongue in cheek sense of humour with various hobbies ranging from collecting old post-cards to metal detecting, but was still searching for his crock of gold when he crated this book. Sadly, Bob is no longer with us, but his memory lives on within the pages of this book.
INTRODUCTION
“You collect old photographs, don’t you? Why don’t you put them together in book form?” So said a friend of mine some two years ago. What a good idea I thought and immediately set out to put my collection in some kind of order. After seven months I was totally frustrated by my efforts until my wife suggested I borrow some photographs from other collectors. Making tentative enquiries I was both surprised and delighted by the response I received. So much in fact that a further suggestion was made, that I make the photographs up into ‘two’ books. The present publication is the first one and hopefully the second will follow soon. Based roughly on a journey ‘by camera’ from Walton Bridge along the flats taking in Church Brow and Chorley Road Cinneman Hill, then back to Higher Walton Road and Kittlingbourne. The work is not intended as a history lesson for I am no historian, but a nostalgic trip back to the days of “possers” “dolly tubs” and “mangles”. I was able to meet several of the more senior villagers by visiting them in their homes. I also was able to ask questions and beg the loan of their photographs. Their generosity made the publication of the book possible.
It really has been a labour of love with lots of people going out of their way to assist me. Long forgotten boxes and albums have seen the light of day for the first time for many a year and owners have never ceased to amaze me with stories of events from years ago that they could recall with ease. I thank them all very much. Of course certain areas and events have not been covered, and this is simply because photographs of these did not turn up during my search. Maybe if enough fresh material becomes available I could do a ‘follow up’. I would be delighted to hear from anyone with information or any old photographs which may help me in my research. In all I must have borrowed well in excess of two hundred photographs, but unfortunately a good number were unsuitable for printing and had to be overlooked. I wish to thank all who have helped but with perhaps just a special mention for Mr. & Mrs. George Fletcher, Mr. & Mrs. Hankin, Rita and Jack Massham, Norman Pilkington, Bob Whittle, Frank McMellan, Mrs. Lowe, Mrs. Harrison, Mr. Sergeant, Mr. Crook, Mr. & Mrs. Delaney, Miss Knowles, Mr. Hopwood and Mrs. Lee.
A very special mention must go to Frank Bevan who did things with old photographs I didn’t think possible. So now to coin an old phrase ‘Every picture tells a story” let us see what memories or stories unfold for you as you look at the following few pages and take what I hope will be a nostalgic and pleasant journey through the history of Walton-le-Dale and district.
Bob Burns August 1987