Burnley

	My first birthday coincided with one of the worst winters in living memory in the UK. From 22 January to 17 March in 1947, snow fell every day somewhere in the UK, with the weather so cold that the snow accumulated. The temperature seldom rose more than a degree or two above freezing. This picture shows the view from the upstairs windows of the my father's family home in Rosehill Road Burnley. The drifted snow in the roadway (where the woman and child are walking) is about 4 feet (120cm) deep. The bungalow top left was the local grocery shop, run by Mr. and Mrs. Robinson and proved to be a lifeline for local residents. Rosehill Road was one of the highest and most exposed parts of the town. Behind the shop the area known as Healey Heights falls away sharply into the Burnley basin and the town centre about two miles away.
	The picture above was taken from the window above the archway of the house centre right of the image. This is the reverse view from the grocery shop. The wind whipped the snow across open fields and caused drifts, some areas were scarcely covered, whilst others were several feet deep. Coal deliveries were impossible, and long before the advent of central heating, most families used any available source of heat including the gas oven and stove! Many wooden garden fences disappeared to provide fuel for the living room fire!
	56 years separate this image, captured on a warm August evening in 2003, and the preceding one. Both are taken from the same spot. Immediately obvious is the tree growth, though little else has changed. The Bungalow shop is now a private residence
	This is Cog Lane, where I grew up and lived for 25 years until I married. Our house was the one with the white car parked outside. The views across the Burnley northwards towards Pendle Hill (1851ft above Sea Level) were superb, though I didn't really appreciate this until I moved away from the area. There was a saying that "If you can see Pendle it's going to rain - if you can't see Pendle it's raining!" - Not true at 7pm on the beautiful evening of Monday 18th August 2003.
	The Scott Memorial, Dedicated to the benefactor who donated land to Burnley Corporation for the creation of Scott Park, Burnley. Over the last 25 years this scene has changed little. Sadly, railings have had to be erected round the monument to avoid vandalism, and the beautifully manicured bowling greens are used as football pitches by the local kids. In my day we didn't dare even to walk on the grass! Not everything has changed for the better, unfortunately.
	Under a threatening sky, this view of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal shows what at first sight is a fairly rural view. In fact, this is the "Straight Mile" with the canal running along the top of a 60' high embankment across the centre of Burnley. This view, looking towards Brierfield and Nelson, is taken from a point opposite the new bus station, about two hundred yards south of the "Culvert" over Yorkshire Street.
	my branch of the family arrived in Burnley (from Brighton then Liverpool) between 1849 and 1852. William Hebden (shoemaker) and his partner Mary Anne lived in Thomas Street, shown here. very little of the street as it was in 1850 remain, and the site of the house they lived in (Number 10) is now under the offices of the former Borough Building Society (behind the white lorry travelling along Grimshaw Street). The isolated building at the end of the street (centre of image) is Number 20, so No. 10 was on the same side of the road but on the other side of Grimshaw Street.
	The Town Hall, Manchester Road, Burnley. This impressive building was opened in 1888. Next to it (on the right of the picture) is the Mechanics' Institute. The bridge parapet immediately to the left of the Town hall frontage carries Manchester Road over the River Brun, from which Burnley, or Brunlea, gets its name. Image captured 18th August 2003.
	When this picture was taken (August 2002), Burnley's new bus station was receiving its finishing touches. This is the third bus station, the first occupying the old Cattle Market (close to the present site) and a 1960's concrete structure, demolished to make way for this one. In this view, taken from the canal towpath looking west, the Town Hall dome and clock can just be seen (left centre). A few mill chimneys still remain where once there were dozens.
	This image is taken from the same point as the one above, but looking more to the south west. The large building in the centre is the Thompson Recreation Centre, funded by William Thompson, a local philanthropist. The road sweeping across the middle distance is Centenary Way, carried over Finsley Gate and the canal on a viaduct. Somewhat grandly described at the time of its opening as Burnley's "highway in the sky" the road surface was capable of being electrically heated to thaw ice and snow. I never knew of this being used, though I often saw gritting lorries spreading rock salt on it during the winter months. The church spire on the skyline is Manchester Road Methodist Church. In the 1890's this marked the southern limit of the town. On the skyline (extreme left) are the chimneys of houses on the steeper part of Rosehill Road, just below the location of the photographs of the winter of 1947.
	The "Kierby Roundabout" taken from the canal bridge over Yorkshire Street. The former "Kierby Hotel" now part of a hotel chain (top right) was constructed on the site of the Kierby Brewery in the early 60's, together with the shops and road layout. The whole area looks somewhat down-at-heel today. The red-brick building on left is a government office, with shops underneath. The former "Odeon" cinema occupied the site to the right of the image and was demolished to make way for Sainsbury's supermarket.
	Manchester Road Burnley, viewed from its junction with St James's Street, looking south up the hill towards the canal bridge and the roundabout at the junction of Centenary Way and Trafalgar Street. (Not visible in this view). The town centre end has now been pedestrianised. Entry into the town from this direction was a via a long and steep descent from "The Waggoners Inn" about three miles from the town centre. In the days of lorries with drum brakes, runaways were not uncommon and the unfortunate traders with premises at the bottom of Manchester Road were the ones which ended up with the wagon buried deep in their shop windows as in this 1955 view of Waller and Richardson's ladies fashions shop, Bridge Street (right)!
	In my younger days this part of the town centre was the starting point for all local bus routes. The parade of shops on the right contained delights such as Stockdale's toy shop, Lupton's bookshop and Ardal TV rentals. Now a wrought-iron bandstand, concrete paving, raised flower beds and mock "gaslamps" have transformed the scene in a strange juxtaposition of ancient and modern.
	St James's Street from the Junction with Parker lane, looking towards the bottom of Manchester Road. The pub on the left of the frame is the White Lion. The white building in the centre distance is Burton's Tailoring. The "new" buildings on the right are part of the 1960's redevelopment of the Palace theatre block and the old market area.
	Looking back towards the previous location. The pub on the right is the "Old Red Lion" built around 1865 and scarcely changed since. Next to it is the Swan Inn, which gives the impression of being much older. The Buildings on the left date from the 1960's, and sadly have nothing in particular to commend them.
	The Market Square. Site of the 1860's Market Hall, replaced by this one in the 1960's. The 1st floor walkway was originally served by two rubber belted "travelators" but these never worked successfully in Burnley's climate and have now be replaced by stairs and a hydraulic lift. This part of the new shopping centre has been improved since first built, but lacks the imposing grandeur of the original Market Hall
	St James's Street looking east towards the town centre from the bottom of Westgate. Despite an improvement scheme this part of the town centre has somehow failed to respond to "beautification" by the insertion of pseudo gas lamps and gold liveried flower tubs.
	The Rose and Crown pub, Manchester Road Burnley basking in the sunlight of a summer evening. The sun shines straight into the bar and glasses of beer on the tables shine with a beautiful golden glow. The pub gives its name to the immediate locality and the whole place has not changed much in 30 years.
	After moving from Accrington, William and Nanny set up home in this house (centre of image with open upstairs window) in Brockenhurst Street Burnley, around 1900. Most housing was rented at this time, and families could move frequently without great financial penalty (or profit!)
	My father and Aunt were born in this house in Parkinson Street, Burnley, at the start of the Great War. The house is well maintained to this very day with a fine hanging basket outside the front door. After the war, the family - Harry and Eliza, Eveline, Harry and Mary, moved to Mosley Road, near Townley.
	This is the terrace they moved to around 1920. The family started at No.18, the centre house in the group of three painted white. In time a larger house in the same block became available - No.22 (one down from the end house behind the letter-box). From here the family moved into even more spacious accommodation in Rosehill Road (see the " winter of 47" pictures above).
	A true "Hebden" location! This used to be Harry and Frank Hebden's Cycle shop in St James's Street. The shop had a wonderful smell of linoleum, floor polish, rubber tyres and oil. The shop sold Dinky Toys, and had a large glass display case in the entrance porch with the latest model on display in the centre of the bottom shelf. Near the "Turn Left" marking, there was a manually operated petrol pump for customers. Harry and Frank sold Reliant Cars, BSA and Triumph motorcycles and mopeds. The business closed when they retired.
	(centre of image) My mother's family home in Mitella Street, about 200m from Turf Moor football ground. On match days every street in the vicinity was filled with parked cars; - maybe it still is! In my younger days these houses had outside "Tippler" toilets which discharged straight into the sewer several feet below.
	This is the back street behind the houses in Mitella Street (above). Today the houses have extensions on the backs, but 50 years ago most of them still had outside toilets and inside bathrooms were just coming in. On washdays clothes lines were strung across the back street, which was cobbled with sandstone setts. All the stonework was stained black from soot, and certainly not cleanly painted as it is today. The Stands of Turf Moor Football Ground can be seen in the background.
	Lyndhurst Road Burnley, at its junction with Mitella Street. The shop just visible on the extreme right of the image was a newsagents who sold Dinky and Corgi toys. A sizeable proportion of my pocket money passed over the counter of this shop, and also of Hebden's cycle shop. Lyndhurst road and in fact the entire area of Fulledge is substantially the same as it was 50 years ago.
	Another view of the Mitella Street and Lyndhurst Road (running left to right across the image). This view has not changed significantly over the last 30 years or so. Only the main road used to tarmac, Mitella Street was cobbled with sandstone setts. The pavements have been resurfaced with concrete block paving and macadam. The original sandstone flagstones probably adorn prosperous southern garden patios!
	.A true time-capsule. "Electron" record shop on Hall Street, (about 200m from the town centre) is exactly the same now as it was 40 years ago. Even the widow display is just as it was - only the records and artists have changed! The roadway used to be cobbled but now sports a covering of asphalt and the footpath was paved with sandstone slabs; but take the cars away and you're right back in the 1960's...
	St Stephens Parish Church, Burnley. St Stephen's has been closely connected with nearly every major event in my family history. My father told me that his initials are carved on the stone parapet at the top of the tower, though I have never been able to confirm it. This atmospheric view of the church, taken from back Todmorden Road and looking across Smalley Street, was taken in 1936. The gas lamps here are the genuine article. Though the church remains, the houses have been replaced by a modern housing development.
	The interior of St. Stephen's. Again, this image was taken in 1936. The church remains substantially unchanged to the present day.
	Burnley Cemetery, Rossendale Road, Burnley. Where it all ends. My father and mother's grave. both were born, lived and died in Burnley. Samuel and Eveline Farrer were my Uncle and Aunt. The grave of my Grandmother, Sarah Eliza Hebden, is about 3 metres away.
	The grave of Robert and Emma Hebden. This family were well known in Burnley, and owned the cycle dealers and the Austin-Rover Car Dealership on Todmorden Road. The family came from Raydaleside, as described on the memorial. I am indebted to Ian Ormerod, a former schoolmate of mine, for this picture which he took whilst searching for his own forebears in Burnley Cemetery.