[Darby]

Back to the topic:

Howard & Bulloughs use to be a symbol of Accrington; Engineering and Cotton. Besides being the largest employer in the town, the building stood out, especially approaching from Blackburn or Manchester by train. Another outstanding thing was the cotton mills, most being in Church or Ossy. You couldn't miss the chimmneys, and the people who worked in them were absolutely representative of all Lancashire folk espouse.
Being brought up in Church and Accy, and my dad's family being well known in Ossy, I had a special view of our area, and was very close to its heart.
Nothing exciting seemed to happen, during "Wakes Weeks" the town centre was like a morgue, and you had to go into the town centre (outside the Maypole) to buy a daily paper.
I can't honestly remember any exciting event occuring in Accy during my childhood. Naturally, as a kid I didn't read the papers much, and relied on my parents or word of mouth from my mates at school.
I spent most of my time playing either on Nelson Square or down the Dunkenhalgh. Parts of Accy were almost foreign to me. Woodnook, and Baxenden in particular could have been on the other .
side of the moon.
The town centre was always kept clean, and I loved the open market and the Market Hall in particular, as my Auntie Ruby worked on Trickets Ice Cream stall, and always gave me a "free" cornet when I saw her.
Accrington was...nothing special, nothing grand, but a small average working class town, with working class aspirations. The Coppice was more like a memorial than a landmark and that is what I can always remember seeing first as I came home from the Far East, USA, or Africa.

I was proud to say that I lived in Accrington and that I was an Accy Lad.