St John's Ambulance
 

Researching for a book I am going to publish in November, I cannot find one of my own reference books, so can anyone tell me if I am correct in thinking that before the St John's Ambulance Brigade Drill Hall on Bull Bridge was opened in 1904 ( by Baden-Powell), the SJAB used to meet in Bridge Street?

Re: St John's Ambulance
 

I think Ber999t is something to do with st Johns ambulance Bob , If he doesnt know he may be able to find out for you, I'd send him a pm, if i was you... hope that helps.

Re: St John's Ambulance
 

No there was an old building on that site that was the Ambulance Drill, I have a photo of it some where, they may have met in Bridge St whilst the new building was being constructed. That was opened in 1904, I have an old postcard of that event.

Retlaw.

Re: St John's Ambulance
 

Hi Bob not too sure of the meeting place pre-1904 but will see if there is anyting in the books at the Drill Hall or you could try our County Archivist by ringing County HQ. Have replied to your pm but when I get more info will send you another pm.

Re: St John's Ambulance
 

Bob a copy of the photo I took in the Library this morning.

Retlaw.

Re: St John's Ambulance
 

The Russians are looking for a chap like you to spy for them - this is bloody good.

I found the occupant of ' old parsonage' ( rev Hopwood (?) In 1818 he was living at 'Bank' This could have been Heifer Bank I suppose. Bank terrace would not be described as Abbey Street.

Re: St John's Ambulance
 

There were no houses in Bank Terrace in 1818, it might be Heifer Bank.

Retlaw.

Re: St John's Ambulance
 

Ran out of time on the previous post.

There were 4 families living at Heifer Bank Farm & Cottages in 1841, plus 6 lodgers, don't think vicars would have lived there, haven't found anything in the 1790 or the 1828 surveys yet.

Retlaw

Re: St John's Ambulance
 

Found him in the 1841 census, if you follow the enumerators route he leaves Heifer Bank Farm & cottages, then to the Parsonage and then to Bank St, the map shows it to be at the top of Infant St, facing Charlie Browns, and before you get to Queen St, what used to be called Cannon St, before the present Cannon St came into being

Heifers Bank Farm in 1790 was owned by Messrs Peel & tenented by John Heap, farm consisted of 39 acres, and was rated at £33. In 1828 it was owned by John Peel and tenanted by George Heap, acreage 38, value now £71. Most of the farm land was up what is now Avenue Parade and the Water St area.

Retlaw

Re: St John's Ambulance
 

I had come to the opinion that it was likely to be Heifer's Bank. At a later time, George Peel, Jonathan's brother was living there, and was the land agent for the Peels.

To summarise, I now know that the SJAB were in Bridge St before 1904, and also kept their horse-drawn ambulance at Bull Bridge before the new Drill Hall was built.

Re: St John's Ambulance
 

In 1841 the residents of Accrington House were John McDonald Capt Infntry half pay, and his wife independant means. Jane Peel was classed as a lodger of independant means. John Hopwood was still living at the Parsonage in 1851, it was on the site in Abbey St, where I said in a earlier post, the land may have been part of Heifers bank at one time, and still refered to as Heifer Bank by the older genaration. Heifer Bank farm was occupied by Thomas Haworth, Farmer 26 Acres. So you can see the farm acreage is decreasing, as more land is being given over to house building.

I don't think any of the male Peels were still living in Accrington by then.

Who ever owns the property in Abbey St, which was once the parsonage, should show the previous occupiers in their title deeds.

Retlaw.

Re: St John's Ambulance
 

Bob. The first one of these pictures, is from the map of Accrington dated 1784,
the 3rd is from the 1863 map. the 2nd one is from Peels Estate plan, dated 1800.

On the 1863 map I've put the (P) where the parsonage was and also shown where Heifers Bank was.

Retlaw.

Re: St John's Ambulance
 

Bob
These are the pictures, we were discussing today in Library.
Relaw

Re: St John's Ambulance
 

Hi. You are right that the St. John Ambulance HQ in Accrington was, at the time, in Bridge Street. If you wish to see it in a local context, visit the "Our History" page of the Accrington Pipe Band website. Accrington Pipe Band was at one time the band of the Accrington St John Ambulance. Athough it no longer has any official connection, it does still meet in the Ambulance's current HQ.

Re: St John's Ambulance
 

Whoops, sorry, I didn't give you the web address. It is

http://www.accringtonpipeband.org.uk/