Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

I am looking into my wife's family tree and I would like to pick the brains of local historians.

Her Grandma can be traced to Broad Oak Farm pre 1920 but I am not sure if the farm pre dates the building of the Broad Oak print works as the dates are a little confused.

It is early days in this thread of the research but any information or pointers would be gratefully received.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

A quick answer, Pat - the 'new' factory was built on farm land. The farm would most likely be there before the factory, and probably gave its name to the factory. Broad Oak gets several mentions in the index of 'Old Homesteads of Accrington' but I haven't time to look. In the library is an index/list of al of Accrington's farms. It was compiled by Retlaw, so we may be hearing from him soon
.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

Thanks Bob
We are aware of much of the history but we have a few specific questions to find the answers to, mostly to do with specific dates which don't correlate. I am told that the old pig sty of Broad Oak Farm is still visible, if you know where to look.

What is the truth about the book 'Old Homesteads', I have read that there are quite a few inaccuracies in there. Is this true or is there some sort of tit for tat game going on there.

We are in the process of putting names to faces of just under 1000 photos which were discovered in a loft in Rising Bridge. All family connected but some of the older ones are proving a problem to ID. We are in touch with several local forums and will make the photos public once we have scanned them all in. It would be much easier if we only had this to do but unfortunately, the day jobs get in the way.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

In the 1790 survey of New Accrington, Oak is valued at 35 pounds & 15 shillings, Broad Oak Works is not mentioned, how ever on the Broad Oak Works Estate Plan circa 1810, most of the names of the lands are the same as the 1790 Oak survey.
Broad Oak Farm was in existance for many many years and was known as a Fold, of which there were several in Accrington. A Fold is a small settlement which can be sealed of from invaders, in the olden days the Scots were regular visitors to Lancashire.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

And even now, have a wander round Blackpool in the Summer, Porridgemunchers everywhere! :eek: :D

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

I don't particularly like blackpool and never have done.
I think the people your refering to are also known as sheep sh***rs.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

Careful, Retlaw, or you'll offend any Welsh men on here. Being friendly with sheep is their birthright, they wouldn't like sharing their sheep with a Scotsman.

Anyway,the Scots have their own pastimes- getting drunk and playing with their haggis.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

Another mis-spelling from Retlaw.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

Unlike you, Bob, I was too polite to comment. I just corrected it.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

Both of you can get knotted

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

Retlaw, I felt it only fair to make allowances for a man who can't tell a 'sporterised .303' from an air rifle!

Just a small point- I don't think there's such a word as 'sporterised'. I could, of course, be wrong.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

I'm sssoooo sorry for using words you don't know about, there must be several 1000's in the dictionary you don't know. I should probalby said converted for sport or game shooting, and that was no Air Rifle.
:tongueout

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

What is wrong with sheep shearers anyway?
They do a great job in poor working conditions and we tree hugging, wool wearing friends of newts are grateful to them. I have to say that out of all the variety of newt, I am drawn towards those pistazza ones.

I have been working my way through the maps on the lancashire.gov.uk website, is this the best source for maps or are there better resources out there? I am particularly interested in the area around Rising Bridge as our quest for family knowledge has led us there.
The area to the South of Holland's pies / Paragon Mill is of particular interest. From the maps, I see there is a building, Lower Mill Cottages, was there a Lower Mill?

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

You're probalby right on both counts, Retlaw:o

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

Booth, that's the worst possible thing to say - the old ****** will be crowing with satisfaction now.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

Mike Rothwell's fantastic book 'Industrial heritage - a guide to the industrial hertitage of Accrington' refers to Higher Mill as Adelphi,. and mentions the ruins of Lower Mill - both in Bash. One of our oldest industrial sites Date from 1790 at least - waterpowered. The chemical works closed 1913.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

My wife says that there were several such publications in her Mum's possessions but nobody in the family seems to know where they ended up.
Some of the family have referred to Lower Mill but nobody seems to know what type of mill it was, how big it was or when it became derelict.
Does the book mention the locations of Lower and Higher Mill?

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

I know the railway cutting, behind Holland's Pies was filled in.
How far into Rising Bridge can you follow the old railway track bed?
Is it possible to walk the section which was once Baxenden station?

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

Bob, I didn't actually mean it.

I just wanted to reuse the word 'probalby'.

I even got the wrong smilie.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

Any more of this and you'll find yourself in detention
.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

The book even gives readings (SD760 272) for locating off OS maps. I cannot help any more as it is some years since I walked up there. I'd
like to go again, and might even take a stick of Spanish in a pop bottle.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

I was never allowed any further than the factory bottoms. We lived on Higher Antley Street in the 60's and my Dad told us that Icky the Bare Bummed Fire Bobby lived up there and he would eat us. Of course I knew he was telling porkies, he didn't want my sister and me mixing with the pop swigging, Spanish munching yobs, who frequented the area.

I don't have a paper OS map of the area, the online ones put those co-ordinates by the side of Kings Highway, above Winfields so that is confusing. I will wait until I next visit Accrington and have a scout round.

Thanks for the information.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

Your father was a wise man. Probably knew Bob.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

I think it warrants a visit to Accrington, when the weather gets warmer and a walk starting at the top of St. James Street to see how far into Rising Bridge we can get.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

Isn`t that the Priestly Clough walk?

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

Hi Morecambe Ex Pat. It appears that my other half 'shares' a cousin with you through marriage. Knew your wife's grandma many years ago and although don't think we can be of any help with your queries am sending you a p/m re contact.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

Thanks for the PM dotti34 - reply sent.

I thought that Priestley Clough was accessed from Riley Street as the railway trackbed was not a footpath back when the Spanish munching yobs were terrorising little old ladies.
I walked up there but my memories are very hazy although I assume the footpath and railway met at some point, maybe at the back of King George's playing fields..

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

St james street is mentioned on the route of the walk -
Accrington: Priestly Clough and Hyndburn Greenway | Get Walking Keep Walking

I`ve only been that way once, but there was an accy web outing a few months back that walked that route, starting in rising bridge. There are a few pics in the today in pictures thread that might interest you.

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...res-61576.html

Page 320.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

The walk starts at St. James Street but Riley St. is near to what we always knew as the 'Flat Iron' on factory bottoms. Next to the old Highams Mill which was demolished a few years back. I was confused, when looking at Google Street View, to see Highams Mill still standing - they made a good job of building that again - looks just like the old one.
Not really sure where on the route those photos were taken but all will be revealed when we visit. We are due to visit Accy a few times this year and it will be nice to have a walk around some of my old haunts as well as taking a hike up to Rising Bridge.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

This is from a large scale map of the area dated 1911

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

Thanks Anzac, that answers a lot but also poses further questions about the area. To the left of the picture there appears to be a railway marshalling yard which is far more complex than I have seen on more recent maps and photos.
Was the map on the internet or part of a private collection? I would like to establish the copyright owner if possible.
Is the map you posted complete or have you only scanned a small sample of it?

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

It's from a map (Large Scale) I bought off e.bay some time ago. Someone who owned it has written quite a few interesting bits on it in pencil. The picture is only a small section of the map.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

Well thank you for sharing it with us - it has cleared up a few things but added more to the pile of things to discover.

Re: Clarks of Broad Oak Farm
 

Following a lot more research we have now got even more questions about the wider area and with a bit of luck, some of you may be interested enough to put your thinking caps on.

When was Rising Bridge Working Men's Club built?
Where was the pit head of Baxenden Colliery or perhaps there were a few.
What were all the railway sidings for at the back of what is now Hollands Pies?
Does anyone know what kind of mill, Lower Mill at Baxenden was?