Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

I work in the Accrington Pals Primary Care Health Centre. Quite a few members of staff, as well as myself, have reported seeing/feeling a 'presence' in various parts of the building.

I know that Broughtons the plumbers merchants was sited in an old mill here. I have also heard that there was a fire in the mill with a few fatalities.

I would be grateful if anyone could shed some light on this fire. It would be really intriguing if I could get a plan of the mill and overlay it with a plan of the Pals building, especially if the mill plan showed where the fatalities occurred.

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

Retlaw would probably have been able to assist yeh, but some saddos banned him.:(

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

I have it on very good authority(from a brigade member who was called to that 'shout')that there were no fatalities in that fire.

I hope this may help.
I cannot throw light on the plans of the former Broughtons Mill, and haven't a clue where these could be obtained.

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

Why for ? if I may ask !

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

Taddy he is a mine of information, especially with reference to such things as he was a member of the fire brigade for many years.....his other area of expertise is Accrington Pals and things related to them
As for the ban, well can't answer that one

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

I can`t help with the fire, but I have found an old map and have overlaid it on top of a google map image, might give you a bit of an idea.
1st one is just the image from google maps with the surgery circled in red.
2nd shows where the old mill was in relation to it.

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

Thanks for that Marge. it was the ban that I was asking over.

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

if you can hear a moaning sound it could just be the echoes of broughtons lads wanting a decent pay rise traveling through the winds of time

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

I'm keen to know too, he may have been a grumpy old git at times but is a world of information when it comes to the local history.

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

Might it help to jog people's memories if we knew the date - year at least - of this fire?

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

Nobody left alive who would have survived the fire to ask maybe grand/great children?

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

How old is this brigade member as Broughtons had been on Paradise St at least 50 years.

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

A lot older than me n i'm 68.;)

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

I have been asked to pass on :-
Without access to station log books it is something that cannot be answered accurately.
That Broughtons was NOT on paradise St....it's address was Church St.
That Broughtons were not there for 50 years, they were on Hyndburn Rd near the corn mill.
The person I am in contact with tells me that Broughtons were not in that building when it went up in flames.

I can only tell you what is relayed to me.
That you are feeling some sort of presence may have nothing at all to do with this incident.
The presence may pre-date this fire.
I am sure that buildings have been on this site for many many years....and that means that people would have occupied them.

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

Thats correct as i know it. though i can only remember "Hitchens" on Hyndburn Rd when i was a lad.

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

Why was he banned?

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

My wife works at PALS.
Some years ago a colleague of hers was working alone, late one evening when she heard the sound of someone whistling a tune. The lady went out of her office to investigate and saw a man wearing old-fashioned clothes and a flat cap "disappearing" down the corridor.

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

There were many stories about 'presences'...'sightings' whatever you want to call them, on what was the new wing at Blackburn Royal Infirmary. This has been demolished and houses built on the land....I often wonder if any of these houses are affected by those presences which were seen (or felt) when the hospital was there.

some people are sensitive to such things....sort of 'tuned in'...others are not.
For those who are not, these things are difficult to believe or understand.
I could tell you tales which would curl your hair!

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

It was the mill that went up in flames, not Broughtons (see my original post). Broughtons moved to Hyndburn Road about 30 years ago after being on Church Street (I concede that they were on Church Street not Paradise Street, but the building as it is now built - Accrington Pals Health Centre, is on Paradise Street), hence my mistake.

What I'm trying to establish is if there were any fatalities in the fire at the old mill, before it became Broughtons and that this may go someway to explaining away the presences myself and colleagues are experiencing.

Many thanks for your efforts.

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

not correct broughtons was on hyndburn road where the margram garage is and moved on to the paradise street location in the 80's possibly 90's

near the viaduct and the last time i looked a cafe was their show room and just up the road which was an old cinema was their tile storage and tile show room

in the early 80s teh paradise street or pals doctors location was EJ rilies snooker table making place if im remembering correctly then taken over by richard and patricia who owned broughtons

on the very top floor of the building there was a little room with lift access that they kindly left a pool table behind and we played pool at dinner times

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

The original factory on the site of The Pals was built c1834 and was known as Broad Oak Mill (New Factory/Wellington Mill)

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

I really don't get why Owd Akela wants this information.
What will knowing how many casualties of this fire do to help with her(and her colleagues) feeling of a ' presence'?
If you are feeling a presence the just accept this.....or ignore it.
Or if it really bothers you so much then seek out a member of the clergy to dismiss this presence(though I am not sure that approach works).
If the presence is peaceful then go about your business and let it go about its business.

Now for all those who do not believe in such things I have had my card marked as 'nutter'...but that is nothing new and is something I am quite happy to live with.

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

i only said paradise street location so the person posting knew what i was referring to but yes its actual address was church street if you wanted to get a letter to them. I said margram but your source says corn mill which leads me to believe your source was carbon dated :D

hi walter :D

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

ps:

wasnt the old site for broughtons on hyndburn road used by firemen to run practice drills im sure i saw them doing it when i was growing up like they do practice runs on the arndale now

i await carbon dated verification lol :-)

Re: Site of Broughtons Plumbers Merchants Paradise Street
 

Just a quick thank you for the map. There are indeed parts of the mill that overlaps with the PALS building.