Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

hey i remember the maypole now youve mentioned it ,my how one forgets, does any one remember going to the first ever i think little mini market up back abby st it was called sauls & everything was in cardboard boxes , my mum used to drag me there every sat morning , i hated it, but that was part of my old accy & a memory

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Thats the whole thing about stuff that happens when your young.. you dont know at the time they are going to be remembered events...if you see what I mean? Take a camera everywhere is my advice :)

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Good point KIPAX.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

In them days cameras were a rarity.

We only had a Box Brownie, and only my dad could use it. I would have probably broken it. My camera is in my head, and I have very vivid memories. Pity I can't download them!

I remember Sauls, my mum use to shop there, again on Saturday mornings before I went off to the Odeon. A Jewish man owned it and my mum kew him and his brothers from Whitefield in Manchester during the war. It never got us anything cheaper though.
Another point of interest to me was the local Parks; Oak Hill (of course), Milnshaw Park, Rhyddings Park in Ossy, and my favourite, Gatty Park. Yes in them days Accrington had quite a few decent Parks that always had beautifull flowers, and well tended Bowling Greens. And quite a few thick bushes to chase the girls into!!! I'm sure Mez can remember them!!

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

I do too Darby. Milnshaw Park was my local when we where up at church, Rhyddings Park I passed though every day, twice a day as we walked form Miller Fold and School and back (always had to walk).......Bullough Park was the last of them for me. I loved watching a local Archery Club on a Sunday morning "****** I never got around to taking it up". Great days only 30 years ago, but a life time away

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

hey darby, ooo dont suppose i should say this but........, there was always LONG LONG GRASS ont indian beds (tampits square) he he he

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

I always though you were a "bad 'un".....Mind you the grass was as long on Nelson Square, but down t'backs were darker at night!!
Anyway I were too young when I played on Tanpits......

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

I rememer the maypole to,and further along were some toilets,you had to go down somesteps to reach them.they were in between Burton and Woolworths on Dutton
Street.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

It seems I have missed quite a lot!

I cant believe the fuss that this has kicked up - it was a simple question of which the first part was "what's good about Accy", maybe if I had put a ? before the comma then all this superfluous debate concerning what was expected would have been avoided!

Where and when did Darby confess to being an out and out racist?

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

He didn't....You where better off out of it Cssjache. But maybe we can get back to the heart of things, there are a few similar threads going now and people are seeing the positives. I hope we can continue you in that vain and maintain the Humour that goes with it...

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Coke ovens. Need I say more?

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

And what about the oak hill park bandstand what we used to have!!!!!!.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Have I missed something here? I thought that the bandstand was still standing.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

According to last nights telegraph it was burnt to the ground,the picture says it all.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

I didnt find out until yesterday evening AB. It has been burnt down by a bunch of idiots. Sting 'em up by the bollocks I say..... They had to move the animals out of Oak Hill Park due to gangs of kids and teenagers disturbing them, I heard that they actually killed the goats up there. Then there was the broken fountain in Rhyddings Park last week. It would be good to take something that these people care about and then wreck it right in front of them - things is , I doubt they care about anything much apart from appeasing their irreverant and selfish destructive bloodlust.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

I have noticed that according to The Observer, the police attribute the cause of the Rhyddings Park vandalism to underage drinking, adding that there are a number of teenagers in the area who’s behaviour has been causing concern. They now say that they are going to increase the number of Special Constables on the beat to tackle the issue and any one caught will be arrested. Well, I bet that news has the little bu**ers shi**ing themselves all the way to Alcoholics Anonymous!

Given that underage drinking has been a problem for a number of years across the borough, is this not an example of ‘too little, too late’? How about having a look at where the wilful little sh*ts get hold of the booze. Is it not time to take a look at the licences of corner shops, with an eye to making a few, very public, examples ‘pour la encouragement les autres’, as the detestable French have it.

Stephen Twigg, the government minister responsible for Alcohol and Drugs education in schools, believes there is a paucity of education where alcohol abuse among schoolchildren is concerned. And that what is needed is more specifically targeted warnings of the dangers, this, despite the fact that Alcohol Awareness is supposed to be a part of the National Curriculum. (source: Guardian 18/11/03)

Well at least he got that right, but we have to live with the consequences while his department pussy-foots around changing the emphasis on words.

Can no one in authority see that what is needed is action, not words? I, for one, am sick to the back teeth with all the bleeding-heart liberal bleating that we must try to understand them, that we have had stuffed down our throats for the past thirty years.
Where has it got us? Are these snotty nosed little barbarians any better behaved?

These kids need to be confronted with the consequences of their wilfulness. They need to be shown the amount of distress they cause and they also need to be made to take part in the job of cleaning up the mess they leave behind. They need to know that the society they live in disapproves of their behaviour and that it is capable of, and willing to, withdraw the privileges it accords them. They should be publicly shamed and their parents with them, since, it is my view, that the parents are often as not, just as much, if not more, to blame.
I want retribution. I want to see the little swines paraded through town in sackcloth and ashes. I want them made to stand in front of the Market Hall on a Saturday afternoon with a placard of their misdeeds hung round their necks. I want public apologies. A slap on the wrist just doesn’t do it for me! Nor does ‘can’t be named for legal reasons’!

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

I agree wholeheartedly, especially when they have destroyed something that has stood in the area for years and has been central in many community events and gatherings.

I too don't buy into this 'understand them, nothing else to do' crap. When I was an adolescent about 12-15 yrs ago there was as much "nowt to do..." but I dont recall ever resorting to anything near arson or causing a nuisance for kicks. The problem is nothing particularly new and kids should be allowed to get away with causing a bit of mischief - its part of growing up and I remember getting chased off the cops, caretakers and residents for mucking about, but the thing is we ran because we knew if we were caught it was our parents who we were more afraid of, a lot of kids dont fear any form of authority. Saying this consciencious and decent teenagers are rarely involved in these sort of activities, it the idiots who are pains when sober. The parents should share the blame too, I really cant see what good a kid is doing on the streets after 10pm - out of sight, out of mind though isn't it. Enforcing a curfew would be a drain on already stretched police resources and may seem a bit draconian, but it would certainly have an effect.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

>>When I was an adolescent about 12-15 yrs ago there was as much "nowt to do..." but I dont recall ever resorting to anything near arson or causing a nuisance for kicks<<

In my own experience of growing up in the sixties it seems that there were always one or two kids in any group that would go too far. But these were always held in check either by the community as a whole or by the police, who were to be seen actually patrolling the streets rather than parked in some layby waiting to catch speeding motorists.

The idea of a curfew is an idea but, as you point out, it would be a drain on limited resources. It also does little to assuage the feeling of outrage at the excesses committed. It places no requirement on the offender to offer some form of reparation for the offence committed.

These kids have to learn that actions have consequences! That bad behaviour earns bad karma. Civic responsibility is not an optional concept.
They need to be taught the simple facts of life that even animals understand, i.e. you don't sh*t in your own bed.

This has to start first of all in the home and then should be reinforced at school.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

This is all that was left this morning. It looks like several of the trees will have to come down too. For once, I am speechless!:mad:

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

I dont know what world you people grew up in. But in my world (I think its called reality) the kids where just as bad if not worse.. especialy the years you speak of...

60's? Mods and rockers bringing terror to seaside resorts not to mention towns on a sturday night

Late 60's early 70's was skinheads... aw come on..how many did you see helping old ladies accross the road... they roamed in gangs and mostly around asian communities to partake in there favaroute passtime

Then it was punk rockers..


wow.. where did you live.. never never land? :)

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

>>wow.. where did you live.. never never land?<<

No Kipax, Accrington, unlike you.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

I work in schools and every single teacher that I speak to who has around 30/35 years experience says the exact same thing - that behaviour has declined drastically.

Kipax - you are missing the point, the examples you give are of gangs of young men, we are talking about kids here. We know that kids have always got in trouble - we are saying that it happens more and more these days and the offences caused are far graver in their nature, also that we, the public, are powerless to do anything about it. By saying that it has always been this way says to me that you dont see a problem and that nothing should be done to arrest it....fine, opinions are like assholes - everybodys got one, but I am glad that the majority of others haven't been walking around with their eyes and ears shut over the last 30 or so years.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

A-B .......do you have any concept of the smile icon?

I doubt accrington was the shangri-la your making it out to be either.. it was either somehow seperated from the rest of the real world or your memory is playing tricks on you. The painted picture of a few rascals around town kept in line by the community or the local copper... well thats story book stuff isn't it?

Teenagers are teenagers and throughout the ages have always been the preverbial pain in the backside to adults.. theres always been a nasty element (not just a couple either) AND theres always been a good element... But i dont believe for one minute theres ever been good, good and a bit of high jinx anywhere other than in enyd blyton books .

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

ceejach.. do i read corretly that your saying I am allowed my opinion.. and then in the same sentence saying i have been walking around with my eyes shut for 30 years..

make your mind up guys.. either this is a public thread or just for you and your mates.. in which case i will happily bow out.

some people just dont like a different opinion and have to resort to insults.... i guess i will go look for a thread with adults in then :(

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Would any of us have dared calling our teacher a '****ing ****'? And what would have been our punishment?

I and others experience this day in and day out, we work on the frontline so to speak and I dare anyone who doesn't think that there is a problem, or that teachers are to blame, goes and stand in front of a class of disrespectful, unruly, stoned and vulgar kids. Doesn't the amount of people getting out of the teaching profession tell you something? It's not worth the pay or the holidays.

On the other hand I have met a handful of great kids who are a credit to their parents.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Kipax - you can go and find another thread for all I care as you are just being childish.

Where did I insult you? All I did was say you are welcome to your opinion and then give my opinion...my opinion being that I think yours is misguided.

I can happily accept the opinion of others, but it seems that you can't accept the fact that I might believe your opinion to be wrong. I cant really put it in a more civil or adult fashion to be honest.

We are arguing a point, its good that people disagree - but you are the only one who has a problem concerning the fact that we have differing opinions.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

The insult was "f----ng c--t" - just so you understand the severity of it.....and often said to female teachers.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Here, here. Until recently I ran a retail business in Burnley and I can tell you that polite, well behaved children were the remarkable exeption rather than the rule.

If I was ever rude, or spoke out of turn, or interrupted an adult my parents chastised me for it, in a manner that left me in little doubt that my bad behaviour reflected badly upon them as the adults responsible for me.

We all, I think, know the difference between good and bad, irrespective of how our parents bring us up. What you see today is that more and more children appear to think that the difference is unimportant.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

I have to say, if they paid teachers twice as much as they do now, and gave them twice as many holidays, I still wouldn't take the job. It seems they are virtually powerless to enforce any discipline in this age of political correctness and bleeding heart liberalism. I really don't know why anyone would want to do the job. Perhaps Ceejache can enlighten us. Perhaps the odd shining star makes up for all the bad apples in the barrel.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

I have to say that I have never understood the urge to teach either. It seems to me to be a thankless task. More so these days when TV and the printed media are stuffing childrens heads with the message that fame, at any price and by any means, is the only worthwhile goal in life.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

having worked in schools too although not as a teacher (thank goodness) i have to agree with c/j some kids have no manners at all, which when they get outside reflects on all kids, if you see some & there are plenty of well mannered kids one is taken aback & have to thank their parents for, i would have killed my kids for half of what "naughty kids" do & say these days, & my kids are by no means angels, but they are in there 30s & not bad at all, :confused:

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Teachers get into the profession because they want to teach - to try to make a positive contribution to the development of the next generation. Teachers cannot teach unless there is order, discipline and mutual respect in the classroom, if the teachers don't get the support from senior management, governors and (most importantly) parents on the issue of discipline etc then trying to teach becomes impossible. It is rewarding when you are able to reach and inform on occasions, yet the unsavoury elements are always the names and faces that you take home with you, disatisfaction outweighs satisfaction unfortunately. Pupils feel it is ok to square up to you, yet lay one finger on them to restrain them and you'll be in court and be labelled as the aggressor. This happens at a time when the board of governors are very, very reticent to expell pupils because they will lose cash - meanwhile the pupil stays in school and disrupts those that do want to learn with their foul, abusive and violent behavior. When one is threatened by both pupils and parents for no other reason than wanting to make a positive contribution into their childs life then you get out of the classroom.

Go back into teaching? Not a chance.............

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Be that as it may, and I don't intend to dismiss Ceejache's experiences by any means, what do we think should now happen to the remains of the bandstand in Oak Hill Park?

Should the remains be bulldozed and the site cleared?

Should the council rebuild it?

Should we give up hope altogether?

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

No worries AB. I was going seriously off thread......

Its a real crying shame because I have good memories of the bandstand, I liked the fact it was there.

Can we afford to rebuild it? But also..........
Can we also afford to not replace vandalised/destroyed items? Soon there will be nowt left!

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

But if it is replaced, how long before it's destroyed again?

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

What do we make of the implied suggestion in The Telegraph that the attack was aimed at the Mela festival, shortly to be held in the park?

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Please excuse my ignorance - but what's a mela festival?

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

http://www.asianimage.co.uk/lancashi.../AIBOLLY0.html

Could be something Asian by the look of it or it could be Middle East Librarians Association.:)

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

A Mela is an Asian 'Arts' festival. Lots of loud music, singing, dancing, food and general carrying on. this one is organised by Pennine Arts.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Next year I will organise a "bash". (dunno where). Otherwise known as an English Arts Festival. Lots of loud music, drink, etc, etc. Can't see any problem, can you? - other than racists stirring things up.

Any ideas?

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

We've had a Mela or two before without problems. If this was racist motivated then perhaps the people who did it don't realise that it isn't only Asians who enjoy a Mela. It should be an opportunity for people to mix and mingle and enjoy themselves. We also have other examples of loud music in the park which should be open to enjoyment by all. Whoever chose to destroy the bandstand has spoiled the enjoyment for many people.

Just a quick bit of a wander back to what ceejache was saying about school governors not wanting to expel pupils because they would lose money - as a school governor I'd just like to point out that it's not the governors who lose the money it is the school and consequently the teachers because if there is less money available for resources etc it makes their job more difficult. If teachers don't appreciate that governors are trying to do their best for the school (that includes pupils and teachers) and bear in mind it is a totally voluntary commitment and often very time consuming governors can become very discouraged. I wouldn't want to be a teacher myself in this day and age with the discipline problem in classrooms and teachers in a no win situation. We had an incident of a child throwing furniture at the staff. That child had to be removed from the classroom environment as he was a danger to staff and other pupils.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

So Stop Moaning

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Sorry Willow - I know its the school who lose money and not the governors! Apologies if it read otherwise. I know its voluntary and, again, a thankless task - yet often from an ex-teachers point of view it is not as much a lack of resources that hold pupils back, I find it to be the amount of disruptive influences.

In my experience as a secondary music teacher I had limited resources, one keyboard between two or three pupils, but with a class of fairly well-behaved pupils great results could be produced. I firmly believe that harder sanctions and a policy of exclusion for constant misdeamours would result in a greater yield of encouraging performances across the enite curriculum and therefore a better pass rate of five GCSE's between A* - C. To be brutally honest many of the 'wilder' pupils are responsible for the otherwise fine resources becoming dilapted and defunct.

Also, on a slightly different note, OFSTED inspections provoke nothing but fear amongst staff trying to do their best in very trying circumstances. I know governors can do nothing about this....but they are hell.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

I hope that was tongue in cheek Stanleyman! ;)

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

I totally agree with you about the Ofsted inspections. They don't get a proper impression of the school anyway. And yes it's often a struggle to manage on far less equpiment than would be ideal and then some little ratbag destroying what little there is.

I know it's non PC but I think the main problem in schools is caused by the teachers no longer having authority over unruly pupils because they are no longer permitted to punish them. In my day the mere threat of a physical punishment was often enough deterrant.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

i would dissagree wiht that statement by the fact that such punishment was handed out.. if it was a deterrant then no one would be punished... Dont know about your school but at mine it was used and wasnt just for show to deter people..... no cain at ours..it was a leather strap.


for them that dont know... this was at a secondry modern school and used on kids 11 to 15 years old.. some teachers had double layer leather straps.... usually there was no set amount of hits... just keep going until you cried..... being "ard" at our school would ahve been a dissadvantage..... i can tell ya it didnt take too many hits with a double leather strap to have my eyes watering thats for sure..

whats that really crap saying..... school best years of your life?.,.... yeagh right

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Willow and Kipax,
I can see both your differing points of view and depending on your circumstances, you could both be right. At my school, the ultimate threat was to be sent to the "Headmaster" who would inflict punishment via the cane.

There was no "badge of honour" for those sent to the Headmaster and in fact, the pain of the cane was far less than the humiliation of knowing that your friends knew where you had been and why! In my day (god, am I THAT old?) it was understood that if a student "crossed the line" he or she would have the ultimate punishment ...and worse still, your parents would be informed!!! This kept "most" children on the straight and narrow! My worst demeanour as a child was "Scrumping!" I don't know if you use the same word Ooop north, but it means knicking fruit from trees belonging to someone else! But within my school, there was a hardcore (3 - 4,) of children that did not have the mental capacity to become part of the community. These children were outcasts amonst their own rather than heroes!

BUT..... There were a few schools, many have now been exposed, where the "teachers" were being "turned on" by inflicting punishment to children and Kipax, it sounds as if you were in one of those, where children were being punished for the slightest reason.

Unfortunately, instead of inspecting the actions of individual teachers, the "PC Brigade" brought in sweeping measures to protect children and in doing so, brought down the authority of teachers and parents alike!

The end result is that children of 8 or 9 "know their rights" and are aware that they cannot be punished by either teachers or parents. In America (and soon in this country) despite being juvenile, they can start court proceedings against their own parents if they have a hand raised against them..............and then they go out and mug a pensioner!!!

They say history repeats itself, but in this instance, there is no going back, We have to live with teenagers that have no respect for the rights of individuals and have no consciounse (come on Roy, how about that "spellcheck?) until they reach their 20's and want to settle down to a peaceful life .........and find that teenagers (as they were) are causing mayhem and causing aggro!

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Apologies, I replied to comments made by Willow and Kipax on page 10, but now realise that this has nothing to do with the original thread. Personally, I like the idea that conversations can go off at a tangent which makes things more interesting..........but realise now that I should stick to the original thread. sorry....(ish)

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Busman,

I have to tell you that, having lived in both the UK and the USA, IMHO the juvenile delinquency problem is far worse over your side of the pond than it is over here. Let me just give you one example.

I live on a golf course and the other day, four teenage lads, (maybe 16/17 years old) decided they would take a shortcut through my garden to get to their houses which are on the other side of the fairway. I went outside and told them that they were trespassing, that my garden was not a public right of way and that I didn't appreciate them using it as such. The four of them apologised and said that it wouldn't happen again. What do you think the chances are I would have received a similar response in the UK?

I really am amazed when people make sweeping comments that give the impression that America's supposed problems with teenage violence are worse than anywhere else. It simply is not true. At least, not in the region I live. Maybe in some of the inner cities there are problems but I still consider them less that the problems in much of Europe. I have been to sporting events here, baseball, American football etc in large inner-city stadia holding 100K people and have never seen any trouble. I'm sure it will surprise you to know that I've never even heard anyone utter so much as a swearword at these events. Contrast that with what goes on every week during football season in England. I've seen that first hand; having been a season ticket holder at a well-known Lancashire club.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

You got a point John about where you live but we seen reports of killings in schools there USA and so far I dont think we got it that bad anywhere here yet. I didnt have security patrollin school when I was there. Kids get locked in now not to keep em in to keep bad guys out and that is no joke. In Pakistan children can get hit at school for discipline. Other places also too.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Exactly my point about the threat of physical punishment being enough to put me off doing anything - or at least making sure I wasn't actually discovered doing anything. Not that I'm admitting boring holes in the wall with a window pole. I'm pretty sure someone else started that off.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

But to get back to the point about what we can be proud of. I think we sometimes take things for granted and don't really think about them until someone else mentions them. For instance the nature reserve at Foxhill Bank which has amongst other birds, herons and kingfishers. This leaves me again thinking that there has got to be scope for creating an oasis in Accy around the river (Grange Lane/Oak St)

What about the two windows in the church at Church Kirk designed by Edward Burne-Jones? Any photos Atarah?

I believe Accrington Market Hall is the oldest in Lancashire. (In which case it would be a crying shame if anything were to be done to change it)

Stone for the restoration of churches in Whalley and Clitheroe came from Green Haworth (or Bedlam)

For the sake of records - Belthorn is the highest village in Lancashire and Huncoat must be one of the oldest places in England. It has existed since Doomsday. Well there's a mention of it in the Domesday Book. The Carding Engine was invented there by John and Ellen Hacking.

On the subject of inventions, the Industrial Revolution owes a lot to Hyndburn what with James Hargreaves of Stanhill and his Spinning Jenny, John Mercer of Gt Harwood and his mercerisation of cotton and the invention of chemical dyes. (OK maybe these should be in a different thread but whilst I'm on the subject of inventors what about Dr. Lovelace and his famous floating soap - Clayton-le-Moors) I'm sure there are probably more.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Isn't that odd. I have lived here almost the whole of my life and yet it is only when I joined accyweb that I learned about Dr. Lovelace's Famous Floating Soap.

But I have to agree with you, Willow, we take a lot of things for granted. And only really notice some of them when it is too late and they are gone forever.

I really think that one of the main reasons for the apparent indifference to the fate of the remaining historical, cultural and natural assets of the borough is ignorance of them. Ask anyone in the town centre on a Saturday afternoon about the windows at Church Kirk and I doubt that you would get more than one positive response in every hundred. And of those positive responses I would wager that few if any could tell you why they are important and why we should make every effort to safeguard them for future generations.

I have noticed that quite a few members on this board question the expenditure of hard earned money on what they see as profligate waste. The phrase, often used in criticism of the council, is 'they should concentrate on the basics', as though clean streets, were the answer to all the boroughs ill's. I am not suggesting that they are wrong, by any means, HBC have questions to answer for their failings in so many areas. What I am saying is that Heritage, Culture and Environment are 'the basics' for any kind of civilised society. We have precious little in terms of internationally important assets, the sort of things that put Accrington and the rest of the borough on the map, as it were. And the assets that we do still have are getting fewer in number with every year that passes.

It will be an uphill struggle to change the opinions of many who are compelled to live in sub-standard housing and who have to exist on benefits or national minimum wages. It will be the devil of a job to convince them of the continuing need to spend many thousands of pounds in preservation and conservation projects just to maintain what we have as it is now. It will be damn near impossible to convince them of the need to expend hundreds of thousands of pounds to create and maintain new assets.

The solution to the problem will not appear overnight. There is no chance of HBC winning the lottery and giving the borough a thorough makeover on the proceeds. Whatever change comes, will come as a result of education and taking responsibility for the welfare of the borough into our own hands. Every act of anti-social behaviour that goes unchallenged sets this process of change back. Every crazy decision that HBC are alllowed to get away with because of public apathy is another building lost or a field built upon. The tools are in our own hands, it is up to us.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

You are taking one or two isolated incidents there (eg. Columbine) but I am talking about general attitudes. Britain too has isolated incidents of gun carnage, remember Hungerford?

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Speaking of the Wonderful Dr. Lovelace, as we were earlier, Icame across this and thought that it might be of interest.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Nice stuff that A-Bob. Brings tide marks to mi neck!!

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

It is true that you don't notice the really interesting bits until you go away. I lived in Church for 18 years (good memory, me) and I never knew about the Burne-Jones windows in Church Kirk until last year, when my partner wanted to look at the church and the churchwarden's wife showed us round. The year before, we brought some American friends up to Lancs, and they were gobsmacked at how beautiful it was. Bill went into absolute raptures over the half-way mark on the Leeds & Liverpool canal and took loads of photos. They loved Ossy too.

We have so much history around us, do we really have to move away to appreciate it?

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Thats nice to know your American friends think its beautiful and not a slum like southerners think it is.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

It has to be the people.They are open, friendly and always good for a laugh

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

All my family live there........

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

lol

muggings up
burgularys up
fights in town center up
murder/manslaughter up
vandalism up
hyndburn council


although accy has much to be proud of we also have a lot to be ashamed of

until the past 10 years i had never heard of a murder in accrington or death caused by fighting in town center

needless to say theres been a good few and only last week there was a stabbing on my street and although i do not live in one of the so called better areas i do not live in the so called bad areas

i used to be proud of our outside market but they destroyed that to make buisness units and that mosaic that used to be on the side wall of the old fish market now broken into pieces and used to make those stupid mosiac tiles inbetween broadway and wilingsons

bit by bit the council are destroying and taking away parts of accrington that distinguished us from other towns like the old cigrette kiosk on the bus depot taken away never to be seen again it would seem

tomorrow the coppice if the council dont stop it so how much more of accy are we going to let outsiders take away or destroy before we say enough is enough


it seems the best of the people who are friendly and courtious towards each other and have any idea what morals are , are right here on accy web because when i walk the streets i sure dont walk without fear because of thre the friendly people of accy infact its the total opposite i walk wondering if the person walking behind me is a mugger and i am next

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

I remember there was a murder on Garden Street many years ago and that caused quite a sensation at the time.

I also remember someone being accidentally shot in the stomach in Huncoat, at a bus stop in Lowergate Rd. That must have been in the 60s. That was a dramatic event.

Nowadays things like that hardly get a mention they are so commonplace.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

there was a murder on blackburn rd under th railway arch,(stabbing about july 1963) a scotch lad,was stabbed by an asian,who then got jailed for manslaughter(never did understand that one)i was15 at the time,on holiday with my parents,was on national tv by the way its fact (i knew him)there was also one in the 70s by a coalman,its nowt new.also a few more i can't recall at the moment.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?
 

not very many murders make national tv these days willow,there too commanplace,a sad indictment of the times,the only point i was making( perhaps not to well) murders have always happened in accy @ everywhere else for that matter.

Re: What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud?