What’s good about Accrington/Hyndburn, what makes you proud? - Page 11

WillowTheWhisp · 15-08-2004, 18:57

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.

WillowTheWhisp · 15-08-2004, 19:13

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.

Acrylic-bob · 15-08-2004, 20:48

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.

JohnW · 16-08-2004, 12:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ifty

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.

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?

Acrylic-bob · 19-08-2004, 09:56

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

Darby · 19-08-2004, 10:15

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

pendy · 19-08-2004, 17:11

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?

Ifty · 21-08-2004, 23:10

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

Mik Dickinson · 04-09-2004, 17:28

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

fibi · 08-04-2005, 11:49

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

chav1 · 08-04-2005, 12:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by simon

The Freindly and Genuine people.............

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

WillowTheWhisp · 08-04-2005, 13:41

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.

cashman · 08-04-2005, 13:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

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.

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.

WillowTheWhisp · 08-04-2005, 14:24

Well there you go, that was on National TV. There are so many murders nationally these days that I bet they don't all make national TV.

cashman · 08-04-2005, 14:42

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.