Sun 28 Feb 2010
Dedication and Unveiling of the Chorley Pals Memorial on the Flat Iron, Chorley

Today was the Dedication and Unveiling of the Chorley Pals Memorial on the Flat Iron, Chorley. After photographing the memorial before the event I walked to the T.A. Centre on Devonshire Rd to photograph the parade preparations. Then it was back to the memorial for the official unveiling. It’s been a long time coming but I hope the people of Chorley appreciate it.

B Harris

The memorial before the unveiling

Sat 27 Feb 2010
Lancashire Local History Federation Spring Day School
at the Social Centre adjacent to St Peter’s Cathedral, Lancaster.

Lancashire Local History Federation held its Spring Day School at the Social Centre adjacent to St Peter’s Cathedral, Lancaster. Some subjects covered were Ben Edwards speaking about Preston’s 17th century armorial glass window which originated from Hampton Court. Then Margaret Edwards gave two presentations on stained glass windows and the stained glass studios of Lancaster. James price gave a presentation on the Lancaster Architects Paley and Austin. It was interesting to note that the glass artists Shrigley and Hunt did windows in Heapey Church and Abbotts did one in Brindle Church.

Memorial to Queen Victoria, Lancaster.

St Peter's Cathedral, Lancaster

Tue 09 Feb 2010
Nigel Neil - From Roundhouses to Remount Depot – 7,000 years at Lathom

Nigel Neil, a member of the Lathom Park Trust Archives Group, presented an illustrated talk on 7,000 years of history at Lathom, near Ormskirk.
Buildings great and small have risen and fallen at Lathom over this broad sweep of history. Nigel’s deep knowledge of Lathom came through clearly with his narrative and the many images he brought.
Much work in the form of archaeological excavations has taken place at nearby Duttons Farm. Flints dating back 7,000 years have been found there. There is also clear evidence of iron-age roundhouses. Medieval pottery found there remains the largest find of its kind in the north-west.
Deer parks were important and documents show that the area called New Park was first a park before 1250. Over time the size and shape of the park area changed considerably. Reference to historic maps such as Speed’s of 1610 put Lathom’s size into context when compared to the surrounding area. Also by way of family trees Nigel was able to illustrate the owners’, the Earls of Derby, lineage back to the Norman Conquest.

Nigel with some of the literature he brought

Nigel Neil

Lathom is famous for the 1644-45 Roundhead siege where the palace suffered badly. By 1702 not a trace of the palace was left above ground. Recent archaeological work using volunteer work and state of the art geophysics has revealed many interesting things including part of a moat, some 305m in diameter.
Lathom House was built in the 1730’s. Thanks to Lancashire Record Office’s £53,000 purchase of Humphrey Repton’s (1752-1818) ‘Red Book’ about Lathom House we have a wealth of information that includes reports, recommendations, sketches, plans and maps. Lathom House was demolished in the 1920’s.
Concluding Lathom’s historic journey Nigel explained its important First World War role as a Remount Depot. Between September 1914 and November 1918, 263,000 horses were received for the army to train for cavalry, pulling guns, wagons and riding.
Lathom’s important place, not just in Lancashire’s history but also in the country’s, was firmly established by Nigel’s informative talk.

Peter Robinson.

Fri 05 Feb 2010

The demolition of the Chorley and District Hygienic Laundry site at the top of Harpers Lane, Chorley continues. As the outer buildings were demolished the original building of 1907 has now been revealed. It is interesting to note that the first building will be the last to be demolished.

This used to be the office entrance in 1907