FORGOTTEN CORNERS

[Stanley]

This is a 1942 Standard Ford paraffin tractor. When I first went farming in 1953 I ploughed two furrows with one of these for a man called Pritchard who farmed near Whatcote in Warwickshire. He stopped me working as it got dark and he saw the blue flame coming from the exhaust, he didn't realise that paraffin tractors always run that hot. He had had the tractor from new and it was his pride and joy. Thinking back and looking at that image makes me realise how old I am! Definitely a forgotten corner.

[Stanley]

Shunting across Wellhouse Road in the 1950s. Notice the archaic signal that controls the crossing. This was obsolete very soon after the branch line was opened but was never replaced.

[Stanley]

Greenberfield locks from the East in 1996. You can see the original course of the canal when first built up the valley bottom to the bridge at the far end now used as a storage place. The locks were laid out differently, cheaper to build but used more water and as water use became a problem the locks were rebuilt in the present configuration. Not many people remember this now......

[Stanley]

One of the machines I refurbished at Helmshore fulling mill. This is a 'Willow' and is used for shaking up fibre to separate the strands, a process that used to be done using willow rods hence the name. However at Helmshore it was always called the flock shaker because that was what it did for most of its life. The villagers would bring their flock beds to the mill where they would be opened up and the flock interiors put through the machine to eliminate the clumps that formed naturally with use, after topping up with new woollen flocks the beds would be sewn up and returned to the owner. I'll bet it was magic after the lumps!
A forgotten corner now. We are encouraged to go to the store and buy a new expensive mattress every eight years! (The impetus for doing that is to tell us that after eight years our mattresses are infested with tiny insects.....)

[Stanley]

The teazle raising gig at Helmshore that I refurbished in 1999. I was surprised to find that teazles were still available from Ireland and we got some from there to replace the ones that were missing. I am told that this technology for raising the nap on cloth is still in use. Nothing modern has been found better than the natural dried teazles.....

[Tripps]

I've just had my water meter read by a human being.

The meter itself is under the kitchen sink, but the transponder thingy is outside the back door. I showed him where it was and the job was quickly done. There were a lot of things blocking access - including I'm pleased to say a plastic garden chair, and two buckets brimming with - rainwater. That's good. I think the drought must be over.

[Stanley]

March stole February Fill Dyke's nickname this year David....



In the early days of sanitary engineering the dry or midden closet was a favoured contender for the standard system. It's major feature was that it kept solid and liquid waste separate. It was discarded in favour of the water carriage system which is what we use today and is the reason why there are discharges to water courses in times of high rainfall volume in the system.
If you take the trouble to understand this system you'll see why, if it had been adopted, it would have failed.
It relied on there being a supply of ashes to accept the waste and sanitise it.
A little known forgotten corner.

[Stanley]

Part of the extensive earthworks at Middop which were done in the Bronze Age and are enormous. This important archaeological site is largely ignored because it is too large to attempt a proper investigation, there isn't enough funding to do it. I was told this thirty years ago by the County Archaeologist and there has been no change since.
Loosely described as a 'fort' it is more likely to be connected with trade coming up the Ribble Valley and then over the tops via Barnoldswick out towards the east coast and eventually the Baltic.
I never cease to wonder at the effort it took to move earth on this scale by hand.

[Stanley]

This is the big Weir steam feed pump at Ellenroad. When I first saw it I realised it was unusual and did some research. What triggered me was the fact it had three legs supporting the steam cylinder on top. It turned out I was right to wonder about it. The Weir archive told me that this was one of a pair of pumps specially made for ICI during WW2. It was for pumping concentrated sulphuric acid and had a stainless steel rod and bucket as well as the extra leg in the front. I wonder if anyone remembers this or is it a forgotten corner?

[Tripps]

Is it possible that the humble fish and chip shop is about to become a "forgotten corner"?
It's hard to imagine, but look at this - Jack Spratt chippy to close


I bought this bit of "Oldhamobilia" quite a while ago on ebay. Didn't realise it would become a historical artefact quite so soon.

fishfryers.JPG

[Stanley]

Well spotted David and closures like the Oldham chip ship are going to become common. The terrible thing is of course that there is no need for this level of price inflation if we are to believe the economic experts.The energy companies get enormous windfall profits and we lose infrastructure like this.
The Sunaks and Osbornes of this world are ruining it......

[PanBiker]

Over the last few years we have lost four fish and chip shops in Barlick with only one remaining now. Park Road, Rainhall Road, Gisburn Road and Church street chippies have all closed with only the Albert Road Chippy left.

[Tripps]

we have lost four fish and chip shops in Barlick

It's worse than I imagined.

With my Dragons Den hat on - how hard did they try to stay open. Forget fish? and change to fried chicken or kebabs or burgers or bratwurst? Insist on cash only - the local Chinese here does.

Speaking of the cost of food - I noted at Aldi last week that frozen vegetables are a real bargain. A 900g bag of frozen peas for 85p is amazing. Green beans and mixed veg are too, and just £1 gets you a bag of French fries which has easily four or five portions. No waste whatever.

It's easy to be a keyboard warrior.

[Stanley]

I didn't realise they had closed Ian.
David, it's not the cost of fish that's killing them but energy. No way of economising on that in a chippy.....



My Farlow fishing bag that held my cameras for many years and went round the world twice. I bought it from the sports shop that used to be on Council Corner in Barlick. I remember the man apologised for it being so expensive, I think it was £12 and the same year I saw the same bag on sale in a New York shop for $80.
(I still have it and use it frequently.)

[PanBiker]

With my Dragons Den hat on - how hard did they try to stay open. Forget fish? and change to fried chicken or kebabs or burgers or bratwurst? Insist on cash only - the local Chinese here does.

Well two from the four were run by Chinese proprietors, Church street a traditional chippy the one on Gisburn Road diversified a bit. When I was in my teens that used to be run by one of my girl friends mum and dad.

I bought it from the sports shop that used to be on Council Corner in Barlick.

Donald Fodens, also known as sadlers as he used to do leather work repairs etc. Nice bloke Donald, I got a lot of my sports stuff over the years from him. My first fishing rod and tackle etc. He lived in Foulridge in one of the houses by the reservoir.

[Tripps]

Yes - I regretted posting the last one - I did say it was 'keyboard warrior ' stuff though. I've no doubt tht the owners did all they could to keep, going.

[PanBiker]

Church Street chippy used to get all the passing late night trade from five pubs and a club. The remaining chippy on the town square is only open until 7.30pm

[Stanley]

Thanks Ian, Donald Foden.... that's the man. I bought my Schofield Darts off him also.



This was a forgotten corner until memory kicked in this morning. We are on a coach in 1979 returning from the Nelson and Colne College staff outing to the Grasmere Sports. A senior member of staff is being violently sick. However, we escaped a penalty because he put his head in his rucksack.
Sorry about that but memory is a strange thing!

[Tripps]

Not just chippys - pubs as well ?

" simply awaiting its rejuvenation by enthusiastic new operators.”

Cross Keys

[Stanley]

Bloody Hell David! I can't believe that a good pub like that isn't viable.



Where does it all end? What happens when the take-aways become uneconomic? (Perhaps they already have.....) Is everyone going to be reliant on ready-meals from the supermarkets?

[Stanley]

Made in Barlick. Pendle Street second motion shaft. Those days have gone....

[Stanley]

Remember what a stir this caused 16 years ago?

[MickBrett]

Ha. I used to have one of those calendars. It may still be around somewhere. Signed too.
It was given to me by my friend Carol Walling from Kelbrook.

[Stanley]

Look it out Mick, it's worth a bob or two now!



Withdrawn in 1961, this was a lovely bank note. You really felt as though you had a piece of money in your hand.

[plaques]

Withdrawn in 1961, this was a lovely bank note. You really felt as though you had a piece of money in your hand.

Keep hold of it Stanley it could be worth a bob or two now.

One of my pals worked for a big scrap iron merchant when the big fivers were about to be withdrawn the drivers were given a great wad to exchange at small banks as they drove round the country. He said he had never seen as much money in his life.