Today I shall be Mainly...

[Marilyn]

I shall go back to my disc of pics taken in 2005, and send you a pic, Wendy.

[Wendyf]

I'm getting you confused Maz, sorry. The area around the Red Lion and down Water Street is one of the oldest parts of Earby, though the Red Lion was just a farm until late on in the 19th century...not sure of the exact date. The area behind the camera on the left would be Glen Farm. Strangely enough we are being told by John Clayton that there are signs of a "lost" mediaeval or earlier village in the fields behind Glen Farm. Perhaps you are picking up on some ancient tragedy.....we will take you along next time we go field walking in that area!
The first landlord of the Red Lion was also a butcher, and that building nearest the camera was known as the Bull shed or house or something similar....I'll check with my friend Margaret who lives opposite.

[Wendyf]

The first time the Red Lion appears in the census is 1871, but it isn't named until 1881. the occupier in 1871 is Richard Cowgill, "Beerhouse keeper & butcher".

[Marilyn]

Your friend lives opposite? ( gulp)
Great Gran's first hubby was a Cowgill...

[Cathy]

There was a Teacher called Mrs Cowgill at Rainhall Rd School in 1962/63. She taught our elder sister Maxine there, and I seem to remember that she may have been the teacher's pet, wonder if she was family ??

[Marilyn]

there were a lot of Cowgills about....

[Stanley]

I like this thread. I didn't know that it used to be called Main Street Wendy. Analogous with Townhead in Barlick and the road leading down to a crossing of the beck as well. We tend to forget that these towns were more a collection of individual hamlets than a contiguous town until development started and the gaps between were filled by building and often the focus shifted at the same time. No accident that the next major building up the road was the corn mill.
The building Maz refers to is right next to the gate into the farmyard next door and I'm not sure which modern division of the tenements it belongs to, the pub or the farm.
Today I shall be doing careful and fiddly working on my valves.... And a lot of swearing.....

[Wendyf]

I need to confirm the Main Street name Stanley, information I have been given but don't remember seeing the proof! We have a postcard with almost the same view as your photo titled "Townhead, Earby". I'm on the trail of Bernard Crook who is mentioned as owner of Earby Mill when it burnt down in 1812, he also owned lands including Glen Farm which surrounded the mill site in 1857 when the Lister Kaye Estate was on the market. Crook was executor for Abraham Hargreaves and agent for his nephews in America who inherited his estates in 1804.....I feel there has to be a connection between Abraham Hargreaves and the mill, it converted from corn to cotton sometime between 1785 and 1810, just the period when he was involved with converting Barrowford Mill.
There is a transcription of Crook's letters to America in Colne library, and a history of Abraham Hargreaves....fascinating stuff!
We seem to have drifted way off topic, perhaps I should start a new one.

[Moh]

Today I shall be mainly packing my bag for my hospital trip tomorrow. With the cellulitis on the leg I am not sure he will do it and I may be back home tomorrow - otherwise it will be about 3 weeks.

[Wendyf]

I hope all goes well Moh.

[Stanley]

No need to make any changes Wendy, we are just a tad off piste. Par for the course in One Guy! I think we can cope....
Abraham Hargreaves was a busy and interesting character.
Moh, so sorry you have to go in again. I hope you can get some lasting relief, you deserve it.....

[Stanley]

Making hand wheels for my lovely little stop valves!

[Marilyn]

How cute.
I've been cleaning/washing/cooking. Just sitting here looking at a basket of ironing and wondering if I will make the effort or leave it for a rainy day.
Enjoyed a lovely walk after lunch, in full sunshine.
Hope the weather holds. Collecting Cazza tomorrow and bringing here to ours for a couple of nights, and it will be nice to show her the sights in sunshine.

[Stanley]

We're short of sunshine and warmth at the moment Maz but every sign that there is an improvement coming but not I think in time to rescue the May Bank Holiday.....

[Sue]

Cold and wet in Brittany, it has rained all day and hovered around 12-13 degrees

[Stanley]

Butcher's Day, shed and looking after me and Jack!

[Stanley]

Fitting valves to engines.....

[Sue]

Still raining. Bob is making a staircase, I am cooking and sewing. Out tonight to Audrey's for a meal.

[Cathy]

Having a lovely time at Marilyn and David's and my daughter is joining us this afternoon. Beautiful place to live. Weather is just right and Marilyn keeps giving me yummy food. I am being spoilt Lots of fun

[Stanley]

"Bob is making a staircase"
Good line! I like it.....

[Sue]

Still raining. It's a kit Stanley which we fetched from Vannes on Wednesday. We went back yesterday for a banister rail. We fetched in our small trailer with strapped to an angle of 45 degrees leaning over the car. What a sight for 50 miles

By the way I have a cold ! can't be.ieve it, the fifth since Christmas, and the second one here and we have only been twice this year.

[Wendyf]

Wind and rain here Sue, but hopefully it will ease off later this morning. I'm going to head down to Crosshills in the hope of spotting my brother who is riding in the Tour de Yorkshire Sportive Ride this morning. I think there are 6000 cyclists riding 90 miles or so in advance of the race proper. What a miserable morning for it.

[Marilyn]

No danger of suffering heat stroke by the sounds of it Wendy...
Lovely to see my beautiful niece today when she called to collect Cazza. We had a lovely two days together ( didn't we Cazza? ), with quite a few laughs. Should do it more often.
( well...I say that but maybe she is thinking " Gawd...couldn't wait to get home for a bit of peace and quiet...)

[Cathy]

Did you miss my previous post? I'm back home in the 'burbs' now and ready for the new week.

[Marilyn]

Oh...just scrolled back. ( I had missed it)
Glad you enjoyed the food etc.

House seems a bit quiet now though....
Might have to get back to my knitting!