FORGOTTEN CORNERS

[Wendyf]

I have just been posting these pictures on the Earby History Society's Facebook page and thought they might be of interest on here too.

They show the cottages at the end of Cobble Row in Earby thought to have been the Bracewell's original warehouse. Green End House is at one side of New Road, and this was opposite.






the end of the building was demolished to widen the road.

[Stanley]

Good pics Wendy and they remind me that when I was first becoming aware of Christopher Bracewell and Green End I thought that row looked as though it had originally been a mill but then of course realised it was further down what is now New Road. Nice to have my first instinct backed up but I never thought of a warehouse and of course we know he had one to store his stock for 'putting out' which preceded manufacturing.



I looked for my pic of Green End house but we must have lost it when the site crashed. Here is is. Click to enlarge. Here's my original motes....
Green End House Earby. Pic about 1900? Note two figures stood between right hand bay and front door, a man and a woman and the woman looks to have a long dress on. Ann Bradley worked here for C Bracewell as a nurse. Pic source, Ann Battersby 2004. [Ann Bradley was of course Christopher's mistress and eventually was united with him. See Bracewell Story on the site.]

[Wendyf]

We have a copy of that photo in the archive but I hadn't spotted the figures before. The chimney of the Old shed showing just to the right of the house.....this was demolished early in the 20thC.

[Wendyf]

Green End Shed. An extension to Victoria Mill known as the New Shed was built on the cricket field in 1901.



The trees lined the drive up to Green End House.

[Stanley]

Lovely pic Wendy, I've pinched it for my archive. That's the first image I have ever seen of the shed..... Love the engine house and chimney, it's filled in a gap for me.

[Stanley]

Click to enlarge. This 1892 map of the area makes more sense to me now....

[Stanley]

1853 pic of Christopher Bracewell with his mother in law and first wife, Susannah Elizabeth (Betty) and his son Robert. Source: Ann Battersby 2004.

[Wendyf]

I wouldn't trust that man! The baby has his eyes.

[Cathy]

He looks very stern and his forehead is too high.

[Stanley]

You do right to suspect him. He was bothering with his child's nurse, Ann Bradley and eventually after his wife died he married her.

[Stanley]

Look for the Bracewell story on the site. A fascinating family history and none of it ended well.....

[Stanley]

I have been told that there is an oil painting in existence of William (Billycock) Bracewell but despite searching I have never found it. However I suspect Ken Wilson saw it and copied it for his drawing of Billycock in his book 'Swifter than a weaver's shuttle'. This is the only image we have and I suspect it's a good likeness....

[Stanley]

I've just remembered that I was told the original oil painting was lurking somewhere on Colne Road in a private house. If anyone has any clues I'd love to know about it.

[Stanley]

Hacking's oatcake bakery in Wapping in about 1890. They exploited the market for oatcakes and eventually, from their purpose-built premises in Gisburn Road became probably the biggest bakers and outside caterers in Barlick. The forgotten bit is the oatcakes.... Backstone baking on what was in effect an open oven was very popular because it was easy to set up and there was a ready market for oatcakes, muffins and crumpets. Every pub did 'Stew and Hard' right up to the 1960s. Freshly bakes oatcakes drying on a rack in the kitchen was a common sight in many kitchens. This trade has largely died out, the big bakers do crumpets and muffins but dried oatcakes have gone completely out of fashion and so qualify as a 'forgotten corner'.
[Also known as 'Havre Cakes', Havre is the ancient name for oats. Think of Havre Park (oat fields) and haversack, originally a way of carrying oats.]

[Stanley]

The new foundry of Henry Brown and Sons at Havre Park in 1922. This building is now the middle range of Gissing and Lonsdale's works. What isn't generally known is that when Johnny Pickles was in charge of the build, he was Brown's foreman at the time, he put hundreds of tons of old loom cranks under the foundations to make sure they were firm. He had remembered all the problems that were encountered when building Wellhouse Mill next door. The whole of the valley bottom is a deep layer of alluvial silt and very unstable. The developers of the new housing further along Valley Road evidently hit the same problem if the size of the excavations on the site is anything to go by. It shows that knowledge of forgotten corners is sometimes very useful..... If they had known what we know it could have saved them a lot of trouble and expense.

[PanBiker]

When I was a lad we had a set of goals on the roller shutter door and wickets painted on the wall just to the left between the door and the window. Turning circle up to the garage boundary was our Wembly and Lords. Incline down was good for trolley testing although the front of Stuart Street was better once it was "made up".

[Stanley]

Nice memory Ian. We chalked wickets on walls as well....

[Stanley]

I was thinking about this topic yesterday when I called in and bought an old fashioned rough white oven glove from the Mill Shop that has started up in what used to be the Occasion. The lady said they were doing very well, I'm glad. During the conversation it transpired that they used to have the mill shop at the other end of Albert Road. That corner has always been a good retail position and I wish them well.

[Stanley]

Foulridge in about 1910.

[chinatyke]

I have been told that there is an oil painting in existence of William (Billycock) Bracewell but despite searching I have never found it. However I suspect Ken Wilson saw it and copied it for his drawing of Billycock in his book 'Swifter than a weaver's shuttle'. This is the only image we have and I suspect it's a good likeness....

Where did the nickname 'Billycock' originate, any ideas?

[Stanley]

It's an old name for a bowler hat, in those days it became the fashionable alternative to a top hat worn by the higher echelons of management. Evidently William was a modern man and habitually wore one and it was so distinctive that he got the by-name 'Billycock'.

[Wendyf]

Came across this whilst searching online newspapers. It's quite sad really and reminds me of "Black Beauty" and I only have to think of that to start wanting to sob helplessly!

From the Burnley Gazette Saturday 4th February 1871:

Important Sale of Horses.

Mr Benj. Dean begs to announce that he has been favoured with instructions from William Bracewell Esq. to SELL by AUCTION, on Saturday the 11th day of February, 1871 at Butts Mill, Barnoldswick aforesaid 25 HORSES, viz; 18 Powerful Team Horses, 4 Saddle and Harness Horses, one Filley, rising 3 years old, one do. rising 2 years old, one last years Foal; Wagons, Carts and Wheels, Shaft and Chain Gears, one two horse mowing machine by Kearsley (mown one year only) with harness complete.
In consequence of the opening of the Railway to Barnoldswick the owner has no further use for them.
The Sale to Commence at 12 o' clock Prompt.

[Cathy]

Gosh, yes very sad and says a lot about changing times.

[chinatyke]

Thanks Stanley. I didn't know it meant bowler hat.

[Stanley]

It's a pleasure China....
Wendy, and he was one of the promoters of the new railway.....