T.C.U.D.C. Offices (Town Hall)

Architectural Heritage Dossier

covering Thornton, (FY5), Lancashire

Compiled by Mike Pollard, 2009   Second Issue

Pictures by Mike Pollard 2004

Description

Ornate shaped gable to front with elaborate carved ball finial and inset inscription reading "Council Offices" beneath nine petal fan.

Gable end and centre chimneys with upper and mid moulded cornices.

Disabled access ramp added to main entrance, late 20c.

The Town Hall adds group value to Thornton’s only remaining municipal buildings at Four Lane Ends, the Little Theatre and Public Library. 

The building is still in use by County Council.

On 9th February 2004 Mike Pollard (for Thornton Action Group) applied for listing building consideration (spot listing) by the Dept. Culture, Media & Sport, (case UID 157058) this was as a result of a threat to the buildings future when Wyre Borough Council declared a wish to redevelop the site and probably demolish it.  The application was passed to English Heritage for consideration and the findings of the inspector found that the building was not of national interest.  He did however recognise the building’s importance within its local environment and made the following statements within his report:

" it is clearly a notable presence within the locality "

" of considerable local significance "

" appears capable of ongoing beneficial use for a considerable time to

  come "

At this moment in time, (2009), the site no longer appears to be under threat.  The building has recently been recognised in the new Buildings of England book by Clare Hartwell who has recovered and extended the work of Sir Nikolaus Pevsner.

In 1894 a Local Government Act granted Parish Council status to Thornton and existed until 1900 when it got Urban Powers as a result the expanding Thornton Chemical site, United Alkali and the electric tramway.  Prior to the Parish Council, Thornton had come under Poulton-le-Fylde Council.

The Parish Council was made up of seven elected members, William Betney, Seth Bond, John Williamson Bradshaw, Christopher Riley, Robert Tyler, Thomas Walsh and William Walsh. Mr Thomas Fayle Porter was appointed Chairman, Mr James Hardman Clerk and Mr J Fleetwood Marginson Clerk.

Picture Postcard

This picture shows the Councillors marching back to the new Council Offices, the "Fourlands" building can be seen in the background.

Prior to building the Council Offices, the newly formed Urban Council operated from a rented bungalow on the west corner of the Rossendale Avenue South and Victoria Road East.

The bungalow once rented as offices by the first Urban District Council has been extended and remodeled beyond recognition, the only clue is the old brickwork part way down the right hand return.

It later became the Ashley Conservative Club.

Picture by Mike Pollard 2008

This shop was once the original Conservative Club before it moved to the Victoria Road.

Opened in 1926 by Wilfred Ashley M.P. The datestone on the building reads "Royal Buildings 1900".

This building later became the Ashley Conservative Club, moving from the original Ashley Conservative Club at Victoria Road East, on the corner of Alexandra Road.  This first club was officially opened in Spring 1906 in what must have been a big event for the time.  Poulton Brass Band led a procession followed by an open carriage occupied by Mr. Wilfred Ashley, M.P. for Blackpool, and the club was named after him.  Wilfred later became Baron Mount Temple and was the father-in-law of Lord Louis Mountbatten.  Following the ceremony everybody enjoyed a lunch at the Gardeners Arms Hotel.

The birth of the Urban Council saw assets of only £36 and a liability of £27.  This period was the first time in history that the people of Thornton were directly responsible for their local government, the population in 1900 was around 3000 people in 600 houses.

The Urban Councils first elected Councillors were William Walsh (Chairman), W. Carter, J. Fairclough, J. Gleeson, J. Grimshaw, R. Hindle, 

T. Rhodes, T.R. Strickland, J. Titherington, J. Tyler, T. Walsh and

T. Waring.

The first major purchase by the newly formed T.U.D.C. (Thornton included Cleveleys, it became T.C.U.D.C. later) was the steam roller with water cart for £436, called Victoria.  The loan being repayed for the next 10 years!

Picture Postcard

Victoria working for her keep at Four Lanes End.

One of the new Council’s duties was approval of new building plans, the most important one being the estate plan for the Rossall Beach Area at North Cleveleys owned by the Fleetwood Estate Company.  Under the estates manager T.G. Lumb, the company began to develop Rossall Beach with design help from young architect Edwin Lutyens, later to become Sir Edwin, designer of Whitehall. The houses were large, attractive, 

distinctive and followed the lines of the movement for better houses, more airspace and the formation of a village along generous lines.

A number of Lutyens houses still stand today at Rossall Beach and are listed Gr II with English Heritage. 

Picture by Mike Pollard 2006

Arts and Crafts style houses at Way Gate, Rossall Beach.

The 1901 Census shows the population of the district to be 3,097, living in 654 houses.  Thornton was roughly divided into four areas: Little Thornton (Stanah), with 56 inhabited houses, Mid – Thornton with 305 houses, Burn Naze, 384 houses and Cleveleys which only had 109 houses.