| Frances Sharples | 31 July 2010 19:04 |
Thanks to all involved for providing this wonderful website on Thornton. I find it ever so informative and really helpful, especialy while researching my Family. Keep up the good work. |
| Linda Norris | 19 July 2010 13:58 |
Me and my family moved to Thornton from Plymouth in May 1953. We used to live at Lime Grove, Thornton - me, my mother and father, who worked for ICI and my brother and two sisters. We saw many changes during the time ws lived there. I remember when they Joined Rossendale North to Rossendale South. The people next door, the Gillows, sold off a lot at the bottom of their garden.
I remember being a flower girl at the Thornton-Cleveleys Gala in Summer 1963. We were on a float which had hoops all around the edge. We had long dresses made of green brocade material.
I remember being an attendant to the St John's Ambulance Cadet queen - we had a horse and cart and the girl who led the horse was called - it was 26th June, 1965. The Cadet queen was called Marilyn Moore.
The following year I was the Cadet Queen. We had a horse and cart again and the horse bolted a few times.
The Gala Queen crowning took place on a tennis court in 1966 as there was building work taking place on the site where the crowning normally took place.
Me and my brothers and sisters went to Wignall Methodist Church every Sunday - in the morning, and again in the afternoon for the Sunday School. I don't think we ever missed going.
The girl who was the Cadet Queen after me was called Valerie Downard. When they had the crowning ceremony in 1967 I could not take part, as I had moved from the area. I think it rained heavily that day, and they had the Cadet queen crowning ceremony in the St John's Hall. I wonder if that hall is still there - where we used to go to learn first aid. It was the girls who attended the Church Road Secondary Modern School who went there. |
| David Franklin | 5 June 2010 20:33 |
Well what a great site has been created here. I was born and brought up in Thornton and it was good to read the comments about Ingles nurseries, brewers bakers on trunnah road and edmundsons butchers etc. I remember the smithey at the windmill and I use to go and watch the blacksmith make the shoes for the horse and then put them on the horses. Does any body remember the piggeries at the vic road end of rossendale ave behind the con club (bungalows are there now). I was at thornton sec school between 1959-1964 then when I left I went to an apprentiship at a garage in blackpool. I have had 1 daughter, 2 stepdaughters and 1 granddaughter as Gala Queens. As a child in the 50's my mother and her fellow neighbours always put a float in the galas and we were always put in fancy dress on the wagons, loaned to them usually by Bill Brown the coalman later by Ronnie Ross the coalman. Does anybody remember the wagons usually designed by one of our friends Ron Ingle, (TROOPING THE COLOUR, EASTER BASKET, WINTER WONDERLAND ETC.) My stepdaughter Debbie Franklin is the current chairperson of Thornton Clevelays Gala and looking forward to this years Gala Day 12 june 2010 and hope the weather keeps fine.I could go on but where and when would I stop talking about my village where I was born and brought up. Carry on the good work with this site. Its brilliant. Thanks |
| Shirley Jenkins (Ingle) | 6 April 2010 13:48 |
I was Prince Charming (twice) at Thornton Gala in the 40's and have still got the shapely legs! |
| Eric Waller | 2 April 2010 06:20 |
H i. I'm Eric Frank my brother other one Graham sent me this site. Absolutely wonderful to see the site. Along with my wife Pauline nee Dempsey (Waring Drive). We live in New Zealand and have done for close on 50 years. Dad worked partime at Billy's market. Interesting to see demolition of the powerstation considering I helped on it with Harbour-General. I would be interested to hear from interested parties. Eric Waller. Remember Thornton Pheonix? |
| Angela Hargreaves (Brazil) | 20 March 2010 18:21 |
What a great site just found it, great looking at all the old memories of Thornton. I went to Sacred Heart school then on Crabtree Rd, I remember the may sundays my dad built the grotto at the back of the church i was the first may queen to crown it back in 1966 . oh happy days. |
| Jeanette Brazil | 15 March 2010 21:48 |
Great site, memories and pics, my dad would have loved it, he was Gerard Brazil who lived in Trunnah Rd great friends with Bob Tuson and John Connolly. Lived in Thornton all my life, great to read about so many things that dad used to talk about. |
| Dorothy (Ingle) Rawnsley | 13 March 2010 13:41 |
Love the info. and the pictures Great! Born & brought up with 5 siblings on West Drive, Ingle Nursery world famous for its' Dawn dew Cress!! What a fortune they made out of a bit of grass!! But not me!! |
| Keith Singleton, on behalf of my dad Ken Singleton | 11 February 2010 15:56 |
just been through the site with my dad, and have had a full history lesson, this is a great site, keep up the good work. |
| Rowena Hartley | 2 February 2010 21:50 |
It was lovely to find a photo of the old cottages down Hawthorne Road. I grew up in the house opposite the park, and remember my Grandma's friend being force out of her cottage into a council house to make way for the new developments. I was born in 1963 and have a vague memory of waiting at the Railway Station for a train - a steam train! |
| June | 28 January 2010 19:31 |
Smashing site. Came across it by chance so was amazed to see photos of a family home. An ancestor of mine Henry Pilkington (now buried in Accrington) lived at Villa Mar, with his unmarried sister. I have an old sepia photograph of the property. |
| Andy Bell | 5 January 2010 21:51 |
Great site i spent a lot of me youth in the area I was at Burn Naze school from 1959 till 1967 captained Mr (Danny) Blair's team 66/67. Went to Church Sec Modern and used to play football/hang around the burn naze area with steve fielding, graham kenworthy, jimmy brady, any others who escape my memory. On leaving school I was taken on by the ICI as a youth trainee so not far to travel to work lol. When ICI closed the site in 1997 I relocated to the north east where I am still working |
| Nick Jay | 17 December 2009 20:57 |
Brill, keep up the great work, fab site ! My family lived in Thornton from 1951. I went to Baines Endowed, ending up at Durham Uni. Live in North East now but still visit Mum and Dad's place of rest. Thornton still in my heart !!! |
| B Gwen Cardwell nee Kelley | 22 October 2009 11:54 |
I was born in Burnaze Butts Road its nice to read about the old merories. people will best remember my mum Mrs Joan Kelley she trained the gala morris dancers for many years and she loved every minute of it |
| kathryn | 22 October 2009 09:49 |
Forgot to say on my earlier message, my grandad was called John Rose and he and his wife (Elizabeth Fenton )had 12 children, two sets of twins which died, the other eight children were called James, Thomas, Betty, Elizabeth, Mary, John (my grandad) Robert, and Margaret. I would love to know if anyone is related to any of the above. |
| kathryn | 21 October 2009 15:07 |
Paul sent me this website address, really good. My great great grandfather William Rose was a farm worker of Thornton. He4 used to take corn to be ground at Marsh Mill. His son my great grandad was also a farm worker and became the gamekeeper of Fleetwood when it was a Rabbit Warren. His children were born in a small cottage on Flakefleet Farm Estate near Burnhall Hill. He married Elizabeth Fenton, and we have many relatives in the Thornton area. They are buried in Thornton Parish Church. |
| Germaine | 18 October 2009 13:13 |
Just stumbled on this great site. Well done. Have a lot of ancestors on my OH family being born and bred in Thornton. Also a distant cousin of my own Grandmothers was Thomas Meadows so it is lovely to see pictures of the old church as it was in his day. Thank you. |
| Gordon Victor Singleton | 15 October 2009 12:47 |
The site is fantastic, well done. I am Gordon Singleton and I was born at Station House in 1941. I attended Baines Endowed until 1952. I am looking to trace my family history. I welcome any news of the History of Thornton. I understand that my family lived in Cockle Hall for a short time. Left in 1935 and move to Station House. My Father was a senior officer in the St. Johns Ambulace Brigade, all my brothers also were members of the St. Johns at Thornton |
| cheryl lea | 23 September 2009 23:26 |
You have a very nice site. My great grandfather was John Harper Singleton,great grandmother Lillian Goss Singleton, I am a direct descendant of Hucca Singleton, family to Robert, his brother , and a nephew who came in 1635. Thanks for a great site!! |
| Sharon Parsons nee Bradford | 22 September 2009 18:15 |
I was told about the site via my mum and we immediately tried to recollect memories. We lived on Holmes Road and remember that there used to be Easthams, a chippy, corner shop. Those were the days when you could leave your back door open etc and always borrow a pint of milk. We used to shop in the Co-Op and my mum bought my clothes from Margery's Wool shop at Trunnah and shopped at the butchers in Trunnah. Please get in touch all those that have more memories to share. Kind regards Sharon |
| Mark Tuson | 16 September 2009 20:49 |
Good site, and nice to read more about the place. My family have lived here since around 1920, but it seems even we haven't learned as much in these ninety or so years as I have just learned in the past half hour.
Now I just want to see what dialects were in use here... =] |
| Paul | 09 September 2009 22:48 |
its nice to learn about where you live,i get told a lot about the "old days" by my father in law ... keep it up |
| Graham | 26 August 2009 18:21 |
BRILL! Great site, well done! Proud to live here. Graham. |
| S. Walley | 30 July 2009 14:53 |
Really enjoyed reading about the man who lived at Marsh Farm..He should write a book! Some fantastic old photos as well. |
| Georgia Anderton (nee Croft) | 21 July 2009 20:07 |
Fab site, very useful and is definitely in my bookmarked sites... Well done! |
| J Davies-Alen | 13 April 2009 21:23 |
some great pictures good work keep em coming. |
| Annette | 21 March 2009 21:26 |
Great site lots of photos from my dad lovely to see. My children and myself love looking at Thorntons history. Hope the site grows well done. |
| Peter Ford | 18 March 2009 10:54 |
Great site which brings back some happy memories. Keep up the good work. |
| Kathryn | 26 February 2009 19:28 |
Love the new colour scheme, everything looks great! |
| Poppybelle | 18 February 2009 19:57 |
Had a look at last, very good and I'm sure it will get even better. |
| Kiteman | 18 February 2009 14:46 |
Just keeps on getting better and better each day, may it grow even more. |
| Phil | 11 February 2009 19:29 |
Great Thornton Website.Thanks Phil |
| Kathryn Turner | 07 February 2009 23:04 |
Wow so much interesting info about Thornton. Can even see our house from the excellent maps you have and the fields they used to be. Brilliant! |
| Vicki Jackman | 06 February 2009 12:33 |
A very interesting site with lots of information. I will definitely re visit this site. |
| michaelmallon | 06 February 2009 08:33 |
very interesting site i look forward to it,s growth and will be checking in daily.
well done |
| Brian Hughes | 30 January 2009 00:01 |
What an excellent website! I'm definitely going to have to add a link to my own. Keep up the good work. |