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Burnley's old Market Hall
THE image I publish today comes from the collection of Mr Clifford Hindle, of Padiham, who has allowed me, in recent weeks, to use several of his local postcard views of Burnley.
At the outset, I would like to thank Clifford as it is becoming increasingly difficult, after a series which has been in the writing for more than 12 years, to find suitable old photos which will interest those who read this column.
This week I unashamedly return to one of the best-loved (and most missed) of the buildings of Old Burnley, its Victorian Market Hall. I don't think I have published this specific image in Peek into the Past before but regular readers will know I have mentioned the Market Hall more than once.
The picture comes from an unused, and therefore, undated postcard. The photographer is standing in Market Street, probably at its junction with Howe Street, and his camera looks over the Market Square to the Market Hall itself. A lonely school boy is making his way across the square which, on market days, would have been a hive of activity, while a single lady shopper walks along Market Street.
The Market Hall might not seem to be all that interesting, in that this is a much published view, but there is something of considerable interest on this postcard, something which cannot normally be seen if the image shows the market on a busy day. Look to the left of the impressive entrance. I am referring to the low, rather primitive covered stalls which were originally called the Fish Market Slabs.
These are referred to in the Market Records and local Press quite regularly but there are very few pictures of them. Confusingly, although you might not be able to see it, there is a sign which is either hanging from the corrugated roof above the slabs (or perhaps it is on the back wall of the Fish Market) which declares a firm by the name of the English Colonial Meat Stores operated from there.
The Trader, a Burnley-based printed advertising medium, published an article in 1935 which refers to changes in this area of the market. These had taken place only a few years before. I quote: "People who have not visited Burnley for two or three years are very much taken aback when they go to the Open Market.
"They hardly know it as the same place. Gone are the old-fashioned fish market slabs on the outside of the Market Hall. Gone are the rough pavements that used to make the aspect on that side so uninviting to shoppers. Instead of all that they see a smart Shopping Aisle with five of the smartest lock-up shops in town, all tenanted by local tradesmen who are very much alive to the wants of the public."
Many of you will remember some of the firms which tenanted these lock-ups as the buildings survived until the demolition of the Market Hall in the 1960s. At the top (out of our picture to the left) the first shop was occupied by Percy Brown, who according to The Trader was "famous for prime fish, always fresh". Then came Tom Brown who was a high-class fish and rabbit salesman.
After him there was Richard Whitehead's speciality grocers' shop. Mr Whitehead's main shop was in Harle Syke and his presence in Burnley is one of many examples of that village's role in the development of our town. The other shops were the famous pork butcher A.E. Rose and H. Tattersall, who was also a high-class butcher.
Getting back to the picture, notice the entrance to the Market Hall with its flight of stone steps to the large doorway. There are gas lights on either side but the steps themselves would not have passed muster these days. To the right there are the premises of W. Warburton Ltd who operated a large drapery store and carpet warehouse within what was, in effect, the basement of the Market Hall.
I suspect the chimney behind the Market Hall was from Bankfield Shed or Bankfield Mill and I think the shop you can see in the distance (right) was at the bottom of Standish Street. I recall John R. Ainsworth's stationers and bookshop about this location.
One little mystery is the sign only part of which can be seen, far right. Only the first letters (OSJ) of three words can be seen with the letter A below. The "A" is a little smaller, I think, than the first three. If anyone knows to what these letters refer, I would be pleased to hear from you.
Lastly, I suppose we must address the issue of the date. The picture must have been taken before 1932 as the work to the Fish Market Slabs was started about then and after 1914 when Warburton's advertised only as drapers. By the 1920s they described themselves as "drapers and furnishers".
I have not been able to trace the English Colonial Meat Stores so their existence when the picture was taken is not helpful. Unfortunately, I am not an expert on ladies fashions. Some of you will be able to put a date on the card just from the lady's hat and fur stole. All I can say is that I remember my mother having such a stole but I never saw her wear it and I suspect it had been her mother's before her. All that taken into account all I can suggest for a date is the 1920s. Do you agree?
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Weather for Burnley
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
