Local historian Roger Frost has presented these pictures for us from Burnley Civic Society.
He said: “Burnley centre was originally located on Church Street, near to St Peter’s, but the lack of space meant that, in the later eighteenth century, it moved to its present site.
“Existing buildings were converted for other use. A small farm, with land behind, became the Black Bull, later the Bull. In 1819 this had been replaced by a large purpose-built hotel by the Hargreaves family of Bank Hall, the owners of the largest coal mines in town.
“At first the hotel was not the success everyone thought that it would be but, situated where it is, right in the centre of town, and adjacent to the Market of the day, all that changed.
“The Bull was one of the most important buildings in Burnley for almost 120 years but it was demolished, in the 1930s, and replaced by Burton’s the men’s outfitters. Since then Burton’s has gone, a victim of changing shopping habits, but the building remains, one of the best of its kind anywhere in the country.”
1. Trams
To the right, on this image of about 1904, is the later Bull, Burnley’s largest hotel and built by the Hargreaves family, the coal owners. Photo: S
2. Original
The Bull, originally the Black Bull, as it was in about 1800. It was founded in a small farm with barn attached. Notice the hand pump for water. Photo: S
3. Hotel
A splendid picture of the Bull Hotel, probably of 1904, when the Manchester Road electric tramway was opened. Photo: S
4. Historic
In this picture, the Bull is on the left and you are looking along St James Street. Market Street is to the right. Photo: S