Milestones, Boundary Markers, Historical Artifacts, Street Furniture, lost roads and buildings.

There are many traces of our ancestors scattered around our landscape. Mile Markers and Boundary stones are there too. The Milestone Society believes that there are approximately 9000 left in the United Kingdom. Some are cherished but others are hidden in hedgerows, some have been unwittingly destroyed by crashes, road equipment or even stolen. Roads have been straightened to make them safer. There are old gateposts still left in place, old buildings, and place names that declare an evocative past. The aim is to capture some of this information at least photographically before it disappears.

Although the Fylde Coast does not have ancient history, the Romans apparently struggled to Kirkham. There have been huge changes in the last two centuries from literally a a few fishermans' and agricultural dwellings, to a full blown tourist and light engineering industry.

More historical information can be found here about the Fylde coast.

It also seems that time has marched on and left what appears to be some very respectable buildings... which just should be used, but seem to have no worth.

Links from this Blog

Nearly-Midnight The genealogy website relating to the family. A tangled web of people all related to one another, explore!
Memorials Website dedicated to War Memorials - The majority in the North of England. Visits to churches, but also memorials in out of the way places.
Robert Clark The Father of Henry Martyn-Clark - A missionary out in the North-West Frontier of India. One of the first Europeans to set foot in Afganistan
Affetside Census A small village north of Bury, Lancashire, I can trace many of my immediate ancesters from there. On the Roman Road, Watling Street
Andrew Martyn-Clark My Father and his part in my World. Also my mother and his parents too.
Henry Martyn-Clark My Great Grandfather, his roots and his achievements. Discusses malaria but also his confrontations with Islam.

Friday, 15 April 2011

Imperial Hydropathic Hotel, St Annes - what's left?

Imperial Hotel Gate
View towards square
 The Imperial Hydropathic Hotel was erected in 1909 to 1910. It was renamed the Majestic Hotel in 1920 and continued up to the war when it was requisitioned for Government offices. The hotel was bought after the war along with two other hotels and was refurbished. The hotel had 143 bedrooms and was clearly the finest accommodation in the area. In its heyday it attracted, celebrities like Tommy Steel and Robin Day(Sir). The American Ryder Cup team stayed when the Ryder cup was staged at Royal Lytham. In the 1920's Geraldo had a 5 year residency at the hotel. (Gerald Bright and his Majestic Celebrity Orchestra.) He made his first radio broadcast from the Hotel.

Gate with flats
In 1972 the hotel was pulled down. I do recall the hotel in the late '60's when I moved to the area. Regrettably it looked very tired then. It was said that this was the largest seaside hotel in the UK when it was first opened. Sadly all that is left is the entrance gates on St Annes Road West. They face the town hall.This is another piece of St Annes history which is facing the threat of closure and ultimately demolition.


Into my possesion has come a postcard  dated the 7th of August 1946 and it must have been taken from the roof of the Imperial Hotel. This is the text on the card.

"Dear Mary.
Having a good time. Bet you wish you were enjoying yourself. Plenty of men, including George been dancing every night . Will see you Monday.
Love Jean"


This was sent to a Miss Parker in Halifax and it fixes the date of the photo very nicely!

St Annes Pier from the Imperial Hotel 1946

The post card was quite damaged so it has been repaired digitally. Please feel free to contact me for a better scan, or the original scan. or just use it from here! Jol

This print is actually the reverse of the previous  postcard: looking from the space between the carpark and the shelter towards the hotel!

Hotel Majestic from the car park below on the pier. Old print, not a great card! 1930's perhaps


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3 comments:

  1. Lytham St Annes Hotel20 February 2013 at 02:14

    Really very grand view and very nice Photos. I love it .I certainly enjoyed reading it, you are a great author.I want to encourage you to continue your great posts, thank you Very much For the Post ...

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    ReplyDelete
  2. Jules6 April 2021 at 23:27

    I have just found a receipt in a house i moved into for this hotel. Dated 1915 😁

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hy Hotels11 November 2021 at 05:22

    Nice post. Such an informative article. Hard to find on internet. You can get more information about Accommodation Lytham St Annes.

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