Roads and artifacts: St Annes-on-Sea

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.

Monday, 16 January 2012

Ashton Gardens Water Fountain

Ashton Gardens, just north of St Annes Square's most notable feature is the fine War Memorial, photographed but not yet published. However north of the war memorial is a rose garden and at the south end is a renovated water fountain. I think I have some older shots of this fountain and will be published in due course, but at the moment I will publish those taken this weekend.

Part of me thinks this is wanton vandalism by the council and the other part is at least they have kept it. All functionality has gone. Even small children are pretending to use the remains of the fountain as a toilet!

THESE GARDENS
WERE PRESENTED BY
THE RIGHT HON LORD ASHTON
TO THE INHABITANTS OF
ST. ANNES-ON-THE-SEA
1914

Lord Ashton's coat of arms
MURUS AENEUS CONSCIENTIA SANA
"A Sound Conscience is a Wall of Brass"
Ironically it is the same motto as Skegness local authority.

Nicely painted though!

Traces of pipework, but the bowl has just been filled in with concrete.
Its not going anywhere

View of the rose garden from the left of the water fountain.


I hope the lady pours water from her spout. Makes up for the vandalism of the water fountain

The view from the north side.
I like this view!

On balance even though it has been abused. Its OK - left something for future generations and commemorated Lord Ashton's generosity. A lot of effort has been put in over the years and the gardens are very much appreciated. Considering it was the coldest day of the year - January it was busy!

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