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| Imperial Hotel Gate |
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| 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.
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| 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!
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| 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!
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| Hotel Majestic from the car park below on the pier. Old print, not a great card! 1930's perhaps |
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can be found here about the Fylde coast.
I visited a car-boot sale near St Michaels. I knew the church was really old and that it had a memorial. I did not really believe how much history the church has, but seeing this milepost on the way in was a real bonus. The milepost is situated about 600 yards from the roundabout just before the church and the bridge over the river Wyre. Painted white and the lettering is picked out in black paint. The upper inscription says "Upper Rawcliffe" The Lancaster side reads - Garstang 4.25 miles and Lancaster 15 miles - The Blackpool side reads - Great Eccleston 2.25 miles, Poulton-le-Fylde 8.25 - Blackpool 12 miles.
