AN ORMSKIRK DIARY PART 4

BURSCOUGH  STREET

We will now look at Burscough Street, after passing the “Old Clock” there was a small confectioners shop, the owner being very well built old lady named Mrs. Jackson, the window in which were displayed her confectionary was a bay window similar to those opposite with small panes of glass. Most of the business premises of seventy years ago were on this style with the workshops underneath the shop. The next was a grocers shop the proprietor being Mr. Samuel Evans father of Mr. J W Evans of the firm Evans+Ball Mr. Goldstraw had the next which was an earthenware establishment and if I mistake not a milliners shop came next which was owned by Miss Tully. Then we had a butcher’s shop which was kept by Mr.& Mrs. Culshaw,his slaughter house being behind the premises, then there was a yard leading to the slaughter house. Crossing the yard was Mr. Walkers premises, he was a dealer in tripe and cow heels he also sold pot moulds, or what we called chalk stones. Old Mrs. Robinsons shoe shop stood next, this is where we now have a chip shop. We now come to a bakers and provision stores the business of Mr. Cammack.This brings us to the butchers shop owned by M Williamr. Newsham who was the grandfather of the Newsham to occupy the shop before it was turned over to Mr. Harrison.It is noteworthy that during my lifetime  I have seen these premises occupied by three generations of the Newsham family and in each the shop has been governed by a William Newsham We now come to the yard leading to the back of the shops in which there was a public bake house, a coal dealer and a tailor also lived in that yard. Crossing the end of this there was a beer house “The Monkeys Nest”. We now reach the premises of Mr. John Thomas’s with the railings round, this gentleman had a ropery business along with that of hosiery and small wares Behind these premises were a few cottages one of which was the dwelling of a man called Thomas Abram, who was a retailer of potatoes, he had a son whom I remembered attended Jimmy Heyes school which was in the factory yard, who had eventually become a prominent Roman Catholic Priest  in Manchester. At one of the other cottages lived a lad After this there were two or three dwelling houses which had a few stone steps leading to there front doors. At one of these lived Mr. Thomas Swift the tailor who afterwards removed toAughton Street. There was also another tenanted by an old man who travelled the district with his bundle of drapery etc,his name was Winrow,there are still some members of his family living in Ormskirk.Passing these houses there was the”styles”or Church Alley. There were a few cottages in the alley at theBurscough Streetend on the right whilst those on the other end were on the left. You now come to the Preston Bank (this is where the council offices are now situated, then there was the flour and provision stores of Huytons.We are now at the end of the factory yard with its arch at the entrance. Passing under the archway there were a few cottages and a smaller archway beore reaching the open portion where the old factory stood. This roadway led to the Church and it was at this open part where was the school and factory already mentioned but which has long since been demolished. A boot and shoe shop stood at the bottom of, or should I say at the right of the entrance. There were the two large houses, both having stone steps at their entrance, the first of these containing the offices of the Old Local Board, or the Urban Council. The second was the house of Mr. and Mrs.Valantine, joiners etc. whose workshop was behind the premises with an entrance through the arch”Knowle House”was the next item of interest and the residents name was  Mr.Ashton. The next house was the residence of Dr.Palmer.We now come to a few smaller houses, one of these being the home of Mr.Staniforth another joiner who had his workshop at the back of his premises. I believe it was about this part of town where once stood the place for the manufacture of beaver hats when it was a flourishing industry of the town. We now come to the Dispensary. This massive structure was erected for the dispensing of medicines at a nominal price to the poor people of the town. The dispenser being Mr. Wilson a genial old gentleman who was the father of Mr. Thomas Wilson of the firm of Wilson+Tyrers Church Street, the dispensary was built in the year 1830 the foundation stone being laid by an eminent physician of the town named Mr. Thomas Brandreth,and if mistake not he would be living at the house at the Burscough Street end of Derby Street the present home of Dr.Suffern,for as a lad I can remember the residence was in the occupation of Miss Brandreth who I would suggest was a spinster daughter of of the physician referred to .Adjoining was a dwelling house, then there was a shop with bay windows and entered by a few stone steps. This was owned by Mr. Crompton whose business was that of grocer and provision dealer. We will now cross the bottom of Hants Lane and notice in doing so the dwellings of a few tradesmen who used these houses for there business, of course they were only working class houses, and all had a few steps in front. The tenant of one made and repaired umbrellas named (Derbyshire) while an Old Dyer (Trueman) lived at another and a clogger (Cartledge) occupied one, one or two of them where occupied by men who worked for employers .Then after reaching a narrow entry there was a beer house, then a few more dwelling houses, then we come to a Milk House (old Ann Morris).Adjoining this was a large gentleman’s house which was used  as a school. Following this was an old barn with a thatched farmhouse and buildings and pasture land nearby. Beyond this were two thatched cottages at one of them lived a lad who during the Boer War won the VC his name was Heaton. Passing another field you were at  the Vine Cottage the home of Thomas Stretch father of the well known auctioneer(E C Stretch)and of the famous Collie Breeder (Mr.Thos Stretch) and Mr. Walter Stretch (the cricketer) This brings us to the end of Burscough Street on that side

Let us now return on the other side of the street and walk back to the cross, but before doing so as you look around you behold nothing but fields until you get to the woodyard,at the end of which there was a pebble dashed dwelling house where lived the farm produce premises of Ormskirk Mr. R Haythornthwaite. Then in the woodyard were a few cottages. There were no more houses until you reached the large house which was an Hotel and is now at the corner ofStation Road, of course at the time of which I am writing there was noStation Roadbut fields. Having reached this point there were a row of cottages and then another field. You are now nearHants Lane,and a number of houses which brings you now opposite the dispensary, where lived an old gentleman named Peter Woods ropery business, the rope walk being behind his house. Near these premises was the beer house called “TheRising Sun” which was kept by a Mr. Staniforth.You now pass a few more houses when you come to Bensons Yard.- an off licence was held by Mr. Benson. Who lived in the house at the bottom of the yard hence you have Bensons Yard. Next you have a milk house and dairy, kept by Mr.Holburt.There were now about three large dwelling houses, these brought you to Miss Brandreths houses and the end ofDerby Street. which at that time was called by the old peopleLichgate Lane, the reason of this being quite obvious for it was the road leading to the  Lichgate which was near the Church. After crossing the end of the street there was another big house with the front door inDerby Street, this was owned by a Mrs.Howard. Two or three shops or houses converted into shops were next seen, one of theses was occupied by Old Mary Gregory a person who kept a number of leeches, these being used for surgical operations in the extraction of blood. After this small shop there was a green grocers shop where there was also sold dried fishes such as herrings and haddock. The occupiers of these three or four shops in those days I cannot remember, but a little later came a butcher which was next to Robert Culshaw Tobacconist, then a bakers shop but I forget the owner also the next being a a stationer and tobacco dealer. You now come to the premises of Mr. Riding which where up the yard nearly opposite the Buck ith Vine he was a joiner and builder. Then next was a second hand clothing shop kept by a Mrs.Rothwell.You have now reached the commodious dwelling with frontage railed off with iron railings. This is Ormskirk Hall. There is a yard leading to the back of the premises, which had been made into two dwellings at this time.Dr.Walsh living in the first and Dr Symonds in the other t.hese two gentlemen were a partnership with Doctor Symonds being the senior.As a lad I remember going one morning to the surgery to have a tooth extracted,Dr Walsh came to operate. I was given a chair in which to sit during the operation ,I also remember that the instrument used was not like what I expected but had two prongs which were bent to fit under the tooth which when fitted underneath was given a good pull, this was done without having any gas or ether, or anything being used to alleviate the pain, the only incident I remember besides was my head was held to the back of the chair by the coachman of Dr.Symonds.Next to the Hall was the Southport and West Lancashire Bank .Then there was the offices of Messrs Evans and Ball( Mr Ball having married a sister of Mr.Evans) wholesale grocers and produce dealers This business is still in evidence but under new management. We now reach the “Wheat Sheaf Hotel” which was kept by Captain Young this had a brewery at the back of the premises as well as a number of stables,for this gentleman catered for weddings and funerals besides supplying stabling accommodation for his various clients. It was in this yard that the Lathom postman ,under the first Earl of Lathom stabled his horse whilst he collected his letters etc from the post office-night and morning and where the tradesmen of the town took their goods which had been purchased for Lathom House We now come to the shop of William Dewhurst the grocer,then to the yard leading to the back of the premises. Passing this there was James Banks cabinet makers shop then Peter Drapers printing and stationery business, here was printed and published the Ormskirk Chronicle a weekly paper sold for half a penny. The present occupiers being the great grandchildren of the Peter Draper just mentioned. We now come to the shop of Mr. Lewis Draper, then to the beerhouse of Michael Staniforth.After this there was three or four shops with bay windows with small squares of glass and doors in halves(top and bottom,) The workshops being underneath. One of these I remember was a coopers business, whilst another was a tinkers shop, this was kept by Mr. Owen who was the founder of the ironmongery business ofJ Ball&Co Church Street. This was the corner shop and brings us to the end ofBurscough StreetandMoor Street                  …