Post Codes: |
|
Odds |
Evens
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| BB1 4ND |
BB1 4NL |
| The Hermitage BB1 4ND |
Holt Mill Cottage BB1 4NF |
| Hot Mill House BB1 4NF |
Master Barn Farm BB1 4NL |
Streets Off
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Right Hand Street travelling towards Clayton Le Moors
Wharf Street
Derby Street
Butler Street
Hanson Street
Park Street
Left Hand Side Travelling Towards Clayton Le Moors
Parker Street
James Street
Holt Street
Tottleworth Road
Hermitage Street consists of 3 blocks of terrace houses on the left hand side
heading East, and 5 blocks of Terrace houses on the right hand side heading
East.
There
was another block of houses on the left hand side but these were demolished.
Right Hand side
Block of terrace houses, no name.
Master Barn Farm
1 Block of Terrace House with Garden fronts, no name.
1 Block of Terrace Houses, no names.
1 Block of Terrace Houses with Garden fronts, named Queens Terrace (1894)
1 Block of Terrace Houses with Garden Fronts, named
Jubilee Terrace.
Paper Mill
Left Hand Side
The original road was diverted in 1826 to try and relieve the hill, previously
called Holt Mill Brow.
They
tried to level off the inclination of the hill down to Holt Mill at the
river
Hyndburn, this was probably the time that the road was raised outside the Holt
House Public House (Petre Arms).
They were also intending to
build a new bridge over the river Hyndburn at the same time.
The
height of Hermitage Street at its start at the
Paper Mill is
just 92 metres above sea
level. At the
canal bridge
at the top of the hill, it has risen 39 metres in total to 131 metres.
The street takes it name from
the former
Catholic School,
the Hermitage.
It is also worth noting that the garden fronted houses on the right were built
with the door handle in the centre. They served no apparent use, as you had to
enter the door by use of the key. This block of houses was known as key row.
You may be asking yourselves why
include two very similar pictures on the same page? Let me try to explain.
The lower picture of the two has the
houses ABOVE
Parker street, which have long been demolished. These are the houses on the
left hand side of the picture.
It is also worth noting that a
single lamp post has been erected right in the middle of the picture on the left
hand pavement. We know that the first electric cable wasn’t laid in Rishton
until 1922, so the picture must be after this date. The age of the car is the
other clue!
The street lamps were replaced
in October 1937, when the old lamps were removed from Lee Lane as part of the
road widening scheme there. They have been replaced again during the 1990's for
taller metal ones, which I think, is the fourth time the street lamps have been
changed.
Coming
up the hill and opposite holt street, Numbers 82 to 106 are known as Queens
Terrace. These were built in 1894, as seen in the photo.
Also numbers 108 to 126 are known as Jubilee Terrace. Jubilee
Terrace is the first block of houses on the left hand side of the street as you
enter Rishton moving up the hill towards Blackburn.
Numbers 105 to 139 are called
Park View. These are the first block of house entering Rishton on the right hand
side, opposite Jubilee terrace.
It seems, according to the deeds of one of the houses on this block that there
is a coal seam 80 meters down. Weather or this this was mined by Rishton
Colliery is unknown, but how would you find out there was a coal seam that far
down otherwise? This seam was allowed to be mined until 1890.
This block of houses was built by William Knowles, in
1888. This particular block of garden fronted terraced housing was known as
"West View" whilst being built. Again, the reason for the change in name is
unknown, but the peculiar thing is the houses don't face West, and they are on
the East side of Rishton!
William Knowles died on the 5th December 1926, leaving
behind 6 children. He had served the town faithfully, being a Church Warden at
Saint Andrews Mission, and for a time, after the First World War, served as the
Urban District Council Surveyor. He was married to Mary when the houses were
built.
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Before his death he owned most of the houses which he
had built on this block, and presumably rented them. He also had property on
Burton Street, owning most of the lower odd numbered terraced block to number
83. By the time of his death he had two farms, Oakmount, and Keepers Cottage,
both of which were in Clayton Le Dale, and left his family the considerable sum
of over £8,000.
Known as Jack Grimshaw's, his proper name was John, and lived at 14 Spring
Street with his wife Hannah until 1947 when he bought 117 Hermitage Street. Ann
Bennett had bought the property in 1927, off the Knowles family whose father
William had built it. Ann had never lived in the property, but had rented it for
20 years. So John bought the house and lived in till his death in 1970.John
Grimshaw owned and ran Grimshaw's Timber merchants at the
top of
Spring Street until the 1970’s, when the company finally shut down due to
the death of John Grimshaw. It was
used for a while after this as a scrap metal yard, where people of the town took
their old cars. The house was sold to Gertrude Riley, who lived across the road
in 108 for her mother to live in, which she did until her death in 1972, when
David Haworth bought the property at the age of 19, and still resides in the
property at the turn of 2004.
Number 107, on the same block, was known as the "Holy House". Nuns lived here
that once ran the
Saint Andrews Mission, which when leaving by the back entrance was right
next to the rear of the mission.
Numbers 129 to 139 at the bottom of the block were built by the paper mill. These
houses were used by the mill until they were sold in 1954.6
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By the 1880's the
Rishton Victoria Cotton Mill owned houses in Hermitage Street (26-32, 42-48).
It wasn't until the 4th June 1936, that
the clerk to the Council was first instructed
to take the necessary steps to secure the establishment of a
crossing for foot
passengers in Hermitage Street, near to the junction with James Street.
The Council Surveyor reported Lamp No.36, in Hermitage
Street, had been damaged by a motor vehicle on the 5th November 1936, and stated
that the owner-driver of the vehicle and the Electricity Undertaking had been
notified accordingly.
The Council surveyor was instructed to communicate
with Ribble Motor Services Ltd., on the 6th March 1941, regarding the
positioning of 2 bus stops in lower hermitage Street. The stops were placed on
the corner of Hanson Street, and James Street.
On the 24th May 1951, Clayton-le-Moors U.D.C. were asked
to carry out the
maintenance of the four lamps in Hermitage Street.
The Council Clerk submitted a report from the police concerning
damage to a street lamp in Hermitage Street
through contact by a Ribble bus on the 12th July 1951, and alleged to be caused by the
steep camber of the road at this point.
The section of road from Tottleworth Road to the Paper Mill was drawn attention
to the work proceeding on this County Road on the 11th October 1951, and the raising
of the footpath level, and that the time was now opportune for the
gas lamps to be substituted by modern lighting. Tenders were
submitted as follows:
N.W.E.B.—£250 to
include laying of the cable and the servicing of six lamps.
Metropolitan-Vickers, Ltd.—£34 per lamp, including erection.
These tenders were accepted, and the work proceeded
with, utilising the concrete columns already in stock with the
Council.
The Council Clerk submitted a letter from the Ministry of
Transport on the 8th November 1951, stating that they are unable to agree to the provision of
a further crossing in Hermitage Street.
One of Rishtons more famous sons was born on Hermitage
Street at number 68. This was only found in September of 2002, which a special
plaque was unveiled on the wall of his birthplace. To read about this famous son
of Rishton, click
here. Other famous people have been born here as well, such as me! I was
born at number 58 Hermitage Street.
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Click here to see film footage of Hermitage Street from 1960.
According to deeds from
properties on hermitage Street, the land was originally leased in 1871 for a
period of 999 years. The land was leased from Henry Petre of the
Dunkenhalgh Estate to William Butler.
William Butler built some of the
houses, as the plots were being sold off to whoever could afford them.
A lot of the houses on Hermitage
Street were owned by the mill owners, and also by the
co-op.
Number 59 was one of these, this was the former managers house of the coop store
on the corner of James
Street, and was sold to a private resident in 1964 (the McNamara's).
Hermitage Street 1975.
Looking East towards Clayton Le Moors, the toffee
shop is the main focus of this video clip. The shop is now a domestic house.
Note the street lamps and just visible (I think) is the old concrete bus shelter
outside the old co-op building.
On the 10th December 1942,
The Council Surveyor reported that, as
instructed, he had again interviewed the representative of the Councils
Insurance Company regarding the account for the damaged lamp in Hermitage Street
and informed the Committee that a figure of £12 had been agreed as final
settlement. The Council resolved that the Surveyor's action be confirmed and
approved.
On the 15th July 1944, the Council Clerk read a
Police Report concerning damage by three boys to wooden fencing in Hermitage
Street. The Superintendent was asked to arrange for the boys to be severely cautioned by
a Police Officer, and a
letter of thanks was addressed to Mr. H. Francis for his prompt action in
apprehending these boys.
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On the 11th October
1945, 20, Hermitage Street was classed as a dangerous building. Attention was drawn to the defective, roof, the
coping stones and slates being liable to be dislodged by a high wind. The
Council Resolved that notice be served on the owner under Section 30 of the Public Health Act
Amendment Act, 1907, to repair, remove, protect or enclose the premises so as to
prevent any danger therefrom. Dangerous
Building - Rear of 20, Hermitage Street. The Notice served upon the owner on
the 15th October 1945, expired on the 29th October 1945, but in view of a change
of ownership it was decided to withhold taking action thereon.
.jpg "Hermitage Street 1983") |
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Attention was drawn to the need for
public conveniences to be erected,
when convenient, at a point near Cutt Wood and also in Hermitage Street on the
14th March 1946. The Council Surveyor was instructed to prepare plans and estimates of
cost for consideration at a subsequent council meeting.
The Council Clerk submitted a circular on the 17th July 1952, which
requested the Council to install flashing lights in the beacons at
the two crossings. The Surveyor was to proceed with this work
before the winter months. It was further resolved that application
be made to the Ministry for approval to the installation of a
pedestrian crossing in Hermitage Street.
By the 14th August, the Council had their answer when the Clerk reported that
the Ministry of Transport had not acceded to the request of the
Council for permission to install an additional crossing in
Hermitage Street, and that the Ministry did not agree with the
suggestion regarding coloured studs on existing crossings.
A letter was submitted from British
Waterways agreeing to the erection by the Council of a
barrier gate leading to the path from Hermitage Street to teh
canal on the 12th November 1953.
Resolved—That British Waterways be asked if they are
agreeable to a spring gate being erected in lieu of a locked
gate, and that the County Council be asked if they are prepared
to make a contribution towards the cost.
References
Industrial Rishton by Kathleen Broderick
Deeds to 58 & 117 Hermitage Street
Allan McNamara by Email.
Rishton Street Names by E. Furber. Published October 1995.
Council Minutes
6Dave Stanley of Hermitage Street (via email)