What’s more, it’s scary to think that these pictures are all from an era before England had even won a World Cup! Nevertheless, take a trip back in time to see what things in the city looked like some 70 years ago.
These images will have you syaing: “I barely recognise my own city!”
Still looking for a bit more nostalgia? Be sure not to miss some of our other recent retro picture collections...
6. Railway Bridge, Preston Image provided by A. E. Shaw for the Cotton Town digitisation project www.cottontown.org Alfred Shaw ran a photography business with his father John, in Blackburn. Most of their photos were taken around 1900-1910. John had moved to Blackburn from East Anglia c. 1860 and worked as a blacksmith. John developed an interest in photography and he and Alfred went all over the North West of England and beyond taking scenic views. Many of these were made into postcards. Most of the Shaw collection was donated to Blackburn & Darwen Council following Alfred's death in 1954. The collection comprises approximately 1,500 glass negatives. However, their are probably many more in circulation. Just before WW1 the Shawâs sent a lot of their images to Germany to be colour tinted and because of The War they were never returned. Postcards of images that are not in the collection turn up regularly in private collections. A keen local historian worked hard to identify all the Shaw collection and transfer them to disc. When Cottontown.org was first set up in 2002 the trustees of the site took the opportunity to have them all scanned and put on the site, as they are a unique historical resource.
National World
7. Johnny Sullivan - The 'Pride of Preston' Preston training camp 1954. The following comment is from John Sullivan, Johnny's Son: My father first went to America in 1952 when he was just 19 years old to further his boxing education and was based in New York where he trained in the famous Stillman's Gym. He had 5 fights, losing the first but winning the next four before returning to England. He then returned to America in 1956 and fought many of the top 10 boxers in the world, including Joey Giambra (twice), Jackie Labua and Rocky Castellani; the Castellani fight was top of the bill at Madison Square Gardens, New York. This was the first time a British born fighter had topped the bill at this famous boxing arena. I have the radio commentary and video footage of these fights and others. At this time my father was living in New Jersey. My parents eventually settled in Oakland, California where they lived for 8 years before returning to Preston in 1965. I was conceived in the USA but born at Preston Royal Hospital on Christmas Day 1965. Being the first Christmas Day baby the Preston & District Hospitals Welfare Society, presented me with a solid silver spoon, which I still have today. My father died on the 4th February 2003 in Chorley Hospital after suffering a stroke. My mother June Sullivan lives in Chorley as do my two sisters Leslie and Lorraine. Image and caption courtesy of John Sullivan. Copyright John Sullivan ©
National World
8. London Road. Preston Image provided by A. E. Shaw for the Cotton Town digitisation project www.cottontown.org Alfred Shaw ran a photography business with his father John, in Blackburn. Most of their photos were taken around 1900-1910. John had moved to Blackburn from East Anglia c. 1860 and worked as a blacksmith. John developed an interest in photography and he and Alfred went all over the North West of England and beyond taking scenic views. Many of these were made into postcards. Most of the Shaw collection was donated to Blackburn & Darwen Council following Alfred's death in 1954. The collection comprises approximately 1,500 glass negatives. However, their are probably many more in circulation. Just before WW1 the Shawâs sent a lot of their images to Germany to be colour tinted and because of The War they were never returned. Postcards of images that are not in the collection turn up regularly in private collections. A keen local historian worked hard to identify all the Shaw collection and transfer them to disc. When Cottontown.org was first set up in 2002 the trustees of the site took the opportunity to have them all scanned and put on the site, as they are a unique historical resource.
National World
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