Blacksnape History
April2010
received the following email via the website:
The following message has been posted on your website:
========== Sender ==========
First name: Andrew
Last name: Jackson
E-mail address: andrew.jackson@btinternet.com
========== Message ==========
Hello - I'm hoping that you might be able to identify the location of Pantry
for me. John Harwood, who founded and raised the Accrington Pals, was born
there in December 1847. From Census Returns, it seems to have been around
the junction of Pole Lane and Roman Road. Any help would be very much
appreciated!
============ END ============
This extract from a map found at the Lancs Record Office was kindly supplied by Eileen Cowen. Dated 1839, it shows Janet Shuttleworth (of Gawthorpe Hall)'s landholdings in Blacksnape. She also had a field at Pothouse (where Coniston Drive etc. is) and Davyfield Farm near Flash Corner on the way to Blackburn. Click on the image to see the full size picture
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We have been given access to the transcript of a newspaper cutting that doubtless will be of interest to many residents. Thanks to Eileen Cowen for finding it in Darwen Reference Library and bringing it to our attention, and to Ian & Keith Perriman for patiently transcribing it.
Blackburn Weekly Telegraph, Saturday, February 14 1914
Bits of Old Darwen IV Old Blacksnape. Narrated by William Fish with assistance from William Kershaw
Blacksnape has undergone change during the past century. Houses that had curious and mystifying names have gone, and many of the customs of the people of the past are no more than a tradition. There are few men living to-day who personally know the Blacksnape of other days, but one of them is William Fish, and he told me its story.
The Fish family, of Barron Fold, are of ancient Blacksnape stock. John Fish and William Fish, the sons of Fish Fish, were born in the house where William Fish, the latter's son, now 83 years of age, was also born and still lives. A part of the house, regarded as the "new part," was added to the old part in 1776, and the date-plate of the porch records its erection in 1792. What the story is of the older part of the premises William Fish does nor know, and his father ofren said he would give 5s to know it. William is the patriarch of the district, and to his home the late Jeremy Hunt often came camping and talking about old families...........Click to view the full document as a PDF
Click Here to view a map of the village from 1847
The Winter of '81.
If you think we've had it bad in 2010, have a look at this photo, kindly supplied by Keith and Cath Holmes:
...and from the Lancashire Evening Telegraph 21st April 1981:
Red Lion Token
This tokenwas recently sold on Ebay for around £20. Apparently such things were common in the 19th Century
Holden's Milk Bottle
Holden's milkbottles occasionally turn up on
auction websites and fetch around $20 in the USA
The following email was received by Dawn, a Blacksnape resident, last year:
From: "L R Parker" <royparker@talktalk.net>
To: <dawnrobinsonwalsh@supanet.com>
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 9:18 PM
Subject: History
Hi Dawn
My name is Roy an ex-Hoddlesden lad. To keep me from mischief I'm attempting to put together a history of the locality. At present the research entails education and religion. This is where you may be able to help me in finding some details relevant to the School and Chapel at Blacksnape. Older people in the village may have memories direct or handed down or there may be an anniversary booklet. Any information or contacts would be appreciated. Are you related to Norman Robinson he knows me!!!
Thanks for any assistance or direction you may be able to provide.Best wishes
Roy Parker
