Author: Ed

Edwin Hughes, Last Survivor of the Charge of the Light Brigade

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Edwin Hughes, born on 12 December 1830, was a British Army soldier known as “Balaclava Ned.” He was the last surviving member of the famous Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War (1854–56). Hughes married Hannah, who passed away in 1899, and they had two sons and two daughters. One of his daughters remained unmarried, and in 1910, Hughes moved to Blackpool to live with her. He was an active member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society, attending reunions of the Light Brigade survivors in 1895, 1910, 1912, and 1913. Hughes received a pension from the T. H. Roberts…

‘King Billy’ Greenwood Opens First Tudor Bingo

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‘King Billy’ Greenwood, entrepreneur and self-made businessman, from Knott End to Fleetwood, and Blackpool’s Tudor Bingo Empire that made him a Millionaire in the swinging 1960s! William David Greenwood (1915-1991), always known as Billy, was born in Blackpool. His parents, Agnes and Harold, lived on Fenton Road, where they brought up their family including Billy’s two sisters Annie and May, along with younger brother Harry. Billy’s father worked for the railway at Blackpool’s Central Station and was on two occasions given the prestigious responsibility of commanding the Royal Train. Billy as a young man was always seeking his fortune and…

Michael Harvey Teacher, Actor and Writer Arrives in Blackpool

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Blackpool lost one of its greatest treasures on 22 June 2024, a marvellous thinker and fountain of literary and theatrical knowledge, and always happy to share the wealth of his insight. One of his many remarkable talents was his ability to recite countless lines of great prose from Dickens to Wordsworth, or dialogue from great movies, plays or musicals. Michael was born in Oxford on 8 July 1935. His father was a percussionist in a theatre orchestra for all his working life, his mother a housewife; and happy to be that to care for Michael and his younger sister Margaret. His…

Fourth Generation Commercial Pilot in Westoby Family

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Prior to WWII, Westair had been involved in aviation since the 1930s when it was started by Walter “Wally” Westoby pictured below. Wally started his career as an engineer on lifts for coal mines. Later he would start out as mechanic on aircraft before becoming a pilot himself. At the time he was flying out of an aerodrome based at Blackpool’s Stanley Park. Some of the aircraft hangars still exist at the Zoo as part of the elephant enclosure. Walter “Wally” Westoby During the Second World War Wally was sent to Canada, teaching Navigation for the RAF. There he flew…

Heritage North West Takes Over the Clifton Family Home

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Evleyn Waugh declared the Cliftons as “all tearing mad” when he visited Lytham Hall in the 1930s. The last Squire Clifton, Harry, managed to squander the family fortunes and bring to an end several centuries of Clifton family dominance for Lytham and St Annes in Lancashire. Harry’s reckless and eccentric behaviour, not to mention his wild schemes and obsession with the occult, left very little of his families vast estates in Lancashire and Scotland. His father, John Talbot Clifton, had lost in his lifetime the family’s estates in Ireland after it became independent from the British Crown at the end…

The Mystery of Paula Yates

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Do a search online for Paula Yates and you won’t find much that ties Paula Yates to Blackpool. Her Wikipedia page claims she was born on 24 April 1959 in Colwyn Bay, Wales, to English parents, and that she was brought up in a show business family. Her mother was Elaine Smith who was from Blackpool. Her stage name was Heller Toren, who later wrote under the pseudonym Helene Thornton. Up until 1997, Paula Yates believed her biological father was Jess Yates, who hosted the ITV religious programme Stars on Sunday. A DNA test in that year revealed that her…

Home of the UK’s First Purpose-Built Cinema

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Blackpool’s first purpose-built cinema, the Tower Cinema, opened in 1900 and holds a special place in the history of cinema in the UK. Located inside the iconic Blackpool Tower, it was designed specifically to cater to the growing demand for motion pictures, a new form of entertainment that was rapidly gaining popularity at the time. The Tower Cinema was significant for several reasons. While films had been shown in various venues before, such as fairgrounds, music halls, and temporary spaces, the Tower Cinema was the first to be built exclusively for the exhibition of films. This made it one of…

World First To Adopt Electric Street Lighting For Illuminations

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Blackpool’s introduction of electric illuminations in 1879 was a groundbreaking event in both technological and cultural history. This made Blackpool the first place in the world to use electric lighting for large-scale public illuminations, setting the stage for what would become an iconic annual event that continues to draw millions of visitors every year. At the time, Blackpool was already a well-established seaside resort, attracting large numbers of tourists, particularly in the summer months. The town was known for its entertainment, but as more people visited, there was an increasing need to stand out and offer unique experiences that would…

Despite Turbulent Times in the Pub Trade, Duckworth Stays on Top

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The government’s ban on cigarette vending machines in restaurants, pubs, and clubs had a significant impact on these businesses and their suppliers. Despite this, Rod Bullough has successfully navigated these challenging times, ensuring the continuation of his family business. One of the ways he has done this is by designing a ‘back bar’ cigarette dispenser, which appears to comply with current regulations. The tobacco control industry claimed that 52,000 children in England accessed cigarettes via vending machines each year. However, this figure was based on estimates and the responses of teenagers from a limited number of surveys. While consumer opposition…

Savoy Garage – Blackpool’s Oldest

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The Savoy Garage was first built in 1914 with its purpose being to serve the nearby Savoy Hotel. Very little has been altered to this day, still remaining in use as a service garage. So significant is its history, it has been awarded a Grade II listing. The reasons for that designation are as follows: Architectural interest Externally it possesses a strong level of architectural treatment, including a striking terracotta-clad front elevation incorporating a shaped gable, decorative pilaster strips and paired, arched openings with raised voussoirs * Date: It is a 2-storey, former hotel garage that dates to the earliest…