Milestones, Boundary Markers, Historical Artifacts, Street Furniture, lost roads and buildings.

There are many traces of our ancestors scattered around our landscape. Mile Markers and Boundary stones are there too. The Milestone Society believes that there are approximately 9000 left in the United Kingdom. Some are cherished but others are hidden in hedgerows, some have been unwittingly destroyed by crashes, road equipment or even stolen. Roads have been straightened to make them safer. There are old gateposts still left in place, old buildings, and place names that declare an evocative past. The aim is to capture some of this information at least photographically before it disappears.

Although the Fylde Coast does not have ancient history, the Romans apparently struggled to Kirkham. There have been huge changes in the last two centuries from literally a a few fishermans' and agricultural dwellings, to a full blown tourist and light engineering industry.

More historical information can be found here about the Fylde coast.

It also seems that time has marched on and left what appears to be some very respectable buildings... which just should be used, but seem to have no worth.

Links from this Blog

Nearly-Midnight The genealogy website relating to the family. A tangled web of people all related to one another, explore!
Memorials Website dedicated to War Memorials - The majority in the North of England. Visits to churches, but also memorials in out of the way places.
Robert Clark The Father of Henry Martyn-Clark - A missionary out in the North-West Frontier of India. One of the first Europeans to set foot in Afganistan
Affetside Census
A small village north of Bury, Lancashire, I can trace many of my immediate ancesters from there. On the Roman Road, Watling Street
Andrew Martyn-Clark My Father and his part in my World. Also my mother and his parents too.
Henry Martyn-Clark My Great Grandfather, his roots and his achievements. Discusses malaria but also his confrontations with Islam.

Thursday 9 February 2012

Stanley Park Clock Tower

Slap bang in the middle of Stanley Park is the White clock tower. It is dedicated to William Cocker, one of the "founders" of Blackpool.

Here are the pictures and the inscriptions:

The inscription on the South Wall of the Clock Tower

Top section of inscription

Lower section of Inscription


 THIS TOWER WAS ERECTED IN THE 
YEAR 1926. THE JUBILEE OF THE
INCORPORATION OF THE
BOROUGH OF BLACKPOOL
IN HONOUR OF 
WILLIAM HENRY COCKER Esq IP
MRCS Eng LSA 
FIRST MAYOR AND HONORY FREEMAN
OF THE BOROUGH.

A MAN OF IDEAS WIDE VISION AND STERLING 
ABILITY DR COCKER RENDERED EMINENT SERVICE
TO THE MUNICIPALITY. HE WAS ELECTED MAYOR
ON SIX OCCASIONS AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE
COUNCIL FOR THIRTY-FIVE YEARS DURING A LONG
CAREER OF UNSELFISH DEVOTION TO PUBLIC DUTY
IT WAS HIS CONSTANT ENDEAVOUR TO INCREASE
THE POPULARITY OF BLACKPOOL AS A HEALTH AND 
PLEASURE RESORT. THE JUBILEE YEAR MARKED THE 
REALISATION OF OF THE WONDERFUL DEVELOPMENTS 
THAT HE FORESAW & ADVOCATED WITH STEADFAST
FAITH AND CONFIDENCE

Imposing shot up the tower

Water Trough facing south towards the South Entrance of the park

Entrance to clock tower showing the Corporation crest and the water trough

The corporation crest

Close up of the door. This faces the cafe.

The northern drinking trough

View from the Art Deco Cafe

From the Clock Tower facing south.
The sports arena is on the right.
The indoor sports hall is a little further on.

The inscription again

The long drive away east.
All weather pitches on the right and tennis courts on the left.

The drive away to the north. This is the tennis pavilion
 Photograph of civic dignitaries including Dr Cocker!

Blackpool dignitaries - Dr Cocker is in the centre



We will certainly be meeting Dr Cocker again on our travels.