Category: Local History
-
A Gut Feeling or Was It Luck? The Pike Law Incident.
In this story, we travel to Sykeside, Haslingden to talk about five young boys who went on an adventure within the old mines of Pike Law quarry. A disused haven of mystery and adventure, its tunnels had captured the imaginations of generations of local boys. Little did anyone know that the innocent exploration of these…
-
The Missing Dean Boys’ – A REAL Unsolved Case!
In this video, we travel to Dean, a small hamlet in Rossendale, Lancashire, to tell the story of two young boys, John Hitchen and Fred Williams, both of whom vanished without a trace after going out to explore an old, disused mine, known locally as ‘Dean Pit’. Clive from Rossendale Collieries was kind enough to…
-
Eyam : The Plague Village
Eyam (pronounced ‘eem’), is located in the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire, England, which became famous after the Black Death of 1665 and 1666. An outbreak of the plague was contained when the villagers decided to isolate themselves from the surrounding communities. Many people in the village died. It is also known that some…
-
The Drunkard’s Friend – The Life of Elizabeth Ann Lewis, Temperance Queen!
In this video, we tell the story of Elizabeth Ann Lewis and how she would battle against the odds to try and reform the drinking culture not only within the town of Blackburn, but also that of the an entire nation. She would face accusations and insinuations as well as struggle to get her own…
-
A Walk Through Newchurch Tunnels, Waterfoot
Just a quick walk through the Newchurch Tunnels over in Waterfoot. These were built around 1852 but due to the Beeching Axe, the line and indeed the station in Waterfoot closed on the 5th December 1966. In 2019, Newchurch Tunnels 1 & 2 were reopened as part of a cycle-way project that cost around £5.85m…
Search
Popular Posts
-
The Story That Wasn’t.. True? Blackburn’s Darkest Rumour – 1929
In Victorian Blackburn, a single whisper was enough to ignite fear, outrage, and suspicion across an entire town. What began as a shocking wager quickly spiralled into panic. But as the dust settled, one chilling reality emerged: was the story actually true? In this episode of Days of Horror, we examine the Blackburn Hoax -…
-
Words Before the End: The Last Letters of James Hamer / Haslingden (1854)
In 1854, in the quiet Lancashire town of Haslingden, a young man named James Hamer sat down to write his final words. Those letters – heavy with sorrow, confusion, and resignation – would be the last trace he left behind. In this episode, we examine the life and state of mind of James Hamer, explore…
-
The Town That Should Have Been Wiped Out (Church, 1917)
On 28th April 1917, disaster erupted at a chemical mill turned munitions factory in Church, Oswaldtwistle. Flames, shockwaves, and the threat of a far greater explosion placed hundreds of lives in immediate danger. In the midst of chaos stood James Hardacre — a local police constable who refused to run when others fled. His actions…