News 2024
Blackpool Civic Trust News 2024
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Blackpool Civic Trust promoting excellence since 1975
Founded in 1975, Blackpool Civic Trust seeks to promote excellence and community spirit in Blackpool for people of all ages. We are interested in all things Blackpool, particularly its heritage and future for people. We have monthly meetings, visits to places of interest, and community activities such as Civic Week. We'd love you to join us.
Join Blackpool Civic Trust
Click here to become a member
Become a Corporate Member find out more, click here
Form for new membership and renewal 2024/5 in Word
2024 Meetings
NOTE THE CHANGE OF VENUE OF MEETINGS
Monthly Meetings
Monthly Meetings are on the third Monday of the month at 7pm
Our next meeting will be on Monday 19th August at 7pm
Guest Speaker: Adrian Page, local historian,
History of Art and English Bell Ringing
at the Blackpool Cricket Club.
Non-members are welcome for a small donation of £2
Meeting Speakers for 2024/5
NEWS 2024
Our meeting on Monday 15th July at 7pm was at the
Blackpool Cricket Club
with Guest Speaker: Tony Sharkey, talking on 'Blackpool Then and Now'.
Meeting Report
Tony Sharkey, who was assisted by Kathryn Thompson, gave an excellent, interactive talk on ‘Blackpool ‘Then and Now’ to Blackpool Civic Trust at its July meeting.
He invited his audience to identify a wide variety of photographs of street scenes of Blackpool in the mid-1920s and then showed recent photographs taken from the same vantage point. Tony took care to place the various street scenes and buildings in their historical context.
He also invited his audience to think about the contrasting styles of vernacular architecture of Blackpool then and now and decide which they preferred. Perhaps it is not surprising that many Civic Trust members found the 1920s buildings more appealing to the eye with their greater attention to detailing and ornamentation. Many thanks to Tony, Kathryn and Showtown for a thoroughly entertaining and informative presentation.
Barry Shaw, RIP
It is with great regret that I have to tell you that Barry Shaw, one of our Vice Presidents, has died.
Barry was always busy on behalf of Blackpool Civic Trust. He held many positions over the years. To name but a few, he was the hard-working Vice Chair from 1993, and then became the Chairman, President and finally Vice President.
He spoke regularly to the Members Meetings. On 15th May 2023 he gave a talk about the Foundation of the Civic Trust and his role as Chairman. He gave the Robert Evans Mills lecture on The Winter Gardens in 2013. He gave two talks on the seaside. One was 'Seaside Traditions' and another on 'Seaside Frolics'. Barry wrote many articles, including, how the origin of Blackpool’s name evolved from the Ice Age!
Barry cared passionately about Blackpool, its history, its people and visitors. In recent years, he took part in several practical projects, including a three-year long project cleaning the Burmantoff tiles of the Imperial Hotel’s Turkish baths. He also helped paint a listed Promenade Shelter.
Barry will be missed as a local historian, as a gifted and humorous speaker and as a key figure in his beloved Civic Trust to which he contributed so much over so many years.
Joan Humble, Chair of Blackpool Civic Trust
Written 24th June 2024
Meeting Monday 17th June 2024 7pm
Local historian Dick Gillingham gave an excellent and thought-provokin
Guest Speaker: Dick Gillingham, who will discuss the early development of Fleetwood and the role played by Kemp, a key figure and a subject of some debate.
at the Stanley Park Visitor Centre.
Non-members are welcome for a small donation of £2.
Meeting Report: Frederick Kemp and Early Development of Fleetwood.
Local historian Dick Gillingham gave an excellent and thought-provoking talk to Blackpool Civic Trust at its June meeting.
His subject was the controversial but indisputably significant figure, Frederick Kemp who played a major role in Fleetwood’s early development. Setting aside questions about Kemp’s probity and management of Sir Richard Hesketh’s huge estate, Dick made a very powerful case for how so much of the growth of Fleetwood in the early days was due to Kemp’s business acumen, unflagging energy and his knack of spotting what would be the next big thing and exploiting it to his and the town’s mutual benefit.
Dick ended his fascinating talk by highlighting that for all his shrewdness and business flair, Kemp never grasped the true potential of what was to be Fleetwood’s most profitable industry, namely, the fishing industry. A rare oversight on the part of an otherwise far-sighted, though controversial, Victorian entrepreneur.
Nigel Patterson receives a plaque on retirement from the Committee
A silver, engraved platter was presented to Nigel Patterson who served on the Executive Committee for 5 years in the key role of Planning Officer and contributed to the Civic Trust in a variety of other ways, as well. Joan made the presentation to Nigel at a monthly meeting.
Our May meeting was on Monday 20th May at 7pm
Guest Speaker: Dr Colin Penny, Museum Manager - Lancaster Castle Cultural Services, speaking about 'The History of Lancaster Castle'.
at the Stanley Park Visitor Centre
Non-members are welcome for a small donation of £2.
Our April Monthly Meeting April 15th April at 7pm
Guest Speaker: Father Andrew Teather 'Living Heritage at St Stephens on the Cliffs'
at the Stanley Park Visitor Centre
Non-members are welcome for a small donation of £2.
Speaker's Review by Paul Humble
The Living Heritage of St Stephen's on the Cliffs
Blackpool Civic Trust Meeting, Guest Speaker: Reverand Andrew Teather. Monday 15th April 2024 at Stanley Park Visitor Centre
Reverend Teather's talk was wide-ranging, touching on the development of the Church in the nineteenth century . He also mentioned his own early background in the theatre as a stage manager and some of the parishes of which he had been vicar before coming to Blackpool.
Dealing with the history of St Stephen’s he made particular reference to the famous Actor’s Chapel (1929). This impressive Chapel is unique in England and Europe in being dedicated to actors, musicians and entertainers who funded the building costs. The names of the subscribers are recorded on imposing marble tablets. They read like a roll-call of the most famous actors and entertainers of the day, including such illustrious names as Noel Coward, Gracie Fields, George Formby, Sybil Thorndike and many others.
St Stephen’s was the church ‘adopted’ by actors and entertainers, and big crowds would gather outside the church on Sundays to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars.
The Church’s strong connection with Blackpool’s entertainment industry continues to this day. The Church is organising the ‘Solstice Arts Festival (9th -16th June) with a tremendous series of events, including family fun days, concerts, dancing and workshops for aspiring ukulele players.
Victoria Monks Blue Plaque, Historic England, April 2024
“Won’t you come home, Bill Bailey?” That was the signature song of Victoria Monks, music hall performer, who was born in Blackpool and who has now been honoured with a blue plaque by Historic England.
The plaque is the first to be approved in Blackpool by Historic England under its own national scheme. This is quite separate from Blackpool Civic Trust, which over many years has put up its own blue plaques celebrating the history and heritage of our town.
Victoria Monks (1882-1927) was a very big star of the music hall and was praised for both her musical gifts as a singer and comedic charm. She toured internationally, including the USA, and became known early on as “John Bull’s Girl”.
Towards the end of her life, she made a welcome return to her home town and performed at the Blackpool Palace in 1925.
March Meeting and AGM
Our next meeting will be on Monday 18th March 2024 at 7pm in Stanley Park Visitor Centre
This will be the AGM where the accounts and reports for 2023/4 will be accepted and the committee elected. Only members are allowed to vote.
The AGM will be followed by a talk by Blackpool photographer Claire Griffiths. One not to be missed!
Nominations cut-off date is 11th March 2024.
Nominations for the committee and how to vote. Click here to, download the one page Word document.
Click here to download the Word one page Voting Form for the committee
Meeting, Monday 19th February 2024 at 7pm
The guest speaker will be Carl Carrington of Blackpool Council who will tell us about key developments in Blackpool 2022/3.
Meeting, Monday 16th January 2023 at 7pm
With an update from Showtown, the museum of fun and entertainment in Blackpool.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Blackpool Civic Trust wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Renewed Blue Plaque unveiling on Blackpool's War Memorial
A very special blue plaque was unveiled on Tuesday 12th December to mark the 100th anniversary of Blackpool’s War Memorial, Princess Parade.
The plaque, which replaces an old one, reflects Historic England’s upgrading of the War Memorial’s listing from Grade II to Grade II*. It was upgraded owing partly to the exceptional bronze panels by sculptor Gilbert Ledward. They are unusual in depicting a fallen German solider and for including figures of wives and children who also made sacrifices during wartime.
When the Memorial was erected in 1923 it was the joint tallest structure of its kind in England.
The Mayor Cllr Gillian Campbell unveiled the new plaque. The Deputy Mayor Councillor Major Adrian Hoyle, Mr John Barnett DL MBE and Chair of Blackpool Civic Trust, Joan Humble, also took part in the event. They were joined by members of Fylde Ex-Service Liaison Committee, who donated the old and new plaques, to celebrate this milestone in the history of Blackpool’s War Memorial.
The Mayor Cllr Gillian Campbell unveiled the new plaque. Photographed with Mr John Barnett DL MBE
The Mayor Cllr Gillian Campbell unveiled the new plaque. The Deputy Mayor Councillor Major Adrian Hoyle, Mr John Barnett DL MBE and Chair of Blackpool Civic Trust, Joan Humble, also took part in the event. They were joined by members of Fylde Ex-Service Liaison Committee, who donated the old and new plaques, to celebrate this milestone in the history of Blackpool’s War Memorial.
The revised Blackpool War Memorial Blue Plaque, 12th December 2023
See our 5 Blackpool Blue Plaque webpages click here
Click here for the 2023 News Archive
Click here for the News Archive