Hoghton Tower before the restoration

(original photo in restoration)  These are the steps leading up to the internal courtyard. The photo dates from before the restoration began. In 1880, my great great grandparents, John and Sarah Windle, moved from Newby Hall Farm, near Clapham to Home Farm Hoghton Tower.  The photo, no doubt reflects how they would have found it. They farmed there until the mid 1880's, moving later to Bolton Hall Farm, Hoghton. Their son, John Thomas Windle worked at Hoghton Tower, living in the Tower Cottages.

Hoghton Tower and The Lodge

This is really one of my favourite photos of Hoghton Tower.  I don't remember having ever seen the internal gardens, although I have been to the Tower many times! 

Courtesy of Thomas de Hoghton

2003

The lodge was built in 1876 by Charles de Hoghton. I was born here in 1963 as my parents, Eric and Betty Miller-Crook rented the house after their marriage in 1958.

1958

1969

1995

The King's visit in 1913

photo courtesy of Steve Williams

My Aunt Marion is the lady in the white dress. She had lived at the first cottage at the end of the lane, adjacent to the Lodge, as my great grandfather worked for the Estate.

Hoghton Tower - James I visit in 1617

The visit of King James I & VI of Scotland to Hoghton Tower in 1617,  by George Cattermole. 

The painting shows the central pele tower between the two coutyards, which was destroyed by the Roundheads on 14 February 1643 when the gunpowder stored inside ignited. The tower was never rebuilt.

The old driveway to the tower began at Riley Green.  It started at Green Lane running down the side of the Royal Oak, through Green Farm and continued up to the Tower.  

The one which we now see coming from the War Memorial on the A675 main Blackburn to Preston road was not opened until 1901, when Sir Cuthbert, the late baronet, came of age.

Hoghton Tower entrance

photo to be replaced

Here the entrance seems to have decorated for a special event - possibly the marriage of Sir Cuthbert de Hoghton to Philomena Simmons in January 1944?

Hoghton Hilltop

Artist's impression, (Mr Shaw) of Hoghton Tower

1832 painting showing Hoghton Tower hilltop from Preston

Class of 1905

1905

Back row, second girl from the right, Mable Windle, my grandmother (from Tower Cottages). Perhaps your ancestors are on here too?

Class of 1946

Thanks to Ben Smalley, Harold Eastham and Jennifer Marginson for supplying all the names. 

Front row, left to right: Valerie Henry, Maureen Veevers, Brenda Jones, Eunice Birchall, Brenda Johnson, Gordon Paterson, Grace Cunliffe, John Birchall, Ben Smalley.

Second row, left to right: Barbara Woods, Dorothy Cunliffe, John Cross,  my Auntie - Maj Smalley, Jennifer Marginson, Sheila Smalley, Stanley Farnworth, Albert Brennand, Billy Smith, David Threlkeld. 

Back row, left to right: Jennifer Threlkeld, Frances Wadsworth, Harold Eastham, Keith Moore, Billy Clamp, Carl Jones, Michael Malley, Harold Rushton, Harry "Bam" Seed, Kathleen Wadsworth.

Working on the level crossing in 1950

My brothers and I remember going over this footbridge. However, in 1968 it had to be removed. My father Eric, his brother Herbert, and others, worked through the night with a large mobile crane to dismantle it.  The job had to be carried out between 12 midnight and 6.00 am,  in time for the first trains to start coming through again.

(Photo hand coloured by Herbert Miller-Crook)

Livesey's Factory

Vale House Farm is shown here in the foreground.  Livesey's factory is further along the road, in the centre of the photograph.  This factory manufactured shuttles for the cotton industry and was known as "the Shuttle Shop"!  See also the postings on Higher and Lower Mills.

Hoghton Station in the 50's

Hoghton Station was situated on the East Lancashire Line between Preston and Blackburn. It was closed by British Rail in 1963.  They dismantled and removed the buildings that had stood on the station.  In 1966 my uncle and father bought the Station and converted it into a depot for selling ex-MOD vehicles - Crook Brothers.

The station looking towards Blackburn

Another view, showing the opposite side. The signal box would be on Station Road. New Bridge had not yet been built of course. 

The Railway pub would be on the right (later known as The Sirloin) 

My great-uncle, Tom Windle, was a booking clerk at Hoghton Station.  He married the stationmaster's daughter, Annie Crankshaw. 

Victorian group waiting for the train

From the clothes the people are wearing, I would estimate this photo to have been taken around 1900? This is the "Sirloin Pub side" The signalman's box, for operating the gates of the level crossing, would be just off the photo to the left. The footbridge is just visible.

Class photo 1952

Let me know if you can identify anyone.  Possibly front row, extreme left, Janet Coar?

Hoghton School

Interesting view from the Victorian era, showing the former chimneys. The school was originally built by Henry de Hoghton  in 1838, and the schoolmaster's house in 1839. It is a tall building, and not surprisingly did once have two storeys.  The first floor was used for boarders and apparently there were 120 scholars in 1851, according to George Birtill, a local historian.

This photo seems to date from around 1945.  The schoolmaster's lodgings were to the Riley Green side of the school.

Hoghton School as a private house in 2009

Third row from the front, second from the left, Mable Windle, my grandmother. Perhaps your ancestors are on here too?

Inside the main hall.  The school was once the centre of Hoghton community, being  used for all types of meetings and social events.  It was used by the Scouts and Campaigners, for jumble sales, Harvest Festival suppers etc.  I remember attending Sunday School there.  A new school was created at Coupe Green in 1975 and Hoghton school seems to have closed in 1976.  It was eventually sold to become a, beautifully restored, private house.

My great-grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Davies, (on the extreme left) was an assistant teacher at Hoghton School from 1881 - 1885.  In  1888 she married 
Thomas Miller-Crook of Horrobin Farm, Riley Green.
Photo circa 1901. Left to right, Mary Elizabeth, Anne, great Grandfather Thomas with little May, Ralph (standing), my grandfather Thomas, his sister Rachael (sitting),  - behind her, I presume, Great Great Grandma Sarah. Sarah was married age 17, and had fourteen children, Thomas being the eldest.

Mary Elizabeth is shown below in her role as teacher probably around 1885
 (she is on the extreme right)