If there was one thing our Bacup and Stacksteads ancestors knew how to do it was Celebrate. Whether it be a Royal Coronation,  Royal Visit, Carnival, Church Parade or Fund Raising event out would come the bunting and the crowds.

 

 

The Bacup Fair

 

Bacup Whitsuntide, fair was a grand affair well loved by adults and children alike. Road transport not being as it is today the vast majority of the fairground arrived by train. Local lads and lasses would sit  on the wall at the railway station and watch the goings on down below in the cattle yard. Every now and again a brave soul may just venture down off the wall into  the cattle pens, lift the tarpaulin  and have a sneaky look underneath, running back to join his friends  to tell of what he'd seen. Then it was off to Market Street to watch some of the fairground people arriving in their little horse drawn caravans. And what little palaces some of these were, exquisitely painted with cut glass mirrors inside and out along with the highly polished brasses these little caravans did the owners credit.

 

 

The land opposite the police station and the land at the back of the inside market was all packed with stalls ands amusements. Down each side of the Market brew would be stalls selling fruit, rock biscuits and ice-cream, coconuts and brandy snaps. Two or three stalls at the bottom of Bankside Lane were occupied by toy sellers, selling wooden trucks and trains.

Union Street was  home to a tower like structure called the Helter Skelter, which you entered by a door at ground level, taking a mat with you up to the top level. Behind the helter Skelter were more dolly stalls and coconut shies, where the cry was " Three balls a penny". Children's roundabouts and Helms bicycles and hooplas which if you were lucky you could win a watch.

 

Numerous shows were sited on this part of the fair including freak shows, lion shows and the inevitable boxing booths. The latter being run by Booths boxers who nightly challenged all and sundry to stay with one or the other for two or three rounds. Many a local lad took up the challenge and it was often said they were like lambs to the slaughter.

 

 

Sedgewicks Lion show was often situated at the entrance ot King Street or Irwell Street, with members of the public being invited to enter the lions cage. Ten shillings being offered to anyone brave enough to do so. One man by the name of Tom Lord, licensee of the Waterloo Hotel once accepted the challenge but pulled out at the last minute.

 

Roundabouts with their steam pipe organs spluttering out the best loved tunes of the days such as The Merry Widow, Oh, Oh, Antonio or Walking Out With Angeline or for a change some stirring march or other. Gaily painted and gilded these organs usually had a mechanical figure in front of them and as the organ played the figure would wave it's hands about as though conducting the orchestra. With three or four organs blaring out the hooting of the steamboats, the firing range the shouts of the stallholders and hawkers mingled with the shrieks of the children as they whirled round and round on the hobby horses the noise was like bedlam.

 

 

 

When The Circus Came To Town

 

Piebald horses gaily decorated and ridden by both men and women, small Shetland ponies prancing along behind the huge cars colourfully decorated announcing to the world that the Circus had arrived in town. Elephants, Camels and other creatures  marched through the town making their way up to the top of  Lanehead, near the cricket field. One story is told of two baby Elephants who along with their mothers were taking part in the circus about 1885. The mother Elephants were led along Lane head lane while the two babies were held back. Children of all ages sat on the cricket field wall and cheered the baby elephants on as they were let go to run after their mothers along Lane head.

 

 

 

The War Is Over

 

 

Bacup held a Peace Celebration on 19th July 1919 in the grounds of Stubylee Park to celebrate the end of the Great War. The celebrations consisted of two Public Processions one from the Market Ground in Bacup the other from the Recreation Ground in Stacksteads to meet for a Divine Service at the park at 9.30am.The procession from the Market Ground in Bacup included: Irwell Springs band, Discharged and Demobilised Sailors and Soldiers, Police and Fire Brigade, Ambulance and Nursing Division, Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, Day School Teachers, Corporation Officials. Justices of the Peace, Members of the Town Council, Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Town Clerk. To name but a few.

The route followed was:

Bankside, Market Street, Newchurch Road, Newline to the Band Enclosure at the park entering by the Moorlands Gate.

The Procession from Stacksteads Recreation ground was as follows. Stacksteads Prize Band, Discharged and Demobilised Sailors and Soldiers, Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, Tradesmen's Associations ( Stacksteads), Political Associations, Trades Unions, Workmen's Clubs, Recreation Clubs. Again to name but a few. 

 

The route followed was:

Farholme Lane, Newchurch Road, and Newline. Further celebrations were held in the evening from 6.30 to 9.0pm.

Irwell Springs Band played a selection of Music in the band stand Stacksteads prize  Band played music for dancing in the Church Meadow at Stubylee. Bacup Change Band played music for dancing in the Maden Recreation Ground.

 

Bonfires were lit on Greens Moor, Stacksteads and Deerplay Hill at Midnight and at the same time on Greens Moor a Firework display was held. A competition was held  to find the best decorated premises in the town to encourage the residents  to make the town look as bright and cheerful as possible.