The picture above is taken outside what was Bacup Railway station Street which was situated on Rockliffe Road This was not always the name of the road in fact in 1849 the road was known as Mill Street, possibly because  Rockliffe Mill was situated a little further up from the station. In 1844 The Manchester, Bury and Rossendale Railway Company was incorporated by a act Act Of Parliament. The Manchester to Rawtenstall section of the Railway was opened to passengers on 28th September 1846, with the  Rawtenstall to Waterfoot line opening to passengers on the 27th March 1848. Faced with the obstruction of the " Thrutch Gorge" or better known today by the name of  "The Glenn" it was another four years before passenger trains began running from Waterfoot to Bacup, this took place on 1st October 1852.

 

 

Hardmans Foundry was under demolition in 1983 by the 27th June all the waste had been carried away and no remains were to be seen. The site was completely cleared by August 9th 1983. Had it not been for the American gold rush the foundry may never have been, hearing that her two sons wanted to travel to America their mother offered to put up the money in order for them to open up a foundry, which they did manufacturing many of the machines needed for local weaving sheds. The two streets just showing in the above picture were those of Hardman and Heys Street, both streets were built about 1866 and demolished by 1983. Alan Street just visible in the picture was also known as Station Steps the steps giving a short cut to Rochdale Road. Oddly the street was named  differently at either end. By 1984 all the properties had been demolished.

 

 

 

 In this picture we can see a good overall view of the Rockliffe area the large building with chimney is Rockliffe mill separated from the railway cattle pens by River Street which runs along the bottom. Behind the mill chimney at the very top of the picture is Green Hill  which was once the home of  Hargreaves Howarth senior partner in the firm of Messrs James Howarth  and bros cotton spinner Forest Mill. Hargreaves  died aged 79  in  1894 and was buried in Mount Pleasant he was the  youngest of three original partners in the firm his eldest brother dying in 1867 and his second brother Henry dying in 1886.  The firm first started Rockliffe mill in 1842 erecting Forest mill in 1854. Also pictured behind the mill chimney are the backs of the houses of Hartley Street shown below just prior to their demolition.

 

 

 

In 1849 the road we know today as Rockliffe Road was actually named Rockliffe Lane and the area that housed the streets of Hartley, Bold, Pembroke, Grafton was known as Lower Rockliffe. The path shown below led from the lane to Rochdale Road and on the map of 1849 the only houses shown are those shown at the top on Rochdale Road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Curve Street was situated behind the houses that fronted onto Newchurch Road, pictured above the eight houses numbered 2 - 16  of Curve Street and those of 291 - 295 of Newchurch Road were all demolished in 1979. A wall was built in the area and access to the Garage of Milton Ashworths in 1983. Next door to was of course Rock House which was home to many of Bacup's doctors and their families. Across the road from Rock House was once Ashworth's saw mill and the streets of Manor Street, with it's blacksmiths shop, Spring Street, and Timber Street with  Springholme Mill pictured above next.

 

The picture above was taken from the top of the chimney of Springholme Mill and shows in the bottom right hand corner the cottages of India Mill. The weaving shed of New Hey which was built by John Roberts a one time owner of Forest House. The houses on the right  were demolished in the 1960's.

 

Clearance orders issued for Newchurch Road and Wesley Place issued in 1937.Nos 63. 67, 69 Newchurch Road. No's 2 and 4 Wesley Place. No's 65 and 67a Newchurch Road. Pippin bank was also the home of the Rossendale Division Carriage Company previous to that known as Roberts. 

 

 

 

The Holt Arms was situated at the bottom of New Line and was also known as The Junction. The building carried a datestone of 1851 and was demolished in August 1984. This area and the houses on Newchurch Road was known as Slack Gate. Lodge Street stood were the Kingfisher centre now stands demolition of Lodge Street began in March 1982 and had been completed by April.

The houses just visible in the left of the picture just below St Saviours school were those of Cocoa Lee Terrace. Six of these houses namely numbers 22 - 30 were indentured in 1899. In this location were houses known as Lumb Hall. A description of these and their occupants can read on the Greenoff memories page.

 

 

In 1865 a report in the Bacup Times stated that John Holt of Stubylee was about to begin work on a road from his lodge gates to the junction with Newchurch Road, this road would become Park Road. In the background left of the picture above is Ross Mill  with the rail siding just visible running alongside it on the right. St Saviours is shown on the right of the picture with the school and the houses of Cocoa Lee Terrace.