2016 was a momentous year for the town centre when stakeholders from all sectors came together in a united force of civic pride to champion Blackburn’s winning entry in the Great British High Street Awards. The judges’ visit included a quick tour of The Exchange and a chat with Dr Alastair Murdoch about our grass roots…
From Lancashire Telegraph FILM fans found themselves caught up in a horror movie when they went to Blackburn’s Apollo cinema. Staff at the town centre cinema shocked the audience by staging a mock stabbing to celebrate the opening of the film Scream 3. A fake screen was erected in front of the real one,…
This is a photo from Bernie Gostling who worked at the Majestic Hairdressers in the basement as a Saturday girl for Margaret Whittaker. She was then given an apprenticeship in the 1980s. Bernie said: ‘I am the blonde one on the right hand side. The lady at the front to the left of the photo…
It was a momentous day for Blackburn when the doors of the Cotton Exchange opened for the first time on 26th April 1865. 94 years later, the Essoldo cinema marked the anniversary and the screening of High Society with a full page history article in the Blackburn Times on 26 April 1957, along with…
CINEMA STAFF UP ON THE ROOF ESCAPE PRISON On this day in history, 17 August 1954, the Lancashire Evening Post reported on the court case of cinema staff prosecuted for stealing tiles off the roof of The Majestic Cinema at The Exchange, Blackburn. ‘Fines totalling £33 were imposed at Blackburn today on cinema projectionists…
Kinematograph Weekly June 1923 A supplement in the trade magazine contained a front page advert for furnishers Beck and Windibank Ltd in Birmingham, listing the Exchange Picture House as one of the many clients that they have secured in the few weeks since Easter that year. The company supplied 1644 chairs including 478 Mayfair tub…
The basement and cellar spaces of The Exchange were once used by wine and spirit wholesalers, Addison & Co who also had premises on Church Street. Here’s an advert from the 1870s. In the more recent past, this was where families celebrated milestone birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas works dos at Tiggis Italian restaurant. Do you have…
Following the closure of libraries due to Covid, we were delighted when restrictions began to be lifted in May 2021 and we were able to access the archives of our Local Studies section in Blackburn Library. Mary Painter from Blackburn with Darwen Library and Information Service has been helping us find out more about…