It was a privilege to interview and film 95 year old, George Hughes from Blackburn who shared his memories of coming back from serving in Egypt just a few weeks after the reopening of the Majestic in November 1953 when he came to see Dracula. He regaled tales of all the cinemas in the town…
Rory Lushman took part in our Heritage Open Days event by bringing the past to life with a very personal guided tour of the places and spaces in the building.
Our first Heritage Open Days event in September 2017 was a very special day.
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…
Whilst researching the era of The Exchange, Blackburn as The Majestic Cinema, our archivists stumbled across an entry in a 1932 edition of The Era.
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…
Bill McKeich is looking forward to the forthcoming wedding of his granddaughter, Anna Thomson when a beloved family heirloom from Blackburn will take pride of place, the other side of the world in New Zealand.
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…