The renowned Mr and Mrs Howard Paul performed at the Exchange on the 12th January, 1869. They reportedly impersonated at least a dozen different phases of life, “in the most exquisite manner”. Audiences were treated to a rich performance and gave repeated applause throughout. Mrs Howard Paul was an English actress, singer and manager who…
Phrenology is a pseudoscience that involves the measurement of bumps on the skull to predict mental traits. It is based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific functions or modules. On 27th April 1867, renowned phrenologist Lorenzo Fowler visited the Exchange to…
A historical incident of public nuisance was recorded in the Preston Herald on December 9, 1865. According to the newspaper, some gentlemen had been causing trouble by blocking the footpath near the Exchange on market days. The Police were ordered to stop this behaviour and to disperse the crowd of gentlemen who gathered there.
The new Exchange building, which had been under construction for several years, finally opened its doors to the public on 6th May 1865. The opening was a rather low-key affair, as no official ceremony was held. The directors of the Exchange had tried to secure the attendance of some dignitaries, such as Lord Derby, Lord…
26 April 1865 Blackburn Standard MORNING NEWS The CONCERT AT THE EXCHANGE – The concert with which the new Exchange building is to be opened this evening promised to be in all respects one of the most attractive that has ever taken place in Blackburn. The leading performers whose names are announced occupy the highest…
Did you know that the Exchange was not built without risks? One of the workers who helped build the new Exchange had a terrible accident on January 30, 1864. His name was John Mellody and he was carrying a stone along the scaffolding, 16 feet above the ground, when he slipped and fell. He was…
The Exchange Comittee held their annual general meeting on the 27th November 1863. In their update, they announced another sixty members had joined the group in the last year, taking their membership to 512. The continued growth of the group confirmed their need for a dedicated building, and the Chairman read that the new Exchange…
Research by Kevin Pemburthy Three weeks after the laying of the foundation stone, a notice was placed in the local press by the secretary of the Exchange Committee advertising that a property called “The Exchange Hotel” was to be let with possession on the 12th of May 1863. The property was advertised as a capital…
Almost two and a half years after the designs for the Exchange had been chosen, the foundation stone for the Blackburn Exchange building was finally laid. The day chosen, Tuesday the 10th of March, 1863, coincided with a general holiday for the celebration of the wedding of Prince Albert Edward, the Prince of Wales, and…
On the 29th November 1862, the Preston Chronicle announced that building work on the new Exchange had begun! It was expected that the work should be completed within 18 months.
On the 31 March 1860 the Blackburn Times carried an advertisement and editorial article promoting a competition for architects and builders to submit designs for the building of The Exchange. The winning design by Brakespear of Manchester was commissioned and the northern range and octagonal tower was built between 1863 and 1865. The southern range was…
By January 1860, things were well underway for the development of a new Exchange building and a commitee had been formed to investigate possible sites for the construction. In a meeting held on the 11th January 1860, members of the Exchange Comittee discussed and voted on the possible sites that had been identified. The first…