Category: 1939

Harold Larwood – From Cricket to Sweets & Tobacco

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Harold Larwood, a celebrated English cricketer, had a connection to Blackpool after his first-class cricket career with Nottinghamshire ended. He played for Blackpool Cricket Club in 1939. On the outbreak of war, Larwood left the game altogether, to work away from the public eye as a market gardener. In 1946 he used his savings to buy a sweet shop on Caunce Street in Blackpool. A park in Victory Road, Blackpool, was renamed in his honour. Although he generally kept away from organised cricket and avoided all personal publicity, he was persuaded to attend a farewell luncheon for Don Bradman at… Read more »

Roy Fuller Gets His First Poetry Book Published

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Roy Broadbent Fuller CBE (11 February 1912 – 27 September 1991) was an English poet and writer, best known for his contributions to poetry. Born in Failsworth, Lancashire, to Leopold Charles Fuller and Nellie Broadbent, his early life was shaped by a lower-middle-class background. His father, who had a difficult start in life as the illegitimate son of Minnie Augusta Fuller, worked his way up to become the works manager and later a director of a rubber-proofing mill in Hollinwood, Greater Manchester, before passing away in 1920. After his father’s death, Fuller was raised in Blackpool and attended Blackpool High… Read more »

Arthur Askey at Royal Variety Performance in the Opera House

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Arthur Askey, CBE OBE, was one of Britain’s most beloved comedians, actors, and musicians, known for his quick wit, infectious energy, and enduring catchphrases. Askey was born at 29 Moses Street, Dingle, Liverpool, the eldest child and only son of Betsy (née Bowden), originally from Knutsford, Cheshire, and Samuel Askey, company secretary of Sugar Products of Liverpool. Six months after his birth, the family moved to 90 Rosslyn Street, Liverpool. His connection to Blackpool ran deep, and in July 1955, he made a special appearance at the annual garden party at St Annes College for Girls. Askey not only performed… Read more »

Cynthia Lennon – Born in Blackpool

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Cynthia Lennon (née Powell; 10 September 1939 – 1 April 2015) was a British artist and author, and the first wife of John Lennon. She was born in Blackpool on 10 September 1939 and raised in Hoylake on the Wirral Peninsula. She was the youngest of three children of General Electric Company employee Charles Powell and his wife Lillian (née Roby), who already had two sons named Charles and Anthony. Her parents were from Liverpool, but her mother (along with other pregnant women) was sent to the safer area of Blackpool after World War II had been declared and lived… Read more »

Ivor Novello at the Grand and Opera House

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Ivor Novello was a huge star in the first half of the 20th century and had international success in films as an actor hailed at the British Rudolph Valentino; indeed the New York Times declared him to be “the handsomest man in Britain!” Novello was also a famous composer and achieved great success with his musicals. They were lush, romantic and in many ways utter nonsense but people loved the escapism, especially during the depression in the 1930s and then the war years. People wanted to forget reality for a couple of hours and escape into Novello’s world of Ruritanian… Read more »

Sir John Gielgud at the Opera House

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The headline referenced a different kind of national emergency—the outbreak of war—when stage producers sought refuge for their plays away from London. Blackpool, with its multiple theatres and a wartime population swelled by civil servants and RAF personnel in training, became an unlikely hub for some of the most prestigious productions of the time. Among these, one of the most remarkable moments came in late September 1939, when the Grand Theatre hosted what might well be its most star-studded cast ever. The production was John Gielgud’s staging of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. Gielgud himself starred as John… Read more »

Derby Baths on Blackpool Promenade

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Derby Baths in Blackpool, which opened on 22 July 1939, quickly became the town’s premier spot for swimming and recreation. Designed in the popular Art Deco style, it featured a large swimming pool, saunas, steam rooms, and relaxation areas. For decades, it was a central hub for the community, hosting events, fitness classes, and social gatherings, making it a beloved landmark in Blackpool. However, after years of declining visitor numbers and growing concerns about the building’s condition, Derby Baths closed on 31 December 1991. Although there were discussions about renovating and possibly reopening the facility, the decision was made to… Read more »

George Formby at Football Match

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On 6 May 1939, during the Blackpool versus Portsmouth match, George Formby was photographed alongside two key figures of the football world: James Blair, the captain of Blackpool FC, on the left, and Jimmy Guthrie, the captain of Portsmouth FC, on the right. The trio was holding the FA Cup, which had been recently won by Portsmouth just a week earlier, following their victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the final at Wembley. This moment captured a sense of celebration and camaraderie, with the FA Cup symbolising not only Portsmouth’s triumph but also the enduring connection between football and popular culture… Read more »