Category: 1971

Catterall & Swarbrick’s Brewery on Talbot Road Closes

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Catterall & Swarbrick Brewery was established in Poulton-le-Fylde in 1871 and officially registered in July 1894. The brewery in Blackpool was constructed in 1927. It was acquired by Northern Breweries of Great Britain Ltd in 1961, along with 104 public houses. Over its years of operation, it provided beverages to off-licenses, pubs, clubs, restaurants, and more, throughout the Fylde coast and beyond. However, the Blackpool site was closed in 1971 and later redeveloped for housing. In addition to the Poulton site, the brewery also acquired the Newton Springs Brewery. In November 1927, a new brewery was opened at the corner… Read more »

Blackpool Sixth Form College

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Blackpool Sixth Form College was established in 1971 as a sixth-form centre for Collegiate Grammar School before becoming an independent college in 1989. Today, Blackpool Sixth is recognised as an outstanding sixth-form college specialising in education for 16 to 19-year-olds. With a student body of just over 2,000, the college fosters a close-knit and supportive community. It prides itself on academic excellence, delivering high-quality teaching, learning, and pastoral support. Serving a broad area that includes Blackpool and the wider Fylde and Wyre districts, the college is known for its vibrant, inclusive, and welcoming environment. In December 2021, an Ofsted inspection… Read more »

Hylda Baker’s Blackpool Chauffeur

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Hylda Baker, born in Farnworth, Lancashire, on 4 February 1905, was a renowned British actress, comedian, and singer, famous for her larger-than-life personality and memorable performances. Although originally from Farnworth, she made Cleveleys, on the Fylde coast, her home later in life, a place she cherished both as a residence and a stage for some of her most iconic performances. Her association with the Fylde coast ran deep, as she appeared in numerous shows and made the area a key part of her career. One of her most notable performances took place in the summer of 1956 when she starred… Read more »

Syd Little of Little and Large

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Syd Little, born Cyril John Mead on 19 December 1942 in Blackpool and raised in Manchester, is a renowned British comedian, famed as the straight man in the comedy duo Little and Large alongside Eddie Large. Educated at Yew Tree Secondary Modern School in Wythenshawe, Little initially worked as an interior decorator while performing as a singer and guitarist in Manchester pubs. It was during these gigs that he teamed up with Eddie Large, forming a partnership that began as Cyril Mead and Friend and later became Mead and McGinnis. Their rebranding to Little and Large cemented their place in… Read more »