Tag: 1897

Original Start for Courtfield House

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Built in 1897 by Town Freeman, successful businessman and ex Mayor Robert Mather JP, the house was considered to be one of the finest in the borough. The Mather family occupied the house until its sale, by auction in 1945. The name of ‘Courtfield’ was suggested by a family friend, Rev Fr Bernard Vaughan. The Vaughan’s ancestral home in Gloucestershire was called ‘Courtfield’, it had been in the family since 1570. At a cost of £14,750 (plus £396 costs) the buildings and land were bought amid controversy. There was much disquiet about the cost and perceived competition between the college… Read more »

Victoria Monks Appears at the Empire Theatre

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Victoria Annie Monks, born in Blackpool on 1 November 1882, was a prominent music hall singer in the early 20th century. During the Edwardian era and the First World War, she gained recognition for performing and recording popular songs such as Take Me Back to London Town and Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home? The daughter of optician Andrew Thomas Monks, she was educated in both England and Belgium. Her early performances were recorded in the Blackpool Gazette & Herald on 13 August 1897, where she was billed as “Little Victoria” at the Empire, Blackpool. She made her London debut… Read more »

HMS Foudroyant Shipwreck

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HMS Foudroyant, once Admiral Nelson’s flagship between 6 June 1799 and June 1801, ended her illustrious career in a dramatic wreck off the Blackpool coast in 1897. After years of distinguished service, the ship had retired and embarked on a fundraising voyage around Britain to promote her preservation. Her journey, however, came to an abrupt and tragic conclusion. The Foudroyant arrived in Blackpool on 4 June 1897, anchoring two miles offshore between Central and North Piers. On the morning of 16 June, a hurricane-strength storm swept through the area, and the ferocious winds caused the ship to break anchor. Buffeted… Read more »