John Barnett MBE, a successful businessman from Blackpool, officially started his role as the new High Sheriff of Lancashire on Wednesday 13 April 2016. At the installation ceremony at County Hall in Preston, he promised to do everything he could for the people of Blackpool and Lancashire over the next year. In the Fylde Coast community, he’s well known for founding Radio Wave and serving as Chairman for many years after he retired. Even though many of the High Sheriff’s powers have been reduced over time, the role still carries out important duties. It’s a voluntary position with no salary… Read more »
Michael Holroyd Smith (1847–1932) was a British pioneer of electrical and motor car engineering. He was born in Halifax on 22 December 1847, the son of Matthew Smith and his wife Mary Sutcliffe. Over his life he worked on various projects as a consulting engineer. In 1885 he was responsible for the design and construction of the Blackpool Electric Tramway, a line in Blackpool that was Britain’s first electric tramway and survives to this day, albeit in a rather different form. Between 1886 and 1890, he was responsible for the electrification of the City and South London Railway, the first… Read more »
Ed Christiano left Hollywood for Blackpool in 1988. He was born in Rochester, New York and moved with his family to Florida when he was 11. His mother worked in events and his father was a renowned electronic engineer who designed audio systems for US Navy warships and submarines. Ed got a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts with honours, concentrating in Cinematography, from the University of South Florida. One of his first jobs in Hollywood was as a sound recordist on a film called Violet (1981), which won an Academy Award for Best Short Film. He worked on several feature… Read more »
