Two shots of the same stretch of Northgate, the section between Lord St West / Lord St and New Market St / Blakey Moor. One looking north and the other looking south.
There have been many shops and businesses along here over the decades, over a couple of centuries I suppose, but probably the best remembered from the 20th century and into the 21st, has to be Mercers.
Though best known as an ironmongers, they sold much more besides. A great shop, over two floors, where you could browse for hours.
The name is still carried on, by the toy shop now on Darwen St.
Photos courtesy of John Eddleston
I remember Johnny Forbes outfitters on Northgate - a fabulous shop selling sportswear and equipment and upstairs they sold childrens and ladies fashions.
ReplyDeleteIt was indeed a great shop.
DeleteIf you type Johnny Forbes into the search in the top left corner, it should take you to another photo, which shows a bit more of his shop.
Kind regards.
Colin
Dear Blackburn Lad, you might be interested in my blog post on the 'bards' of Victorian Blackburn, local poets, who met in 2 Northgate pubs, the Black Horse and the Nag's Head:
ReplyDeletehttp://hobbb.tumblr.com/post/66274606666/the-bards-of-blackburn-and-the-centrality-of-local
(copy & paste link into browser)
cheers
Andrew Hobbs
Thanks Andrew, I'll check it out sometime, if my computer ever starts behaving itself again.
ReplyDeleteCheers.
Colin
The Mercers toyshop on darwen street is an ex employee of Mercers Northgate, the original Mercers is on pump street where they moved the ironmongery dept in with the steel and pipe fittings dept
ReplyDelete