Pictures of the past: Glorious St Annes

Our archive photos show some of the areas of the Fylde town looking unrecognisable as they were so different in the early years of the last century.

Many readers would not recognise North Crescent on this picture, looking towards St Annes Road East and the Parish Church, in 1885. The property on the right, in St David’s Road, is now occupied by shops. Work on the Lady Star of the Sea RC Church, at the bottom of the Crescent, was not started for another three years.

Another shot looks south along St Annes Promenade gardens, which were first established in the 1890s. The boating pool around the Bandstand and the iron sandshield Promenade wall were added later. In the background, stands the open air pool, first opened in June 1916. Bathing beauties are pictured at the open air baths on today’s Memory Lane front cover and a mother and daughter are pictured enjoying the pool.

A 1953 picture shows a view of St Annes Square, looking inland across Clifton Drive North to the wide expanse of pavements either side of St Annes Road West. Burton’s gents outfitters stands on one corner and Sander’s store on the other.

The impressive facade of the Hotel Majestic and gardens, St Annes, can no longer be seen, but is shown here on a historical post card, postmarked 1925. It was demolished to make way for flats in 1975.

Another image shows some of the Porritt houses along the North Promenade in St Annes. The house in the far left of the picture was under construction at the time and is situated at the junction of the promenade and Beach Road. This is Wimbledon House and the Barrett’s 1895 Directory of Preston and Fylde Districts shows this was the residence of Robert Taylor Boddington, of the famous brewing family.