tarboat's photos with the keyword: darwen

The Market Street Pharmacy in Darwen occupies the former Montagu Burton tailor's shop.

Darwen became a municipal borough in March 1878 and civic leaders decided it was necessary to procure a town hall and a market hall: the original concept was to have two separate structures but after some debate it wasdecided to have a combined facility. The scheme was subject to a design competition which was supervised by Alfred Waterhouse and won by Charles Bell. The finance for the scheme was authorised under the Over Darwen Improvement Act 1879 and, after the River Darwen had been diverted into an underground culvert, the foundation stone for the new building was laid by the mayor, Alderman William Snape on 2 October 1880. The structure was built by a local contractor, J. Orrel & Sons, and the building was officially opened by the local member of parliament, Frederick Grafton on 21 June 1882. The building served as the headquarters of Darwen Borough Council for much of the 20th century but ceased to be the local seat of government when the enlarged Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council was formed in 1974. The council chamber became the home of Darwen Town Council when it was formed in 2009.

Like a relic of some long lost civilisation, the portal to the 1932 built public baths at Darwen stands as a reminder of past glory. Behind stands the replacement structure which is branded as a 'Leisure Centre'.

India Mill at Darwen was completed for Shorrocks Brothers in 1867 for cotton spinning. The chimney is 24ft square and stands 303 feet tall. The design was by E.Bates of Manchester and built by B. Lloyd of Darwen. The spinning mill closed in 1991 and is now occupied by a variety of businesses. The chimney was in poor condition until in 2007 the top ten feet was rebuilt, a cap put in place and the interior renovated. It is listed Grade II*.

Darwen Library and Theatre, Knott Street, Darwen. This is a Carnegie Library and was designed by architect Raymond Harrison. It opened in 1908 and is listed Grade II.

Advertising the product with lots of glazed faience on the 1927 office building at the Waterside Works of Shaws of Darwen. This architectural terracotta business was established in 1897 and in 2009 was split into two parts, one manufacturing architectural terracotta and the other making belfast sinks and other such ware. The terracotta business has since failed, leading to the establishment by the former employees of Darwen Terracotta Ltd which is based in Blackburn. Sink manufacture by Shaws continues at Waterside.

There was once an extensive coal industry exploiting the thin seams under the moors between Bolton and Darwen in Lancashire. These remains of the four beehive coke ovens at Cranberry Moss are typical of the small scale of operations in the area.

Seen in Round Barn Quarry, Entwistle. I have so far been unable to find any information about the brickworks where this was manufactured.

Decorative feature on the 1927 office building at the Shaws of Darwen factory.

Shaws of Darwen have been producing glazed sinks and terracotta for over 100 years at their factory at Waterside near Darwen, Lancashire. The office building dating from 1927 features glazed exterior capped with this lovely urn decoration.