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Hi all, wonmder if you can help....I am trying to find out information on the Pysical Culture Club in Burnley. I am researching into the death of a relative (Thomas Walsh, aged 18) in 1927 and have just receved documentation telling me that he fell of the stairs at this place at an opeing event and fell into Mitre Yard! Has anyone heard of these places, I cant find anything on the internet and living over 200 miles away doesnt make it easier!

Any help is appreciated

Regards Yvonne

I've heard of Mitre...I'll email Roger and ask him what, if anything, he knows.

Unless someone else comes up with a response any quicker?

_________________
Mel

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Roger has replied

there is a part of Burnley which is known as The Mitre. It takes its name from the Mitre Hotel which is at the cross roads of Westgate, Trafalgar Street, Padiham Road and Accrington Road. The hotel is still standing but it is not used for its original purpose. There were two streets with Mitre names in 1926/7. They were Mitre Place and Mitre Street. The former only had three houses in it but the latter was larger with 13 houses but it only had even numbers, 2 to 26 all of which were houses. Both streets were in one of the poorer areas of town. Mitre Street still exists but I would have to check to see if the properties have survived. A lot of developments has taken place in this part of Burnley in recent years. I can not see anything, as yet, about a Physical Culture Club but there are other sources and I will check these when I get the chance.

Yvonne, I will send you a PM with Rogers email address, he suggested you might like to contact him directly.

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Mel

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Hi all, just thought id let you know ive just received the document form the Library and here is the cut down version:

Printed on the 26th October 1927 in the Burnley Express:
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FELL FROM LANDING
SAD ACCIDENT AT A FIRST NIGHT
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YOUTH KILLED AT PHYSICAL CULTURE CLUB
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The tragedy being the opening night of a physical culture club that had changed it's headquarters was reveled to the Burnley Coroner (Mr A F Sutcliffe) at an inquest held at the town hall on Monday on Thomas Walsh (18) of 21 Simpson Street.

Peter Walsh said his son left home last Thursday with the intention of going to the West End Physical Culture Club which had that night changed its headquarters to a room in the Mitre Hotel Yard. At 9.45 the same evening his son was brought home in a taxi and was in a semi conscious state. He told him that he had been leaning against some railings on the veranda of the gymnasium and it had given way and he had fallen into the yard. He was suffering with bruises on the back of his head. He died on the Saturday.

Cecil Heywood said he was present at the club last Thursday, he had been playing football with the deceased earlier on with some other youths. after a short while he, the deceased and Rueben Eastwood, left the club and went to the landing, whilst they were there they stopped fro fresh air and within 2 seconds the deceased had fallen, Rueben herd a thud and when he turned round the deceased had fallen. .................................................................It goes on to say that they boys had been standing on a platform of what seemed to have been used one time or another as a warehouse and that the railing had given way and were not adequate put into stop this accident from happening. The finally after a lengthy investigation conclude that it was an accidental death and finished the inquest by telling the caretaker to sort of the railings.

Good job they didn't have the same H&S police as we have today!

So if anyone has any information on these places I would love to hear from them..I believe the Mitre Hotel is about to be pulled down! I hope not before I manage to get a picture, and maybe some further information!

Regards Yvonne

Yvonne,
I have put an answer to this on your other thread.
Gloria

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

You can download an excellent picture of the Mitre Hotel by "wadey" for free using the "Flickr" photo site. Open up Flickr, enter "Mitre Hotel Burnley" into the search box. and you will see the picture you want. Expand this up to the larger sizes and then select download. This will appear as a download image .jpg. The Mitre Hotel is a "L" shaped building with the "warehouse" section to the left on the photo. ie: on Cranmer St. There were also other warehousing to make up the Mitre yard on the Mitre st: side. one of which has been demolished. I'm told that the "taxi" building that can be seen in the Google Street view has been demolished within the last two weeks.

I was contacted yesterday by a gentleman who kindly offered me the use of 4 pictures of what was The Mitre that were taken this week. Thanks Ken.

These have now been added, the links are

http://briercliffesociety.co.uk/Photo%2 ... Mitre1.htm
http://briercliffesociety.co.uk/Photo%2 ... Mitre2.htm
http://briercliffesociety.co.uk/Photo%2 ... Mitre3.htm
http://briercliffesociety.co.uk/Photo%2 ... Mitre4.htm

_________________
Mel

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