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Does anyone remember going to see Jack Mores Monkey? We used to live in Scarborough and would go to see my Gran in Burnley for a weeks holiday (thank god jet travel caught on).

Anyhow, the highlights of our trip would be to go and play in the park that featured in Whistle Down the Wind, it was at the bottom of the street where our Gran lived, off Colne Road, and secretly I always hoped Hayley Mills would still be there (I was only about 4). We would also visit another park near the centre of Burnley that had boats for rent (I think, memories are distant).

The other highlight which I can vaguely remember, was being taken to see Jack Mores monkey. It feature some kind of baboon in a narrow cage somewhere. Poor thing would throw a wobbly every so often, and jump about the cage like a mad thing (which it probably was by this time)....it had obviously been penned up for too long
Aaah, the kids don't know what they're missing nowadays, going to the Canadian Rockies or somewhere like that for their hols !

The park which featured in Whistle Down the Wind was on Barden Lane near the pit. The one with the boats would have been Thompsons Park, I think.
Somewhere on this site there is another topic on Jack Moor's monkey, which I also remember----poor thing must have been mental when you think about it.

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

I, too, remember going to Thompson's Park and renting a boat. We used to walk down there from my Grannie's house near Elm Street. Going to Thompson's Park was very much a highlight of a visit.

Joan

Hi, you can find the earlier ref. under Pendle Bottom.

I remember the boats for hire, they( family!) wouldn't let me in one, as it was assumed I would immediately fall out and drown! How deep was it , 6 inches???

Hi,
"Whistle Down the Wind" was filmed at the small park on Barden Lane near the railway bridge,
the one the bowling greens.
Gilly

I grew up near Thompson's park, I remember once me and some pals were in a rowing boat and one of my friends fell in, we were in the middle of the lake and when she stood up the water just came below her knees. They also had a really super conservatory/hothouse for tropical plants, I remember seeing banana trees growing in their it was very tropical inside. They also had a great cafe with tables and benches outside or you could just lie on the grassy slope and eat your ice cream. I also remember the paddling pool which we used to love, think that's still there. They also had a lovely rose garden where you could sit and watch the boats on the boating lake on a lovely sunny afternoon. What we girls used to do when we were about 14 was to take our neighbours babies out in their prams for a couple of hours to give the Mum's a break and we used to take them down Thompson's park could you just imagine that being allowed to go on now! but in those days it was a regular occurence. As was taking all the little kiddies to the picture for the Saturday afternoon matinee, they would come with sixpence for the admission and money over for sweeties. Ah! Flash Gordon and the clay men was a favourite film of mine at that time, happy days.


Stephanie.

There are some images from Thompson Park on the site http://www.briercliffesociety.co.uk/Pho ... Spaces.htm

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Mel

Searching for lost relatives? Win the Lottery!

Lovely memory evoking photo's those Mel, the Italian gardens with the roses and the greenhouse, you can even see the cafe at the top of the slope on one of them, super.


Stephanie.

Yes, those pictures jogged my memory, too, Mel. I remember the gardens. I used to think Thompsons Park was a lovely place. It seemed a long walk from the corner of Elm Street but probably wasn't.

Joan

I used to walk with a group of young Sykers from Harle Syke to Thompson Park and Queens Park...across the fields....from Granville Street. I imagine there are no fields left there any more! We took all day to get there and back, and spent the afternoon at the parks. We took butties with us...and a shilling, so we could buy sarsaparilla en route somewhere and perhaps an ice cream cornet.
Haven't thought about that for decades.

[quote="Gloria"]The park which featured in Whistle Down the Wind was on Barden Lane near the pit.

thanks for that. We used to walk as kids from my Gran's house which was in Murray St, off Colne Rd, so it had to be close. Looked at it on Google earth (wonderful thing t'internet...) but nothing was familiar.

More fond memories especially the pictures of Heasandford and the pipe going across the river. The times I've crossed that.

We used to go fishing up Heasandford with jam jars and a rag with a hole on the top with a piece of string. Coming home with sticklebacks, minnows and water snails even a few caddisflies larva thrown in. Not forgetting the frog spawn.

My brother met Hayley Mills on Barden rec while they were filming the movie.

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Trish ...