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Blackpool Art Deco (i) Former Woolworths

This stunning builidng is hard by Blackpool Tower.

Loads of horizontals and verticals. And that clock tower! (Blackpool Tower behind):-

Old Woolworths, Blackpool

West (seaside) frontage. Now the Albert and Lion pub:-

Former Woolworths, Blackpool from West

Clock Tower:-

Clock Tower, Former Woolworths Blackpool

South facade and part of clock tower:-

Former Woolworths, Blackpool, South Facade

Towards the rear the building has a delightful curve. Those portions now house a Poundland and a Sports Direct:-

Curve on Fortmer Woolworths Building, Blackpool

The detailing here is sublime:-

Detailing, Former Woolworths, Blackpool

Rear of building:-

Rear, Former Woolworths, Blackpool

Blackpool War Memorial

Blackpool War Memorial is a very tall obelisk situated near the sea fairly close to Blackpool Tower.

Blackpool War Memorial + Tower:-

Blackpool War Memorial + Tower

Blackpool War Memorial. The names of the dead are displayed on the tops of two stone catafalques, one on either side of the memorial:-

Blackpool War Memorial

Blackpool War Memorial west face. Figures and dedication, “In memory of our glorious dead 1914-1918 1939-1945”:-

Blackpool War Memorial Figures and Dedication

South face. Frieze of figures and dedication, “Their name liveth forevermore”:-

Blackpool War Memorial South Face

East face. “In memory of our glorious dead 1914 – 1918 1939 – 1945” with below “Falkland Conflict 1982” and the name Foulkes F, M. N. (Merchant Navy):-

Blackpool War Memorial East Face

South face. Frieze of figures and inscription, “Lest we forget”:-

Blackpool War Memorial South Face

Blackpool War Memorial Ground Plaque, laid 2008. The main dedication is “to those who fought for freedom in all conflicts and those who remember them”:-

Blackpool War Memorial Ground Plaque

Winter Gardens, Blackpool

Another Blackpool landmark. A “historic entertainment venue with theatre, ballroom and conference facilities.”

Entrance facade:-

Winter Gardens, Blackpool

Entrance Doors:-

Blackpool Winter Gardens

Left frontage:-

Winter Gardens, Blackpool Detail

Right frontage:-

Blackpool Winter Gardens Right Frontage

Architectural detail:-

Detail, Winter Gardens, Blackpool

Roof detail. Note the reverse saltires (blue crosses on white.) As a flag this symbol was the ensign of the Imperial Russian Navy and the present day naval flag of the Russian Federation.

Roof Detail, Blackpool Winter Gardens 6

Blackpool, Piers and Tower

You can’t go to BLackpool and not note the things for which it is most famous.

Piers.

Central Pier:-

Central Pier, Blackpool

North Pier:-

North Pier, Blackpool.

The Tower and trams:-

Tower + tram at Blackpool

Floating Daleks

The friends we were visiting in Lancashire last year took us to Blackpool. We went on a tram trip (all the way to Fleetwood) and on the way passed these daleks, and a TARDIS; part of the Illuminations. Photo is a bit blurred due to being taken through the tram window:-

Floating Daleks

Country Tracks?

I was watching Country Tracks on BBC 1 this morning – well it was on and I was in the same room.

They were doing what might as well have been an episode of Coast; from Liverpool to Morecambe – with a diversion up the Manchester Ship Canal – taking in along the way Antony Gormley‘s statues on Crosby Beach, and Blackpool.

A lot of the programme consisted of clips shown on previous BBC shows. The introduction to Morecambe was an extract from a 2006 edition of Coast which I remember well as it alerted me to the refurbishment of the Midland Hotel which I looked at last year and Big Rab has photographed recently.

The show is on the BBC iPlayer. For how long I don’t know. (The content wasn’t working when I tried though. The relevant bit will be towards the end.) For a programme called Country Tracks it spent a lot of time in cities and towns this week.

The presenter got to stay the night in the hotel and we saw several shots of the inside and the Eric Gill artworks.

By a curious coincidence yesterday’s Guardian Review (I only get round to reading that bit on a Sunday) had an article about another English sea-side Art Deco extravagance, Marine Court, St Leonards, whose structure is modelled on the liner RMS Queen Mary. Marine Court opened just in time to be made a bit of a white elephant by the Second World War. It’s quite stunning.

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