Bygone Burnley, with JACK NADIN

DUCKETT Street, above the former Holy Trinity Church on Accrington Road, takes its name from James Duckett, of Duckett's Pipe Works, and is a firm that will still be remembered by many folk in the area.

Here, traditionally kiln fired and salt glazed pipes, urinals and drains were manufactured well into the late 1960s, and early 1970s.

The firm occupied both sides of Blannel Street, the site of which is now used by small industrial units.

On the other side of Accrington Road was the huge quarry used in connection with the pipe works -- also a kids' playground at weekends known locally as Duckett's Delph.

The demise of the Duckett's Works was probably brought about by the introduction of plastic for drains and pipes -- much cheaper than fired clay.

So who was James Duckett of Duckett's Pipe Works?

Well, James Duckett, the founder of this firm, was born in December, 1825, the son of John and Jenny, his father was employed as a cotton spinner.

At the age of nine or 10, he entered into employment at the cotton mill, as many youngsters did at this time, following his father.

However, millwork was not suited to young James, he preferred the more open, outdoor work.

After a while he was apprenticed to the job of working as a mason, with his brother, who at that time was erecting the building to be known as Barrowford Church.

This would be around 1840, when James was just 15 years old. James found this occupation much better suited to his temperament, and a few years later, while still in his teens, he was made a partner in the business.

The first large contract the firm was entrusted to was the erection of St Mary's Roman Catholic Church at Burnley, which was opened for divine service on August 2, 1849.

Kelbrook Church, near Earby, was also built by James Duckett, as was the Roman Catholic Church at Lancaster.

James Duckett also built the church at Barrow-in-Furness, and had connections with the alterations at Gawthorpe Hall. He also built Newfield Hall, near Settle, for Mr Birkbeck, which still survives. One of his largest contracts, however, was the construction of Yatefield Mill, also known as Haslam's Mill off Gannow Lane -- it was also his last.

The work was going ahead much to James' satisfaction, indeed, he saw fit to comment to his foreman that he was doing an excellent job.

Mr Haslam, however, was not so pleased with the work, and told James so in no uncertain terms.

James replied: "Well, if that's not good work, then I shall never build another yard of stonework once this mill is finished," and he kept his word.

To his business of quarryman, he also added that of brickmaker. He is said to have been the first in this district to introduce the manufacture of bricks by the modern method.

As the business prospered, he turned his attention to the manufacture of sanitary ware.

It was this side of the business that was to prove most successful, and the works developed into the firm James Duckett and Sons, Sanitary Pipe Manufacturers. All this took place in the next 10 years, for by 1870, James, along with his wife Mary Ann, children Alfred, Sarah, Emma and Annie were living at 24 Accrington Road, on the corner of Blannel Street and Accrington Road and within view of the works a few yards away.

His son Alfred later became involved with the business, as did his grandson, George, and the firm became identified as one of the largest in the world at that time.

In the 1970s while working as a scaffolder at Whitehaven in what is now Cumbria, I was pleased to find that the urinal in one of the local public houses was one made by James Duckett and Co, of Burnley.

James Duckett also turned his attention to public duties, and in November 1872 he was elected as the representative for the Trinity Ward, and remained on the Council for three years.

He was also a member of the Water and Sewerage Committee, with the obvious benefits of a man with his experience.

Soon afterwards, in around 1876, his new house -- Woodleigh, in Manchester Road -- was built, and James and his family moved there.

In May 1884, he was singled out for a position of magisterial honours, and made Justice of the Peace, in company of Mr James Kay, William Lancaster and J.W. Phillips.

In religion, for many years he was connected with Westgate Congregational Church. In July 1897, James Duckett was in need of a rest, he had been of ill health for a number of months, and paid a visit to Ilkley, Yorkshire.

One bright day while at Ilkley he took his horse-drawn carriage to the beautiful woods astride the River Wharfe near Bolton Abbey, accompanied by his three daughters, Mrs George Gill, Mrs William Robinson, and Miss Duckett. They returned during the afternoon after a pleasant outing.

It was about nine o'clock that evening that his daughter Mrs Gill went out into the garden to call her father in for supper.

It was here she found him collapsed on the grass, he apparently had suffered a seizure.

Mr Duckett slowly slipped into a coma, and eventually passed away in the presence of his daughters and other close friends.

He was conveyed back to Burnley, and his family home. Today this fine house survives, it's the large red-bricked building on the right hand side going up Manchester Road, just below the General Williams pub.

There are many fine houses on Manchester Road, built by the cotton manufacturers and other businessmen of the town, all built of stone.

James Duckett, however, chose to build Woodleigh from bricks, for it was bricks upon which, through his hard work, that his fortune was built.

James Duckett, one of Burnley's finest "self made Victorian gentlemen" was interred at Burnley cemetery on Tuesday, July 27, 1897.