MEMORIES of the days when deer could be seen in Blackburn's Corporation Park have sparked off further reminisces by a Bygones contributor.

Local historian Barbara Riding lamented the placing of the historic Conservatory on Historic England's at-risk register in a recent edition.

But she was also able to recall some of the fascinating excerpts, revolving around the historic park, which had emerged from the minutes of the former Blackburn Town Council.

One entry from 1900 recounted how a red deer had been pursued into the parkland by members of the Pendle Forest Hunt.

The chairman of the Parks Committee reported how the Master of the Hunt had sent a letter apologising for the trespass and "asking to be forgiven for the liberty they had taken".

This triggered off a recollection by Eric Naylor, who was able to cross reference the episode with an entry in the diaries of Blackburn philanthropist James Hargreaves.

Eric said: "I was the last director of James Hargreaves & Sons Ltd, an old established tobacco and confectionery wholesalers in Blackburn.

"I am presently curating 23 diaries written by the founder, James Hargreaves, which are nearing transcription by the Fine Arts Society and originally by Blackburn Museum.

"James Hargreaves was a wealthy and prominent businessman and a very keen horseman, who also rode with the Pendle Forest Hunt.

"In his entry of Saturday 3rd March, he wrote: 'Hounds at Copster Green. Engaged a deer which gave us a run of two hours, and ultimately landed us in Blackburn Park, and took refuge in the lake, remaining there about 45 minutes before she could be secured.

'It was a remarkable episode to see H. Eccles, W. Garrett, P. Peebles & the Whip (Fairclough) in a boat trying to capture the deer.

'I rode first time since breaking my arm Jester (his horse) carried me very well although I took very few fences.'"

Hargreaves himself lived not too far away at Billinge. As Eric recalls, the days when you could follow hounds from Copster Green to the outskirts of Blackburn are long since gone. The Arts Society of Ribble and Craven, based in Bolton-by-Bowland, has also been involved in transcribing the diaries.