RETURNING to Mike Sumner’s research into the history of Cherry Tree and Feniscliffe, Bygones moves in to the 1900s as the former expands rapidly and the latter follows suit a few years later.

The textile mills have expanded and new terraced housing alongside Preston Old Road now has allotment strips up to the edge of the railway as gardening and growing vegetables had become popular.

Alongside the main road opposite Bank Mill, a row of shops had developed including a pub called ‘The Bee Hive’ with a further one near the bridge over the railway called ‘The Station Inn’. This shows how the growing population created a market for their services.

Another significant development was the building of Cherry Tree Machine Company on a green field site next to the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.

During the same period The Cherry Tree Jam Co. Ltd was formed, manufacturing high class jams, marmalade, lemon cheese, pickles and sauces.

Cherry Tree Railway Station had become fully developed as had its small goods yard and engine house.

In 1888, there had been a Royal visit to Witton House in Witton Park just outside Feniscliffe by the Prince and Princess of Wales, requiring its platform to be specially-raised to stop them having to step down two feet.

As Cherry Tree and Feniscliffe were outside Blackburn Borough, there was a growing need for locals to commute to the town’s market and for work. As a result, a tram system expanded, arriving at Cherry Tree centre in 1903.

As the service became very popular, the fare in 1909, from Blackburn Station to Cherry Tree was one and half old pence for a distance of 3,608 yards.

Another new development was the building of a council estate in the south-east section of the area to re-house people from former slum terraces demolished in Blackburn.

Further evidence of the changing local needs of an increasing population, whose working lives had improved due to reduced hours and more leisure time, was the development of playing fields for football and cricket.

Another development on fields north of the railway sidings was council allotments where people could rent strips of land to grow their own vegetables and flowers.