The following paragraphs are from a text from a part old book found in an old cupboard when we were excavating part of the basement at Moorbank House

The book is not complete but it appears to be called ‘Tower above All’ written by a Jimmy Campbell.

Background to the Post War Period.

My first Blackpool holiday commenced on 21st October 1946 when conditions were very different than they are today. It was a year after the second world war (1939 – 1945) had ended. Many men and women had served in Her Majesty’s forces and some had already been de-mobilised.

During the war over 750,000 RAF airmen had been given their initial training at the Blackpool Winter Gardens.

With its large theatres the Opera House (seats 3000) and the Empress Ballroom (seats 3500) these venues were very useful in briefing and training large audiences at any one time. 

In 1946 price controls, food and fuel rationing and other wartime restrictions were still in force. When people travelled they were required to hand their ration books in where they were lodging. This allowed the Blackpool Bed and Breakfast landladies to purchase enough food to cater for the staying guests. Many foods were scarce or just plain unobtainable, persons accepted these restrictions as they were a necessary part of the war, most had become used to managing with what was available.

Six day weeks were still very common in industry and people worked much longer hours than they do today thus the need for some time away from work and home was no less important than it is today with large numbers of visitors coming to Blackpool for some escapism from the immediate post war austerity. Some were very lucky in that they could call on 3 or 4 weeks holidays every year but a fortnight was about the average for most people around this time. Blackpool was the choice for most workers and their families looking for a break less so other UK seaside resorts such as Great Yarmouth or Scarborough. This would be before the explosion of cheap holidays in Spain and other sun spots on the near continent as flights were still out of reach to all but the most wealthy people. On this basis and partly due to petrol rationing being in force most persons chose to travel to Blackpool by train.

Most passenger trains of this era were drawn by steam powered locomotives. The town of Preston sits approximately 15 miles to the East of Blackpool and sits on the main West Coast rail line from London and the SW to Glasgow in Scotland and beyond, subsequently most places in the UK could reach this town with relative ease. In the mid 1940′s Blackpool’s railway infrastructure was much larger than it is today, the main station sat behind the Promenade between Central Pier and Blackpool Tower. For a town if its size at that time the Station was a huge affair with numerous platforms and wide shunting areas and engine sheds along what was known as the central corridor. There was also a large station at Blackpool South Shore at the junction of Waterloo Road which served the South Shore areas of the town. Blackpool North was to the North of the Town close to the Winter Gardens and whilst in daily use at this time was very much seen as the minor station in the town. All this would change in due course with North Station being designated as the main station and the line from Preston re-routed cutting out large sections of line in the Central corridor as part of the Beeching reforms in the early 1960′s.

Back in 1946 Clement Atlee’s reforming Labour government had just taken power, the Conservative opposition was still led by wartime leader Winston Churchill. The Tories had recently held their annual conference in Blackpool and this would go on to become a regular feature in coming years. Blackpool Council local elections were due to be held in early November 1946 and amongst the 37 candidates that were due to stand were a significant number of ex servicemen, altogether there were 14 Conservatives, 12 Labour, 7 Liberal, 2 Independents and even 2 Communists.

Interestingly the writer tells us that the Local Government Trade Union NALGO (National Association of Local Government Officers) were holding an exhibition at the Winter Gardens for one of the weeks he was in town and that it centred on how the 22 Shillings rate in the Pound was being spent. This exhibition was opened by the Mayor on on Saturday 19th October 1946, he welcomed guests at a civic lunch in the Baronial Hall of the Winter Gardens. In a speech of thanks Mr C A Roberts outgoing president of NALGO replied ‘Things happening around us are changing day by day, but the hospitality and kindness of Blackpool goes on forever’. The writer has every reason to agree with him.

21st – 25th October 1946 ‘The First Holiday’

The writer says ‘When I arrived at my guest house  on my first holiday in Blackpool the landlady said to me ‘ I will do my best to make you feel comfortable’. She succeeded in doing so much better than I expected in spite of the limitations caused by restrictions and shortages of so many goods.

A notice was posted in the bedrooms advising visitors to bring their ration books and sign the visitors book before leaving, and to be punctual for meals, another notice in the hall read no fish and chips to be brought in.

Monday 21st October

Local Government Exhibition.

After arrival in Blackpool and lunch my first call is at The Winter Gardens and Olympia. Admission charge to the Local Government Exhibition is 6d (2.5 pennies post decimalisation). Exhibits of Blackpool in miniature are on show: the gas works, electricity generating works, Art galleries and a little waterworks. There are also plans of local reconstruction and housing schemes, fresh flowers transplanted from parks and pleasure grounds; a dancing illuminations display of coloured electric light bulbs from as small as a pea to as big as a football; hospital furnishings, an iron lung and children’s cots; a waxworks figure of the first ‘health visitor’ to illustrate advances in Health Services.

Schoolgirls dance to the accompaniment of loud speaker music, later a brass band gives a concert on stage. The writer especially likes a scale model of the Blackpool tramway system with overhead wires, shelters and a miniature tram  which can be controlled from the side of the tract electric railway style. A tram driver shows children how to regulate the speed of the model, afterwards he gives each a printed card as a memento of the occasion. Written tributes from different parts of the Country to the politeness and professionalism of Blackpool Transport’s conductors and conductresses are on display. Local police officers also man a stand and give hints on how to make persons houses burglar proof, they also have a model of a house where a murderer was arrested.

The Magic Tap Mystery

An ordinary household tap is suspended in mid air from 4 lengths of string. An endless supply of water appears to be flowing from the tap into the basin beneath. A number of mystified spectators are gathered round the attendant in charge of the display, trying to figure out how this ‘magic tap’ works? There are no pipes or anything attached, says the attendant. Well how does it do it? asks a member of the audience. The attendant keeps his lips sealed but if one looks closely enough through the stream of water you can see the supply pipe which is also holding the tap aloft.

Almost opposite the magic tap is a small cinema. I go inside and see some Ministry of Information films about road accidents, road planning and juvenile delinquency in Scotland. Upstairs in Olympia are pictures about housing and reconstruction, fragments of rock and geological strata and small models of Central Station before and after the proposed replanning.

Tuesday 22nd October

Examples of how to attract customers and sell goods to them can often be seen in Blackpool when there are many people about. The salesperson will talk whilst demonstrating what is being offered for sale. When anyone stands up in a public place and speaks loudly and persuasively, he or she will invariably attract a crowd. If something is for sale however worthless it may appear, as long as enough spectators attend the event, there is always someone who can be talked into buying it. 

One of the first shops I  enter in the town centre is Littlewoods. At one of the counters a salesman is demonstrating how to use a certain brand of polish. All you have to do shouts the salesman is just apply it with a dry cloth and rub just like this. It doesn’t get your hands dirty ladies and saves Months of your soap ration. You can use it for cleaning any shoes, boots or furniture, and its not affected by water. It will polish up your grate better than ordinary metal polish. Only a shilling (5p) a tin, 2 colours green and black.

Barbed Wire at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

In the afternoon my first visit to the pleasure beach finds almost deserted, with only a few visitors wandering around. I assumed that this is because the holiday season has ended. My guess may have been wrong, as the war had called a temporary halt on new development at the pleasure beach and may have been the main reason the lack of activity at this time.

The popular roller coasters, Big Dipper, Grand National, pleasure Beach Railway and numerous other exciting rides and attractions in the amusement park are usually a hive of activity during the summer. The only movement I noticed today is that the contraption like a two sailed Windmill being tested.it appears that passengers are carried on each of the cells when it is in motion.

Workmen reconstructing some of the machines and rides ignore the holidaymakers strolling around.

Battered parts of the derelict dodgem cars are lying in the open exposed to the weather. I come to an area which seems as though it is not intended for public use, as there is barbed wire lying on the ground. More barbed wire bars the exit from a sunken garden so I have to retrace my steps and returns through the entrance.

I hurl and apple core into an unoccupied boating lake which is a few empty rowing boats on it.

Tough Steak at a Town Centre Restaurant

Before an evening performance at the tower circus, I go into a restaurant near the Blackpool Tower, and sit down at upstairs dining table when two men are talking. That’s the toughest the steak I have ever tasted, says one with a loud voice. I’ve been coming here for the last fortnight and it’s the worst meal I’ve had. Would do you think George?

that’s the last time I have steak and chips here, agrees George, taking a packet of cigarettes and offering one to his friend. The waitress arrives and asks me what do you want? I’ll have Welsh rabbit tea and cakes please. There’s only one take left, she says and brings it to me. Better each it quick before somebody pinches it advises loud voice. No one would like now George? What asks George. A nice plate of Gorgonzola and biscuits. Well why don’t you ask the waitress for them? You won’t get them but there’s no harm done by asking. I will call a over and see what she says, you never know what might happen.

The next time the waitress passes our table, loud voice asks, could we have two plates of Gorgonzola and biscuits? The waitress laughs and replies, you know very well that we haven’t got such a thing! But she does not sound offended. Or could we have built place? Ask loud voice. Yes she replies that the seven shillings (35 p) altogether. All right, and loud voice hands her a ten shilling (50 p) note. Take it out of this. George Bush’s nine pence (4p) on his plate for a tip and leaves with his friend.

Days of Rationing.

although other goods were rationed as well during this period including clothing and footwear, I considered that food rationing was a most unwelcome restriction of all. Some people grumbled about it, while others made jokes, but describing a six course lunch is two chips and four peas.

Reference could only serve whatever foods were available and their supplies were limited.George and his friend were partly joking and partly wishful thinking when they asked for Gorgonzola knowing very well that imported foreign cheeses would be unobtainable. I believe that cheese ration was as low as 1 ounce per week at one time during the war, but later increased to 4 ounces. Other typical weekly allowances were 2 ounces of butter, 2 ounces of cooking fats, four or 5 ounces of margarine, 4 ounces of bacon and ham, a quarter of a pound of tea, half a pound of sugar, and a half pints of liquid milk, and meet the value of one shilling and tuppence (6p). about a pound in weight or sweets and chocolates per 4 weeks was allowed.

In wartime imported foods have to be brought from overseas in merchant ships, which were subjected to attacks from enemy aircraft and submarines. Many seamen were killed and injured, and shipping lost and damaged. It was some years after the war ended before conditions improved and restrictions caused by food and other shortages were lifted. The last food to be the rationed the butter, margarine, cheese and cooking fats in May 1954, and meet in June 1954.

To Be continued