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Crawford Inn pub - Crawford Village

By Heidi |
General Genealogy

Hi, 

This is my first time writing here, I have recently join the Southport branch after becoming more and more interested in researching my family tree over the last couple of years. 

I have 2 queries really, would be grateful if anyone can help with either.

Firstly I am looking for an old photograph of the Crawford Inn pub which was located in Crawford Village. Unfortunately it is no longer there and has been converted into houses now. At some point it became the Crawford Arms and I already have photos from that era. What I am really looking for is an old B&W photo from when it was the Crawford Inn. It was run by 2 generations of my family from 1899 onwards. I would be really grateful if anyone would have any ideas where I might find one. I have tried lots of places already but no luck so far... 

Secondly as you can see my name is Southworth and I am researching my family tree. I would love to chat to anyone else who has Southworths in their family especially if they have a link to Samlesbury Hall. I have hit a brick wall on that line and have not been able to link back to Samlesbury Hall yet. Although I am pretty sure there is a link somewhere. 

Many thanks for reading and thank you for any information you are able to offer. 

Best wishes

Heidi

Hi and welcome to the forum and the Society.

The Crawford you mention, is this in the Skelmersdale area? I will ask one of our members from there if they can be of any help.

For photographs I often suggest that Facebook Groups are very good, there are people who hold copies of photographs and are willing to share them, there is a group for the Skelmersdale Heritage Society https://www.facebook.com/skemheritage I hope they might have some suggestions.

Samlesbury Hall is  a bit north of our area, nearer Preston, and we have friends who may be able to help in the Lancashire Family History and Heraldry Society https://www.lfhhs.org.uk/

Unfortunately, as you know, we are unable to get together this year but having met at various events in previous years I know they will try their best to be helpful.

Hello Mary, 

Thank you so much for your reply. 

Yes Crawford village is now classed as near Skelmerdale. My family moved there from Rainford. Mostly of my family are from Rainford. Rainford Heritage Society have been very helpful but unfortunately nobody seems to have a photo of the Crawford Inn. So I thought it was worth asking here as well. I have asked in lots of places already but not the Skem Heritage Society so I will give that a go, Thank you. 

Best wishes

Heidi  

A few comments from people who live nearer Crawford Village.

You need to get in touch with the library there.  The Archivists in these places usually know things.  Also look on Facebook.  They may have their own Community site.  

These  suggestions are more or less what I've suggested above, although Skelmersdale Library may have an archive department with photographs, if you email them they will probably advise.

I have also been sent two photographs although I think they are more or less what you already have and not what you are looking for.

 

Another message from one of our Society members.

there’s another FB site Memories of Skem.  That has loads of pics, before new town, when they first started developing and up to date.  It’s a big trawl, there hundreds of pics and sadly I don’t think FB has an image search facility.  There is probably one somewhere.  Crawford is neither here not there but often referred to as UpHolland rather than Skelmersdale.  It is frustrating when you know that probably a pic somewhere.

Hello Mary, 

Thank you so much for trying to find a photo, thats really kind of you. I said exactly the same thing to my Dad a couple of days ago. No area really takes responsibility for Crawford, every town thinks it belongs to somone else haha! It was always addressed as Crawford Village, Upholland though. 

I have already contacted the Crawford Village facebook but I didn't get a reply. I will try the library that is a good idea thank you. 

Thank you for the photos but yes these are the ones I have seen already. Ideally I was looking for a much older photograph.

I did look through a few hundred photos on a different Skem facebook page a couple of days ago but I didn't find anything. I have just requested to join the group Memories of Skem so I will let you know if I find anything there. 

Yes as you say it is frustrating when you know that there is probably a picture somewhere, maybe tucked away in someones loft. Anyway I will keep searching and I will let you know if I find anything. 

Rainford Heritage Society have also been very helpful and although they don't have a photos they are also asking around local people. 

It was my 2nd great grandfather, Richard Winstanley who was the licensee in 1899 followed by my great grandmother, Esther Winstanley when he passed away. When she was widowed my dad was just a little boy living in Crawford, but they had to have a male on the premises of the pub. So my dad used to go and sleep upstairs over the pub when he was 8/9 just so there was a male on the premises. 

Once again thank you very much for taking the time to ask around for me, I will let you know if I find anything. 

All the best 

Heidi

Thank you for responding Heidi, I will pass on your thanks to the two members of the Skelmersdale Group who replied and in fact both of them offered to go along and take a current photograph of the Inn, which would have been great if you had lived at a distance, however I have discouraged them from doing this since you already have them and I wouldn't want them to go out in these strange times.

Don't just look on the Facebook Group, but ask as well since as an example of Liverpool people have their own collection of photographs and they are usually very willing to check and share if they have something.

I can only say good luck and sorry I haven't had more success for you.

Hello, 

No please tell them there is no need to go and take a picture now. The pub is no longer there and has been converted into houses. I did go back to Crawford a couple of years ago and have a picture of the houses. That is very kind of them though so please tell them thank you. 

I think I might be on to something on facebook though. 

I will write again in a few hours

Thank you for your help 

Heidi 

 

 

Hi again, 

So I joined the Memories of Skem facebook group and like you said there are so many photographs it will take ages to go through them all. Anyway I just searched the group for the word Crawford to see what came up and someone had commented that there is another group on facebook called "Old Crawford Cronies" so I joined that group and low and behold there are some old photos of the pub!!!!!! 

Now this picture is probably even older than I was really looking for and not the best quality but at least I have something. This shows that there was a bakery within the pub which my dad doesn't remember, but my 2nd greatgrandfather was the landlord from 1899 so maybe it was from his time. 

Anyway I am really happy to have a photo and I have have contact on facebook with some old Crawford people so we can share other photos now. 

Thank you very much for pointing me in the right direction, I really appreciate it. 

All the best 

Heidi 

I'm so pleased you have finally found some, it's a pity people photograph a photo instead of scanning it, I wonder if you would be able to speak directly to whoever posted it and asked if there was any chance of this, it would get you a lot clearer picture.

I have written to the lady who posted the pictures. To be honest she posted them years ago so I don't know if I will get a reply. I think she was the landlady more recently maybe even until it was sold and make into houses. She wrote that someone gave her that photo. Anyway at least I have something and I am in the group now so I can ask other local people, maybe someone will have a better one. 

Thanks once again for your help. 

Now we know that Old Crawford Cronies is the place to go for photos of Crawford Village smiley

Heidi