Focus on Littleborough: A place that hasn’t changed

Rae Street

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During the Middle Ages, Littleborough was a small centre of domestic woolen cloth production - an industry which was stimulated as a result of Littleborough's proximity to the West Riding of Yorkshire.

The Industrial Revolution brought roads, canals, and railways, as well as mills, foundries and coal-workings.

Major civil engineering projects took place in town during the 19th century, mainly being part of the first trans-Pennine canal and railway links.

Following the Industrial Revolution, Littleborough became a mill town, its landscape dominated by distinctive and large rectangular brick-built woolen and cotton mills.

Of course, since then, Littleborough has changed and grown.

Rochdale Online reporter Laura Wild, met up with Rae Street, a lady who has lived in Littleborough for such a long time, she seemed the perfect person to start on the quest to find out more about Littleborough.

“My husband and I moved here in 1962, and we loved it here, I suppose that is why we never moved,” said Mrs Street.

“To me I am a lucky,” she said. “We have got the best of all the things here, new things have been developed but we have never lost the best of the old.

“It could have changed but it hasn’t, there haven’t been any ghastly redevelopments.

“Of course it has grown; we have new estates and new people.

“There is a sense of history here – and that is important to society.”

Mrs Street is involved in various Littleborough organisations including the Civic Trust and over the years she has worked to keep things “nice” in the village.

As a friend of Hollingworth Lake Mrs Street helped to improve the lake and make the lake a country park.

“Some lovely folk live here and it attracts people from far and wide. It’s a traditional place.

“I have watched it grow and I am pleased to be involved in various things, above all the improvements at the lake.”

Mrs Street described Littleborough as “refreshing” she said: “The local people have achieved so much they are all so lovely all from various backgrounds and all very supportive.”

“I have lots of memories in Littleborough, I have had so many nice times, I have played my part in stopping developments which wouldn’t have been very pleasant, and we have real success in establishing the coach house and the lake and of course preserving buildings through the civic trust.

“I also have fond memories of the children growing up here, and a great memory of the children sledging down Blackstone edge.

“And above all I have such lovely friends.”

“We have such wonderful shops here too, I love small shops, and now, here in 2010 it is pleasing to me that we are able to keep local shops.

“We have got lots of things here and I am all for supporting small shops, they are more human.”

Mrs Street added: “The facilities we have are really good, I just hope we manage to keep them all. The library is such a nice building and it has all been modernised inside.”
“We have wonderful communication networks here being so close to the motorway and having a train station; it is the perfect location for new families.”

“In Littleborough we really do have an abundance of local societies – there is a great sense of community and lots of enjoyable things to do.

“It is a very nice place to live, or at least I think it is, we have access to the countryside and I love the Pennines.