Who now remembers Tom Mix and Lillian Gish at the Roxy in Carnforth?

I suppose there will be few who now remember Tom Mix, Lillian Gish and a host of other silent movie stars.

Few also, who will be able to talk about regular visits to the Roxy Cinema in Carnforth.

It opened in 1923, as the Kinema, and could seat 780.

And with clever business sense it was positioned close to the railway station, making it a perfect venue for anyone who missed their train and had a few hours to kill.

In 1940 it changed its name to the Roxy and for reasons I haven’t discovered, reduced its seating capacity to 465.

It continued to operate until 1963, but had gone by 1966.*

It wasn’t a picture palace I knew, but Andy Robertson fell across it on Sunday, telling me, that “On Sunday night stayed over at Arnside Youth Hostel. On the way there I stopped off at a few places, and when I saw this in Carnforth I immediately thought of you!”  

And I instantly knew it had to be a story for the blog.

Alas while the ghost of Tom Mix and Ms Lillian Gish may wander the auditorium in the dead of night, they will encounter nothing more exciting than a shelf of baked beans, some fresh veg and a fine bottle of wine.

Along with their excellent range of pastries which we indulge in on a Sunday morning.

Location; Carnforth

Pictures; the Roxy Cinema, Carnforth, 2018, from the collection of Andy Robertson

*Cinema Treasures, http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/37416

Sitting in the Shovel Inn ........ and telling stories of King George 11 and generations of Carnforth farmers

Now if you want a pub with a bit of history, then the Shovel Inn in Carnforth is a good start.

It was already well into its third decade when King George 111 lost us the American colonies, although I am not sure back then it was a pub.

Still someone will know.

Andy Robertson who sent over the pictures tells me that “it dates from 1750.  It is on North Road which was the main road before the A6 came into existence”.

And as you do I went looking for more on the Shovel Inn and found that it has a listing on Historic England which offers up the following,  “Public house, '1750 MHM' on lintel. Pebbledashed rubble with slate roof. 2 storeys. 

Main entrance in north west gable facing North Road. Windows sashed with plain stone surrounds. 

One on each floor of the gable with the doorway with plain stone surround to the right. Gable has coping and kneelers. North east wall has 3 windows on the 1st floor, the ground level being higher on this side. 

Gabled wing against south west wall has a window or each floor of the wall facing North Road, and a coping with kneelers. 

At the right-hand end of the southwest wall are windows with plain reveals and a doorway and porch with plain reveals”.*

So later this week I shall go looking for it on the old maps and start the long trawl through the census records, unless of course someone else beats me to it.

We shall see.

Location; Carnforth

Pictures; the Old Shovel Inn, Carnforth, 2018, from the collection of Andy Robertson

*Historic England, https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1317969