Among the old time “characters” associated with Warner Street was “Oyster Johnny”. He sold oysters at the bottom end of Warner Street; oysters back in those days were not the luxury food they are today…in fact so cheap they would often be included in the good old favourite “Lancashire Hot Pot”.

Then there was William Ludford and his hot pea wagon on wheels, which stood at the top of Warner Street, mainly on a Saturday night. Many a man would enjoy a pot of peas, to finish off their night out… the peas were said to help soak up the ale.
The Pea Wagon was a grand refuge on a cold winter’s night. Two halfpennyworth’s of peas, was money well spent by women and their children to help keep them fed and warm.

Another chap was a man named Eatough, who kept shop in Warner Street. He had a large tin between two wheels, something like the big milk cans we used to see at Railway Stations. He would sell brewery barm, the only barm to be obtained those days when practically all bread was baked at home.

An interesting man was Ben Simpson, who at the beginning of his married life lived in Warner Street. He earned local fame as the maker of a special toffee rock which he used to sell at the fairs and on the market. His toffee was so good and popular it earned for him the grand title of “Toffy Ben.” He was also a bit of an entrepreneur. He designed and patented a washing composition “Lazy betty “ and a weavers shuttle that would thread itself.

To end this brief history, we have Preaching Polly, who would stand outside the beer houses and public bars telling the men: “Get home to your wives and your children, waste not your money on the demon drink”.

The buildings on Warner Street remain pretty much unchanged to this day, and it’s well worth taking time out to walk down one of Accrington’s oldest and purpose built shopping streets.

(research credits) Accrington through the 19th Century… Richard Shaw Crossley * Richard Ainsworth.

© Evonne Harwood