78 SCIENTIFIC SURVEY OF BLACKPOOL AND DISTRICT 



printing and later introduced Hargreaves's Spinning Jenny at Brookside, 

 Oswaldtwistle. William Yates later was partner and father-in-law of the first 

 Sir Robert Peel. Henry Banks bought from William Yates the estate which 

 extended from Church Street to the Royal Hotel and as far inland as Regent 

 Road. He rebuilt the Hotel, erected a number of houses and a distinct hamlet 

 arose extending from the sea front to Temple Street, St. Ann's Street and the 

 site of the Grand Theatre. 



Gradually the four groups were linked up. In 1811, the number of houses 

 was 1 13, and these had increased to 148 by 1821. In that year, Henry Banks 

 constructed a hulking and cobbled sea fence from the Royal Hotel to the Clifton. 

 Between 1821 and 1851 the rate of expansion was more rapid still. In 

 1827 there was an exceptionally prosperous season and the overcrowding of 

 accommodation stimulated further building. In 1 830, Mr. Whittle 1 calculated 

 that ' at the flux of the season there were between 800 and 1 ,000 visitors.' By 

 1 83 1 , the number of houses had increased to 1 87. Thornber ascribes the 

 increased popularity of Blackpool at this time to the fact that, in spite of the 

 great inrush of visitors from infected areas, Blackpool avoided the cholera 

 epidemic of 1832. 



The year 1836 saw great improvements. Shops increased in number, 

 cottages were constructed ' on modern principles,' public baths were erected 

 on the beach adjoining the Lane Ends Hotel and 200 beds were added to the 

 existing accommodation. In 1 837 the Victoria Terrace and Promenade were 

 erected. These consisted of seven shops and above them a Promenade 32 yards 

 long which opened through folding windows upon a balcony six feet wide. 

 Attached were a news room, library and billiard table. About this time, too, 

 was erected Hygiene Terrace on the site of the present Palace Theatre buildings. 

 By 1841, the number of houses was 305. 



This rapid development, which was accelerated by the opening of the railway 

 from Preston to Poulton and Fleetwood in 1 840, and to Blackpool and Lytham 

 in 1846, brought with it urgent problems of local government administration. 

 There was a scarcity of fresh water. The few pumps that existed were kept 

 locked and the users charged heavily for supplies. Water was also brought 

 from Marton Mere and retailed in barrels and tubs from carts. The inevitable 

 consequence was severe epidemics from time to time, including typhoid. The 

 only sewer was the one laid by Henry Banks. By 1 849 the number of houses 

 was 421 , and in that year the number of births was 64 and of deaths, 74. It is 

 not surprising, therefore, that a Petition was sent in 1849, to the newly-created 

 General Board of Health, and on October 23rd, 1851, Layton-with-Warbreck 

 was constituted a Local Board of Health. The name was changed to the 

 Blackpool Local Board of Health District on July 31st, 1868. 



In 1853, in the first year of office of the new commissioners, the First 

 Improvement Act, the forerunner of 16 other Improvement Acts, gave 

 Parliamentary sanction to the Local Board to regulate street-making, building, 

 sanitation, the proper lighting of the Promenade and town by gas, and the sale 

 of marketable goods. This marks the beginning of that administrative efficiency 

 without which Blackpool could never have attained its present popularity. 

 From this time, Blackpool quickly began to assume its present outline. South 



1 His book, ' Marina,' is quoted in Porter's ' History of the Fylde.' 



