L/R front row Tom Flanagan, Les Bullen, Joan Bullen (Niece), Linda Collinge (great Niece), Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Cllr Hussain Akhtar and Cllr Mohammed Khan. Back row - Derek Cockell (Secretary of the Wainwright Society), Mike Cliffe, Cllr Phil Riley Executive Member for Regeneration.
Published Tuesday 26 July 2016 at 13:32
Famous fell walker Alfred Wainwright was honoured by his former home town of Blackburn with the naming of a road after the countryside champion.
The writer and illustrator of guides to the Lake District was remembered with Wainwright Way, part of the Blackburn Town Centre Orbital Route.
The road saw a special naming ceremony attended by Wainwright’s great niece Linda Collinge and members of the Wainwright Society.
Representatives of Blackburn with Darwen Council were also present, as well as Mayor Councillor Hussain Akhtar.
Wainwright Way links Montague and King Street with Wainwright Bridge and Towns Moor.
It sees the completion of the town’s orbital route and allows new development to take place.
Between 1955 and 1990 Alfred Wainwright created 50 books, including guidebooks and sketchbooks detailing areas mainly in Northern England and Scotland.
He also took part in several television series about the Lake District encouraging people to discover it for themselves.
Born in 1907, he lived the first 34 years of his life in Blackburn.
He attended Accrington Road School and Blakey Moor School before starting work in 1920 at Blackburn Town Hall at the age of thirteen.
There he worked as an Accountancy Assistant until 1941 when he moved to Kendal for a new job.
Wainwright’s early passion for walking was ignited in Blackburn as he ventured out of the town to the surrounding countryside including Darwen Tower and the Ribble Valley.
The new link road is an important part of the completion of the Orbital Route and opens up the area for regeneration, bringing new businesses and jobs to the borough.
Derek Cockell, Society Secretary at The Wainwright Society, said:
The Wainwright Society is delighted that Alfred Wainwright is being honoured in this way by the citizens of his hometown of Blackburn.