Rufford. Its Past and Its People Rufford. Its Past and Its People. Well, Joan, a criticism should first be brought to the fore. Where is the apostrophe? Not a slight at you of course, definitely the publisher (my cheek can only go so far).  The book is a wonderful read for the local people of Rufford, both for those with longstanding ties to the rural Lancashire Village, situated in the triangle between Ormskirk, Southport and Preston, and those commutters who now call Rufford their home.  Fertile fields supplied trade to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal through to the industrial coal & trading towns of Wigan & Liverpool. A back water,…

A Walk Through Preston’s Past. Death, Tragedy and Intrigue From the City and Surrounds, including Barton, Bamber Bridge, Farrington, Lea, Penwortham, Freckleton, Lytham and Tarleton. A Walk Through Preston’s Past. Death, Tragedy and Intrigue.  Preston has a long and distinguished past. Edmund Calamy described the town in the early 1700’s as a pretty town with an abundance of gentry in it, commonly called Proud Preston. However, like any settlement today or at any point in history, Preston has had to endure many tears. Any town has a dark under belly, not often discussed or conveniently consigned to the annals of time, long lost & forgotten. Preston has a number of…