Lancashire nostalgia in 2002: Lamppost mystery; Rod and Craig; and not Proud Preston

The mystery lamp post/drinking fountain which went missing from outside Preston PrisonThe mystery lamp post/drinking fountain which went missing from outside Preston Prison
The mystery lamp post/drinking fountain which went missing from outside Preston Prison
Here's a look at some of the stories that were making the headlines back in 2002:

Can the mystery of missing lamppost finally be solved?

The public has been called on to help solve a mystery of a missing lamppost.

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Stephen Sartin is one of several historians who have been excited by the discovery of 1,500 plate glass photographic slides of Preston, which were found in Blackburn Library.

Keen footballer Rod Stewart met Craig Brown for tea and a new shirtKeen footballer Rod Stewart met Craig Brown for tea and a new shirt
Keen footballer Rod Stewart met Craig Brown for tea and a new shirt

Now 50 of the slides, which were all taken in 1911, have been included in a new 48-page book called Preston in Focus.

But the publication is also leading to hopes that the public can help fill in blanks in the city’s history.

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Historian Stephen, a curator of art at the Lancashire County Museum Service and from Preston, believes they are the best set of photographs of Preston still in existence.

He now wants help in finding out what happened to an ornate lamppost that doubled as a drinking fountain in the middle of a road.

Mr Sartin said: “It used to stand at the junction of Church Street and Ribbleton Lane and it must have been an obstruction in later years.

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“But I just cannot find when it was removed. It could have been melted down when a lot of railings were pulled down for scrap in the 1940s but nobody seems to know.”

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This is how Lancashire looked in 2002

When Rod met Craig for tea

Rock legend Rod Stewart has become an honorary North End fan after taking tea with Craig Brown.

The gravel-voiced superstar called in on the North End manager en route to Celtic’s UEFA Cup triumph at Blackburn and left with a Preston shirt sporting his name and the number 10.

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Brown said: “Rod was delighted with it and swore he would wear it with pride. I told him I was sick of seeing him in his Celtic shirt, so I presented him with one of ours.”

Before Stewart left Preston, Brown asked him to autograph some CDs he had brought along.

“Not for me, honest. They were for the lads, Kelham and Billy, “ he said.

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week we took a look at 2001Preston city not so proud

Britain’s newest city unveiled its new look - much to the dismay of Prestonians.

Preston Council has scrapped its traditional crest in favour of a modern design.

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But the logo, designed by council employees, was greeted with criticism by shoppers in the city centre.

The logo sees Preston’s historic lamb encased by two curving lines which symbolise the River Ribble at the bottom and the city’s nearby countryside, hills and fells at the top.