Tom Preston– Great Lancashire
Comedians. |
Tue 13th Jun 2023 |
Tom Preston made a very welcome first visit to the
society to present Great Lancashire Comedians. It came as no
surprise to hear that Lancashire has more comedians per head of
population than any other part of the country. That is the
original Lancashire which included Liverpool and Manchester.
The industrial revolution began in Lancashire and through the
Victorian period the workers needed quality entertainment. |

Tom Preston.
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Theatres were being built all across the country but in
Lancashire the ‘Wakes Weeks’ needed to give workers a week off
and close the mills for annual maintenance. Seaside resorts such
as Blackpool and Morecambe were filled with holidaymakers and so
the comedians moved in. Tom mentioned many of our comedians
such as: Artur Askey, Jimmy Clitheroe, Bob Wilton, Stan Laurel,
Ken Dodd, Ken Platt, Eric Morecambe, Colin Crompton, Les
Dawson, Peter Kay. Chorley’s Phil Cool, Victoria Wood, Caroline
Ahearn, Hilda Baker, Kenny Everett and many more that time
didn’t allow a mention. |

Tom and audience. |
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B.H.
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