The Owners

Following completion of the building work the house was sold by John Richard Lucas to our first resident, Mrs Ellen Balshaw on 7^th November 1902.

Mortgage Document for Ellen Bradshaw with local businessmen,
John Heap and Amos Fairbrother

Sale by John Richard Lucas to Ellen Balshaw

Together with her husband Richard Balshaw they lived at the property with their adopted daughter, Nellie Withnell for the next 20 years. Both Ellen and Richard were brought up in Chorley and remained here for the rest of their lives.

1911 Census @ 54 Regent Road

The house was to remain in the family's hands until 1946, although it was rented out to various people during that period.

In 1912 Richard and Ellen's daughter, Nellie Withnell b.26/1/1888 married Paul Parkinson b.5/9/1888 at the United Methodist Church on Railway Street. The church no longer stands today having been demolished around 2016/17 along with the Leigh Arms pub to make way for the Chorley Youth Zone.

In 1920 Ellen Balshaw died and left the property to her husband Richard.

1920 Probate for Ellen Balshaw

Oct 1922 then saw Richard sell the house to his son-in-law, Paul Parkinson who moved in with Nellie, the second time she had lived here.

Sale by Richard Balshaw to Paul Parkinson

In 1927 Richard Balshaw died. He had been living at 7 Rotherwick Avenue since moving out of Regent Road and left his will to Nellie Parkinson nee Withnell (his adopted daughter), the wife of Paul. The directory records from 1936 confirm the Parkinsons were then living at 7 Rotherwick Avenue, and by this time were renting our home to Inspector Joseph Montgomery, who remained there until around 1936 when he retired. He had moved stations to Chorley in 1928, so I suspect he was in residence here shortly after arrival in the town.

In August 1936 Paul Parkinson re-mortgaged the property with £150 from Ada Alice Thornley, who was from the local butcher’s family. The purpose of this is not clear but it may have been for home improvements, and by 1939, another police officer, Police Constable Norman Bullivant was in residence with his wife Nellie. He had been living at 104 Seymour Street in 1936 and no doubt took over the tenancy following the departure of Inspector Joseph Montgomery.

In Feb 1944 Paul Parkinson again re-mortgaged the property with £100 from Ada Thornley and in May 1946 the mortgage was cleared when he sold the house to Mr & Mrs Bullivant.

Sale by Paul Parkinson to Norman & Nellie Bullivant

By 6^th November 1963 Norman and Nellie Bullivant had lived here for over 24 years when they sold the house to John and Rhoda Crook nee Blackburn and her sister, Miss Edith Winstanley nee Blackburn. 

Rhoda Crook nee Blackburn was born and brought up in nearby Coppull, the daughter of a railway signalman, John Crook who was originally from Leyland. Her husband John was born in Chorley and brought up on Smith Street in the town. They married in the Parish Church in Coppull in 1936 and in 1939 were living with Rhoda's family at 53, Spendmore Lane, Coppull. It was 24 years later that they bought 54 Regent Road with Edith and moved back to Chorley.

1939 Register

1963 Sale by the Bullivants to Crook and Winstanley

Rhoda Crook was to remain here for nearly 40 years during which time her husband John died in July 1979 and her sister Edith then passed away in May 1992. In March 2001 Rhoda Crook, who was by this time living in a care home sold the house to us, Richard & Linda Langford.

23rd March 2001 Sale by Rhoda Crook to us

2001 Photo from the For Sale Leaflet