DIY SOS from Blackburn

[Pennines]

I realise this isn't family history so should be under another category -- but because of the place names it would be meaningless to people from elsewhere.

Tonight I watched the DIY SOS programme for Nightsafe in Blackburn which was part of Children in Need (so emotional!) However Nick Knowles asked 2 of the volunteer workers were they were from.

One was from Preston and the other from Oswaldtwistle. Nick Knowles response ---- 'Oswaldtwistle!! Is that a place?'

That just made me laugh.

(Actually Lancs Family History and Heraldry Society have a Research Centre in Oswaldtwistle where Society volunteers help members of the public with family history.)

[CaroleW]

I love the name Oswaldtwistle - once heard it was pronounced Ozzletwissle but don't know if that's right.

I have visited Oswaldtwistle Mill a couple of times in the past

[Pennines]

I love it too, Carole -- locally it's known as Ossy -- and the adjacent town of Accrington is Accy!

Here in Lancs we don't like using unnecessary long names!

[BashLad]

I love the name Oswaldtwistle - once heard it was pronounced Ozzletwissle but don't know if that's right.

I have visited Oswaldtwistle Mill a couple of times in the past

Ozzy is definitely Oz-ul-twissle.

[Pennines]

BashLad -- you are absolutely right. I had never thought of that before - but I've just said it in my head!! I would say Ozzaltwissle (or slight variant).

Definitely has 'z''s and NO 'w' or 'd' in the middle. It's a great name.

The top end of Ossy was known as Gobbinland - this is were the mines were. The miners were Gobbiners! They get a mention in the 'trouble at mill' dictionary!

http://www.troubleatmill.com/speak.htm#g

[Viktoria]

The Accrington Pals(WW1) were composed of lads from all the surrounding towns, only one Battalion was actually from Accrington.
I have the Roll of Honour. 
Church ,Chorley,Baxenden etc ,lads from all the small places around are listed and some names recur and the same address, so more than one lad or father and son(s) all killed.
I found it in a junk shop and wondered how anyone could dispose of it.
The memorial on The Somme is a modest  Accrington brick wall,the speech by the Lord Mayor at the first memorial service  contained this—“ Two years in the making, ten minutes in the destroying”.
I say, but I am a foreigner! OsWaldtwistle, .
 Natives seemingly  miss out the W.
Viktoria.

[ThrelfallYorky]

I once got in bother when speaking of that general area, for mentioning Raw-ten-stall, (yes, that's how it was spelled) when I was greeted with shouts of "Rottenstall"! I knew about "Ossie", but was a little confused when "Blagburn" was mentioned, rather than "Blackburn". Of course, with Sowerby Bridge, Mytholmroyd and similar, we're much easier to decipher in Yorkshire!

[Viktoria]

 How  about Slaithwaite pronounced Slawit?( I believe)
Viktoria.

P.S.and Bury, locally called Burry,but to visitors Berry.

[ThrelfallYorky]

"Bested" again, Viktoria, by you!