29 Gorst Street - Formerly the Queens Palace Hotel

The TWO pictures are all we can find of the house at 29 Gorst Street, occupied by a number of Skelhorns, many like me were born there, between 1940 and about 1962-ish.  It was formerly a Public House with a second entrance on Clayton Street, known as "The Queens Palace".  by the 1940's it was the family home and quite run down.   It was demolished in the early 1960's along with the rest of Gorst Street to make way for the new high rise flats which are still there today.  This is a little frustrating as Gorst Street was the only street to totally disappear.  Grandma relocated to an upstairs flat at 18A Arnside Road, Lea just outside Preston and fairly close to Mabse's family on Larhes Ave., and lived there for the rest of her life.  In later years she didn't care to venture out and became somewhat reclusive.

The aerial photo shows the location but no detail, while the second picture show the Gorst Street entrance not long before demolition.  The picture is estimated to be about 1962 but I belive it to be 1951-5 -ish because the pram outside suggests children, infants, were still resident which would be myself David b.1951, Barry b.1952 or Jacqueline (Jacky) b. 1954.  We moved to Leyland shortly after Jacky's arrival and were, to the best of my recollection, the last family to move out.  We did go back to visit for several years afterwards but my childhood memories are limited to the large front room with a spectacular range in the fireplace, a smaller back room and stairs neverending.

The list of family who lived here at some time or other is given below:-   Please send me additions or corrections.

Edward Gannon (sr)
Gwen (Skelhorn) Gannon
  Eddie Gannon and Brenda (Carroll) Gannon
    Brenda (Gannon) Robinson - born
Edwin and Cissy (Wilson) Skelhorn
  Audrey Skelhorn
  Kenneth Skelhorn
  Edwin Skelhorn
  Sylvia Skelhorn - born
  Derek Skelhorn - born
Fred Skelhorn and Elfi (Leet) Skelhorn
  Marion Skelhorn
  Harding Skelhorn - born
  Astrid Skelhorn
Evelyn (Skelhorn) Banks and Eddie Banks
Stanley Skelhorn
Mabse (Skelhorn) and Dennis Hayes
  Dennis Hayes - born
Ken Skelhorn and Jean (Draper)
  David Skelhorn (me!)  - born
  Barry Skelhorn  - born
  Jacqueline Skelhorn  - born