- Great Harwood
infobox UK place
country= England
latitude= 53.7820
longitude= -2.3984
population= 11,217
official_name= Great Harwood
shire_district=Hyndburn
shire_county=Lancashire
region= North West England
constituency_westminster= Hyndburn
post_town= BLACKBURN
postcode_district= BB6
postcode_area= BB
dial_code= 01254
os_grid_reference= SD737318
static_
static_image_caption=Town Hall with clock tower
london_distance=Great Harwood is a small town in the
Hyndburn district ofLancashire ,England . It lies convert|4.5|mi|km|1|lk=on northeast ofBlackburn .Great Harwood is a town with a
industrial heritage . The Mercer Hall Leisure Centre in Queen Street and the town clock pay tribute to John Mercer (1791-1866), the 'father' of Great Harwood, who revolutionised the cotton dyeing process with his invention ofmercerisation . An agricultural society is also maintained. The town once lay on the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway, the last train serviced the town in November 1957. The town boasted a football team, Great Harwood Town, which unfortunately was forced to fold in July 2006.The writer
Ethel Carnie Holdsworth (1886-1962) - also published as Ethel Carnie and Ethel Holdsworth - lived in Great Harwood until her marriage in 1915 and some of her poems and novels were written in the town. Helen of Four Gates (1917) was filmed in 1920.Footballer
David Dunn was born and brought up in Great Harwood. He initially played for local club Blackburn Rovers but moved to Birmingham City in 2003. In 2007 he moved back to Blackburn Rovers.The "
Coronation Street " scriptwriterLeslie Duxbury (1926-2005) was a resident of the town.World War I veteranNetherwood Hughes was born in Lord Street in 1900, and now lives inClayton-le-Moors .TV presenter/director
Michael Gibson (TV presenter) was brought up in Great Harwood. In 2006, he presented "MTV Select ", a daily, phone-in music show, featuring all the latest music and celebrity guests. [ [http://www.mtv.co.uk/channel/mtvuk/shows/mtv_select_0 MTV Select (August 2006)] Retrieved 16 January 2008 ] Also in 2006, he co-directed "All Shook Up: Parkinson's at 25", which was screened onChannel 4 . The documentary followed Michael's journey withParkinson's disease . Michael was diagnosed with Parkinson's at the age of 18. [ [http://www.channel4.com/health/microsites/0-9/4health/body/ill_parkinsons_shookup.html Channel 4 (August 2006)] Retrieved 16 January 2008 ]References
External links
* [http://www.great-harwood.org.uk Local history site with many photos]
* [http://www.greatharwood.net Great Harwood Community Website]
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