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]]>However, times have changed, and women’s football is now a much-favoured sport not only in the UK but also worldwide. There are many prominent international tournaments, and the sport gets a lot of publicity. Female football players are featured in magazines, TV shows, documentaries, and movies all the time, and modern-day media go the extra mile to combat gender stereotypes. One famous and entertaining example is the 2002 romantic comedy Bend It Like Beckham:
One team that is also regarded as a top destination for the best players in women’s football is Arsenal. This team plays in the Women’s Super League and its history is nothing short but amazing.
The numerous titles and achievements that Arsenal WFC managed to collect are among the reasons why it is considered by many as one of the top-rated women’s football teams. For starters, Arsenal WFC has won the most doubles and trebles in the history of English football.
In terms of the number of titles that Arsenal managed to lift over the years, its resume has:
To make things even better, Arsenal is the only English women’s team to win the Champions League. Many ladies’ football clubs tried to win more than 4 titles in one competitive season, but Arsenal was the first women’s team to achieve a sextuple. It did that in the 2006/07 season.
These accolades, combined with the funding that the club receives, the dedication to its youth system, etc., make it an attractive destination for female players. That is also why Arsenal is among the best women’s football teams.
Some notable names that have been a part of this team and are members of Arsenal’s Hall of Fame are Rachel Yankey, Kelly Smith, Katie Chapman and Fara Williams.
Regardless of all obstacles and drawbacks, Preston is one of the most famous women’s football destinations in the UK. It was the home of the legendary Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. and North End W.F.C. Unfortunately, the wildly successful Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. disbanded in 1965, and North End W.F.C. transitioned to Fylde and changed its name to AFC Fylde Women.
Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. was founded in 1917, becoming one of the first women’s association football teams in Britain. Throughout its 48 years of existence, the team played a total of 833 games and won 759 of them. It scored even in 46 matches and lost only 28.
The team was so beloved that in its early years before the FA ban was imposed, its games attracted crowds as large as 50,000 spectators. An interesting fact is that in 1920, Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. defeated a French female team 2 – 0 in what appears to have been the first international women’s association football game.
Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. originates from the Dick, Kerr & Co ammunition factory in Preston. It was formed as a works squad by women who joined the company in 1914. At the time, it was considered that organized sports activities would boost wartime morale, so factory workers were often encouraged to join informal teams and compete in in-house tournaments.
Soon enough, the ladies from the Dick, Kerr & Co factory were able to prove their football talent by beating the male factory team in a casual game. An office clerk, Alfred Frankland, saw the potential of the female squad and agreed to become the manager of the newly-founded Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C.
At first, the women’s football club played in charity matches to raise money during and after World War I. However, the team gained tremendous momentum. The 1920 victory against a French squad from Paris gave the start to a truly impressive football journey. Dick, Kerr F.C. played in front of an audience of 53,000 on Boxing Day of 1920 against St. Helen’s Ladies at Goodison Park. The occasion marked the world’s record for the largest crowd at a women’s club match, which remained intact for 98 years.
However, the growing popularity of the Dick, Kerr Ladies squad and women’s football, in general, did not appeal to some. Women were discouraged from playing football because they were regarded as not physically fit for this kind of sport. However, there were allegations that the fame of Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. threatened the male team. The women’s club’s games were often far more crowded than the matches of the men’s team.
So, in 1921, the FA imposed a ban on women’s football, making it impossible for the ladies to use the member grounds. The restriction severely impacted the Dick, Kerr Ladies team as well as UK’s women’s football in general, as the players were forced to practise and play at smaller capacity fields, depriving them of access to resources and sufficient exposure.
Finally, in 1971, the FA lifted the ban. However, the Dick, Kerr Ladies had already folded, bringing the end to a glorious era for Preston’s women’s football.
AFC Fylde Women was founded in 1971. The team was originally known as the Duke of York and was a founding member of the North West Women’s Football League. Initially, the club was affiliated with Preston and was called subsequently Preston Rangers W.F.C. and Preston North End W.F.C. However, it later changed its affiliation from Preston North End to AFC Fylde and has been known as AFC Fylde Women since the start of the 2019/20 season. The team was promoted into the FA Women’s Premier League Northern Division for the first time in 2005/06.
Lancashire is a heaven for women’s football. At present, there are over 100 female adult teams participating at all levels of the women’s football hierarchy. Some of the available female football leagues include:
The games are typically played on Sunday afternoons in a 11v11 format. There is also a 9v9 summer league for recreational players. The program focuses on fitness, building friendships, and simply having fun. It started in 2017 and established itself as a great success from the beginning. In 2018, six out of the enrolled 14 teams transitioned into the Lancashire FA Women’s County League.
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]]>Throughout the years, Preston has always managed to stay ahead in terms of socio-economic development. The local community of active citizens is flourishing and growing. Prestonians have a long-established reputation of being hard-working individuals with a flair for novelty and innovation. Therefore, it is not surprising that Preston has given the rest of the UK and the world quite a few talented people and useful inventions. Let us see some of them below:
In the early 1800s, Preston was a busy industrial town. Heavy manufacturing was flourishing when the Electric Railway and Tramway Carriage Works Ltd was founded. Later on, the company changed its name to Dick, Kerr Works and became a very successful manufacturer that produced and delivered trams across the UK and abroad. In fact, some sources claim that the Dick, Kerr Works was the largest tram factory in the country at the time.
The local aircraft industry expanded on tram manufacturing, and Preston became the birthplace of the world’s first jet bomber known as the Canberra. The aircraft was most famous for setting the world record for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean at 4 hours and 40 minutes in 1951. The Canberra also held more than 20 other world records.
However, this is not all. Preston is also famous for building the Felixstowe F3 flying boat, producing the rear fuselage of Concorde, and the Wren’s first night flight.
Preston is also known for the origin of the Deltic locomotive Diesel Prototype number 1 (DP1). The English Electric company created the locomotive in 1955 at Strand Road in Preston, making it the world’s most powerful train at the time.
UK’s first-ever motorway, the M6, was built around Preston. Ironically, the country’s first motorway car crash also happened near Preston a week after.
By now, you must have already realized that Preston has always been a busy industrial and commercial centre. However, what many of you might not know yet is that Richard Arkwright, a renowned Prestonian, is actually considered the founder of the modern industrial factory system. According to many historians, the innovations he introduced to cotton spinning have played a key role in triggering the Industrial Revolution.
You might not hear a lot about Preston North End (PNE) these days, but the football team was glorious back in the day. To begin with, they were the first squad ever to both become the League Champions and win the FA Cup in the 1888/89 season. Not to mention that in 1887 they beat Hyde United 26 – 0 playing for the FA Cup, thus marking the highest score in English football.
What is more, Sir Tom Finney OBE, CBE, a legendary PNE player and an all-time favourite of the crowds, was the first to win the Footballer of the Year title twice – in 1954 and 1957. Also, the city’s Deepdale stadium is believed to be the world’s oldest continuously used football facility.
Thus, it is no surprise why Prestonians believe their city to be the cradle of UK football. In fact, it housed the National Football Museum before it moved to Manchester.
The Prestonian ladies are also world-famous for their football skills and acumen. The locally-founded Dick, Kerr’s Ladies football club is possibly the most globally renowned female squad. The team has a long history of success dating back to 1920 when they beat France in the first official women’s international football tournament in the world. Interestingly enough, a couple of years later the ladies embarked on a tour across the US, where they mostly played men’s teams.
Joseph Livesey was a Preston-born philanthropist, social reformer, politician, publisher, and temperance advocate. In 1833, this remarkable man signed a pledge that founded the total abstinence movement called teetotalism.
Livesey was an active public figure, who also published the Preston Temperance Advocate, which became the first temperance publication ever released in the UK. His career as a publisher also included the Preston Guardian, which he established in 1844 together with his sons. It quickly became the most influential print publication in North Lancashire, and in 1859 Livesey sold it off.
Livesey was so adamant about promoting total abstinence that when he died, and they opened his will, they found a provision that asked a copy of his Malt Liquor Lecture to be delivered to every household in Preston. Upon his wish, 20,000 copies were provided, each containing the following inscription, “he being dead yet speaketh.”
It might come as a surprise to you to learn that the cartoon character of Wallace is based on a real-life person from Preston. Nick Park, the creator of Wallace and Gromit was born in Preston, where he studied Art and Design at the local college. He is believed to have used his old English teacher as a prototype for Wallace.
The above entries are just a small portion of the individuals and achievements that contributed to Preston’s fame. There are many more things and name the city is famous for, including:
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]]>The Preston Guild fair dates as far back as 1179. Since 1542, it started taking place every 20 years. The only exception was in 1942 due to the war. However, after World War II was over, the fair was moved to 1952, and the tradition continued.
The original goal of the event was to promote the town’s traders, who formed a business union called “The Burgesses.” Nowadays, the festival has evolved to celebrate Preston in its full beauty. Not only is the Guild a business event but it also showcases the local culture, education, history, arts, and professions of all sorts.
The Preston Guild was established once King Henry II granted the town a royal charter in 1179. The Guild Merchant members, also known as the Burgesses, were the only traders allowed to operate within Preston. They swore loyalty to the Mayor and the Preston Guild and had to undergo regular renewal procedures to continue their licenses. Of course, they also had to pay an annual fee to be part of the union. Later on, it was decided that the membership gatherings should take place once in a generation and since 1542, the Preston Guild Fair was scheduled to happen every 20 years.
The last Preston Guild fair was held in 2012 and the next one is due in 2032. The event’s schedule has followed the exact same order since 1562. The Guild Court must open on the Monday after the feast of the decollation of St. John the Baptist – a religious holiday that takes place on August 29.
A jolly medieval tradition, the so-called “proclamations,” then occurs on the three consecutive Saturdays before the prime festivities. The proclamations gather a crowd at the Market Square to announce the upcoming Guild fair and invite the audience to participate. The week is filled with all kinds of exciting events, such as the Torchlight Procession, a video of which you can see below:
The gathering of the Guild Court is the most important event of the entire week of festivities. The traditional ceremony follows a strict order established back in the Middle Ages. In short, the event proceeds in the following manner: The Guild Mayor and Mayoress arrive at the Town Hall to be greeted by distinguished community members, as the other guests and representatives take their places. Meanwhile, at 10 am, a civic procession heads from the Preston Town Hall to the Guild Hall.
During the event, the already-admitted burgesses renew their licenses, and the new hereditary Guild Members are admitted. The new honorary Guild members are admitted during the formal adjournment of the Court, which happens on Saturday. Nowadays, all kinds of prominent individuals can become honorary members as long as the community nominates them.
The 2012 Preston Guild has been the most spectacular so far. The event went far beyond the trade and business community to include virtually every aspect of life in the busy Lancashire city. The programme of the 2012 Preston Guild was so full that the celebrations actually lasted 10 days. The main events took place at the city’s Avenham Park and featured all sorts of happenings, including a performance of Spain’s opera star Jose Carreras and an indie and rock music concert.
With the bar set so high, Lancashire and the rest of the UK are eagerly looking forward to the 2032 edition of the Preston Guild. The city is quickly developing with new businesses and activities emerging all the time. The local diversity is expanding in every way, which in and of itself is a reason to celebrate.
Being a widely popular event with a long history, the Preston Guild has quite a few interesting facts surrounding it.
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]]>I am proud and honoured to have you on the pages of our blog about Preston, Lancashire. Every day I strive to deliver new, timely, and relevant information about this bubbly city, which is also the county’s administrative centre. Whether you are a resident or a visitor, you will find lots of articles and blog posts to help you experience Preston in its full magic.
Preston has always been a busy place and a lively home to many diverse trades. While it did encounter some rough patches throughout its long history, the city always managed to shine as a well-developed, attractive commercial destination.
The recent years have brought many developments to Preston. Digital technology is advancing all areas of the local trades, new businesses are emerging, and the socio-economic landscape is rapidly changing. To keep you in touch with all that is happening in Preston right now, I publish daily fresh information and articles. While many websites offer news about the city and the county, I find them all to be too impersonal. I, on the other hand, attempt to always present the personal take of the local resident, born and raised in Preston.
Now, most of you must have already heard about the Preston Guild, the famous trade unit that has existed since 1179. The city’s business and commercial environment has always been blossoming, even in times of unprecedented crises. Nowadays, as technologies develop, fresh market segments open, and new professions arise all the time.
Preston is, of course, part of the global economic development trends. Therefore, I try to collect, compile, and analyze as much information as possible to help anyone interested in the Preston business and commercial environment. I try to put all the latest developments in a relevant context both regionally and nationally.
Preston is a vivacious city full of energy and ideas. The place is famous as a focal point for young talents from the areas of theatre, music, visual and performance arts, and more. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of exhibitions, plays, concerts, and other happenings each year. The local residents are lucky to have regular access to all kinds of art events. Visitors can also quickly become part of the ever-evolving local performance scene by checking out the regular updates that I post.
In addition, this blog will help you discover the best social experiences around the city. You will find here plenty of reviews of local bars, restaurants, and other entertainment venues. I do talk a lot about the parks and the plethora of outdoor activities that Preston has to offer, as I myself am an outdoorsy type of person and love spending time in nature. There are also tons of excellent recreational activities to practice regardless of your age, physical condition, and personal interests.
Last but not least, you will find plenty of suggestions for family-friendly activities in Preston and the area. The city is a wonderful place to visit with your family at any time of the year. The local community is safe and secure. The area is entirely kid-friendly, and you can rest assured your children are in good hands at the local facilities.
Also, in January 2021, Preston was named the best place to live and work in the North West. Having been a digital nomad in the past myself, I am well aware of the fact that people change location very often nowadays. Therefore, I try to gather and present useful information for everyone who might consider moving to our city.
Preston boasts a long and curious history. Throughout the years, it gave Britain and the world quite a few inventions, including the tram, the Dick Kerr Ladies football club, teetotalism (the temperance movement), and many more. I narrate in detail here about all of these contributions that bear historical significance. You will also read other fun and intriguing facts about the city and Lancashire in general. Additionally, you will have the chance to peek at the lives of some of the most renowned Prestonians and learn all about the rich local history.
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