Blowick

Infobox UK place
country = England
latitude = 53.63999
longitude = -2.97307
map_type = Merseyside
official_name = Blowick
population =
metropolitan_borough = Sefton
metropolitan_county = Merseyside
region = North West England
constituency_westminster = Southport
post_town = SOUTHPORT
postcode_area = PR
postcode_district = PR8
dial_code = 01704
os_grid_reference = SD357163
static_

static_image_caption = The view down Cobden Road, looking towards the gasometer

Blowick is a suburb of the town of Southport, Merseyside, England.

History and etymology

Blowick is part of the ancient parish of North Meols and was formerly a detached settlement, on the northern fringe of what is now Southport.

The name derives from the Old Norse name "Bla Vik" meaning "dark bay" as it was located at the end of a large inlet on the ancient lake of Martin Mere called "The Wyke". There are historically two Blowicks: Higher Blowick, situated around what is now the junction of Everard Road and Southbank Road, and Lower Blowick (Butts Lane, Norwood Road, etc.), which is the area around what locals tend to refer to now as simply Blowick.

Landmarks

The gasometer on Crowland Street is the tallest building on the Southport skyline, visible from as far afield as Blackpool and Parbold. The largest tower was decommissioned in January 2008, due to an environmental risk posed by the storage of oil within it. In September 2008, National Grid announced that two of the three gas towers would be dismantled by August 2009, with the fate of the smallest tower remaining uncertain. The news has met with mixed reactions from local residents, though the gasometer was voted one of the North West’s biggest eyesores in a competition run by the BBC. [cite web|url=http://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/southport-news/southport-southport-news/2008/09/12/blowick-s-famous-gasometer-is-to-be-demolished-101022-21801684/|title=Blowick’s famous gasometer is to be demolished|accessdate=2008-09-17|last=Siddle|first=John|work=Southport Visiter|date=2008-09-12]

The Thatch & Thistle is a thatched public house on Norwood Road. Known for a time as The Thatch Inn, the pub closed on 21 August 2008 after Cains Brewery went into administration, but reopened the following day under new management. [cite web|url=http://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/southport-news/southport-southport-news/2008/08/29/thatch-inn-bounces-back-from-cains-crisis-with-new-name-and-big-changes-101022-21627888/|title=Thatch Inn bounces back from Cains crisis with new name and big changes|accessdate=2008-09-17|last=Alcock|first=Robert|work=Southport Visiter|date=2008-08-29]

Haig Avenue football stadium, the home of Southport F.C., is also located in Blowick.

Education

The area has a secondary school named Meols Cop High School and a sixth form college named King George V College. The former was previously a secondary modern school and the latter a grammar school.

Transport

Blowick is served by Meols Cop railway station on Northern Rail's Manchester to Southport Line. The station opened in 1887, originally as part of the Liverpool, Southport and Preston Junction Railway. In years gone by, Blowick had a further two railway stations: stnlnk|Butts Lane Halt (closed 1938), also on the Liverpool, Southport and Preston Junction Railway, and Blowick railway station (closed 1939) on the Manchester and Southport Railway. [cite book|author=Gell, Rob|year=1986|title=An Illustrated Survey of Railway Stations Between Southport & Liverpool 1848-1986|publisher=Heyday Publishing Company|isbn=0-947562-04-4]

References

External links

* [http://www.kgv.ac.uk/ King George V College]
* [http://www.meolscophighschool.co.uk/ Meols Cop High School]