Blackpool's Firsts and Bests
Blackpool has had many superlatives over the years, and I have listed many below. Some have been surpassed since they achieved greatness, but many are still the tops:
1840 First lighthouse in the world to be built offshore on cast-iron screw piles – Wyre Light.
1841 First hill to be used for triangulation in Lancashire’s Ordnance Survey - Warbreck Hill.
1859 First School Cadet Force – Rossall School.
1864 First patented ball-rolling rock machine in the world - J Ramsden, Blackpool.
1879 First place in the world with electric arc street lighting – Blackpool.
1880 First British female Chief Librarian – Miss Hannah Eteson, Blackpool - Not Kate Lewtas.
1885 First electric trams in the world - Blackpool Electric Tramway Company.
1885 First person to be killed by a tram - Henry Wilcock from Barnsley.
1886 First UK Charity Street Collection for the families of the Lytham Lifeboat Disaster.
1887 First cable car ride in the world - J Stansfield’s “sensational aerial flight” at the Royal Palace Gardens, Blackpool.
1890 First Corporation in the country to test drains for gas leakage – Blackpool.
1893 First electric crane in the world, made by Heenan & Froude - used on Blackpool Tower.
1894 Tallest artificial structure in Britain – Blackpool Tower.
1897 First motor-coach service in the world - six Daimler motor coaches were run from a kiosk in Talbot Square, Blackpool.
1898 First use of the Loudspeaker - to broadcast records of operatic arias from the tops of Blackpool Tower and the Eiffel Tower.
1900 First Olympic gold medallist from Lancashire - Blackpool Harrier Alfred Tysoe, who won the 800 metres Gold Medal in Paris in June.
1902 First levying of a public rate to advertise for visitors – to fund Blackpool Corporation’s posters at French and Swiss railway stations.
1904 First meeting of Messrs Rolls and Royce - in a Blackpool hotel.
1905 First Helter Skelter in the UK – Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
1906 First scenic railway in Britain – by Gordon Iles at Blackpool.
1919 First person to be presented with a “Wood Badge” by Lord Baden-Powell – Blackpool’s Dr John Wilkinson on the first Scoutmasters’ training course.
1909 First Aviation Week in Britain - held at Squires Gate, Blackpool.
1909 First flight in Lancashire - Henry Farman at Squires Gate.
1909 First Model Aeroplane Club - Blackpool and Fylde Model Aero Club.
1909 First Big Dipper in the world to give a negative “G” sensation – Pleasure Beach.
1910 First civilian commercial flight in Britain - by Graham White at Squires Gate. White was also the first person to fly over a Lancashire town, carry a photographer, and drop bombs (flour bags), while trying to convince the War Office of the usefulness of aeroplanes.
1917 First TUC annual Conference – held in Blackpool in September.
1919 First scheduled daily passenger air service in Britain - AV Roe - Manchester to Blackpool.
1920 First dance festival in the world - Blackpool Dance Festival.
1923 First dipper in the UK to use under-track wheels – Blackpool’s Big Dipper.
1927 First police officer to transport a prisoner by air - Francis McKenna, when he flew to the Isle of Man from Squires Gate.
1928 First demonstration of the Parachute – by Leslie Irvin at the Blackpool Air Pageant.
1930 First British Musical Film – No Lady, starring and directed by Lupino Lane, filmed in Blackpool.
1931 First British Open Dance Championships - Winter Gardens, Blackpool.
1932 First scheduled internal air service in the British Isles - RHC Monk’s British Amphibious Air Lines service to the Isle of Man from Blackpool.
1932 First RAC Rally started from the Promenade in March. The rally actually started from
several points and ended in Torquay.
1933 Fastest time ever for 500yds, by greyhound “Beef Cutlet” Blackpool in May - 26.13 seconds.
1934 First contract for flying newspapers and the Royal Mail to the Isle of Man - Blackpool and West Coast Airways.
1935 First twin-track racing coaster in Europe - the Grand National, Blackpool.
1935 First Mercury vapour lights in the north of England - erected along Whitegate Drive.
1936 First “Eli Wheel” in Britain - built at the Pleasure Beach, Blackpool.
1936 First Ice Show in the world - performed at the Pleasure Beach. It is now the world’s
longest-running ice show.
1937 First Littlewood’s retail store opened on Church Street, Blackpool.
1939 First multi-storey car park in the United Kingdom – Talbot Road Bus Station Car Park.
1940 First transatlantic airport in the UK- the RAF began using Lockheed Liberator B-30 aircraft as ferries between Montreal and Blackpool Squires Gate.
1940 Largest single-span roof in the world – Vickers factory, Squires Gate.
1942 First “Kentucky Derby” game - on Blackpool foreshore by GV Tonner.
1945 First Prime Minister to address the TUC conference when Clement Atlee spoke in Blackpool on the 13th of September.
1947 First display by the RAF Aerobatic Team (now the Red Arrows) - Squires Gate airfield.
1947 First Annual Police Swimming Championships held at Blackpool.
1947 First TVR motorcar produced in Blackpool.
1949 Highest Post Box in Britain – Blackpool Tower.
1951 First live TV broadcast from a moving vehicle - tramcar 165 was used to transmit pictures of Blackpool Illuminations.
1952 Longest-running children’s television programme (over 50 years) began when Harry Corbett bought Sooty on North Pier, Blackpool.
1953 First Cup Final hat trick at Wembley - Stan Mortensen, Blackpool FC.
First televised Cup Final.
1955 First Royal Variety Show to be held outside London – Blackpool Opera House.
1957 First Premium Bonds draw takes place in Blackpool on the 1st of June.
1960 First Football League match to be televised live – Blackpool v Bolton Wanderers, 10th of September.
1966 First commercial Monorail system in Britain - Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
1967 Longest Log Flume in the world (the first outside of the USA) - Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
1967 Biggest “bar service” in Britain – Dixieland Palace on Central Pier.
1968 First chemical attack during a Football League match - Bloomfield Road, in October, when ammonia was thrown during the game against Blackburn Rovers.
1970 Fastest junior to swim the English Channel - 10 hours 9 minutes by Julie Bradshaw (aged 15) of Layton
1971 Largest Archimedes Screw pumps in Britain - on River Road, Thornton.
1974 First football supporter to be stabbed at an English Football Ground - Kevin Olsson at Blackpool.
1974 First video tape machine to be used in a British nightclub – Tiffany’s.
1977 First United Kingdom Snooker Championship - Tower Circus, Blackpool.
1977 First exterior glass elevator in the UK – Pleasure Beach Casino.
1978 First fairground ride in Europe to turn passengers upside down - the Revolution ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
1979 Largest retail park in Lancashire - created when the Co-operative (Normid) Hypermarket opened on Cherry Tree Road.
1984 First “space shot” and “dark ride” in the UK - the Space Invader at the Pleasure Beach.
1990 Largest aquarium tank in Europe - Blackpool Sea Life Centre.
1994 First World Matchplay Darts Championship - Blackpool Winter Gardens.
1994 Highest rollercoaster in the world – the Big One at the Pleasure Beach -235 ft.
1994 Fastest rollercoaster in the world – the Big One at the Pleasure Beach – 87 mph.
(These records have been surpassed, but it remains Europe’s highest and fastest)
1994 Highest score in the Rugby League’s Regal Trophy - Huddersfield beat Blackpool Gladiators by 142 points to 4.
2000 Largest “Dark Ride” in the world – Valhalla – Pleasure Beach.
2000 Largest “Convoy Ride” in the world – Pleasure Beach.
2001 First allotment in the UK with facilities for the disabled - opened at Cherry Tree Road, Blackpool in June.
2002 Fastest crossing of the English Channel using the Butterfly stroke - Julie Bradshaw of Layton in 14 hours and 18 minutes.
2002 Largest disco mirror ball in the world – erected on South Promenade.
2003 First Atlantic crossing in a balloon with an open wicker basket - David Hempleman-Adams in September, landing at Preesall.
2004 First “Digital Photo Kiosks” in the UK - installed in Blackpool Tower and 5 other sites.
2005 First “Drive-Through” Chemist shop in the north of England - Whitworths Chemists on Bloomfield Road, Blackpool, only the second in the UK.
2005 Fastest road car in the world – TVR Cerbera Speed 12 – 240 mph.
2006 First Regional Gaming Academy in the UK - Blackpool and the Fylde College.
2007 Largest Chip Butty in the world – 1.4 metres across, made at the Coral Island Chip Shop with 109kg of chips.
2007 Most limousines in one cavalcade (122) – Blackpool Promenade.
2007 First Englishman to become World Pool Champion – Darryl Peach of Blackpool.
2008 Longest time spent on a Water Slide – Sandcastle.
If you know of any others that would grace this list, please let me know