Earby Chronicles

Edition 68 SPRING 2013

SOCIETY AIMS: to raise awareness, EARBY MAY DAYS foster an interest Part 1 : In the Beginning – Stephanie Carter and facilitate £1.50 research into the heritage of Earby & Lodged in the Archives of the Society are copies of programmes of district including past Earby May Day celebrations, and using these as my main source, I Thornton in hope to present a series of short articles which will revive memories of Craven, Sough, these happy times of long ago. In this first piece let us recall Earby’s first Kelbrook, Harden, May Days of 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1950. Hague and Salterforth.

OFFICIALS Chairman &NRCC Rep : Bob Abel phone 01282 843850

Vice Chairman & Edi- tor of Chronicles: Stephanie Carter Phone 01756 794099

Secretary : Margaret Brown phone 01282 843932

Treasurer & Archi- vist : Wendy Faulkner phone 01282 863160

Programme Secretary Vacant

Archivist: Margaret Greenwood phone 01282 843394

Web Site / IT Vacant

Committee: Trevor Tattersall Mary Corteen Colin Dalby www.earbyhistory.co. Recent talks & features uk Page1 Earby May Days Part 1—Stephanie Carter Page 5 Short History of Salterforth Inghamite Chapel Part 1—Colin Dalby £2.50 Page 14 Two Old Relics—An Old Earbyer Members of 1 Society free Earby Chronicles

Earby District Social and Festival Committee, with chairman Bert Cross and secretary Harold Waterworth, was created to arrange a programme of entertainment “of a very high educational and recreational standard” to achieve the aim of the May Day Festival “to revive family spirit among our citizens who had been drawn into close co-operation during the years of war and the desirability of that continued community of interest in the days of peace”. Firstly a May Queen had to be chosen; at the dance held in the Albion Hall in March 1947 there were 22 entries, from whom Miss Margaret Halstead was selected. (She is the mother of local joiner and undertaker Martin Foster). Her attendants were to be Joan Crewdson, Vera Greenwood, Vera Butterworth, Joan Greenwood, Netta Hargreaves and Joyce Blackey. Page Boys and Sherwood Foresters were also to be in attendance on the day, before which a programme of events was drawn up. The first souvenir programme fea- tured a depiction of Earby’s Old Grammar School, the first of many interesting frontpieces. May 3rd brought sleet, rain and high winds to Earby, and owing to the state of the field at the Recreation Ground off Skipton Road, several of the planned activities were cur- tailed. The celebrations began with a procession starting at Linden Road and headed by Earby Prize Brass Band. There followed an assortment of tableaux, children in fancy dress and decorated horses. The first prize in the decorated horses section went to AJ Birleys of Albion Mill. On the Rec, Mrs Drayson, wife of the local MP, performed the crowning ceremony and praised the Festival Committee for their success in reviving old traditional May festivities. There was maypole and country dancing, accompanied by the Band, a safety first display and a show by the Craven Motor Club. The day concluded with dancing until 11.45 to the Troubadours Band in the Albion Hall, the admission to which was 2/6d. The Craven Herald reported one year later that Margaret Halstead had been a credit to the town, undertaking numerous engagements involving public speaking. Margaret had been surprised at what she had learnt and said “You may think you can’t do a thing but when the time comes and you have to, then you find you can”. The management and employees of Johnsons Fabrics Ltd, where Miss Halstead was on the office staff, presented her with a weekend case to mark the end of a successful reign. 1st May 1948 heralded a fine day for the crowning of Miss Netta Hargreaves. The 6d souvenir programme was decorated with flowers, and ten tableaux formed the backbone of the procession. Sunday and day schools were represented along with the Allotment Holders Association and Kelbrook Young Farmers Club who used a model cow to represent their theme. A Bonnie Babies tableau was entered by the Food Office and trade displays by local

Margaret Halstead Netta Hargreaves

2 Earby Chronicles firms played a prominent part in the procession. The new May Queen and her retinue wore silk dresses made from material woven by Newbridge Mill in Earby. Children from the mod- ern school, conducted by Miss Millicent Turner, sang a selection of songs before and after the crowning, whilst Barnoldswick Brass Band accompanied a large scale maypole dance performed in front of the new May Queen. A safety demonstration was staged by West Rid- ing Police and the evening was rounded off with a whist drive and dancing to Les Rhodes and his band in the Albion Hall.

Pauline Hands Betty Priestley The merry month of May 1949 saw Miss Betty Priestley crowned Queen, assisted by her retinue, page boys and Sherwood Foresters. The chairman of the Festival Committee was Bert Cross with secretary Dick Shaw, and the Festival Committee continued with their aim in 1950 to revive the merriment of old time May festivals. In medieval days May Day had been kept as a great public holiday. It was a festival to celebrate the return of Spring, with maypole dancing, crowning of the May Queen, with hobby horses, archers and other lively festivities. Miss Pauline Hands was Earby’s May Queen and the event attracted the usual large crowd.

EARBY 100 YEARS AGO 1913 Information gleaned from Craven Herald by Stephanie Carter January It is proposed to form a Dickens Society with Mr S V Heap as president; membership to be limited to 25. To celebrate the birth of Dickens on 7th February a dinner is to be held in Loth- ersdale.

To celebrate the opening of the Premier Tent (Earby) of the Independent Order of Rechabites a social was held in Coronation Hall. Brother William Pawson presided over a splendid attendance and a capital programme was gone through – songs, recitations and addresses on the work of the Order.

Mr Amos Nelson who resides at the Manor and is a well known Nelson manufacturer, when motoring home on Saturday evening found the road between Thornton and Earby impass- able, the snow having drifted in places. The car became stuck and had to be abandoned and Mr Nelson proceeded home on foot.

Co-operative tea and concert A tea promoted by the Earby Industrial Co-operative Society was held in the Coronation

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Hall. About 250 sat down to tea after which a capital concert was given by The Western Op- eratic Concert Company. Councillor D Aldridge, president of the Society, presided over an attendance of about 400 persons.

Successful year at Conservative Club and the Baptist At Homes reported. On Sunday morning several wagons were derailed at Earby station with both main lines being blocked. The breakdown gang from Skipton was notified and after several hours hard work the lines were cleared. Farewell sermon by Rev C W Townsend, Baptist minister, who leaves for Burnley.

February “The erstwhile little village of Earby is rapidly blossoming into a thriving industrial centre. A few decades ago it was a quiet village with a few hundred inhabitants – “far from the mad- ding crowd” - and excepting that it was the junction for a “city” named “Barlick”, it was seldom heard of. Now it has 6000 inhabitants, most of whom have tastes out of the ordinary, and is governed by a go-ahead Urban District Council. Political clubs housed in palatial premises represent the three great parties – Liberal, Conservative and Labour. A Naturalists Society, whose members are clever and enthusiastic, and various religious bodies with numerous loyal adherents almost complete the tale – and yet a few of the men “of light and leading” and of literary tastes got together recently and formed a Dickens Society with Mr S V Heap as president, and Mr Willie Watson , elocutionist and raconteur, as secretary. Saturday last was set aside for an inaugural banquet at the Cross Keys Inn. “The Immortal memory of Dickens” toast was proposed by the president in an eloquent speech…”

General ‘urposes Committee of Earby UDC agreed to the purchase, with the help of public subscriptions, of a new fire engine from London – a second hand machine from Messrs Shand, Mason & Co for £225.

Annual distribution of certificates and medallions by Earby Ambulance & Nursing Division by Mrs Birley at Albion Hall. Inspection of Earby Ambulance Division Royal Naval Sick Berth Reserve at New Road School by Inspector General R W G Steward RN on behalf of the Admiralty – 15 members in charge of S V Heap. Parade of 6th WR Cadets C Co Earby – Dress – full dress uniform, rifles, carbines, drums, bugles and side arms. All men to attend this drill. Recruits and men now serving.

March Mr S V Heap admitted to Hon Serving Brother of Order of Hospital of St John of Jerusalem.

Wesley Guild Easter outing The sun was shining pleasantly as the members of the Wesley Guild assembled at the station at 9.00am on Easter Saturday. The party of 53 journeyed by train to Bell Busk, afterwards walking through Airton and Kirkby Malham. They climbed up Kirkby Fell and Rye Loaf Point which were partly covered in snow. Descending into the valley they had a walk of four or five miles before reaching Settle. Rain descended about 4.00pm and there was a constant downpour all evening. The party had tea served at Hoyle’s Temperence Hotel, and afterwards held a social hour together. They left Settle by train about 7.00 pm arriving back in Earby at 9.00pm

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EARBY IN 1963 – 50 YEARS AGO Information gleaned from Craven Herald by Stephanie Carter January Snowstorms and blizzards have impact on transport in the area. (1963 brought 2 months of very bad snowy and icy weather and the worst winter since 1947) February “An Earby tractor for India” – The Freedom from Hunger Campaign Committee try to raise enough money to send a Bristol tractor to India; the figure of £1,400 will be needed. The Round Table began their collection using a barrel organ and raised £22.15s on the Sat- urday. The money is to provide a paddling and boating pool on the Holme Playing Fields for Earby children. March Miss Millicent Turner is to be the Chairman of Earby UDC 1963-64; she will be the first lady to hold the office since the formation of the Council in 1909. Pat Shipley is selected as May Queen. “Beeching Axe Falls on Craven” – Numerous railway stations are to close, including Thorn- ton in Craven, and it is recommended that the passenger service between Earby and Barnoldswick is withdrawn.

A SHORT HISTORY OF THE SALTERFORTH INGHAMITE CHAPEL PART 1 : By Colin Dalby

The earliest reference to an Inghamite cause at Salterforth would appear to be a manuscript minutes book, thought to be in Benjamin Ingham’s own handwriting, giving the names and locations of Inghamite chapels and their membership in the year 1751. At that time the Salterforth membership was given as 20 men and 24 women. At this time the members’ meetings and worship would have been held in the open air or in local houses or out buildings. The first legal deed for the purchase of land for the original chapel and graveyard area is dated 22nd October 1754 between the purchaser William Batty (of Newby Cote, Clapham), a faithful follower and helper of Benjamin Ingham, and the seller Robert Jackson (of Wanless in the Forest of Trawden also named as a trustee on the 1754 deed). The deed states “all that piece or parcel of ground called Gate- land Croft”; the croft then held by “one James Hart- ley otherwise Watson as farmer or tenant”. In 1762 when the Salterforth chapel was set in order, i.e. when settled preachers and elders were appointed, the membership was about 26. Joseph Edmondson of Earby was elected to be one of the elders. In 1764 William Batty, who, by now had moved from Clapham to Wheatley Lane Chapel, conveyed the Salterforth property to a number of trustees:-

Benjamin Ingham 1712 - 1772

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Joseph Edmondson of Earby Minister of the Gospel Samuel Kershaw of Earby Tailor Thomas Marsden of Newsholme Yeoman John Barrett of Fiddling Clough Yeoman John Slinger of Winewall Minister of the Gospel Christopher Batty of Thinoaks Minister of the Gospel John Hartley from Salterforth Shalloon weaver James Brown from Salterforth Shoemaker William Edmondson from Salterforth Weaver

The original 1754 chapel, caretaker’s cottage and front graveyard.

The property now included “all that structure or building thereon lately erected and now used for a meeting house…for the publik worship of God…and all that dwellinghouse… adjoining to the east end”. Towards the end of the 18th century, of these early trustees, William Edmondson, named in the 1804 deed as a Minister of the Gospel, had moved to Winewall, and only Jo- seph Edmondson remained as surviving elder and trustee. Having become addicted to drink he was cut off from the Church, but he held the deeds and was in possession of the buildings and so he continued to preach as long as he could gather a congregation. Once again the membership was reduced, and the building started to fall into disrepair. In 1805 Joseph Edmondson (as above) agreed to give up possession of the chapel if he could live in the adjoining house rent free, for life. This was accepted; the building was repaired and services re-started with eight members and probably with the assistance of other local congregations, notably Winewall. The new trustees formed in 1804/5 came from Laneshawbridge, Colne, Blackhow Side, Burnley Lane, Marsden Height and also West Mar- ton. Over the next decade the membership steadily increased and by 1814 it was strong enough for its preachers to help with the chapel at Tosside. By 1832 the elected trustees at Salterforth came from a wide area which included members from Wheatley Lane, Earby, Colne Edge, Eastburn, Kelbrook, Trawden, these included :-

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John Widdop of Salterforth Sawyer John Ormerod of Barnoldswick Weaver John Swire of Lothersdale Farmer Henry Holgate of Booth House, Thornton Parish Minister

The above Henry Holgate was apparently a powerful preacher. It is said that he once preached to a congregation of 1000 people in the field adjoining the chapel (where Moor View is today). Around 1832 the various cottages attached to the chapel were occupied by Henry Marsden, William Hartley, Mary Wilkinson and Henry Bracewell; their work mainly involved worsted weaving. During this time the chapel was lent, in trust, the sum of £60 for repairs, but the chapel decided instead to put the money to the relief of the poor and hungry. In the second half of the 19th century the congregation flourished and produced a good number of lay preachers. In the 1860s several Salterforth men acted as trustees. These included Richard Peel the elder and Richard Peel the younger of Spen, Samuel, Abraham and Aaron Whiteoak , weavers, and Joseph King , farmer. Later names in the trustee records reveal close and long-lasting connections with the chapel, which included more Swires, Kings and Greens. An 1861 deed refers to members as “the Society of Protestant Dissenters called Ing- hamites.” The new trustees had been elected at a meeting “held in the said chapel on the 25th day of December 1860.” At that time “the dwelling houses at the east end of the chapel now in occupation of James Marsden and Judy Holgate or their under tenants.” The 1861 census shows James Marsden as born in Salterforth 1796 and his occupation as a hand loom cotton weaver. Judith Holgate is shown as born in Bradford 1778 with no occupation. An 1883 deed had the six (named above) remaining trustees on the list, to which 15 more had been elected to give a total of 21 named trustees, five were from Barnoldswick, four from Earby, four from Colne, three from Salterforth, three from Nelson and one each from Kelbrook and Skipton. Their noted occupations were: Weavers – ten, Overlookers – two, Twister – one, Farmer – three, one each – Hawker, Sawyer, Shopkeeper, Solicitor’s Clerk, and Yeoman. By 1917 only two of the 1883 trustees remained and a further 12 were added. Many of these were related as fathers, sons and cousins, five of them being from Salterforth.

(The second part of Colin Dalby’s account of Salterforth Inghamite Chapel will be published in the Summer edition of the Chronicles)

SIMPSONS GOLD THREAD WORKS

This was the title of the talk given by Linda Barton at our December meeting. A member of Preston Historical Society, Linda has done extensive research into the Gold Thread Works in Preston including interviewing former members of management and staff. The factory finally closed in 1991 after 162 years of producing quality gold thread products. Dwindling orders from the navy after they changed to alternative cheaper threads, lower demand in general from the forces for badges etc., growing competition from Indian manufacturers and the loss of a valuable contract to supply copper wire to BT (optic fibres are now replacing traditional copper wire) all combined to make the business uneco- nomic. The founder of the business in 1829 was Isaac Simpson son of Stephen a Preston

7 Earby Chronicles clock maker. Isaac followed his father and opened his own clock making business in Chor- ley in 1829. Isaac was approached by two Huguenot women who brought gold thread to him to be flattened as he had the steel rolling equipment to do this (presumably used for making clock and watch springs). Seeing an opening for a business he bought a set of special flattening rollers from Krupps in Germany and went further in converting them to be steam driven. The business grew and eventually they started producing their own gold and silver thread and were one of the few concerns who were totally vertical in that they started with ingots of metal and did every process right up to the hand embroidered or woven finished article. The process started in the foundry where a mix of 97½% silver and 2½% copper was melted in a crucible and cast into a long bar with a pointed end. Gold leaf was burnished onto the surface of the bar which was then subjected to a series of drawing processes to finish with a strand of thread thinner than a human hair. The resultant thread had to be wound onto a cotton core and to ensure that the thread adheres to the cotton it had to be flattened by passing though steel rollers. Other processes were used to produce variations for example crimped thread or beaded threads. The completed yarns were then converted into the finished product. Jaquard looms were used to weave patterned fabrics for making up into Masonic regalia. Some yarn was made into braids as used in Royal Navy officers’ uniforms. There was a hand embroidery department which produced the intricate work for uniform badges. The company was very worker-orientated and many employees stayed with the company for years occasionally turning down higher paid less skilled jobs elsewhere. In the very early days the workers earned more than the hand loom weavers but not as much as the cotton mill workers, however their working conditions were much better. When a woman left to have a family they were often kept on as out workers. Linda mentioned two particular long serving employees, Martha Riley who was Simpsons’ first employee and stayed 44 years, and Isabella Boast who started in 1865 at the age of 11 and who did 58 years service. It was also quite a secretive business and the workers never divulged the intricacies of the process they were employed to do. Linda rounded off her talk by describing how a hand embroidered badge was made and also displayed many examples of finished products.

TOM SPENCER – SKIPTON MAN AND CO-FOUNDER OF MARKS AND SPENCER

Rosemary and Robin Bundy have researched ten Craven wor- thies for a series of lectures to Skipton U3A. They spoke at our January meeting on one of these, Tom Spencer who joined Michael Marks to found the iconic shopping empire, Marks and Spencer. Tom was the third child of John and Elizabeth Spencer. His father, a shoemaker, was born in Skipton and his mother Elizabeth nee Horner was born in Litton but they both moved to Bury in Lancashire where they married in 1841. They had two children in Bury before mov- ing back to Skipton where Tom was born in 1851. Tom Spencer

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They lived in Queens Court off Caroline Square behind where Woolworths store used to be. A blue plaque now commemorates Tom Spencer’s birth place. By 1861 Tom’s father had died and his mother is described as a boot and shoe dealer In his late teens, Tom moved to Bradford where he was apprenticed as a draper. From there he moved on to Leeds where he married a Skipton girl, Elizabeth Baxter, in 1873 and they had four children, Grace, Ethel Agnes, Thomas Henry and James. Elizabeth died in 1891 and the following year Thomas remarried to Agnes Whitfield of Middlesbor- ough. Tom was working for Isaac Dewhirst, a Leeds wholesale haberdasher, where he became cashier. It was here that he first met Michael Marks. Marks was an immigrant Polish Jew who fled poverty, hardship and the pogroms of Eastern Europe. He arrived in London at the age of 19 unable to speak English, with no trade or money, but he had a likable and friendly personality. He moved up to Leeds where there was a large Jewish clothing community and there met Isaac Dewhirst who lent him £5 to get him started. Marks immediately spent the money on goods from Dewhirst’s warehouse and became an itinerant salesman hawking buttons, wool, stockings etc. and in 1884 he opened his first Penny Bazaar stall on Kirkgate Market in Leeds selling haberdashery, household goods, toys and stationery. His motto was “Don’t Ask the Price – it’s a Penny” The 1890s saw an increase in general prosperity with increasing spending power, an ideal time to be in the retail trade. Marks approached Isaac Dewhirst with a proposal that they go into partnership but Dewhirst declined, wanting to concentrate on his wholesale business, but he suggested that his cashier Tom Spencer might be interested. Tom Spencer and Michael Marks made a complementary partnership, Spencer had connections in the manufacturing trade and had the financial skills whereas Marks had the business flair and ideas. In 1894 the partnership was sealed and each partner had half share, £300 each, in the business of eight penny bazaars and a warehouse in Wigan. They were doing well and after four years the initial capital of £300 each had grown to £2500 and by 1900 they had 36 bazaars, six in the south of England. They had a new four storey warehouse built in Man- chester which was the responsibility of Spencer. Spencer was a strict but fair boss with an eye for economy. In 1903 a limited company, Marks and Spencer Ltd. was launched with capital of 30,000 £1 shares. Each partner had 14,995 shares with the other ten £1 shares being held by individual family members. The same year Spencer retired from the business probably due to ill health, and it was suggested that this might have been precipitated by a drink problem. He died in 1905 in Staffordshire where he had retired. Between 1903 and 1907 24 new branches were opened giving a total of 60 shops. Michael Marks did not outlive Tom Spencer by long and died in 1907 at the age of 44. His son Simon was only 19 and too young to take responsibility for the business and Tom’s son Thomas was not inclined to take charge. There was a dispute as to the succession at the business and the company faced being taken out of family ownership. Executors became share holders with William Chap- man representing the Spencer family and Bernard Steel the Marks family. They wanted to increase the share capital to £100,000 but the other trustees were in no position to take up the shares and it was feared that Chapman and Steel would acquire them thereby taking control of the company. This was defeated and after a protracted campaign Simon Marks did eventually take over the reins and with his good friend, who eventually became his

9 Earby Chronicles brother-in-law, began to expand the company. Rosemary then gave a potted history of the company up to the present day to round off an excellent and well presented talk. The Marks and Spencer Archive has recently been moved to Leeds University where there is also an exhibition called “Marks in Time”. Later this year the retailer will set up a heritage and coffee shop in Kirkgate Market, Leeds. It will display the heritage of the brand since its start as a penny bazaar in a similar stall and will sell coffee, M&S branded gifts and merchandise.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS; W R “BILL” MITCHELL AND THE W R MITCHELL ARCHIVE Submitted by Gillian Waters (WR Mitchell Archive Project Officer)

Many of you will no doubt be familiar with The Dalesman and the work of W.R. “Bill” Mitchell, editor of the magazine for over thirty years. You may also have read one of the 200 books Bill has written on local history, such as the Settle- Carlisle Railway, and well- known Dales personalities including James Herriot, Alfred Wainwright, Hannah Hauxwell and Kit Calvert. However, you may not have known that Bill also has a collection of over 600 taped interviews with Dales folk recorded over the last forty years; an invaluable archive of Yorkshire dialect and local and family history. Bill Mitchell was born in Skipton in 1928 and began his journalistic career on the Craven Herald before joining The Dalesman in 1948. When starting his career at The Dalesman, Bill was told by his editor, Harry J Scott, “We are more interested in people than things”, which Bill says has “ruled my life as a journalist”. Having mastered shorthand and typing at school in Keighley, Bill used these skills to record his initial interviews. As Bill says, “At first, I scribbled down what people told me using Mr Pitman’s type of shorthand. Words were made up of lines, dots and dashes – a tiring process.” Then Bill discovered the tape-recorder and thereafter recorded hundreds of hours of interviews with the men and women of the Yorkshire Dales which formed the basis for his written work. As he says, “with a small tape recorder, I was able to concentrate entirely on the subject. My first tape- recorder was bulky and conspicuous. I eventually used a small recorder. The subject of my interview soon forgot about it.”. It is this approach which gives Bill’s recorded interviews their unique value; the lives of Dales folk told in their own words. By 2010 Bill had amassed a wealth of material on the lives of local Dales folk recorded in print, on cassette tape and video. But it was a cursory chat with Sita Brand, Director of Settle Stories, that kick-started the W.R. Mitchell Archive. Having a chat and a cup of tea in Bill’s kitchen in Giggleswick, talking about stories and storytelling, Bill said “Have you got a minute?” and showed Sita the wealth of tapes, videos, journals and books that he has been collecting as part of his life’s work. And from this conversation an archive was estab- lished! In January 2012 Settle Stories received a Bill in the Recording Studio at £50,000 Heritage Lottery Fund Grant for the W.R. York

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Mitchell Pilot Project to digitise a selection of Bill’s collection of cassette tapes and enable a new generation to not only read history – but listen to it on a website! These stories range from the local gentry, including the Dawsons of the Folly, Settle, and the Yorkes of Halton Place, to ordinary folk scraping a living against the odds in remote Dales communities . They also represent a unique archive of the different Dales accents and dialects used over forty years ago; voices which are not often heard in the Dales today.

Launch of the W R Mitchell Archive, Photograph courtesy of Tony Crosland

Thanks to the work of many volunteers, 15 tapes have been digitised, transcribed and researched for publication on the W.R Mitchell website http://www.wrmitchellarchive.org.uk. Without the work of W.R. ”Bill” Mitchell many of these stories would have been lost to us and yet these recordings provide a fascinating insight into the lives of Dales folk; all the more powerful as they are told in their own words and dialects. If you would like to find out more about the W.R. Mitchell Archive please contact [email protected]

“A BIT OF A DO”

The Society received an invitation to send two representatives to a “Reception for Historical Societies” on January 22nd hosted by the Chairman of Lancashire County Council. The snow having abated Bob Abel (Chairman) and Margaret Brown (Secretary) were able to attend. Each year Lancashire County Council provides funds for the incumbent Chairman to host a reception for his chosen special interest group in the county. This year County Coun- cillor John Shedwick chose local history and heritage. Councillor Shedwick is no stranger to heritage projects, he led a group to rescue the Grand Theatre in Blackpool from the devel- opers and in fact managed the theatre for a number of years. Councillor Shedwick was accompanied by County Heritage Manager Bruce Jack- son. For many years Mr Jackson was the County Archivist but following a restructuring of

11 EARBYEarby CHRONICLES Chronicles the County’s cultural services the post of County Archivist disappeared and he was made responsible, as County Heritage Manager, for the Community History Service including the direction of Lancashire Museum Services. Some 90 representatives from History and heritage groups around the County were invited to a drinks reception before adjourning to the main council chamber for the official welcome. Councillor Shedwick gave a short talk on the history of the County Hall building from its beginning as the local police station in 1878 (before the Lancashire County Council was incorporated) to the building of the current County Hall in 1934. He pointed out that decora- tive carvings of animals on the seating in the council chamber was the work of apprentices. Bruce Jackson spoke on the importance of the County’s heritage and the role played by organisations like our own society. He stressed that in a rapidly changing world history and heritage could easily be lost within a few generations if it were not for the efforts of those in the audience and their colleagues. Following a photographic session we were entertained to an excellent buffet supper with entertainment by a five piece band and there was time to mingle and chat with other guests.

Margaret Brown (centre left) and Bob Abel (Right) with County Council Chairman John Shedwick (centre) and other council officials

APPEAL FOR INFORMATION, LOAN OF PHOTOGRAPHS/MEMORABILIA OF FIRST WORLD WAR 1914—1918 To commemorate the centenary of the start of the First World War , Chronicles Editor, Stephanie Carter, is compiling a memoir of Earby at that time and the effects the War had on Earby people. If you would be prepared to loan any photographs of relatives who joined the Forces, of weddings, of social events in the town, letters, diaries or programmes for copying which would help in this project please phone her on 01756 794099. Many thanks in anticipation for your help.

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THE FISHER BEQUEST Margaret Greenwood (Archivist)

In the Autumn 2010 issue of “Chronicles” (No 58) the death of Walter Fisher was reported and it was recorded that his family had donated to the Society’s archive a collection of material produced by Walter’s brother Frank. Now referred to as “The Fisher Be- quest”, an inventory of this material has been produced and the collection forms part of the archives in our History Room at the New Road Community Centre in Earby. Frank Fisher trained as a commercial artist and, in addition to examples of his professional work (e.g. The weekly adventures of Broad and Caste, the Relay Twins), the collection includes many sketches and paintings of local and other scenes and two unpub- lished novels. There are also various documents forming part of his research into the history of Bracewell and the Tempest family who once held the estate there. In 1980 an exhibition was held at Nelson Library outlining his discoveries concerning Richard Tempest of Brace- well Hall and his part in the English Civil Wars of the 17th century, an involvement which led to the loss of the estate and the smearing of his reputation. The twenty or so panels created for the exhibition are part of the collection. To anyone interested in steam locomotives the Bequest includes six drawings / paintings on this subject which was also of interest to Frank, together with two other items specifically depicting “The Barlick Spud”, the train which used to operate on the Earby to Barnoldswick branch line (reference numbers FB10(a) and FB12(b)).

CHANGING TRACKS – LANCASHIRE RAILWAYS SINCE 1945

Lancashire Community Heritage has contacted the Society to publicise a major project for 2013 - 'Changing Tracks: Lancashire's Railways since 1945'.

They “aim to produce an exciting programme of activities and events designed to en- gage audiences of all ages and backgrounds and promote the local and heritage collections of Lancashire County Council. The project will run from June to 27 November (Lancashire Day) 2013”. The programme will include walks, talks and displays across the county.

They would love to hear from you if you have any memories, photographs or stories about Lancashire's railways so that they can develop a programme of activities. Topics could include: x Family Holidays, Wakes Weeks or days out by train x Romantic encounters or interesting journeys x Memories of working on the railways

If you would like to share your memories or find out more, including volunteer opportu- nities, then please contact: the Society on [email protected] or 01282 843850 or Lancashire Community Heritage on [email protected] or phone 01772 534021

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TWO OLD RELICS By an old Earbyer

I don’t often get up Wysick these days, as a matter of fact I seldom seem to get anywhere but when I do crest Wysick I look for what I have come to regard as an old friend – The Old Iron Wind- mill. Its date of origin and its original purpose I have never known but as far back as I can remember it has always been there. When I left school at fourteen years old, my first job was down at Skipton and cycling to work was then the order of the day. Every morning, every evening, summer, winter, hail, rain or shine, I would cycle past that windmill as it spun, clanking and groaning away. In those days, the wheel was fitted with large iron blades and a large metal weather vane to keep it turned into the wind. With a decent breeze, the wheel could rattle round at a fair rate. We were both in pretty good shape then, the wheel spinning The remains of the merrily, doing whatever it was supposed to do, standing tall and windmill at Wysick today proud and me enjoying my youth with football, cricket, dancing and chasing the girls. Alas, over the years, time has taken its toll on us both. The weather vane, the blades and even the wheel itself have all succumbed to the ravages of time but still the tower stands, now frail, yes, but still tall and defiant against whatever may come next. The passage of time has not done me any favours either, I feel very much on a par with the tower, trying to stay tall, blundering along but a long way past my best. Some people may think that this is a silly story, a man’s affinity to an old iron relic, but advancing years gives you the licence to do and think stupid things. Now and again the sight of an old object, however odd – a photograph or maybe the sound of an old tune can evoke wonderful warm memories of times long gone when some of us were in much, much better shape. So my old rusty, frail tower, long may you continue to stand tall. Thanks for the memories and as for me, I’ll keep on trying to do my best.

Editor’s Note We used to have one of these windmills at North Holme Farm when I was a girl. It was situ- ated “behind the hill” in the pasture at the top of the Old Lane and was used to pump fresh water from a spring. They were quite common on the farms around Earby. There used to be one up Salterforth Lane at a little farm we called Mr Cooper’s Farm on the left at the top.

Archive Room Don’t forget, the Society Archives are open on Fridays from 10-00am to noon when visitors are welcome to use the material. If this is not convenient access to the archive can be by appointment. (contact via [email protected] ) The latest updated index to the documents has now been posted on line on the members page at www.earbyhistory.co.uk

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SOCIETY AGM Held on Tuesday 19th February 2013 Chairman’s Report for 2012 Finances Expenditure exceeded income by £410 in 2012 compared to a surplus of £622 in 2011. There are a number of reasons for this: Increased expenditure has been accrued on several categories due to increased Soci- ety activity, including stationery and printer supplies, archive room expenses and website costs. In conjunction with this we had less grant funding compared with 2011 Grants were down by 60% and book sales were down 25% however the previous year (2011) was exceptional for book sales. On the positive side, subscriptions increased due to the £1 increase in membership fee which came into force in 2012, and meeting collections were up reflecting increased audiences at the meetings. We still have a reasonably healthy bank balance at £1819.

Highlights of the year The main highlight was the Heritage Open Day event which incorporated the official opening of the Heritage Room and the launch of Stephanie Carter’s book “Getting Better – Health Care in Earby Down the Years”. A small group of members have spent many man hours setting up the archive room for the opening event and in fact work is still ongoing. Those involved have been Margaret Brown Margaret Greenwood Trevor Tattersall Wendy Faulkner And myself All the society artefacts and documents have now been brought together in one place. Steel cupboards have been obtained and we were grateful to Lancashire County Council for the donation of cupboards, chairs, book shelves and filing cabinets which were surplus to their requirements. Every item has now been catalogued on a database and the Heritage Room is “open for business”. The opening ceremony was performed at September’s Heritage Open Day event by Chris Tennant, Chairman of Earby Town Council, and we had a visit from the Mayor of Pen- dle. There was a good turn out of visitors at a very successful weekend. The archive room is usually open for visitors on Friday mornings from 10-00 to 12-00 or by appointment. If you haven’t visited yet we would be pleased to see you. We are still looking for helpers, particularly with indexing the newspaper cuttings albums. It is gratifying that having a dedicated archive room has encouraged more people to donate material to be included. Another highlight of the year was the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in June. We put on a very successful exhibition of life in the 1950s. We had our first Annual dinner with an after dinner speaker, Ian Dewhirst, last year. Despite rather too much noise from a singer in an adjacent room we still had a marvellous night. This format is something we would like to continue and any suggestions for after dinner speakers will be gratefully received.

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Website The new website is progressing well. Annette Brown set it up for us but members are now keeping it up to date and we are pleased that Ken Ranson has incorporated his Earby Ranch website into ours. www.earbyhistory.co.uk is the address and you can register as a member for access to the members’ only section of the web site.

Chronicles Chronicles is as popular as ever but I will make the usual appeal for contributions from more people. Please, if you would like to have an item published in Chronicles have a word with the editor or any committee member.

Reception at County Hall Secretary Margaret Brown and I were invited to represent the Society at a reception in January hosted by the Chairman of Lancashire County Council at County Hall Preston which gave us chance to meet people from other history societies from around the county.

2013 Book Progress is well underway with this year’s book. Stephanie Carter has been busy since last year on her latest research into the mills of Earby and the people who ran them or worked in them.

Other Projects x Earby Ranch research. The society is hoping to help our youngest member Josh Con- nor with an interactive open day at Northolme Community Centre later this year to highlight the Ranch’s history and heritage to try and encourage the development of the community spirit there. x Colin Dalby is researching the history of the Salterforth Inghamites x The history of Earby’s fire brigade is ongoing. x A series of history walks for our area are being planned.

Stephanie Carter has started collecting material on the First World War for another publication. As you may realise 2014 is the Centenary of the start of the Great War.

In conclusion I would like to thank again all those who have helped to maintain the impetus of the Society, making us one of the most active history groups in the area. There is still much to do and I would like as many people as possible to take a more active part in the Society so, once again, I appeal for more members to come forward and become more involved in the society’s administration and projects. To mangle those immortal words of Winston Churchill, too often too few have to do so much.

Election of Officers There being no further nominations for society officers the current committee were nominated and re-elected en bloc. The main vacancy remaining is for a programme secretary and in the circumstances the committee will have to co-opt a suitable candidate. The full list of officers is given on the front page.

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IMAGES OF OLD EARBY FROM PICTURE POSTCARDS By Margaret Brown

Following the AGM, Margaret Brown gave a power point presentation based on the the Laycock Postcard Collection. Some years ago, local historian and avid postcard collec- tor, John Laycock, donated copies of the part of his collection featuring Earby. Margaret chose a selection of images to show a virtual tour of Earby in the early years of the 20th century when, before the days of general access to telephones and several generations before e-mails, postcards were the preferred means of sending messages. Starting at the railway station with an Edwardian scene of a Midland Railway train arriving from Skipton, the tour took in the Station Hotel and the early Pioneer bus service to Colne, scenes of Skipton Road, School Lane with the tin church, Victoria Road and then Green End and Water Street. Walking days and processions were a regular feature in those days 100 years ago and these were represented in several scenes including the Co- operative Society Gala Day procession in Victoria Road.

All aboard the omnibus to Colne Colne Road Before the railway retaining wall was built

The presentation was well received and there will be similar slide shows planned.

FAMILY HISTORY QUERY

Roger Harrison has traced his 2 x great grandfather. John Harrison, to Earby. Research in the Society archive has led to the tracing of two earlier generations, Jeremiah Harrison and Roger’s 4 x great grandfather Francis Harrison. We think that Francis married Martha Swire at Broughton where Francis’s occupation is given as miller. Roger says that there is a family legend that one of his ancestors was a cattle drover from Scotland. It is well known that Skipton was a traditional destination for the Scottish drovers bring cattle down to the English markets. Roger is wondering if perhaps Francis Harrison or his father was originally a drover. If you have any information you might think of relevance please contact the society on [email protected] or 01282 843850

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JAMES FREDERICK VARLEY (1927-2012) It is with regret that we have to report the death of long THE SOCIETY standing member, Jim Varley. Meets at the An Earby lad, Jim was educated at New Road School and Community Centre, Ermysteds Grammar School in Skipton leaving in 1943. He did his New Road, EARBY National Service with the Yorkshire Light Infantry in Italy and Austria on the 3rd Tuesday where he became interested in opera. of the month at He went on to further education at Askam Bryan Agricultural 7.30 p.m. (except College, where one year, he won the student of the year award, be- for outside visits). fore taking up farming in Somerset. In 1951 he returned to Earby to run the family butchers shop ANNUAL when his father was taken ill. (Any child going to the shop was SUBSCRIPTION given a piece of cheese). £7.00 UK £9.00 He married Mary Bayliss and they went to live in Upton on Overseas £13.00 Severn and after a number of further moves, including a return to Thornton for a while, they finally settled in Arnside. Jim was very interested in his home town of Earby and Contents: would have loved to have come back to live. Whilst every effort is He has given the Society a lot of information for research made to ensure projects, most particularly on the shops. He could reel off all the accuracy of shops along Victoria Road as he recalled them form his time in information in this Earby. Other local interests included Earby Cricket Club and Earby edition, this cannot be guaranteed. British Legion.

Our thoughts go to his family and friends. NOTE FROM THE EDITOR PROGRAMME Don’t forget this is Tuesday 16th April your newsletter. Send Steve Williams “Rails to the Lancashire Coast” - train journeys in in articles, photos and the 1960s any other anecdotes, so that we get as wide Tuesday 21 May a flavour of Earby & Andrea Smith “Leeds and Liverpool Canal— Skipton to Burnley” District, yes that means Thornton in Tuesday 17th September Craven, Kelbrook, Sough, Harden and Adam Shaw “The Origins and Development of the Co-operative Salterforth as well. Movement”

EDITOR Stephanie Carter 01756 794099 PRODUCED DATA PROTECTION ACT & printed by Members details are held on computer for mailing and Earby & District compilation of a membership list. The details will not be used for any other purpose without the express permission Local History of the member. If you do not wish your details to be held Society. on computer please inform the Treasurer immediately.