The archive is extensive and we aim to make as many of these images available online as soon as possible.
We have Upcoming Events to raise awareness of the collection and our project.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE 1st APRIL EVENT AND ALL FUTURE EVENTS HAVE BEEN CANCELLED until further notice.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, OCTOBER 2020: We have now installed Covid 19 safety measures in our archive rooms but recent tighter restrictions and increasing numbers of cases mean that we are unable to invite volunteers back into the rooms until the situation improves. Some volunteers are now working from home and we will continue to upload images to the website.
50 Years Ago
Taking a look at Jonah is five-year-old David Barker of Wayside Cottage, Rosehill Road, Burnley.
First catch your whale, was obviously the marine scientists' initial headache with Jonah, the 58-ton Finback displayed on the Centenary Way car park. Hundreds of people, mostly children, have looked in at the 68-foot whale, though the organisers claimed the exhibition was something of a wash-out due to heavy rain. The whale is not a large specimen for the species - they can be up to 100ft long. Jonah is claimed to be the only chemically preserved whale in the world with 2,000 gallons of formalin pumped into him and finished off with a coat of tar.
The whale's public relations officer, Mr. Jonathan Marshall, says the whale is on show to raise cash for the World Wildlife Fund. When our reporter spoke to the organisers in their caravan behind the show tent, they said the show was sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund. Schoolboy Philip Buckley of Berry Street, Burnley said Jonah was "smashing. His heart is the size of an ox" he enthused.
