The archive is extensive and we aim to make many of these images available online.
*AUGUST 2023 UPDATE*
We have Upcoming Events to raise awareness of the collection and our project:: We will have a display stand at St Peter's Church Heritage Open Day, 16th September 2023; and the 'Lancashire Archives at Burnley' display of Burnley Football Club images is still at Burnley Central Library basement rooms.
We are now operating without the benefit of Heritage Lottery Funding and to help us continue would welcome donations. Please contact us for details about how to make a donation or donate online by visiting our page at
There are now over 12,162 images on the website. Our archive rooms are now fully operational although we continue to take a cautious approach. We WELCOME NEW VOLUNTEERS and have vacancies on our Thursday afternoon sessions. If you can spare a couple of hours why not contact us and arrange a visit to the archive. All that is needed are some basic computer skills and an interest in local history.
PENDLE AND WEST CRAVEN images in the Surrounding Districts pages will also now include images from 1963 to 1970 which are scanned from negatives (in addition to those scanned from photographs). These image stories are being transcribed from Nelson Library newspaper film rolls.
50 Years Ago
Councillor Lynch cuts the first sod at the site of the new works, watched by board members and officials.
Members of the Mid-Calder and Hyndburn Joint Sewerage Board visited the site of a massive new 4 million pounds sewage disposal works on Monday 17th September 1973 when their chairman, Councillor Tommy Lynch, of Padiham, cut the first sod. The works at Martholme, near Great Harwood will cope with an area from Rosegrove to Oswaldtwistle replacing nine existing and outdated works and should mean that the polluted waters of the River Calder will be clear enough for fish by the 1980's.
Mr Lynch said that when the board handed over its responsibilities to the new regional water authority in April 1974, members could be proud that they were handing over a viable undertaking.
