The archive is extensive and we aim to make many of these images available online.
*2023 UPDATE* - We have Upcoming Events to raise awareness of the collection and our project.
LOST BUILDINGS OF BURNLEY is a NEW display now at Gannow Community Centre.
We held an event to celebrate the completion of our Heritage Lottery Fund grant on 30th March 2023 and have produced a short history booklet about the project.
There are now over 10,500 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
Martholme Grange, Altham, home of the late Miss Annie Cecilia Metcalf was auctioned on Monday, 26th March 1973, for thirty-three thousand, two hundred and fifty pounds.. The buyer was Mr Fred Skinner, proprietor of the Carlton Bingo Hall, Clayton-le-Moors, and the Town Gate Social Club, Great Harwood. Mr Skinner of Ravenswood, Northcliffe, Great Harwood, left immediately after the public auction and was evasive about future plans for Martholme Grange, for which planning consent for conversion to a club or restaurant has already been granted. "I am losing the Carlton Bingo Hall because of the Calder Valley motorway" he hinted and added "I am not saying anything else but I certainly won't be living in Martholme Grange."
The last owner of Martholme Grange, Miss Metcalf, died in November last year less than a week after celebrating her 100th birthday. The contents of Martholme Grange were sold at a separate auction which began on Wednesday morning, in a marquee on the lawn, when parked cars stretched more than a mile along the road outside the house. Because of the great number of items the auction took place from the catalogue and lasted for two full days, with many antique dealers being present.
