Mr Latimer plays the violin at his home.

A mysterious violin, originating from Burnley, has found its way into the home of a retired headmaster of Edisford Primary School, Clitheroe, Mr Murray Latimer. The hand-made violin has a label on the inside of the body which says "Made in Burnley 1892." But the mystery lies in the name of the violin's maker. The label says the name "Charles" but a second name is unreadable.

Mr Latimer got the instrument from a former pupil, but has little idea about its origins. An expert on violins, who has been making them himself for 25 years, Mr Latimer admits he is baffled. He said: "I knew the violin was a bit special when I got it. The maker was either a professional or a very skilled amateur." He thinks the beautifully made violin is worth quite a lot of money. In the Burnley trade directory for 1896 there is listed under violin makers a certain Mr Charles Booth. Could he have been the craftsman? Mr Latimer would like to know if anybody from Burnley could help solve the mystery.

Following this article the Express received responses from several people but Mr Latimer believes that Mr Percy Thistlewaite of Prairie Crescent, Queensgate is correct in saying that Charles Booth, a man he used to live near, who made violins is the maker. Mr Booth owned a musical instrument shop at Queensgate and played the violin in the Empire Orchestra. Supporting this theory is Miss M. Stott of Cobden Street, Harle Syke, who knew Mr Booth when he used to live in Nelson. She says he played the violin in the local theatre, and died in the 1930’s.
Mr Booth’s niece, Mrs Alice Charlton, who left Burnley more than 20 years ago says that her uncle played the violin in local orchestras, made musical instruments and owned a musical instrument shop. She owns a cello made by her uncle. Mrs Charlton, now living in Scotland, had two brothers now dead, who were both talented musicians.