Friday 13 February 2015

My Memories of Haslingden's Early Asian Settlers




The house here in the foreground was their first ever settlement
 in Haslingden which was on Lower Lane
 just below Hud Rake 
Photo: Credit to Arthur Kirby - September 1974

I can remember the first Asian settlers arriving in Haslingden, I was only about 10 years old it would have been perhaps 1958 approx when four gentlemen who hailed from Pakistan arrived and they were very friendly and enquiring as to vacant properties in the nearby areas. Thinking back it seemed strange to us as youngsters seeing these guys with their unusual looking furry hats, what I believe may have been called "karakul" hats.  They also showed us addresses written on notepaper of properties they wished to view and asked for our help to try and locate them.  I can also remember one of the guys had a little tin of really small nuts which he kept on nibbling at and in turn kept offering them to us.  

The very first house I remember them owning was on Lower Lane (see photo).  I also remember them shortly afterwards also purchasing the old Red Lion pub on Blackburn Road (See photos below) - (this would probably have been around the early to mid – sixties and the pub had been shut down for several years prior to their purchase). More settlers arrived in the town with the acquisition of the pub premises.

Before long those Asian settlers had opened up Haslingden’s first halal meat and grocery shop just further on from the old Pub on Blackburn Road and next door to Harold Alderson’s Newsagents shop and just before you reach Paradise Terrace (Check out first photo below).  I also remember clearly before they had opened their Halal shop they would come down at weekends to Harry Wilkinson's hen pens down across the railway from Carr Hall Street and would purchase from him his none laying hens which had not to be killed but sold to them live.  And you would see them regularly carrying old proven bags which would occasionally flutter with the contents of these live hens. 

The end building on the right was the
first "Mosque" and called the
Islamic Centre
Many years later "The Islamic Centre" mosque was opened up on Blackburn Road within what was the old William Henry Shaw (Coal Merchants) office which was just at the opening at the bottom of Spring Lane and opposite "Station Steps" or almost next to the Victoria Pub (or later called the Magnet or Jesters or these days the La'veranda restaurant). I am sure that this was the very first dedicated mosque building within Haslingden.

That period of history there was a wealth of local jobs in the nearby mills and you could literally walk out of one job one minute and have another job in another mill thirty minutes later.  Employment was nothing like the situation it is today. There were far more jobs than there were people to fill them.
Those early settlers got jobs in the local factories at Thomas Warburton's, also J.H. Birtwistle's, but chiefly at the Vine Fabric Company down at Vine Mill at the bottom of Station Road where they manufactured “Tufted” textiles like bedspreads etc. 


This photograph taken from St. James shows to the bottom right hand corner part of the Red Lion Hotel and then if you move further along to your left and the gable end shop with the placard on the wall is where the first "Halal and Greengrocer" shop was.  Sadly all these properties have been demolished.


This photo is courtesy of Brian Smith which Jackie (Haslingden Roots) has kindly sent in shows more of the Red Lion Pub.

Email received  from Dorothy Birtwistle (nee Hargreaves) on 3rd March 2015

I remember the first Asians arriving.  I was teaching at the time at St. James School and our staff room overlooked the Red Lion pub which became the home for many of them. They worked shift work and as one group sett off for work, then another group was seen to be returning from work. I used to see some of them in the Midland Bank sending money home to their families as at first only the men came over.

Information received from Sandra Smith on 3rd March 2015

I remember Anna Mia, who used to go in the Savoy (downstairs). Always playing cards with the lads.
  I remember he was a conductor on the Haslingden buses at I would guess around the 1964 time.  The last time I saw him was in the late 1980s when he owned a Indian Restaurant at Clayton le Moors.

Information from Bob Frith on 3rd March 2015

Sandra Smith like to know that Mr Miah (actually Aslom Miah) is still living in the Valley on New Hall Hey in Rawtenstall, in the same house has lived in throughout his life in England. He is very alert and well, and remains active in supporting his community. I have interviewed him a couple of times about his life, and the experiences he had when he first came to Lancashire from Bangladesh. What is more he has just written a book about these times and all of the lessons he feels that he has learned during his life. It’s an interesting read.
Regards
Bob 

Another interesting snippett from Joyce Thorne (nee Adams) on 8th March 2015

Joyce Thorne (nee Adams) remembers from being a child around the 1959 period when she lived on Spring Lane.  That they used to go to the early asian settlers on Lower Lane and take a couple of cigarettes with them (probably donated either with knowledge or maybe not by their parents), and also they had to take some brown paper with them, and they would make for them large "kites" to fly on a timber frame. She says they were the best kites ever.

Pete Wellock on 24th Jan 2022 added:
I recall them flying amazing kites and showing me and my friends how to make them. 

Email sent in on 12th March 2015 from Michael and Francis Murray
My family lived in the house with the green door, number 9 lower lane.  We lived there until 1958, when we moved into a council house on cedar avenue




Ilyas Khan

A lovely snippet sent through from Ilyas Khan to our Facebook Haslingden Old and New Page on 1st December 2015


Dear Bryan,  Thank you for a typically thoughtful and thought provoking blog post.  This was especially moving for me, for many many reasons.  I have spent a lot of time (and many nights) in both the first two houses in that wonderfully evocative photograph.  The first house was bought by a close family friend Umar Gul.  He and his wife lived there from the mid 1960's through to about 1972 or 1973 when they moved initially to Rawtenstall and then to Store Street.  They were very very close friends, more or less family, and the widow of Mr. Gul still lives in Store Street, and all her children are grown up and have done incredibly well.  The second house along was bought by my maternal uncle, Amin Bhatti, who lived there with his young family for a comparatively short time from about 1971 to about 1974 when they moved to Lancaster.  I spent more nights than I can recall in that house.  I have a great many memories of many of the early settlers.  My own grandparents were amongst the earliest, having arrived in the early 1930's.  I could go on and on, but wish to thank you for this wonderful gift of the blog and the private website.  The little boy who ran up the road from Hartley Street to his uncle is now in his 50's and I still make sure I come up to Hassy whenever I am back in Lancashire.  I attach a very recent photo of myself for those of you on this site who might remember an earlier and younger incarnation smile emoticon. 

Pete Wellock on 24th Jan 2022 added:
I recall them flying amazing kites and showing me and my friends how to make them. 


Email and painting kindly received from Heather Holden who lived closeby on Hud Rake

Saw your "My Memories of Haslingden's Early Asian Settler's" this morning and was thrilled to see the house on Lower Lane, which I remember well.  We lived in the row behind (the part of Hud Rake which you can see in your second picture of the house), so I often passed it.  The house became beautiful and exotic looking when they moved in. Yes I agree, around 1958-1959.  I did a sketch of it at the time, then this painting.  This was from when they first came to live here. Was your photo, where the house looks whitewashed, from before or after? Very interesting article.
Heather Holden.

Painting by Heather Holden of Pakistani early settlers house on Lower Lane (click over painting to enlarge)

Thanks Heather for sending this beautiful painting, the more I look at it the more I get from it, and it is great that you have managed to capture a really important time in history. 


**********************************************************************

Just found another photo in the archive showing the early house on Lower Lane bricked up prior to demolition and the building of the new Flats (West View)


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For the following information I would like to thank James Moran-Zietek for the initial suggestion that I contact Bob Frith who has kindly allowed me to add the following information from the "Different Moons" booklet, produced to accompany the "Different Moons" project by the Horse and Bamboo puppet company exploring the stories of the first generation of people to come to Rossendale from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.
Written by Bob Frith, at Horse and Bamboo 2014, used with permission.

POST WAR BRITAIN

During the immediate post war period migrations began as a result of a combination of economic and political developments.  After the end of the war in 1945, Britain faced huge challenges.  The economy had to be rebuilt and it was a time of great social change.  The NHS was established, slums were cleared and industries began to expand.  Servicemen and women returned from the war expecting better conditions at the workplace and were no longer prepared to accept pre-war standards.

It was also recognised by the UK government that there was a shortage of labour, so Britain looked for workers from Europe and the countries of the Commonwealth, particularly the West Indies, India and Pakistan.  The Royal Commission on Population reported in 1949 that immigrants of "good stock" would be welcomed 'without reserve'.

THE NEW WORKFORCE

The textile industry, on which Lancashire's prosperity had depended, had been in decline before the war but in 1945 there was optimism that it could revive if it was able to reduce its costs.  As a result, the industry enthusiastically grasped the opportunity offered by men emigrating from overseas to work in the cotton mills.  The majority of these jobs were low paid and in the least popular shifts such as night work.

Most of this new workforce were from Pakistan.  Pakistan had initially been divided into West and East Pakistan after partition from India in 1947, but in 1971 East Pakistan seceded, to become the independent country of Bangladesh.  The majority of the men who came to work in Lancashire fully expected to return to their homes in Pakistan or Bangladesh after a period of working here, during which time they would save sufficient money for their families.

From Pakistan the main areas of migration were from the villages around the town of Attock in the North-West; many people in Haslingden come from there and also from Mirpur, close to the border with Kuwait (sic).  In Bangladesh the main centre of emigration was Sylhet, then a poor region in the east of the country.  Many people from Mirpur region and Sylhet settled in Rawtenstall.

LANGUAGES

Each of the regions of these countries speak different languages - Urdu is the official language of Pakistan, although Punjabi is also spoken along with dialects such as Hindu.  Many of the immigrants from the North and West of the country were Pashtuns, speaking Pashto, while Bengali (or Bangla) is the language of most Bangladeshis, though many who came to Rossendale speak a Sylheti dialect.

THE NEW COUNTRY

Workers usually made their way to Rossendale after arriving in Liverpool, Hull or one of the other ports, or on a flight to London from Karachi.  Many would then use the informal network of contacts within the South Asian community to discover where work might be available.  After settling into a job, it would not be unusual to be encouraged by the mill owners to ask their brothers, uncles, cousins - other male family members - to join the workforce.  In this way several male members of an extended family would often gather to work and live close by one another.

Communications between Lancashire and home at that time were difficult.  There were very few telephones, both in the UK and in the villages in Pakistan and Bangladesh.  Telephone lines were notoriously unreliable.  As a result the new arrivals found it very difficult to keep in touch with families and friends back home, so postal and telegram services provided the main means of contact.  Feelings of loneliness and isolation were very common and hard to bear.

For most of the men, when they first arrived, living conditions in Rossendale were fairly primitive.  Few of the houses they rented would have had baths; toilets were usually not connected to the sewers.  In the 1960s this was not uncommon; many people in Rossendale lived in similar conditions.  Initially, it also wasn't unusual for 10 or more of the immigrant workmen to rent a house together, sharing a limited number of basic dormitory-type beds to cover different shifts at the mill.

GAINING CONTROL

Few of the men spoke English particularly well and as a result were unable to understand what services were available to them.  As a result the refuse collection, council wash facilities (such as slipper baths, available at the municipal pools), medical and housing services, were all difficult to access.

Slowly things began to change.  A few of the men got together to set-up informal support groups and organise themselves.  Many of the testimonies from people interviewed for the Different Moons project dwell on this period.  The struggle to improve their living conditions and life-style and the slow process of saving in order to send money home, purchase houses and gain control of their own living requirements, dominated much of their limited spare time.

Many friendships were made with the host community and there are frequent stories of support and help that the immigrants experienced.  Equally there were the challenges of racism and intolerance to be confronted.

CHANGES IN POLICY

For both the immigrant and host communities things changed substantially during the first 25 years following the arrival of the first South Asians to Rossendale.  From the 1970s onwards there had been much debate about UK immigration policy and successive governments began programmes of legislation to restrict the rules governing the right to immigration.  This contributed to and coincided with, the recognition amount many South Asian workers that their move to Lancashire was likely to be for months or years and for many would be permanent.

From around 1970, women and sometimes children and parents, began to move from Pakistan or Bangladesh to be with their men folk.  Families settled in Rossendale together and inevitably this meant that the nature of the local South Asian communities changed.

CHANGES AT WORK

At work, in housing and education, South Asians often faced the challenges of misunderstandings and discrimination.  To overcome these problems and to improve their standard of living and escape factory work, many became self employed.  As the textile industry continued its decline, Asian-owned businesses created their own jobs, while others worked to increase awareness and change practice within institutions.  As this happened they began to contribute more and more to the local economy and community.

LINKS

In the sixty years since the first South Asian immigrants arrived in Rossendale things have changed beyond recognition.  Familes originally from Attock or Sylhet now have three generations settled and at home in Rossendale. Despite this, strong links with the mother countries have been retained and many individuals and families return regularly to the villages in Pakistan or Bangladesh that their grandparents left 50 or more years ago.

TODAY

A settled community of South Asian familes as developed in Rossendale.  It has opened mosque for worship and shops and businesses to cater for food and other necessities.  New generations of young people from Asian families have taken the opportunity to study in college and universities.  Many of these families have achieved a prosperity that the first generation of immigrants would have been astonished to witness, even when it may have been their own aspiration and dream.

However, as a result of rapidly changing economic circumstances and overseas policies there is evidence of a recent growth of Islamophobia within the UK.  No doubt the whole community will continue to rise to these complex challenges to create an ever more intricate social tapestry.  The local South Asian heritage community is vibrant and visible and here to stay, very much part of Rossendale in the twenty-first century.

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Its a Bonny place so knock It Daaern!



It's a bonny place so knock it daaern"

It's a bonny place so knock it daaern,
So all can watch with a drooping fraaern.
There's tons and tons of Hassy's best,
Millstone grit can't be seen to rest!
Knock it daaern, knock it daaern!

Vicarage that stood up on that bonk!

In its shadow was Martins Bank,
Grammar School was a buried Road,
Good few ton did mek that load,
Knock it daaern, knock it daaern!

Major, would turn over in his grave if he knew,

What had happened to his Highfield view,
Lions at Carter Place have gone with rest,
We're left with a porch without its crest,
Knock it daaern, knock it daaern!

Town Hall! Council will have a Ball,

With all thi hard earned cash,
So lets get shut for once and for all,
Before they have their Annual bash.
Knock it daaern, knock it daaern!

Its only a building is yon Con Club,

For some I suppose it was their hub,
Another fine place was Workhouse past,
Who needs a hospital on yon hill,
Knock it daaern, knock it daaern!

And now another bites the dust,
Which once a brewer’s dream abode,
And later a place where prayers were said,
And now all but memories are read,
Knock it daaern, knock it daaern.

Even the "mighty" can fall but we'll not have a ball!

Salem, Trinity, Primitive and John Wesley preached!
but all went down with a "bang"
and no more did the bells ring or did the people sing"
 so Knock it daaern, knock it daaern!

Nah! don't let it stand still,

Or tha'll get a bill,
Knock it daaern!

(Poem by Bryan Yorke - written 25th Feb 2015 with later additions)

The Vicarage - St. James Church (Photo by: unknown)

Martins Bank on Regent St (Photo by unknown)
Grammar School (Photo by: Clifford Hargreaves)

Highfield off Grane Road (Photo by unknown)
Carter Place Hall (Photo unknown)


Haslingden Municipal Buildings (lets call it Town Hall)

Con Club (Photo: Fred Scott)

Workhouse then Hospital (Photo by: Bryan Yorke) 



St. Veronicas which earlier was the home to Cpt. Baxter
(Photo: B. Yorke 2003)



Salem Chapel was on Regent St opp John St 
Photo: Unknown




Trinity Baptist c1890
Photo: Unknown


Primitive Methodist - Grane Road
Photo: Kindly shared by Chris Kirby



Wesley Chapel, Blackburn Rd on corner with Hud Hey
Photo Unknown

*************************************************************


CRIDDEN




"Cridden"

Cridden guards you from the East,
It was that Hill of Stags,
A beacon warns to Hameldon,
Then walk o-er bridge upon a Cloud,
To a point that tips the Crown
Before you came to Play the Deer,
Down and ordered Back – Up again,
No Stags upon them hills away,
No antlers hung by Stags heads 
For riches lie within thy peat,
Hazel shouts whilst birches shine like silver,
***
Sides with Pinner-ed becks and Cavern’s drip,
Slate-d tunnels of catacombs, and shafts to echo grand,
Breached flatts with peppered pits
Where such lonely wretched moor grass sits
Vibrato cries with Curlew’s mourn,
Gruffs and Roding beats of drumming snipe,
This time when honeydew rushes ripe,
Along this god forsaken place. 
***
Those becks that sent that gin to bloom,
That helped to power many a loom,
So precious to the marigold,
And sparkles to the stickleback
I can breathe, I can sip, I can rejoice,
To a place what’s given this town its voice
***
18th Feb 2015.

(Just uploaded the above photo to another site, the photo shows Cribden in the background
and inspired me to put pen to paper) If you do prefer explanation to the poem
please click here 


Cribden's “Iron Watter”

Dose them sties with iron watter lad,
It’ll shift them quickly I know!
Those were the words uttered by my father,
All them years ago, in fact sixty two years ago
And off we’d go o’er Sherfin to find that Brown stuff,

A calls it Brown Stuff or iron watter,
But being honest It was something magic,
And it always worked within twenty four,
It took them sties away and before long
I never had to go no more….

(this is purely another nice memory I have of the past and although the iron water did work for me, I am not advocating that anyone else should try it.")


This is a photo of typical "Iron Watter" which I took up near Slate during 2008.
Please click over photo to enlarge

If you would like to read a follow on blog entitled "Swinnell Brook" then please click here



PUTTING BETS ON AT PARKIES (1950's)




A was only a lad, a wee nipper mi thinks,
And every Saturday mi father would say,
Are you tekking these bets up to Parkies!
From up Hud Hey and along Blackburn Rd,
To Harry Parkies up on Maudland Bank.

So up them steep steps a went reet to top,
It was corner house was Parkies,
It was called Bank House and poshest house on row.
I was always gret by Mrs. Parkinson a lovely lady,
There were buckets of money under sideboard,
And lots of nooats in big silver dish as well.

I’d seh to Mrs Parky, bets from AT1 and AT2,
Never found owt what that AT business was about,
Always used to bet under pseudonyms them days.
Hush! Hush and all that……tha nuz! (finger tapping nose)
A used to get a tanner off mi father for sorting bets.

All went well for a month or two, then………
One Saturday came along and he gave mi his bets
And off I went, but something or someone caught my eye,
And distraction set in, so much so that I forgot about the bets.
I still never give it a thought and arrived back home for tea.
And guess what? the inevitable always happens!

Did you put mi bets on lad, cos we hit it big this week!
I’ve had a couple of winners and a double come up!
Talk about feel the mental pain! Didn’t know what to say.
But eventually said it I did,  well, well sorry dad but bets never got put on
What do you mean bets never got on………….

A got surprise of my life!
He looked a little sad but to be honest with you
I don’t think he was that cut up.……
Maybe mum had stepped in and sorted it!
But never did get to go to Parkies again.

*************************************


(Email received from John R Edwards on 26th February 2015)

Harry Parkinson used to have a basement room in Back Pleasant St. near the bottom, behind the Bank accessed via the archway between (incendentally) the bookies and the solicitors on Manchester Rd opp Commercial pub. He also had runners at various places, one of which was the Trades Club, I used to drop off bets there for my boss tackler, Walter Entwistle. That was in the very early 60's. The archway was a favourite spot for the Police Constable to stand to watch what was going on in the town, and he would often say whether Harry Parkinson was in or not.
John R Edwards

Friday 6 February 2015

Haslingden Sport - FOOTBALL

(Medals listed in date order and Teams listed in alphabetical order)

Tommy Britland's gold medallion which he won whilst a member of the
Haslingden Primitive Methodist FC (see below for photo of team)
Kindly shared to us by his grandson Ian Warburton


Small gold medallion for the "Rose Bowl Winners 1923-24

Small gold medallion for the "League Championship Div II  1924-25"
Presented to Greenwood Holden
Photo: Kindly shared by his Grandaughter Andrea Catton

Alan Mead Memorial 7 aside




"The Alan Mead Memorial" 7 aside football at Ewood Bridge.
Photo kindly shared to us by Peter Fisher
Back Row: Mick Higgins, John Dickinson, Anthony Halstead, Bob Grimshaw, Jim Mead (RIP) Anthony Flanagan, John Entwistle, Russell Proctor, Mark Kayley and John Sudworth.

Front Row: Dennis Sheridan, John Flynn, David Warburton, Andrew Siddle, John Higgins, Jimmy Clarke

Now archived within the Haslingden Sport - FOOTBALL BLOG

Chapel Street Football Club team


Chapel Street Football Club team 1913-1914 (Click over to enlarge)

Flash Mill Football Team


Flash Mill Football Club


Flash Mill Football Club season 1913-14
Winners of Baxter Cup and Medals
Photo: Kindly shared by Robert Warburton


Grane Mill Football Club


Click over to enlarge

Photo now archived under HASLINGDEN SPORT - Football


Grane Villa Football Club


Grane Villa Football Club
Grane Villa Football Team

Back Row: Jim Brandwood, Brian Raynor, Harry Hoyle, Norrie Grimshaw, John Barnes, Derek Hargreaves, Goalie ?, Jack Davies, ?, Peter Hook and Jim Kerron
Front Row: Bryan Corbridge, Ray Britland, Tommy Entwistle, Jack Blundell, Jack Austin, ?, Barry Maden
Help with players names, with thanks to Martin Molloy and Tommy Egan
Photo: Kindly shared by Marjorie Corbridge



Grane Villa Football Club (Click over to enlarge)
Back Row l to r: Norrie Grimshaw, Tommy Entwistle, Terry Southam, Harry Holden, Jim Kerron, Bryan Corbridge.
Front Row: Clifford Jones, Jack Austin, Jack Brown, John Barnes, Roy Britland
Photo: kindly contributed by Marjorie Corbridge/Myra Frohnapfel

Grane Villa Football Club - Team 1966

Back Row: David Atherton, David Tillotson, Mac Holden, George Coupe, David Gill.
Front Row: Albert Atherton, John Navin, David Warburton, Arthur Robinson, Michael Isherwood

Photo: Kindly shared to us by Jack Pilling


 Grane Villa Football Team
Photo: Thanks to Tracy Blundell
Archived Haslingden Sport - Football


 Grane Villa Football Team
Photo: Thanks to Tracy Blundell
Archived Haslingden Sport - Football


Grane Villa Football Team
Photo: Thanks to Tracy Blundell
Archived Haslingden Sport - Football

Haslingden Academicals






 Haslingden Academicals Football Club
Photo kindly shared to us by Peter Fisher

Haslingden Academicals 1973?
Back Row: Don Shackleton, ?, Joe Brannigan (keeper), Peter Rioden, Andrew Harper.
Front Row: Bob Lewis, ?, Tom Hall, Jim Hall, Ged Kitchen, Ken Davis, Stuart Rothwell
Photo: Thanks to Leah Harper Bromley for kindly sharing this with us



 Haslingden Academicals Football Team
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Peter Fisher

Haslingden Football Club


Haslingden FC 1907-1908
Haslingden FC 1910-1911

Haslingden Football Club 1963




Haslingden Football Club
Photo kindly shared to us by Peter Fisher



Haslingden Football Club event held at the Clubhouse Ewood Bridge
Dave Wylie, Neil Wartburton, Mick Codey, John Mead, Gordon Waddington, Marshall Howe, Peter Cain, Stephen Clarke, John Heyman
Photo: Kindly shared by Peter Fisher.


Haslingden F.C.
Back Row l to r: Russell Blackley, Terry Butts, John Entwistle, Dennis Letts, Brian Lees, Paul Burrell.
Front Row l to r: Ken Davies, Ian Wilkinson, Brian Pickering, John Higgins, Neil White, Beil Rowbotham.
Photo: Kindly shared by Peter Fisher


Haslingden Grammar School Football Team
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Peter Fisher

Haslingden Gospel Mission CLB 5 a side (runners up)



Haslingden High School

Haslingden High School's under 14 team.
Unbeaten in 16 matches 1976/77
Back Row left to right: John Wylie, John Sudworth, Geoffrey Clegg,
 Simon Butterworth, David Pickles, John Herd, John Riley and Gary Heywood.
Front: Andrew Siddle, Andrew Sidley, Gary Wood,
 Ian Fox, Neil Maudsley, Duncan Wade and Andrew Horrocks.
ARCHIVED HASLINGDEN SPORT FOOTBALL

Haslingden Secondary Modern School Football team





Haslingden Secondary Modern School Football team around 1957

Back Row: ?,Brian Nuttall, Frank Ireson, Frank Hamnett, ?
Middle Row: Chris Maden, ?, Brian Downham,
Front Row: ?,?, Joe Harrison, ?



Haslingden Modern School team with Mr. Colbourne
Back Row: Mr. Colbourne, Geoff Higson, Ken Wilson, Jimmy Greenwood, ?, Richard Kay, Robert Parkinson.
Front Row: David Blomley, Cowpe, ?, Ian Rishton RIP, David Harrison.
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Pauline Emmett Dagg


Haslingden Modern School Football Team 1962
Back Row: David Blomley, Noel Grimshaw, Geoff Parkinson, Walter Gregson, Geoffrey Heaton, Stepehen Kay, Geoff Higson.
Front Row: Alan Cliffe, ... Moorhouse, Richard Kay, Brian Haworth, Ken Proctor, Bobby Wade, Malcolm Grindrod
Photo: Kindly shared by Kathleen and Brian Haworth and sent in via Jack Pilling

Haslingden Secondary Modern School
Got to last 8 in Lancashire Schoolboys Club.
Back: Robert Haworth, Walter Gregson, Jeff Parkinson, Jim Greenwood, Geoff Kenyon, David Atherton.
Front: Fred Barlow, Ronnie Bell, George Barlow, Les Bargh, George Coupe 


Haslingden Secondary Modern School - Year ? - Click over to enlarge)
Back: Keith Dobbs, Alan Colne, Ken Hanson, Keith Walkden, Keith Ratcliffe, George Haworth, Stephen Emmett
Front: Robert Nuttall, Dave Holland, Paul Murray, Pete Nuttall, ?, Peter Wood.



Haslingden Modern School Football Team 1971/1972
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Peter Fisher


Haslingden Secondary Modern Spring 1973
Football Team photo for the Rossendale Schools final v Fearns and played at Alder Grange.
(Opposite the new Hub in Rawtenstall - Fearns won 4-0
Team members:
Back Row left to right:
Phillip Greenwood, Philip Lynsky, Allan Schofield, Stuart Morrison, Stuart Riley, Steve Parry and Glynn Kendall.
Front Row left to right:
Paul Scholes, Steven Nicholls, Peter Jackson, Andrew Coad, Chris Royle and Paul Burrell

(Photo: Kindly shared to us by Philip Lynsky 5th Nov 2018)
also archived under HASLINGDEN SPORT - FOOTBALL and also Haslingden Secondary Modern School. 



Haslingden County Secondary Modern School
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Peter Fisher


Haslingden team in the Alan Mead Memorial


"The Alan Mead Memorial" 7 aside football at Ewood Bridge.
Photo kindly shared to us by Peter Fisher
Back Row: Mick Higgins, John Dickinson, Anthony Halstead, Bob Grimshaw, Jim Mead (RIP) Anthony Flanagan, John Entwistle, Russell Proctor, Mark Kayley and John Sudworth.

Front Row: Dennis Sheridan, John Flynn, David Warburton, Andrew Siddle, John Higgins, Jimmy Clarke

Haslingden Stanley Football Club (1901)



Haslingden or Helmshore Villa Football Club




Haslingden Youth Club Football teams 



Haslingden Youth Club Teams - 1951

It was a Haslingden Youth Club derby match and shows Team A on the top and Team B on the bottom

Haslingden Youth Club team - mid 1950s

Back Row l to r: Ray Bell, Colin Wallwork, Clifford Moore, Kenny Allsop, Kevin Wissett, John Heslop and Arnold Warburton.
Front Row seated l to r: Gordon Hargreaves, John Haworth, Graham Lythe and Tom Baron.

Photo: Kindly shared to us by Ron Baron - The photo was taken showing the Rossendale United stand in the background
also kind help in naming etc from Marie Ives, Martin Molloy and Tommy Egan.
Haslingden Youth Club team - 1960 (or 1962/63)
Back Row: Malcolm Isherwood, Stuart Slater, Bob Haworth, Arthur Robinson, John Oxford, Barry Airey,
Front Row: Bob Haworth, Colin Jepson, Rev Bryan Brown, Ian Jefferson, Jack Pilling
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Jack Pilling
Found this picture of Hassy Youth Club Football Team. I think it is from season 1962/63.  If it was it was the year of the big freeze when we couldn't play for 3 months because of the extreme weather.
Haslingden Youth Club team - 1962


Haslingden Youth Club - Nov 1965
Haslingden Youth Club "B" Team (Click over to enlarge)
Back: ?, Gerald Holden, Martin Molloy, John Oxford,?,?.
Front: Walter Moseley, Ken Gregory, Bernard Pickup, Ronnie Watson,?.
Photo Kindly shared to us by Peter Fisher




























Helmshore Boys - "A" team



Helmshore Boys "A" Team (football)
Kindly shared to us by Peter Fisher

Helmshore British Legion Football Club






Kindly sent in by Peter Barnes


Helmshore British Legion FC team - January 1974 (Click over to enlarge)
Accrington League 2
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Bill Flynn
Helmshore British Legion Football Club 1978 (Click over to enlarge)
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Bill Flynn
Back Row: A. Cole, J. Brannigan, F. Cole, T. Fitton, Bill Flynn, M. Nuttall, J. Grady
Front Row: Robert Mills, R. Tattersall, G. Howarth, B.Nield, B. Curtis



HELMSHORE BRITISH LEGION CLUB (Click over to enlarge)

Who won the Ramsbottom Sports week five a side competion which in the 1980's. They did not concede a goal throughout the competition. Also Robert Mills played through the early rounds but had work committments on the finals night.

The team was:
Back Row: Denis Doody, Mick Keir, George Howarth, Alan "Barnie Rubble" Kennedy who played for Liverpool with the tash and was presenting the cups.)

Front Row: Bill Flynn, Frank Cole, Barry Curtis.

Photo kindly shared to us by Peter Fisher.



Helmshore Royal British Legion Football Team 1982

Photo kindly shared to us by Nigel Higson
Back: Jack Brady (Secy), Jeff Wolfenden, Barry Neild, Martin Nuttall, John Willan (Capt), Duncan Wade, Alan Harrison, Frank Cole.
Front: Alan Cole, James Neary, Keith Bell, Nigel Higson, Robert Mills

Helmshore County Primary School football team 1964


Helmshore County Primary School football team 1964
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Jean Smith 


  Helmshore Methodist Football Club

(all the following photos and information has been kindly supplied by Jack Pilling)



Sion Methodist Church, Helmshore
  (Please click over to enlarge)


Helmshore Methodists first football team was formed in 1955. It ran until 1959 once winning Division 3 of the Accrington and District Football league and reaching the semi-final of the league’s Townley Cup. In 1959 they amalgamated with Helmshore United.

In 1965 three players from the original team together with several sons of the same, who were playing for Haslingden Youth Club, got together and decided to reform. Leading lights in this reformation were Joe Haworth, who served on the Committee of the original team and Aquila Ashworth a devoted fan of local amateur football.
The Accrington Combination in 1965/66 consisted of four divisions plus a Junior Division, a total of 58 teams. The Methodists were put into Division 2 which included Haslingden St James, Poplar United and Cambridge Street Methodists whose team included prolific scorer Eddie Robinson and then Lancashire cricketer David Lloyd who was also a fine footballer. The Meths. First secretary was Joan Jenkinson, who was the only girl official in the Combination. The battles with Cambridge Street were highlights of the season but the best result they had was in the Colonel Bolton cup when drawn against a powerful S S Stotts team including ex Blackburn Rovers player Eric Corbridge, and against all the odds defeated them 3 -1.

The next season they were to meet Stotts in the final of the same cup but were beaten 2-1 on St James’s Prinny Hill pitch in front of a large crowd, reminiscent of the crowds who used to view the Haslingden Cup and Medals on neighbouring St Mary’s. That same season they achieved promotion to Division 1 and had the honour of being runners up in the Accrington League Sportsmanship cup. The highlight of their one season in Division 1 was the defeat of Helmshore United who were top of the league at the time. The team disbanded in 1978 by which time all the original players had retired although Aquilla Ashworth who was still involved asked Jack Pilling to play. He is still trying to recover from the experience which however resulted in a 4 goals to nothing win.

Aquilla liked to tag some players with nicknames. Examples were:-
Frank Ashworth – Oddjob (After the James Bond character)
Alan Isherwood – Clogger ( wholehearted tackling)
Brian  Haworth – Little Ben (The youngest of 3 brothers) Bonanza.
Martin Nuttall - Sidney (Martins Uncle Sidney was well known Chip Shop owner)




Members of the Committee from left
Fred Wadsworth, Joe Haworth, Aquilla Ashworth, Fred Barlow Snr.


These are the names of players who played for the team. Apologies to any missed out.
Frank Ashworth, David Haworth, Alan Isherwood, Malcolm Isherwood,  Brian Haworth, Colin Mitchell, Jack Pilling, John Wadsworth, Ken Riding, Keith Riding, Fred Barlow, Robert Haworth, Ronnie Wolfenden, Geoffrey Wolfenden, Ian Jefferson, David Smith, Peter Kelly, Joe Fox, Bernard O’Connell, Walter Maudsley, Fred Garrard, Peter Watson, Billy Staines, Terry Byrne, David Atherton, Chris Chaplow, Fred Teese, Dennis Hill,  Brian Lees,  Sherwood, Alan Jepson, Gordon Bright, David Peddie,  Hardman, Jack Hayhurst, David Malvern, Kershaw, Kenny Gregory, Neil Hulton, Martin Nuttall, Ronnie Greenwood, Laurence Barlow, Stewart Molloy, Michael Ingham, Philip Davies, Peter Wharton, Raymond Clegg, Raymond Barlow,  Derek Sowerby, Tom Egan, John Wylie, George Ashworth.    
 
Helmshore Methodist Football Club
(Back row from L): Ref, Ken Riding, R Haworth, A Isherwood, F Ashworth, R Wolfenden, F Barlow.
(Front row from L): D Haworth, J Wadsworth, Keith Riding, C Mitchell, J Pilling
Photo: kindly supplied by Jack Pilling and sent in on 6th Feb 2015.

1967 Cup Finalist
Notebooks showing officers of the club - Please click over to enlarge



1968 Team photo


 1969 Team Photo



                                                                               1970 Team Photo



                                                Helmshore Methodist Football Club


Methodist are playing here in the blue shirts, in action on Houghton Road in the days before the Sports Centre was built. (Click over photo to enlarge)






                                          A team photo published in the Haslingden Observer. 





Helmshore Methodist Football team doing some indoor training in the school room of the old Sion Methodist Church.  (Photo: Haslingden Observer - Garth Dawson)





This photo depicts the goalkeeper Frank Ashworth in action against Cambridge Street and being played on Prinny Hill ground (you can just make out Lamberts factory in the background).





Helmshore Methodists Football Team

Photo: Kindly Shared by Peter Fisher




Helmshore United Football Club


Helmshore United F.C. team taken on the Bowling Green at Sunnybank Social in 1910
(Click over photo to enlarge)


Helmshore United F.C. (Click over to enlarge)
Kindly shared by Jackie Ramsbottom who's dad Gordon Robinson is mentioned has having a trial
with Blackburn Rovers.





Helmshore United FC team  (Click over to enlarge)
Kindly shared to us by Bill Flynn

Helmshore United Reserves - 1980s


back: Keith Riding,M.Drew, Bill Flynn, A Parker,J. Higson, Andrew Sidley.
Front: A. Rushton, P Barnes, P. Dickinson, Ian Austin, M Zebrowski, John Mead

Photo: Kindly shared to us by Peter Fisher.


Helmshore United Presentation
Dave Entwistle, Derek Barnes, Donald Braithewaite, Ian Walkden Colin Fletcher
Photo: Kindly shared by Peter Fisher.



Our Dad's are Champions.January 1977 report of the families of Helmshore United Football Club players.

And now we have some history of the Barnes family who were associated with football and Helmshore United. 





Two of the medals won by Kenneth Barnes whilst
playing for Helmshore United.



J.H. Birtwistle's Football Team (Medals)

J.H. Birtwistle's Medals Team (1967) (Click over to enlarge)
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Bill Flynn






J.H. Birtwistles 5 a side team
Winners of the BDTMA (Blackburn and Dist Textile Mftrs Association 5 a side knockout
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Nigel Higson
Back Row l to r: Denis Doody, Mick Lynch, John Willan, Nigel Higson
Front Row: Ian Wilkinson, Bill Staines, Robert Mills.



Laneside Football Club team 1936

Laneside Football Club team 1936
Photo: Kindly shared to us by David Wise


Marsden Square Football Team Under 14s

Marsden Square Football Team under 14s


Park Mill Football Club Team - 1930s

Park Mill, Helmshore Football Club team 1930s





Porritt's Football Team - early 1960s (for Medals Comp)

Porritts (Sunnybank) Medals team from the 1960's

Back Row, ?,?, Lawrence Barlow, Bobby Kay, Bobby Haworth, Dave Braithewaite, John Wadsworth, Raymond Bell.
Front Row, Tony Frost, Brian Haworth, John Brockbank, Dave Harrison, Brian Kay


Primitive Methodist Football team





Haslingden Primitive Methodist FC -
League Champions and Winners of the Hirst Cup 1922 and 1923
also check out Tommy Britland's gold medallion at the top of the page


Rossendale Forest 5 a side
Rossendale Forest 5 a side at the Haslingden Sports Centre
all the players were from Haslingden - This photo shows the team having won the Inaugural League Winners Shield.
Back Row: John Barnes (RIP), Paul Schofield, Jimmy Deodhar, Adrian Flagg and Andrew Smart
Front Row: Dougie Clink and Graham Dakin.
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Ian Smart and Paul Schofield.


Rossendale Forest 5 a side at the Haslingden Sports Centre
all the players were from Haslingden - This photo shows the team the following year before the final of the knockout competition in which they were runners up. 
Back Row: John Barnes (RIP), Paul Schofield, Jimmy Deodhar, Adrian Flagg
Front Row: Adnrew Smart, Dougie Clink and Graham Dakin.
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Ian Smart and Paul Schofield.

Rossendale Valley under 13s

Rossendale Valley Under 13's 1991 (Click over to enlarge)
Thanks to Peter Fisher for sharing with us and also thanks to Phil White for naming players etc

Front Row:Nick Maden, Matthew Leach, Reg Lomacks, Iain Clements (capt), Simon Whitworth, Matt Bromley, Stewart Birch. 
Back Row: Matt Viermmiks, Rob McEvoy, Dan Hartree, Matt Wood, Phil White, Luke Morley, Christopher Griffiths, Gary Lovatt, Phil Dunn, Dave Clements (Manager)

Spring Vale Football team 1931 (Medal Comp winners)

Winners of the St. James's Medals Competition in 1931
George Taylor front row 2nd left, Wilf Chaplow 2nd left on back row, next to him is Jimmy Brierly in goalie, to the right of him is Billy Whittam.
The team won the Haslingden Church institute Football Medal Competition
Photo: kindly shared by Marie Ives

Spring Vale Football Team receiving the Cup 1931
Photo shows the cup being presented by the Mayor
Photo: Kindly shared by Marie Ives



St. James Church Football Teams



St. James Parish Church FC - 1920
Back Row l to r: Fred Schofield, Billy Johnson, Bob Hegarty.
3rd Row from front: John Thornley, Willie Ramsbottom, ?, Wm Greenwood, ?,?,?.
2nd Row from front: Mr. Altham, Fred Cronshaw (in suit), Lewis Hall (in centre with cup), ?,?.
Front Row: John Entwistle, Ralph Barnes, Sam Whitham, Alan Riley
Photo: Kindly shared by Myra Fronapfel (Myra's dad is Lewis Hall)


Haslingden Church Institute 1930s




St. James Football Team 1959
Back Row: Dennis Baker, Stanley Barlow, H. Kenyon, Fred Farnell, Billy Pilling, Alec Taylor.
Front Row: Jack Pilling, Fred Bargh, Dave Entwistle, Johnny Brockbank, Alan Fisher.
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Jack Pilling


St. James Football Team 1960's
Back Row l to r: Stanley Barlow (scarf), John Holden
Middle Row l to r: Jim Coupe, Dave Entwistle, Peter Reeves, Johnny Brockbank ?,?
Front Row l to r: Derek Barlow, Leslie Barge, ?, Bryan Corbridge, Geoffrey Jackson.

Photo: kindly contributed by Marjorie Corbridge/Myra Frohnapfel
Help with names from Pauline Emmett Dagg


St. James Football Team 1964-1965

Back Row: Steven Haworth, Raymond Patton, John Stitt, Jeffrey Valentine, Kenneth Davis, Glyn Jones, Clifford Grime.
Front row: David Holt, Roy Barnes, Simon Farrer, Graham Wroe, David Clayton, Graham Dakin, Stephen Clark.
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Stephen Clark


St. James Football Team 1971





Haslingden St. James Football Team 1967/68
played on St. James playing fields - Prinny Hill

Back Row: Jim Camm, Gordon Bright, Duncan Ramsbottom, Fred Farnell, Stanley Barlow Snr, Stanley Barlow Jnr
Robert Mills, Mark Barnes, Walter Gregson, ?, Brian Uren.

Photo: Kindly shared to us by Peter Fisher.


Haslingden St. James Football Team 1965/1966
Front Row L to R: Paul Schofield, Geoffrey Oldfield, John Stitt, Philip Barnes, Glynn Jones, Derek Ratcliffe.
Back Row L to R: Stephen Haworth, David Washington, John Barnes (RIP), David Holt, Keith Till
Photo kindly shared by Peter Fisher

St. James Football Team taken around 1967 - 1968
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Brian Uren
Back row l to r: Ray Howarth, Keith Walkden, Brian Uren, Stewart Molloy, Stanley Barlow, Jack Pilling.
Front Row l to r: Brian Tomlinson, Jim Camm, Ken Hanson, David Blomley, Ian Cocker


St. Mary's Football Club



Haslingden St. Mary's Football Team with Father Hunt
Photo: Kindly shared by John Bedford




 St. Mary's Football Team League Champions 1910



 St. Mary's Football Team 

Celtic FC or St. Mary's Football Club 1915-1916
Back Row: McIntyre, Harper, Mannion, Doherty, Durkin, Walsh
Front Row: Kelly, Larkin, Lundy, McWade, McIntyre, Ashton, Howlett.


  St. Marys Football Team 1928


 St. Mary's Football Team mid to late 1930's




St. Marys Football Club 1937/38

 St. Mary's Football Team




 St. Mary's Football Team




 St. Marys Football Club 1950

Back Row: Sports Master and Teacher: Tommy Brennan,
Back Row l to r: Kevin Wissett, Alec Fearful, Tom Riding, Tom Baron, Terry Navin, Steven Moden,
Front Row l to r: Terry McNamee, Brian Gavin, George McKenzie, John Tyson, Eddie O'Keefe.

Photo: Kindly shared by Ron Baron




Haslingden St. Mary's FC 
Photo kindly shared to us by Peter Fisher

Back: Ken Moden, John Curran, Ken Tattersall, Tony White,John Irwin, Tony Hothersall, John Dickinson
Front: David Dewhurst, Andy Ashworth, John Flynn, Seamus McNally, John Higgins


St. Mary's Football event held at the Cricket Club
Johnny Casson (Comedian), John Dickinson (RIP), Tony Gallagher, Norman Lundy, Jack Charlton, Steve Stopworth
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Peter Fisher.




St. Marys FC Dinner
L to R George McKenzie, Martin Molloy, Tony Joe (comedian) Bernard O'Connell (RIP), Murray Bernie (MC), Jim Mead (RIP
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Peter Fisher.
(ARCHIVED: St. Marys, Football, Photos)

St. Marys Football Sportsmens Dinner Event
L to R: Martin Morley, George McKenzie, Jim Mead (RIP), Tony Gallagher, Martin Molloy, David Lloyd (Bumble and Speaker), John Dickinson (Snr) RIP
Photo: Thanks to Peter Fisher for kindly sharing with us

Haslingden St. Marys FC team from around 1967
played on St. Marys field at Prinny Hill
Back L to R: Tommy Egan, Stuart Harper, Jimmy Lynch, Tommy Mannion, Mick Hardman, Eric Moden.
Front L to R: Mick Quinlan, John Navin, George McKenzie, Tony Gallagher, John Hogan
Photo Kindly shared to us by Peter Fisher

St. Marys football team playing down on Prinny Hill.
Names:Back Row L to R: Jim Snowden, Mick Quinlan, Tony White, Alan Mead, George Mullaney, John Egan.
Front L to R: Michael Collinge, Tom Durkin, Tony Gallagher, John Hogan and Kevin Touhey
Photo: kindly shared to us by Peter Fisher


Stonefold School Football Team 1930

Stonefold School Football Team 1930
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Lorraine Hooper




Unknown Haslingden/Helmshore Football Team

Probably Helmshore football team
J. Wise on right hand side of back row.


Haslingden Football Team


Jack Pilling writes shows my dad Billy Pilling with the winning team
 and holding the cups in the middle row.
The presentation was to the winning team and held on Dark Lane. 
I do not know what team or what competition they won.
I only know Bill Hanson to his left and I think next to him on the right is a man called Riley.
I would love to know a bit more about it but as it was in the 1940's it is very doubtful.


Unknown Haslingden team: (Arthur Robinson) more information now kindly added by Ian Heys - read below

Team Unknown (see notes below)
The following names have been offered: Arthur Robinson and Stuart Collier (back row)
and Dave Dewhurst and Neil Shingles on (front row)
thanks to Peter Fisher for sharing

Information kindly supplied by Ian Heys on 1st March 2018:

I've been viewing your great site for years now and I find I may be able to help in identifying the "Unknown Team" currently last but one on your Sports, Football blog.
I believe the season is 1967/8 and the team is made up of most of the members of the former Cloughfold St. John's team that played in the Rossendale Youth League till around 1966/7 and having found they were becoming too old for that league may have changed their name.
Before I left the valley in 1967 I worked for a time at Loveclough Printworks and of the four players that wern't in the team when I left, three seem to have come from there:

Back Row L to R: Arthur Robinson (CPA),?, Tom Quinton, Harry Coley, Stuart Collier, Brian Parsonage (CPA)
Front Row L to R: Brian Turner, Geoff Quinn, Neil Shingles, Jim Mitchell, ? (possibly Dave Dewhurst and definately (CPA).

I played for this team in the previous season (in the same blue and yellow shirts). We won the league.

The team won the draw for the two cup final tickets awarded to the Rossendale Youth League because of their affiliation with the Football Association (FA).

Tom Quinton and I travelled by bus to the FA Cup Final at Wembley on 20th May 1967 and were part of the 100,000 mainly standing crowd - Tottenham Hotspur 2 - Chelsea 1
Thanks for the great site.



Whittakers team in the Haslingden 5 a side

Whittaker's team in the Haslingden "5 a side" early 1990's
Back Row: Bryn Yorke, Eric Wroot, Martin Skinner,
Front Row: Ken Davis, Pete Smith, Stephen Abraham
Photo: Kindly shared to us by Peter Fisher
ARCHIVED UNDER FOOTBALL AND PHOTOS