Welcome to The Briercliffe Society Forum

Hello to all,

I am a new member of this forum as of yesterday, I was born on Cromer Grove, (off Fleetwood Road), Burnley, in 1947).

I have recollections from a very young age of sleeping on straw mattresses in a cottage which I believe used to belong to the Independent Labour Party, of which my parents were staunch members; the cottage was just to the side of and behind the Roggerham Gate Inn. I believe.

As my parents moved to the village of Huncoat in 1954, when my father gained employment at Meadow Top Colliery ,(better known as Huncoat Pit), I can only have been very young when we stopped at the cottage.

My Query is, does anyone on the forum have any information, photo's etc, of the above mentioned cottage or the immediate area; a long shot I know after 60 plus years, any information would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks, yours Taddy.

There is a Clarion House at Coldwell near Nelson, still, café and local training centre I think : google them.

Also there was one near Roughlee.

All linked originally to cycling and the Independent Labour Party : much online.

Rex

Me again

A newspaper search brought up a 1938 Coop Fellowship ramble to the ILP cottage at Roggerham from the Queens Park gates !

Rex

I think the one at Roughlee is the one on Jinny Lane, ( shown on Country Watch a couple of years ago and still served tea at that time)

ILP very strong at one time in Nelson (Little Moscow)

Rex

I seem to be having a problem trying to post a reply, tried yesterday and five minutes ago but as soon as I press submit or preview the post vanishes, being new to this computer lark I may be doing something wrong; anyone have any suggestion ?
Yours Taddy

Hello Rex, Where would I look for the above mentioned article ? please bear in mind that I am a newcomer to this on line palaver, also known as computer chat, not easy for someone who can still remember using a piece of wood with a nib attached and an inkwell but I am learning (slowly)

Many thanks, Your's, stay happy, Taddy.

I'm a pensioner, I'm afraid !

There is a subscription website 'The British Newspaper Archive'. You can conduct searches for free, and glean some information that way. The item I posted doesn't say much more.

In fact the 'Find my past' site has the same papers more or less, so is maybe a better bet if you do want to pay out for a sub. Perhaps a bit less easy to use.

Rex

Thanks for that Rex

With reference to the posts above mentioning the Clarion club houses, my parents used to run a Clarion house in Ribchester during the 1940's, in was situated at the top of the hill on the right hand side as you drop down into Ribchester; the building was replaced probably in the 1960's with a public house called the Lodestar,not to be confused with the De Tabley arms later renamed the Lodestar and then Caesars.

I believe that the occupant of the big house next door to the Lodestar got so fed up with the noise from the many rock groups that played there he bought the pub and had it converted into a private house.

Yours, hoping that i've down this right this time, Taddy.

Hurrah, something else I have finally mastered,
Many thanks to you Mel. Your's, a happy Taddy.

OR EVEN DONE IT RIGHT THIS TIME !, Sorry.

See http://clarionclubhouses.cambrianmoons.com/colne.htm

An excellent guide Melvyn, thank you for posting it.

My grandfather Richard Bright Watson was an ILP member, taking part in many Socialist meetings in Burnley in the early 20th century, as evidenced in local papers. He was also a very keen rambler though not I think a cyclist. However he and friends had their own walking group, named 'Nomads'. His political leanings were linked to his work as a trade union secretary (Burnley Twisters). Around retirement time, circa 1930, he became a magistrate in Burnley. He died in 1963, aged 94, I remember him fondly. I wrote a brief biography in 'Retrospect', the Burnley Historical Soc journal, a few years back.

Happy to provide further informaton.

Rex