OLD EARBY FAMILIES. – THE VARLEYS

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OLD EARBY FAMILIES. – THE VARLEYS
Distinguished Public Service at Home and Abroad
About eighty years ago William Varley, a young engineer, of Colne, was appointed the "engine driver" at the large, newly erected Victoria Mill. The family came to reside in one of the cottages at "the bottom of Earby," opposite the end of the mill, in a block of houses built by Nathan Watson and Thomas Wilkinson (Thomas o' Quart John's), and the father of Mr. Elihu Wilkinson, who is so well known in the district.

All the houses in the village at that time were of the cottage type, except a farmhouse here and there, and the "Master's" house at Green End; but the house in which the Varley family resided had one distinguishing feature for we have it on the undoubted authority of Mr, Elihu Wilkinson, it was the only cottage house in Earby which had "curtains" to adorn the windows. If, as is often the case, you can discern the character of the occupants of a house by its curtains, then the curtains of the Varley habitation were a sign that they belonged to the aristocracy of the village community.

In this particular instance the family life of the Varleys was proof of their natural and acquired superiority, for there was no family held in higher regard.

Mr. Varley was of a quiet retiring disposition, and was very diligent in attending to his duties. The entrance to the engine room was up the main steps on the second floor, and very fortunate did any doffer count himself who was allowed by Mr, Varley to look at the great double-beam engine when in motion. There were two sons and one daughter in the family, the eldest of whom attained to a position of distinction in the neighbouring market town of Colne.

Alfred Varley was born in 1860 and received his education at the local Grammar School, which was in fact, an elementary school under the management of the Rector of Thornton. The Varley family was also associated with the Methodist Society, and attended the old chapel in Stoneybank Road.

A DISTINGUISHED CAREER.
Alfred was a Sunday school teacher, and in the evenings he was associated with his friend, Edmund Lund, junior, in teaching the "three R's," He also became a local preacher, and his name was on the Colne Circuit plan for about fifty years. As a youth he became articled to Messrs, Hartley & Carr, a firm of solicitors in Colne of very high reputation, and in 1881 he was appointed clerk to the Colne and Marsden Local Board.

As Colne progressed as a local authority, Mr. Varley successively held the post of clerk to the Colne Local Board, the Colne Urban District Council, and Town Clerk from the incorporation of the borough in 1895 until his retirement in 1923.

When Mr. Varley became associated with the local government of Colne, the population was only 9,000 and there were very few public officials, which entailed much responsibility upon the Chief clerk. For 25 years Mr. Varley acted as borough treasurer, and submitted the accounts to the Local Government Board for audit. In 1904 he became a fully qualified solicitor, and also qualified as a barrister, so that he could represent the Town Council in the highest Law Courts in the country.

He rendered very eminent voluntary service to the old Cottage Hospital as secretary, and was responsible for the organisation of the endowment fund. When the Hartley Hospital was opened he became honorary secretary, and was one of the governors of the Hartley Cottage Homes.

He combined in a very marked, degree both industry and tact, and while he was of a retiring disposition he was very kindly disposed, and always approachable by any who sought this counsel and advice. Courtesy was the distinguishing feature of his nature, and his fidelity as a public servant was eloquent testimony to his high sense of duty.

During the whole period of his residence in Colne, Mr. Alfred Varley was prominently connected with Albert Road Wesleyan Chapel, and he was the oldest trustee at the time of his death, which occurred in January of this year, at the advanced age of 82 years, after a very brief illness. Thus so recently came to a close the faithful service of one of Earby's most illustrious sons.
Mr. William Varley, the second son, entered into the engineering business at Keighley, and after a successful career retired to Morecambe.

ELIZABETH VARLEY
Belonging to the Varley family there is another member who is entitled to honourable mention — Elizabeth Varley, the daughter, who became the wife of the late Mr. Henry Brown, engineer, likewise a most worthy son of Earby. "Who can find a virtuous woman?" saith the wise man in the Holy Book, "for her price is far above rubies”; and it is no exaggeration to apply to Elizabeth Varley. The further testimony of the sacred writer: "Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all." It would be difficult to find any-where a character where natural beauty and perfection of disposition were so harmoniously blended. Their home, as I remember it nearly fifty years ago, with four children, was the finest example of a cottage home I have ever seen.
Frederick Edmund Brown, the second on of Henry Brown, and grandson of William Varley, has also brought distinction to the family name and to his native heath. Receiving his elementary education at the Earby Grammar School, and for a few years at George Street School, Colne.

Fred Brown, as he is familiarly known, spent a few years as a pupil teacher, and in office work at the Victoria Mill, and then offered his services to the China Inland Mission. Owing to the Boxer Rebellion in China, this project was frustrated, and after two years at a Glasgow College he was accepted for the Wesleyan Ministry. His first appointment was as an Army chaplain at Secunderabad, India, and a five years' term of service at Gibraltar followed. He was subsequently stationed at Portland, Dorset, and immediately on the outbreak of the Great War he was sent to France. During the whole war period he stuck to his post in France, and attained the rank of Major, his services being recognised by the bestowal of the D.S.O.

After his return from France, he entered the home ministry, being stationed at West Hartlepool, but as another vacancy arose at Gibraltar he returned to his old post, and the work among the boys of H.M. Forces, which he has always loved. He has now been at Gibraltar for more than ten years, making fifteen years service all told on "The Rock," a record which is probably unique amongst Army Chaplains.

A few extracts from his letters to the writer of these notes will be of particular interest to all who know Mr. Brown:—

Oct., 1927 — Gib. has almost become home to me now, and I rarely think of any change. I have the superintendence of everything connected with the work. I have no officials, although I have helpers, and I have to shoulder the burden of everything that comes along. With few exceptions, I preach three times a week to practically the same people. I often wonder at their patience. I have only been away from Gib. for two Sundays during the past three years. Still, I have no desire for a change. Every place has its advantages and disadvantages, and one has to work away and make the best of things. I am preaching tomorrow on the U.S.S. "Detroit," which has put in at Gibraltar.
Aug., 1928 — We are suffering from a very much depleted garrison. Still we carry on, and although we are in the hottest season of the year our weeknight meetings continue as well as our Sunday services. I have just come down from my house on the summit of the "Rock," where I have spent a glorious night sleeping on the flat roof. It seemed a pity to sleep at all and miss the marvellous moon and starlight. My house at the top of the Rock is 1,400 feet above sea level.

March, 1931— We are enjoying glorious days and nights. Since this year came in we have only had two wet days. We really need rain badly. The "Rock" has been all white with narcissi, and in my garden I have oranges, arum lilies, geraniums, etc., and in the aviary canaries are singing all day long. The Atlantic Fleet is here, and we have the Church, crowded with sailors on Sunday mornings. They are busy days. Yesterday, I preached at the 9-30 service, and again at the 10-30 service. I attended the monthly children's service at 2-30, preached again at 6-30, held Holy Communion at 7-30, and ended the day with the "sing-song" at the "Welcome," getting home about 11 p.m. I have now spent nearly fourteen years here. I hardly ever contemplate a change, but the time must come when I shall have to relinquish the work, but in many ways I shall be sorry when it does come."

May this fine example of unselfish service be an incentive to all Earby boys.
J.H.
Transcribed from the Craven Herald 24th June 1932 written by John Hartley
From a collection of newspaper cuttings made by the author kindly loaned by Mrs. E. Wilkinson.

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