THE FLATLEY DRYER

[PanBiker]

Just for the record the TC can and does set it's own precept. They also get additional brass from Pendle for the bits they have taken off their hands.

[plaques]

In defence of the reluctance to be totally independent some of the big equipment items cost enormous amounts of money and it would be silly to have them stood round 80% of the time not being used. Farmers don't do it and they are very careful about spending brass.

[Stanley]

The Calf Hall Shed Company directors outside 'Crowtrees' Barrowford, the home of W H Atkinson the architect, in about 1895.
Left to right. Standing, Proctor Barrett, Harry Wilson, William Holdsworth, W H Atkinson (architect), Edward Smith, W P Brooks and John Horsfield. Seated. Leonard Holdsworth, Tom Dent, Johnson Edmondson and Greenwood Wilkinson.
These were some of the most influential people in the town and I once asked Harold Duxbury if there was anything in the old story about the town being run by 'The Forty Thieves'. Harold said there was some truth in that because some of these men were councillors and all of them had invested heavily in the town.
(Is Greenwood Wilkinson wearing polished clogs?)

[Stanley]

Flatley Dryer country now....

[PanBiker]

Bookie watch benches are more or less the same.

[Stanley]

Hee hee... You're right Ian. I hadn't noticed that.



This isn't strictly Flatley Dryer territory as I believe it's still there. This bench always fascinated me and I took a spirit level up there one day to check. It is level and shows how steep the path is. Remember that the War Memorial used to be up here. Not the best site for veterans on foot to get to!

[Stanley]

The only real money, a coin which is worth more than its face value, in this case an English Sovereign.
Flatly dryer country, it's value as legal tended is only a fraction of the value of the gold it is made out of.

[Stanley]

If you think about it the inscription on that coin is just a tad archaic and could be said to be Flatley Dryer country.

[Stanley]

Newton pickles at school 100 years ago. Notice his school cap. I was wearing one 30 years later and so was every other schoolboy in the town. The peaked cap was the universal headgear.
It seems to me that apart from one or two 'traditional' fee-paying schools, the peaked cap is now Flatley Dryer territory.

[Tizer]

I wore my school cap (and tie) even when playing football!

[Cathy]

Very sweet Tize

[Stanley]

We had to almost sleep in ours.
I remember the official shop for the caps, blazers and school ties was a small sports shop on Wellington Road south and they charged a fortune for them. I've been and had a look. They are very cagey about giving prices for clothing but I did find that a senior lacrosse stick costs £150. I suspect prices will be quite high!

[Big Kev]

I noticed that Pendle Village Mill (behind B&Q at jct 12 of the M65) has a large school uniform department. I didn't look at prices but will make a point of looking next time I'm in there.

[Tizer]

I remember the official shop for the caps, blazers and school ties was a small sports shop on Wellington Road south and they charged a fortune for them.

Ours was Johnny Forbes in Blackburn and, yes, they too charged a fortune. Johnny Forbes

[Stanley]

The big name in Stockport in sports clothing, camping equipment and scout and guide uniforms and equipment was Bukta. See THIS description of the firm.
I see the brand has been revived. Their Brinksway mill was just below Hope Memorial school and was part of my life for five years during the war. I have an idea the sports shop on Wellington Road South was connected with them. They were certainly big stockists of their sports clothing and Scout and Guide uniforms and equipment. I remember buying a sheath knife with my pocket money that would definitely be illegal today!

[PanBiker]

I remember buying a sheath knife with my pocket money that would definitely be illegal today!

Ha, I have one of those as well Stanley, mines an 8" blade job with a bone handle. I bought mine when I was about 8 or 9 years old from Donald Fodens in Barlick of course. That was on my snake belt along with an axe around chubbing time, a scout knife in my pocket as well. You had to be properly tooled up and no one batted an eye lid! The swat teams would be out nowadays no doubt! Happy days.

[Big Kev]

Same here, I had what was affectionately referred to as a Bowie (Jim not David) knife.

[PanBiker]

The scout knife was one I found up Letcliffe Park. One of the multi blade types with a fish scaler, pointy thing and two different sized cutting blades. I handed it in at the Police Station on Manchester Road and it wasn't claimed so came my way courtesy of the local Sergeant, "sign here son and it's yours"

[Big Kev]

I have a Swiss Army knife I used to keep in the car, this is now frowned upon so it's in a drawer indoors.

[Tizer]

Anyone with an interest in geology needs a penknife for scraping bits of rock clean. I carry a tiny one about 4cm long - small but good enough for what's needed. I wonder what a bobby would make of it if he found I was carrying such a dangerous weapon? "But it's one of my geological tools, constable!"

[Stanley]

Scouts used to carry large ash staves as well. Baden Powell thought they were indispensable if you were going into the wilds.

[Cathy]

Sounds like quite a few of you are still Boy Scouts at heart.

[Stanley]

You could be right Cathy but I rejected the Boy Scouts themselves as soon as I realised their Fascist tendencies!

[Whyperion]

There is the Woodcraft Folk (associated with the Co-op) for kids that dont want to sign up for queen and country as such.

[Stanley]

If you look through an old trade directory you will soon realise that many of what used to be essential retail trades have shuffled off the stage. The corsetiere and the tinsmith used to serve us from shops in the town but are no more. The 'Corner Shop' has been replaced by the 'convenience store' which is in fact a mini-supermarket and can only survive when it is outside walking distance from the supermarket itself.
Think back to the days when the 'man from the Pru' used to knock on the door once a week together with the rent collector and the 'Provident Man'. The internet has finished them off.
For a crumblie like me it is a different world, Some bits are better but others are not as good.