Day Trip to Stoke-on-Trent

Saturday 15th March.  Ten of us boarded the coach for a day out in that well known tourist trap, Stoke on Trent.  Our first stop was Etruria which our leader assumed was to see the famous Wedgwood factory.  Sadly that was demolished some years ago, what we actually enjoyed was a journey back in time to understand how they put the bone in china courtesy of a guided tour of the last steam powered potters grinding mill in Britain.  After being regally entertained with complimentary tea, coffee  and chocolate biscuits we moved on to lunch at the Gladstone.

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William Pickles Hartley

William Pickles Hartley. World famous Jam Maker

David Penney gave the Friends an interesting talk about the Colne born and bred successful businessman William Pickles Hartley. Born in very humble surrounding he built up the worlds biggest Jam making business. He never forgot his local roots and gave Colne its Hartley Hospital, his daughter also gave the town its Maternity home..He was made a Freeman of Colne and also of Liverpool

Thanks David for a well presented talk.

Pendle’s Hidden Valley – Field Reconnaissance 8th February 2014

Pendle Heritage – Archaeology Group

Pendle’s Hidden Valley Field Reconnaissance 8th February 2014

The third field reconnaissance session for the Pendle’s Hidden Valley project took place on Saturday 8th February 2014 but in the face of dire weather forecasts, understandably, only 4 stalwarts braved the elements. In the end, despite strong winds we were relatively lucky with the conditions. Continue reading “Pendle’s Hidden Valley – Field Reconnaissance 8th February 2014”

Winter Gardens

January can result in dull gardens, excessively cut back and tidied up.  However, at Park Hill, the gardeners, Peter and Elaine, allow the natural forms and colours of winter to come through and to decorate the surroundings of the heritage centre.  There is much beauty for those with ‘eyes to see’ through the dull winter light.  It has been a warm winter, so far, and snowdrops are already popping their heads throught the wet winter mulch.  Click here for some January photos.

Wycoller Monuments Project 1 – 22nd January

The first meeting of 2014 for the conservation group was a rainy affair,  with a lot of time spent chatting away in Pepper Hill Barn with the park rangers. However, the four of us did manage to get out for a few hours to clear more of the trees growing on the archaeololgy at the back of Wycoller Hall.  We also had a nice job seeking out small trees suitable for a monkey sanctuary in Keighley. It turned into a good day as the weather brightened for a while on the afternoon.