Wednesday 14th August – Attended Hyndburn Over 50s Forum this morning at the Blind Institute on Bank Street. After the business meeting we had a very interesting talk about the Co-operative Movement from guest speaker Norman Hindley of Bolton, a retired Co-op employee. Councillor John Broadley had brought a very old book produced for the 50th Anniversary of the Accrington Co-operative Movement in 1910. There were photos of some of the Co-op stores. We were nearly all old enough to remember the many Co-op shops in the Hyndburn area during our youth and about getting “divi” (dividend) on our purchases. In Lancashire the “Rochdale Pioneers” are remembered for starting up the Movement – the original shop has been preserved – I must go and see it one day! Norman told some very funny tales about when he was a young employee and all the flour, sugar, etc. had to be weighed out. There were some accidents where it ended up all over the shop floor! When the Movement started in Accrington in 1860 the shops were intended for the weavers. They were open in the evenings when people had finished their shift at the mill. How retail has changed since those days! This afternoon I went to the Planning Committee where we were discussing a potential small housing development at Alliance Street, Baxenden, where the scrap yard is located at present. It would certainly be an improvement for the area, from a visual amenity point of view! I went through my e-mails to check responses to some resident matters I’d reported yesterday. Also to see if any new mayoral engagements had come in. Things are a bit quieter in the holidays but will get going again before long – in fact the weekend of 7th and 8th September there are five engagements already! I’ve completed almost a quarter of my mayoral term by now! How time flies!
Posted on: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 22:20:14 +0000
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