Geoff Crambie: Colne’s past caught in film in ‘Lancashire Pride’

The film was a Glen Mills production and was financed by the company’s managing director, the genial George Whittaker.

In this week’s photo and pictured in the ancient Bells Yard we can see James Starkie as “Cloggie Bill” and James Hart as “The Violinist”.

And we can see the duo act out their clog-dancing scene at the bottom of the 28 steps which led to some of the earliest hand-loom weavers’ cottages known in the North-West of England.

“Lancashire Pride” memorably captured the Colne of yesteryear.

That was a Colne before fools in high places and their lickspittles destroyed what had taken centuries to create.

Yes indeed, seen in that wonderful post-war film – the script by my late dear friend Henry Foulds – is the historic Bells Yard, the magnificent Cloth Hall, the unique courthouse and lock-up and Colne’s old-world streets of the past.

Today, tragically, all have gone forever.