GEOFF CRAMBIE: Last days of these old shops

Kindly presented to me by Mrs Greenlees, of Burwains Avenue, in Foulridge, the 55-year-old photograph was sent to her just recently from a Primet school mate of mine in the 1950’s and now residing in Spain, whose maiden name was Vivien Duxbury.

Vivien, who I haven’t seen since 1958, was a most good-looking girl with a personality to match, plus her dad, Roland, also was most affable when I worked with him at Asquith Electrics during the mid-sixties.

The 1955 Church Street scene shows on the left the just closed down, Benjamin Ingham, printer and bookbinder of great note, of No. 5 Church Street, telephone number 46 and who had been in business in Colne for many decades.

Next door at No. 7 Church Street, is the well-known tobacconist’s shop run by the genial Stanley Aspin, and still trading (although not for long!) At the time of our picture, Stanley was also the local agent for the then very popular coach tours to the south run by the company Robinson’s Tours, who promised “carefree holidays”. No less than three advertising signs for Robinson’s Tours can be seen around Stanley’s shop front. Also in the main window is a display sign for Player’s cigarettes with legendary England cricketer Denis Compton shown smoking and smiling as he says: “Mine’s a Player’s, please”.

Further down at No. 9 Church Street, which was Alan Wharton’s (also an England cricketer) sports’ shop, was a wonderful poster on the wall of a most handsome Denis Compton, promoting none other than Brylcreem for “immaculate hair”!