The Colne Dressers’ Club Brains Trust

On the left is the well-known business man Noel Earnshaw with the gent in the top hat being none other than the legendary, much-missed character Arthur “Rappo” Ingram. Both Noel and Arthur were founding members of the renowned Dressers’ Club Brains Trust, which ran for a decade during the 1940s.

Members of the august and, indeed, select circle included Joe Sunter, a wonderful wordsmith whose editorship of the Colne Times spanned over four decades; Alderman Edward Phillips JP who was a splendid Mayor of Colne from 1951-52; Hubert Smith, the notable Colne Railway Station inspector for many years; Teddie Maxwell, a most imposing, long-serving Colne Co-operative Society undertaker; Albert Bird, a reputable works manager and one of our finest local swimmers; Egbert M. Hildreth, the distinguished headmaster of Park School and not forgetting the Rev. James H. Short, a dedicated clergyman at the now sadly demolished Colne Unitarian Chapel.

All these and, indeed, around 40 more Brains Trust luminaries have now gone to the great academy above.

Their days spent with us are remembered still.

Here’s to a happy and peaceful New Year for us all.