The men who saved Wycoller

This week our picture is an excellent 1930s Wycoller scene on a one penny Tom Wilson’s postcard of 57 Market Street, Colne.
By Geoff Crambie
Published 20th Jul 2015, 08:04 BST
HALCYON VILLAGE: Wycoller's pack horse bridge, 1930s. (S)HALCYON VILLAGE: Wycoller's pack horse bridge, 1930s. (S)
HALCYON VILLAGE: Wycoller's pack horse bridge, 1930s. (S)

Indeed the catalyst for the Wycoller of today was the inaugural post-war meeting on Saturday, July 3rd in 1948 of “The Preservation of Wycoller Hall Society”.

Later to become “The Friends of Wycoller Ltd”, membership was two shillings and six pence (12 and a half pence today!) a year, the members setting up the worthy Preservation Group read as if “a Colne who’s who”.

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Why here’s “Mr Colne”, none other than Ebenezer Folley, borough librarian Wilfred Spencer, town clerk Lionel Venables, solicitor Horace Wilkinson, historians Allan Dalby, Stanley Cookson and Harold Cork, plus well-known locals Eddie Bradley, Jim Mellelieu, George Ayre and elite cameraman Charles Green.

These and around a dozen more were the men who totally renovated the magnificently built 1596 Elizabethan fireplace and also transformed the historic hall with much needed restoration.

Today the halcyon village of Wycoller owes a huge debt of gratitude to these worthy men of yesteryear whose foresight made the hamlet the haven it’s become today.

Related topics:Colne