Ouflook HISTORY UNDER FOOT


M A R G A R E T WR IG H T v is its Rossendale to see a new museum pay­ ing homage to one of this area’s major industries.


AN elegant boardroom, once the hub of a great E as t L a n c a s h i r e industry, has been given a new role that will keep


it busy for years to come. Step inside the polished-


lets and the chance to make your own moccasins also available for a fee. Unique in the North, the


any age; it’s free, fascinat­ ing and the factory shop is upstairs too! There’s a video. Schools are welcome to visit through bookings, with special activity book­


museum is a treasure trove of 100 years of Slipper Val­ ley history. Only two other such footwear museums exist — in Cornwall in Northants. Many of the “living his­


tory” items come from a collection made over the


wood furnished office at Gaghills Mill, Waterfoot from where footwear manu­ facturer Sir H.W. Trickett ran his empire, and enter the Rossendale Footwear Heritage Museum. It’s a treat for visitors of


slippers showing fashions from the 1870s until today — including “TOT” the turn-over-top slipper design that was practically born with the Rossendale Valley industry. A frothy peach velvet


y e a r s by Mr J am e s Howarth, joint managing d i r e c to r of L am b e r t Howarth Group pic and fourth generation Howarth to work in the business. On display are shoes and


pair of slippers trimmed with egret feathers; clogs, of course; ladies delicate ankle boots; ladies heavy working boots. Special shoes made for Buckingham


reproduced from originals, record how they used to work in the day when Trickett, an enlightened employer, a local man who was knighted for his ser­ vices to the footwear industry, employed over 1,000 people at Gaghills, turning out 72,000 pairs of sho e s and s l ip p e r s a WEEK.


familiar faces too, on the photographs because gen­ erations of families have given their working lives to Tricketts, and to Lambert Howarth which took over the old firm and Gaghills Mill in 1970.


T h e re will be some - THE RESTAURANT Dine in the intimate candlelit atmosphere o f our restaunuit,


choose from our a la carte menu which has received many com­ pliments and to go with your meal select one o f our f in e F rcnch Wines.


Open lunch time an d evenings — Tuesday to S a tu rd ay 11*30 a.m. — 2-00 p.m., 6-30 p.m. — Last Orders 10-00 p.m.


OPEN FOR SPECIAL SUNDAY LUNCH FROM 12 noon — 5-30 p.m.


THE COFFEE SHOP


F o r inexpensive snacks an d lunches o r ju s t a cup of coffee


Open lunch time — Tuesday to S aturday F o r reservations Telephone (02S2) S31669


OPEN BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY ( We are situated in Cow Lane, Burnley


Turn off St James Street at Howarth’s Picture Gallery and take the first turn left into the municipal car park infront of the restaurant)


Come & explore


tory too, goes back to the earliest days of the footwear industry in the Valley. Today, the group employs 1,350 people in Waterfoot, Rawtenstall, Burnley and the Isle of Man in a high- tech, still labour-intensive industry that makes five MILLION pairs of shoes and slippers a year and sup- lies firms like Marks and pencer (for 80 years),


Clarks, K. Shoes, Dolcis and C and A as well as many smaller retailers.


days show development of the shoe and slipper manu­ facturing. Sir H.W. Trick­ ett was ahead of his time in promoting his industry.


Lots of records from early Skipton Castle


Nine hundred years old and still fully roofed! •' _____ Skipton Castle is one of the most complete and well-preserved


mediaeval castles in England. Discover the beauty of the Conduit Court with its famous yew. Illustrated tour sheets provided — and free Explorer’s badge for everyone under 18. Skipton is the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales; and the Castle is open every day, except Christmas Day, from 10am (Sunday 2pm).


.. Lambert Howarth’s his­


difference.. . set out in bits! Showing the surprising number of pieces — nine or 10 for children’s feet, 12 or so for adults — needed to make just one shoe. Enlarged photographs,


Palace footmen. Modern day shoes with a


just the footwear making side but also the whole package. Printing beautiful boxes for slippers and shoes; creating stunning adverts. Also in the museum are


and Europe; worried about the th re a t of German imports; a clever advertis­ ing man who oversaw not


Exporting to America


items, researching, prepar­ ing and planning for the museum, has taken six months of intensive work by Mrs Judith Howarth, wife of Mr James Howarth, and by Mrs Judith Hartley whose husband also works for Lambert Howarth.


advised by Lancashire County Museums service, received a budget from Lambert Howarth, and a cheque from the Footwear H e r itag e T ru s t which includes Rossendale MP David Trippier as a member and who officially opened the museum earlier this month.


They have also been


give a flavour of what it was like to work in the slipper works from the 1870s through to the present day,” said Mrs Howarth.


“What we hope to do is to


Footwear & Clothing


Seconds (rom Leading High St Solres


OPENING


Our front cover pictures show scens inside and out­ side the museum. Pic­ tured, from left to right, are: Judith Hartley, Judith Howarth and Florence Leclerq


TIMES;- Mon /


Finsley Mill Shop. Finsley G a te . Burnley


Lancashire.


Friday 9.30 am . 5.00 p.m.


Saturday 9.00 am . - 4.00 p.m.


TEL: 0282 25641


open a “heavy machines” museum a t L am b e r t Howarth’s Finsley Gate Mill in Burnley to complete the picture of the past. Cataloguing thousands of


small machines from the shop floor of bygone years; from the clicking room, where in the past every footwear item was painstak­ ingly cut out BY HAND; from th e v eldtschoen d e p a r tm e n t involving another shoemaking tech­ nique; from the closing room where every shoe and slip­ per is finished. Eventually, it is hoped to


Two of Sir Henry Trickett’s brash advertising posters. I wonder how the one showing animals entering a great machine to be turned into footwear would be received today.


TOje Coadf) anti


^Bolton bp ^BotolaniJ - nr Clitljeroe {Eel: 0 2 0 0 7 202


Restaurant open six days per week (closed


Tuesdays) 12 - 2-00. 7-00 - 9-00. Booking advisable at weekends. Three letting bedrooms 1 double, 1 family, 1 single:


Prop: &tjrila A £lill jTrrauson. B & B £15.00 "tEIjchcSt -fJoScbau intfjc -Ribblc Valle?"/ per person


Visit Our


Museum & Shop FOOTWEAR & CLOTHING


opening Times:- Mon / lues /


W e d /F r i 10 am -5.30 pm


Thurs 10 a m -8 pm


Sat 9.30 am ■ 3.30 pm


TEL: 0706 215417


GAGHILLS MILL SHOP&


FOOTWEAR


MUSEUM GaghiRs Mill. OH Burnley


Road East. Waterloo).


Rossendale. Lancs. ■


s* ■ at ■ '


•: Footwear Museum' GAGHILLS MILL


-----------— = ?


,


ATERFOOT O ROSSENDALE ■s -


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