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  Oswaldtwistle Library

 

OSWALDTWISTLE TURNS OUT IN FORCE FOR CENTENARY

Oswaldtwistle Library celebrated its Centenary on Friday October 30th with a gathering that saw it full to the rafters. It was standing room only as guests perused a magnificent wall display of pictures of Old Oswaldtwistle. Also on view were the original keys to both the library and Rhyddings Park.

The event was organised by library manager Abdul Kheratkar and he did a magnificent job supported by staff old and new. Tea, coffee and cakes were served. The groups that meet at the library were all represented, including the Knit and Natter, Lancashire Family History, Reading and Writers group.

The gathering throng were entertained by the wonderful Conchord singers and local poet and musician Eric Braysford who recited his own iconic poem entitled O.S.W.A.L.D.T.W.I.S.T.L.E, which he wrote in 1964 and which has been seen all over the country on tea-towels manufactured at Oswaldtwistle Mills.

Local MP Graham Jones and Hyndburn’s Mayor and Mayoress, Councillor Marlene Haworth and Dorothy Berry also attended. Peter Hargreaves, one of the owners of Oswaldtwistle Mills was also present. This was quite a poignant day for him as it was his Great Grandfather, Councillor Arthur Hargreaves who opened the library as President of the Library Committee back in 1915.

Another highlight of the afternoon was the grand reopening of the Stocks lovingly rebuilt through the good offices of Oswaldtwistle and District Rotary Club. , I spoke to Rotary Club President, Ian McTurk and Anwar Mohammed and Ian told me:

“It’s one of our small community projects where the Rotary Club of Church and Oswaldtwistle found time to get some second-hand timbers, which we did – and got them pressurised at Empress Fencing in Clitheroe and got them carved out by John Ramsden in Great Harwood to form the stocks as they were originally.”

Next I spoke to Aslam who is Chairman of the Community Committee who was involved not only with the stocks but also the public benches. I asked him about an award he won recently.

“I received the Paul Harris Fellowship award, a very prestigious award in Rotary circles and one of the top honours you can get.”

He went on to say:

“Today is a Community event and we are hoping many people will come.”

I then asked the Mayor what she thought of the event in terms of organisation and her thoughts on her task in opening the stocks officially later in the day.

“It’s brilliant. I certainly didn’t expect this many people. Aslam has certainly done a great job and as long as they don’t throw me in the stocks I’ll be happy.”

Graham Jones MP for Hyndburn told me:

“It’s great. The fabric of society is really important. To see Oswaldtwistle library reach its 100th anniversary today and to see so many people in. You know it’s fantastic. The sense of community is still alive and the value of libraries still there.”

Nick Bury, District Manager for all ten Hyndburn and Rossendale libraries also praised Abdul. He said: “He’s done a fantastic job with support of other staff - but he’s the main man and he’s only had about a month to get all this together.”

Amongst the people to brave the stocks were former mayor Judith Addison and your intrepid Acorn Team, Tracy and myself.

All is all it was a wonderful day that couldn’t have been more perfect and a massive well-done to all involved. I went back to see Abdul on Monday when he had had time to reflect on Friday’s events for his thoughts and he said:

“It was a wonderful day. We are absolutely overwhelmed by the number of people who turned up to support us.” He went on to say: One thing that Friday showed is this library is a centre for the community and it remains as vibrant as it was a hundred years ago.”

Abdul also told me that there was a librarian present at the celebrations who was at the library in 1963, but she didn't want to be interviewed. Perhaps we can find her and do something for a future issue?



 


© Words and pictures (apart from keys) Peter Jones 2015

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