10 Beavers Close, Wilpshire, Blackburn, Lancashire. BB1 9LB
The Education Room in the newly-completed extension at Towneley Hall, Burnley, was filled to capacity for the North West Area Conference on Saturday, 19th April. Eighty delegates from member groups responded to the invitation by the Towneley Hall Society to celebrate their ‘sense of place’ and enjoyed the programme enticingly announced in the spring Journal. Society Patron, Sir Simon Towneley, welcoming Friends to this jewel in Burnley’s crown, offered some timely and perspicacious observations on aspects of our cultural heritage. Colin Sanderson, President, spoke of the work of the Society and recent activities of the Local Authorities. Curator Susan Bourne related the development of the Hall as a museum since its purchase by Burnley Borough Council in 1902, assisted by the Society since 1965. Susan also paid tribute to John Blundell, late colleague, BAFM member of Council and stalwart supporter of Friends. Sir Simon’s daughter, Katie Grant, introducing herself as ‘a fount of ludicrous information’, nevertheless delivered a hugely entertaining account of Towneley family history, most memorably concerning the travel’s of Uncle Fred’s head which, having been separated from the rest of his body in 1746, was finally reunited with it and a second (anonymous) head in Burnley Parish Church. Despite the excellence and generosity of the lunchtime hospitality and the energetic taster tours which left delegates keen to return for more, the afternoon speakers continued to enthral the meeting. Professor Alan Smith gave an account of his re-creation of Richard Towneley’s Greenwich Clock, with its thirteen foot pendulum and Roger Frost told the neatly abridged story of Burnley in its rich and pleasant valley. Members also enjoyed the Open Forum and the opportunities for networking during the day. BAFM is indebted to the Towneley Hall Society, to Burnley Borough Council and to all who contributed to the great success of this milestone in area conference history.
