The Friends were entertained and enlightened by local historian Geoff Crambie at our September meeting in the Barn. His talk was entitled “The 14 Freemen of Colne” but his talk encompassed much more than that. He spoke with lots of humour and great knowledge of Colne as it was when he was growing up and also how the Freemen were selected according to their contribution to the town.
Geoff Crambie. Courtesy A. Hardman
Being a freeman brings special privileges and is a great honour bestowed by the council in recognition of special services. He traced the recipients of the award from the late nineteenth century up to the present day. The latest two people to receive the honour are Steven Burke, the famous local cyclist who represented Great Britain in the 2008 Olympics and Geoff himself for his contribution to local history. Geoff used to write in the Nelson Leader and now contributes to Colne Life, his latest interview covers his recollections of “The Baby Boom Blitz”. His energy and enthusiasm for our local history made this an evening to remember.
Plaque to Freemen in Chester. Attribution: Spudgun.
Banner Image: Steven Burke. Attribution: johnthescone.