104 



And so with stories like these the time went merrily by till 

 bedtime. About half-past nine the whole company turned out 

 to see what was the cause of a commotion they heard in the 

 street. It was only an incident of civilization — a man had got 

 drunk. William Chaffer, the village constable, was hauling him 

 off to the lockup, and as usual was followed by a crowd attracted 

 by the sight. The late Mr. James Eoberts used to say when 

 detailing his reminiscences (as he liked to do) that he could 

 remember the time when Burnley was kept in order by one 

 constable and one parson. 



The last morning was spent in a walk on the Cliviger side of 

 the canal. No houses on that side of the water were to be found 

 except Fulledge House, a few farm buildings and cottages, and 

 the outposts of Towneley Hall. At Eose Cottage the first 

 Eoman mass in Burnley siuce the Eeformation had just been 

 said. The name " Priest's House " still clings to that dwelling. 

 The return journey was made in company with old John Todd, 

 who, then in his 61st year, was vigorous and well. He told them 

 how he had founded a Sunday School in the town in 1787, and 

 how that school had been the forerunner of many others. He 

 promised to send them a copy of the sermon preached by Dr. 

 Collins, the then incumbent of St Peter's, in commemoration of 

 the beginning of that work, on November -Ith iu tliat year. He 

 gave them many additional particulars about the town which 

 deeply interested them. The afternoon was spent iu completing 

 the business on which they chiefly came, and the next morning 

 (Friday) they mounted the coach once more, and returned to 

 Manchester. 



John Stansfeld has long been dead; his companion still lives, 

 though he is very feeble. He has seen Burnley grow from a 

 pretty village, with its twin streams coursing merrily under its 

 wooden bridges, through many stages until it has become a large 

 town — full of an active people, stretching out its arms octopus- 

 like in every direction. Who, looking back upon the picture we 

 have tried to present to-night, when Burnley had 5,000 inhabit- 

 ants, and remembering what Burnley is to-day, would say that in 

 70 years from now the whole distance from Bradley Hall in 

 Nelson to Isles House in Padiham, will not be one town, a town 

 of half a million inhabitants, owning the sway of one Mayor, the 

 descendant, maybe, of some old Burnley inlaabitant we have 

 named to-night ? But it is not ours to ponder. Yet hear, if you 

 kindly will, the words of a letter I have just received from our 

 old friend of whom we have been speaking. The hand-writing 

 is that of his daughter, but the words are the words of the 

 father, and the signature is his own. " So you are going to tell 

 about Burnley 70 years ago. I have seen changes. I remember 

 Burnley well, and have a deep affection for it. What the town 



