92 A HISTORY OF LONGEIDGE. [Chap. 3. 



lectures are still delivered annually by leading men of science, etc. 

 During the last five years lectures have been delivered, under its 

 auspices, by such men as the Rev. Father Perry, S.J., F.B.S. ; Archi- 

 bald Forbes, LL.D. ; the Eev. Jonathan Shortt, B.A. ; E. W. Cooke- 

 Taj-lor, Esc[., H.M. Inspector of Factories ; and others. 



A number of concerts and other entertainments are generally got up 

 during the year — the large lecture room in the Co-operative HaU 

 being able to seat 800 people. A Cricket Club also exists, but is, we 

 fear, in a rather moribund state ; while football flourishes in Longridge 

 as it does now-a-days all over Lancashire. The youth of the district 

 are, however, sadly in want of a playground ; and it is to be hoped 

 some generous friend of the place will supply the deficiency at an 

 early date. In connection with St. "Wilfrid's Roman Catholic Church 

 there is a promising amateur theatrical company, who usually give one 

 or two performances every year. A Volunteer Corps was at one time 

 in existence at Longridge ; and it is greatly to be regretted that an 

 effort to resuscitate such a desirable institution has not been made. 

 There are, we feel quite sure, plenty of strong, young men who would 

 be only too glad to join. 



The Longridge Amateur Christy Minstrels annually give their 

 excellent performances during the winter months. There is also a 

 flourishing Mutual Improvement Society in connection with the 

 Independent Church. 



For political purposes, Longridge is split up into two divisions, the 

 two townships of which it is composed being in different divisions of 

 the county, and in different hundreds. Alston is in the Amounderness 

 Hundred and in the Blackpool Division, while Dilworth lies in the 

 Lower Blackbui-n Hundred and in the Darwen Division.' The 

 boundary line runs through the Dog Inn, which hostelry is therefore 

 in two divisions. The effect of this state of things is curious and in- 

 convenient. A man gets drunk in Dilworth ; he is summoned to 

 Blackburn ; if in Alston, he has to go to Preston. And, to take a 

 political instance, a householder leaving his house at one end of the 



'The position of the township of Parish, and joined to Longridge (Dil- 



Thornley is very anomalous. It is in worth) for Parliamentary iiurposes. 



the Clitheroe Hundred, in Chipping 



