lU A HISTORY OF LONGRIDGE. [Chap. i. 



ridge politics, even after lie had gone to reside at Preston — on the 

 Conservative side, of course. His fondness for cricket is well known, 

 and it was only last season that he played a very creditable innings for 

 the Longridge Cricket Club. He is very popular in Longridge, and, 

 we think, deservedly so. Mr. Walmsley is, we should say, 55 to 60 

 years old, but is as active as ever he was. 



Local Authors. 



Longi-idge authors are few indeed. About 20 or 30 years ago the 

 late Ml'. John Halsall contributed several readable articles to the 

 Preston papers, from some of which I have quoted; but I have in vain 

 tried to find out anji;hing more about him except that his father was 

 the first relieving officer for Alston Poor Law district. 



Mr. J. Catlow, formerly resident in Longridge, composed on various 

 occasions ballads and songs, none of which have, however, been printed, 

 so far as I know. 



Mb. Cottam. 



Mr. Cottam, of Hurst Green, whose name figures frequently in Peter 

 Walkden's Diary, seems to have been a noted character in his day. 

 He was schoolmaster at Hurst Green, and also acted in the capacity of 

 clerk at auction sales. But he is perhaps better known as a poet. 

 " The Stonyhurst Buck Hunt," a couple of verses of which are given 

 below, is the best known of his poems. He also wrote " Hie away to 

 EossaU Point,"r< " The Burnley Haj'makers," and a song called "The 

 Five-barred Gate.'" His accoimt of Stonyhxu-st Buck Hunt, 

 detailing the particulars of the chase of that day, which was honoured 

 with the presence of the Duke of Norfolk, his noble brothers, and his 

 kinsman, John Talbot, accompanied by Mr. Waters, Mr. Harris, and 

 Mr. Penketh, aU of whom were gentlemen fond of the turf, and who 

 stood at nought in taking a leap when in view "Halloo!" is very 



interesting : — 



To Whalley Moor therefore he ran, 

 To Clitheroe and Waddington ; 

 Yet visits Mitton by the way, 

 Although he had no time to stay. ] 



^Mr. Harland says: -''We have they irrecoverably lost ?" 



sought in vain for these two songs. Are 



