After being introduced by FoPH chair, Dawn Beaumont, Geoff began by welcoming Wilfred Spencer’s daughter, Frances to the meeting.
Geoff explained that, as a proud Colner, he could not imagine living anywhere else – except, to the great surprise of the audience – Las Vegas! Geoff has visited the city on many occasions and loves the bustle of the streets, its quirkiness and the never-ending variety of the sights and characters that he encounters there. On his most recent visit he bought a copy of the New York Times in which there was a celebration of a celebrity’s life in ten photographs. Geoff decided that he would take a similar approach to his account of the life of Wilfred Spencer.
Wilfred was born at 26 Milton Road, Colne on 1st June 1918. By an amazing coincidence, Geoff “popped out” exactly 25 years later on 1st June 1943. (In one of his many amusing asides, Geoff pointed out that Norma Jean Baker, aka Marilyn Munroe, was also born on 1st June.) This was the first of many connections between Wilfred and Geoff.
Photo 1 (1932): Wilfred, aged 14, in his Colne Grammar School Uniform, with the members of Colne Cricket Club. He was the scorer.
Photo 2 (1943): Wilfred in uniform in India holding a copy of the Colne Times. Despite his Quaker beliefs, Wilfrid decided against being a conscientious objector during the Second World War and joined the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1940. During a posting as a medical orderly in Scotland, he was involved in the treatment of Rudolph Hess, who had defected from the Nazi cause and landed there. Later Wilfred served in South Africa and India where he was appalled at the poverty and suffering he witnessed in both countries.
Photo 3 (1948): Wilfred at the old Colne Library on Albert Road. After leaving the medical corps in 1946, Wilfred was appointed to the position of Colne Borough Librarian. It was only at this point, at the age of 30, that his interest in local history began to blossom. Geoff entertained the meeting with several anecdotes involving Geoff and his young friends causing mischief in the library, inevitably incurring Wilfred’s wrath
Photo 4 (1952): with Wilfred’s predecessor, Miss Evelyn Jowett and the Mayor, plus other civic dignitaries, at the opening of The Colne Collection a display of artefacts, documents and photographs in the library. Evelyn was largely responsible for the exhibition, a first for local history at the library. Geoff confessed to having ‘borrowed’ an 1872 photograph of Damside, which he still has in his collection!
Photo 5 (1952): the founding members of ‘The Friends of Wycoller’, including Wilfred Spencer, in front of the great fireplace at Wycoller Hall.
Photo 6 (1956): Colne Literary Society meeting to discuss the fate of Alkincoates Hall. This is the only photograph in Geoff’s collection that shows both Ebenezer Folley and Wilfred Spencer, two of Geoff’s great heroes for their efforts to preserve Colne’s historical buildings and heritage. Despite their efforts and the fact that Alkincoates Hall was owned by Colne Borough Council, it was demolished in 1957.
Photo 7 (1958): Wilfred at the launch of ‘Song of Sunrise’ with the author Robert Neill, who also wrote ‘Mist Over Pendle’. The ‘song’ of the title refers to the clattering of clogs on stone setts as the workers hurry to the mill. Wilfred had provided a lot of background material for the book, which describes events in 1837-1839 during Chartists riots in Colne. There was an exhibition of relevant material at the library.
Photo 8 (1972): the cover of ‘Colne As It Was’ written by Wilfred. Costing 84p, the book was a great success, so Wilfred published a sequel: ‘Another Look At Colne’, with an increase in price – to 85p. Geoff recalled that during the demolition of Emmott Hall, Emmott Cross was moved from the grounds to Colne Parish Church. During the transfer, the heavy cross crashed to the ground breaking into three pieces. Disaster! The resourceful group, including Wilfred, mended the cross with Araldite and it still stands in the grounds of the Parish Church.
Photo 9 (1971): A 600-year-old cruck frame crofter’s house in Colne town centre, about to be demolished. Along with Wilfred, Geoff and others fought against the destruction of the heart of old Colne – to no avail. Significant, historical buildings such as the Cloth Hall and Bell’s Yard were replaced by bland modern developments in the name of ‘progress’.
Photo 10 (1975): Wilfred died on 31st January 1975. He was only 56 years old. This photograph appeared with his obituary in the Colne Times. Geoff quoted Wilfred’s motto: ‘We are only trustees for what comes after’.
Geoff’s talk contained a host of amusing asides and anecdotes, astonishing the audience with his amazing factual recall of facts, dates and events as he paid homage to his hero, Wilfred Spencer. A wonderful afternoon’s entertainment and education.