{"id":838,"date":"2021-09-21T16:46:22","date_gmt":"2021-09-21T16:46:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lancashireloominary.co.uk\/index.html\/?p=838"},"modified":"2021-09-22T09:40:34","modified_gmt":"2021-09-22T09:40:34","slug":"northern-weekly-salvo-296","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/lancashireloominary.co.uk\/index.html\/northern-weekly-salvo-296","title":{"rendered":"Northern Weekly Salvo 296"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Northern Weekly Salvo<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Incorporating \u00a0Slaithwaite Review of Books, Weekly Notices, Sectional Appendices, Tunnel Gazers\u2019 Gazette <\/em>and Northern Umbrella,etc. <\/em>Descendant of Teddy Ashton\u2019s Northern Weekly <\/em>and Th\u2019Bowtun Loominary<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Published at 109 Harpers Lane, Bolton, Lancashire\u00a0 BL1 6HU email: paul.salveson@myphone.coop<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Publications website: www.lancashireloominary.co.uk<\/strong><\/p>\n

No. 296 September 22nd \u00a0 2021 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Salveson\u2019s half-nakedly political digest of railwayness, tripe and secessionist nonsense from Up North. Sometimes weekly, usually not; definitely Northern. Read by the highest and lowest officers of state, Whitmanites, weirdos, misfits, steam punks, trespassers, yes women, no men, gay Swedenborgians, cat-spotters, discerning sybarites, ILPers, bi-guys, non-aligned social democrats, mis-aligned pie-eaters, tripe dressers, nail artists, self-managing VIMTO drinkers, truculent Northerners, grumpy Norwegians, absurd Marxists, sleepy Hungarians, members of the clergy and the toiling masses, generally. All views expressed are my own and usually nobody else\u2019s. Official journal of the Station Cat Improvement Network, Pacer Dining Club, Station Buffet Acceleration Council and the Campaign for a North with a capital \u2018N\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us.\u201d \u2013<\/em><\/strong> Jo Cox, maiden speech in House of Commons, June 3rd<\/sup> 2015.<\/p>\n

General gossips <\/strong><\/h5>\n

A bit of catching up to do after a busy few weeks.<\/p>\n

The highlight was undoubtedly the celebration of the 125th<\/sup> anniversary of the Winter Hill \u2018Mass Trespass\u2019 of 1896, though it has to be said that the thousands of people who took part didn\u2019t see themselves as \u2018trespassers\u2019 at all \u2013 they were reclaiming a public right which the landowner had taken away. I enjoyed a trip up to Nelson to admire the superbly refurbished Unity Hall, built in 1907 by the Independent<\/p>\n

\"\"
The magnificent front of Unity Hall as it is today. The memorial stones were laid by Selina Cooper and Katherine Bruce Glasier and commemorate Caroline Martyn, Enid Stacy, William Morris and Edward Fay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Labour Party, with its ILP \"\"features lovingly preserved.\u00a0 Seems a while ago now, but a journey down to Bournemouth for the REPTA conference gave an opportunity to test out the local bus network and visit Thomas Hardy\u2019s birthplace. More below. I\u2019m busy promoting my new book \u2013 an updated edition of my biography of Allen Clarke (Allen Clarke\/\u2018Teddy Ashton\u2019 \u2013 Lancashire\u2019s Romantic Radical)<\/em>. If you have a shop that could sell it (and it doesn\u2019t have to be a bookshop!) please let me know. More on the book below, including Salvo readers\u2019 special offer.<\/p>\n

Lib Dems go for regional assemblies<\/strong><\/h5>\n

The Lib Dems held their annual conference at the weekend and approved a motion committing them to campaigning for elected regional assemblies. That\u2019s a very good development though perhaps we need to move on from the very 1970s idea of regions based on the standard planning regional boundaries, which created a very large \u2018North-West\u2019 region which few people identify with. In contrast, \u2018Yorkshire\u2019 (whether just ‘Yorkshire’ or with \u2018the Humber\u2019 added) does make a lot of sense, as does the North-East. My own preference is for \u2018county regions\u2019 based on strong regional identities. In the North-West<\/p>\n

\"\"
Lancashire regional assembly? Yes please<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

this means a re-formed \u2018Lancashire\u2019 covering much of what was taken out in 1974 (but arguably leaving \u2018north of the sands\u2019 in Cumbria). Should Merseyside form a separate region? Cheshire? It\u2019s all very complicated and there needs to be a lot of consultation on the most appropriate and popular regional forms. The other option is to go for a huge \u2018Northern\u2019 region which includes everyone. \"\"It has its attractions but it is too big as a region. A number of smaller regions which match with people\u2019s historic (and current) identities but working together as \u2018the North\u2019 is a better approach, in my view. Others may differ. One of the strengths of the Hannah Mitchell Foundation is that it is keeping an open mind on options for democratically-elected regional government for the North. Will Labour make common cause with the Lib Dems for ‘proper’ devolution?<\/p>\n

Trespassers Welcome! Winter Hill commemorated<\/strong><\/h5>\n

On Sunday September 6th<\/sup> 1896 some 10,000 people marched over Winter Hill, just north of Bolton, to reclaim a road which had been used by local people for generations. The first commemoration was in 1982, followed by a gap before the centenary in 1996. After 25 years a few hardy souls decided that another commemoration would be a good \"\"idea, before we all get too old. On Sunday September 5th<\/sup> this year, around a thousand people, perhaps a few hundred more, walked the original route, accompanied up Halliwell Road by the PCS Union Samba Band. It was a great day, with warm sunshine and even warmer comradeship which crossed political divisions – the local (Tory) MP Chris Green was spotted on the march. \"\"A big thanks to Diamond Buses NW for their help in getting people to and from the walk (see right – collecting walkers at the station in the morning), the support of The Woodland Trust, Bolton Mountain Rescue and the PCS and Unison unions. Just like 125 years ago, people turned out along Halliwell Road to cheer the marchers on, and the Ainsworth Arms displayed a \u2018Trespassers Welcome\u2019 outside the door! Very appropriate \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

The \u2018discovery\u2019 of the events of 1896 owes much to Allen Clarke, who wrote of the battles in his Moorlands and Memories<\/em> published in 1920. At the time of the demonstrations Clarke was living in Bolton and editing his Teddy Ashton\u2019s Journal<\/em>. After the first demonstration (there were several more) \"\"he published one of his dialect sketches publicising the struggle. \u2018Bill Spriggs an\u2019 Patsy Filligan o\u2019er Winter Hill; Likewise Bet\u2019 appeared on September 9th<\/sup>, and helped swell the ranks of the following Sunday\u2019s march to an amazing 12,000. The sketch included this song:<\/p>\n

Will yo\u2019 come o\u2019 Sunday mornin\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

For a walk o\u2019er Winter Hill?<\/em><\/p>\n

Ten thousand went last Sunday<\/em><\/p>\n

But there\u2019s room for thousand still!\"\"<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh there moors are rare and bonny<\/em><\/p>\n

And the heather\u2019s sweet and fine<\/em><\/p>\n

And the road across the hilltops \u2013 <\/em><\/p>\n

Is the public\u2019s \u2013 yours and mine!<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>Chorus:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

So come o\u2019 Sunday mornin\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

For a walk o\u2019er Winter Hill?<\/em><\/p>\n

Ten thousand went last Sunday<\/em><\/p>\n

But there\u2019s room for thousand still!<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh shame upon the landlord<\/em><\/p>\n

That would thrutch us up in town!<\/em><\/p>\n

Against such Christless conduct\"\"<\/em><\/p>\n

We will put our feet firm down!<\/em><\/p>\n

Ay we\u2019ll put our feet down strongly<\/em><\/p>\n

Until we\u2019ve clearly showed<\/em><\/p>\n

Twenty thousand feet each Sunday<\/em><\/p>\n

Can soon mark out a road!<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Must poor folk stroll in cinders<\/em><\/p>\n

While the rich cop all the green?<\/em><\/p>\n

Is England but the landlord\u2019s?\"\"<\/em><\/p>\n

Who locks up each pretty scene?<\/em><\/p>\n

If they only could these tyrants<\/em><\/p>\n

Would enclose the road to heaven!<\/em><\/p>\n

So let us up and fight \u2018em<\/em><\/p>\n

Even seventy times and seven!<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>The full story of the 1896 events was told in my pamphlet Will Yo\u2019 Come O\u2019Sunday Mornin\u2019? \"\"The 1896 Battle for Winter Hill<\/em>, published in 1982 and updated in 1996 but now out of print. There\u2019s quite a bit on the events in Moorlands, Memories and Reflections<\/em>, which is still available. A film of the recent walk, made by Nigel Coates, will be shown later this Autumn at The Ainsworth Arms. Trespassers very welcome.<\/p>\n

Selina Cooper celebrated<\/h5>\n

North-east Lancashire has a rich socialist history; and nowhere is this exemplified more than in Nelson. The ILP Clarion House is a couple of miles away from this once thriving cotton weaving town and in<\/p>\n

\"\"
The large meeting room at Unity Hall. Images of Selina Cooper at the back<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nelson itself the magnificent Weavers; Institute remains. A short distance out of the town centre (under the railway and up the hill) is Unity Hall. Its history dates back to 1907 when the local ILP built ‘The Socialist Institute’. It has had a chequered history in recent years, recounted in an excellent booklet just published to coincide with the re-opening of the hall after an extensive refubishment, funded by Heritage Lottery Fund with support from Nelson Town Council.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Veteran Clarion cyclist Charles Jepson at Unity Hall on saturday<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The links with the town’s socialist tradition have been retained and strengthened, with pride of place going to Selina Cooper, a weaver from Brierfield who played a leading role in the movement for women’s suffrage, active in the ILP, co-operative movement and the Women’s Peace Crusade. There are displays in ‘Unity Hall’ on the Clarion Cycling Club and space for meetings, film shows and a cafe. Congratulations to all involved in this wonderful project.<\/p>\n

Bolton Film Festival at the Platform 5 Gallery<\/strong><\/h5>\n

The internationally-recognised Bolton Film Festival has a two day programme of short films at the P5 Gallery, Platform 5, Bolton Station on the 29th<\/sup> and 30th<\/sup> September . The festival is a BIFA and BAFTA -qualifying short film festival, an impressive feat achieved in just five years since the festival started, very much thanks to Adrian Barber and Z\u0151e Rothwell.<\/p>\n

In her introduction to the Bolton Film Festival programme, patron Maxine Peake says, \u201cShort films are a format close to my heart, they have the ability to tell big stories in a short amount of time, it\u2019s always been a place to take risks and be bold and adventurous.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are two sessions of films each day and a light buffet lunch will be served in between. Note that the programme is suitable for adults only. \"\"The sessions are Wednesday (29th<\/sup>) from 12.20 to 13.20 with a number of animations. After lunch at 14.00 it\u2019s \u2018Past and Present\u2019 films up to 15.30. On the Thursday there is an \u2018environment\u2019 theme, between 11.30 and 13.00. The afternoon features more \u2018Past and Present\u2019 films.<\/p>\n

Pre-booking is essential. Seating is limited to 30 people per session and you will be encouraged to wear a mask if you are attending. If you would like to book a place or places, please contact Julie Levy at\u00a0 julielevy9@yahoo.co.uk<\/a> by the 26th<\/sup> September 2021. Seats will be allocated on a first-come-first served basis so get your booking form in, fast! For the full festival programme see https:\/\/www.boltonfilmfestival.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n