WORK to remove cladding from the side of a 90-year-old landmark building has revealed a tantalising insight into its history.

Blackburn Central Library is undergoing a facelift to remove the stone work and masonry from the historic building in Town Hall Street.

And the revamp has revealed the remains of what appears to be a planning notice put up on the original wall of the building in the early 1960s.

Historians at the library have been left scratching their heads as to what the notice is and they have been trawling through their archives to hunt for clues.

Mary Painter, librarian in community history at the library, said: “We cannot find out what it is at the moment and have been looking through the archives of the Lancashire Telegraph and Blackburn Times newspapers.

“There is a sentence on it that refers to a meeting in December 1962, so we have been looking around that time. It has been buried since the stone cladding was put up when the library moved into the building in 1975. But the writing is so faint and difficult to read so it could take some time to work out what it is. It is very interesting, especially at a time when Blackburn is undergoing a modern day facelift.”

Earlier this year work began to restore and return the stone work and masonry of the historic building to its 1920s glory.

The work, which involves removing existing cladding, will also ensure the building exterior is safe for residents and library staff, as loose or potentially dangerous brick work is being removed, repaired and replaced.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Bosses at the council said work was on track to be completed next year.

Martin Eden director of culture, leisure and young people, said: “The library is a landmark building in this conservation area and it is tremendous to have the opportunity to bring it back to its original glory.”