Plea for information on Hapton pit tragedy banner (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Plea for information on Hapton pit tragedy banner
2:07pm Monday 16th July 2012 in Hapton
A BANNER in honour of the 19 Burnley miners who died 50 years ago at the Hapton Valley Colliery disaster will be hung at Towneley Hall this year.
It was given to Towneley in the early 1980s and has since been carried in commemorative processions to mark the disaster.
However, historians still know little about the banner’s origins, and are appealing to those with knowledge of the local area to share anything they may know about this special piece of Burnley history.
Mike Townend, keeper of history at Towneley Hall, said: “We know that the makers of the banner are still in existence but they can’t tell me anything about its history, when it was made or any other processions it was used in.
“As it is such a significant part of the history of Hapton Valley, and as so many Burnley families will have been touched by the disaster in some way, we are keen to find out as much as possible about its heritage.”
The banner will be on display at Towneley from August 8 to September 20 in the Fine and Decorative Arts Treasures exhibition.
