HISTORIAN Steve Chapples tells of Mahatma Gandhi's visit to Darwen in 1931.

In that year he had urged the Indian people to boycott British cotton and, as a result, 3,000,000 cotton workers in Lancashire had lost their jobs.

To find out for himself the effects this was having, he sailed to Folkstone on the SS Rajputana passing his time on deck spinning cotton in the traditional way by hand.

He travelled up to Darwen by express train on September 26, arriving at Springfield Station, where thousands had gathered to welcome him.

Thousands more had been waiting at Darwen Central and missed him.

He had been invited by Mr Corder Catchpool, of Greenfield Mill, to talk to the workers and listen to their grievances.

He was taken with his interpreter Miss Sinde in a blue Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost through the crowded streets, where one woman pleaded: "Send us some work please".

He had talks with the cotton mill owners from Edgworth and Darwen, and was driven to Charles Haworth's house in Garden Village, where a large police presence was assembled in case of trouble.

He also visited the West Bradford guesthouse of a Quaker couple, Mr and Mrs J.P. Davies at Heys Farm and gave a talk at the Adult School, where he received deputations of unemployed workers from the Clitheroe Weavers' Association.