A PENSIONER has called for a lasting memorial to those who worked at Darwen's Belgrave Mill when the building is turned into apartments.

And the idea has been backed by local councillor Dave Hollings, who has promised to discuss the idea with council officers.

Multi-millionaire Trevor Hemmings, through his company Northern Trust Company Ltd, has submitted plans to build 126 executive-style homes on the site. Around £16 million is expected to be spent on the development.

But Harry Worsley, 89, who worked at the mill for 40 years when it was owned by Potters of Darwen, later Crown Wallcoverings, hopes some money can be put aside to remember the firm.

Mr Worsley, now of Glasgow, said: "Surely there will be some lasting memorial to Belgrave Mill and all who toiled therein. I wouldn't like to think it could just disappear without there being something, even a plaque, to mark where it used to be.

"There's a wallpaper machine close to Belgrave that could form part of the memorial with some kind of inscription added to it.

"Those of us who had close connections with the wallpaper trade find ourselves lost for words to hear the world-wide name Potter of Darwen is no more. I started travelling up to Scotland in 1955 for work and I have stayed in Glasgow but I am still a Darrener.

"My house name is Hollins Grove which is the area where we lived in Darwen, and my wife Marion Ainsworth taught at Hollins Grove School.

"My own involvement at Belgrave started in 1931 until late 1975. With my late father, we were with Potters for more than 80 years and this was by no means unusual, rather par for the course.

"There are scores of Darwen families with similar and much longer records of employment.

"When I first went to Potters in 1931, one man, Nathaniel Jepson, had retired with 68 years service and he also had other family members with the company.

"The story of Potters is a romantic one. In 1832 Potter and Ross were printing calico at Dob Lane works, Darwen. Walmsley Preston, the foreman machine printer, devised a method of adapting the calico printing process to that of wallpaper.

"Charles, Harold and Edwin Potter took up the invention and machine-printed wallpaper was born."

Coun Hollings said: "I think his idea is a good one and it is something the council has done around Darwen in various places to remember its history. I am sure it is something I can discuss with council officers."

Crown was put into receivership in June this year, with hundreds being made redundant, and was bought by Mr Hemmings in August.

It had produced wallpaper at Belgrave Mill since 1839.