The street scene from the early 1950s was captured by the late Alan Spencer, whose vast photographic output in the post-war years includes many notable views of West Craven and numerous scenes of forgotten Foulridge.

Alan's excellent picture captures the charm of old Barnoldswick and, indeed, this corner of the town was known as "Old Westgate".

Note on the right, the splendid Victorian gas lamp just below Cavendish Street and further down in Westgate itself is Dawson's General Stores with two enormous tinplate signs advertising Lyon's Tea and Colman's Starch, and two smaller ones depicting Rinso Soap Powder and Brooke Bond Tea.

Sadly today, the era of the small shopkeeper is as scarce as a sabre-toothed tiger being spotted in Sough!

Just after the Second World War, there were corner shops to be found in every street, many of them being proud family-run businesses for decades. By the 1970s, the mighty self-service stores had arrived and within a few years, the supermarkets had superseded the small shopkeepers who had served us so well since the days of Queen Victoria.

Here locally, the town of Barnoldswick fared much better than Nelson and Colne and today, still to be found here, just a few excellent family-run shops providing quality and personal service.