in to
Lancashire. Going over The Moss we were overtaken by a severe
thunderstorm, and were soon drenched to the skin by the torrential fall
of rain. We made some attempt to dry our clothes at the Monkroyd Tavern,
a hostelry immortalised by the Lancashire poets, and then pushed on to
Colne, where we were accommodated at the club-house until morning, when I
made my way to Burnley. It was there I fell in with my old friend Dave
Hey. I obtained a situation in Burnley at a sizing establishment occupied
by Mr Alfred Lee, and retained it for seven weeks, by which time I had
got thoroughly disgusted with Lancashire life. The people I came across
seemed to me to be about forty years behind Keighley folk in many
particulars, but especially in regard to dress and general mode of
living. So that when I got back to Keighley I resolved in my mind that I
would not stir out of the town again.

LOCAL ELECTION EPISODES

On my return I found the town "involved in the trouble and turmoil" of
its first Town Council election. I interested myself in the election
campaign, and attended a meeting which was held in the West-lane
Primitive Methodist School, was in support of the candidature of Messrs
W. Mann, I. Emmott, and J. Walsh, for the West Ward. In all there were
seven competitors for the three seats in this ward, and in addition to
those mentioned there were the other candidates present. I plied each
candidate with questions, until one Thomas Hey made a proposition that I
should be put out of the meeting if I did not cease asking questions. I
insisted on my right to question the candidates, and told Mr Hey that I
had only to give the word to my "supporters" behind me and he, instead of
me, would find himself ignominiously carried out of the room. The meeting
was in such a state of confusion that it was closed without a vote as to
the fitness of the candidates being taken. On another occasion the late
Mr James Leach, and Bill Spink and myself were the chief means of getting
the poor rates put on the property owners. We had a vestry meeting
called, and by drumming up our "party" were able to carry the vote.

BOYCOTTED!

For this action Spink and I were time after time subjected to boycotting
by aggrieved property owners. Spink had to live in no less than three
houses in as many months; as soon as the new landlord found out who his
new tenant was--and the word was carefully passed along--poor Spink had
to "flit." Finally, ho