Reports from previous talks
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16th February 2026 Annual General Meeting and display of artefacts
There was an encouragingly large turnout of members for the Annual General Meeting of the Brindle Historical Society on Monday 16th February. In giving a summary of the society’s year, Henry Stone mentioned that, whilst the membership of 37 remained unchanged from 2024, the numbers of people attending meetings was boosted by a total of 85 visitors during the year. New members are always welcome and at just £16 for nine talks it’s much cheaper than a streaming subscription and far more likely to involve tea and biscuits.
Whilst important, AGMs can sometimes be dry affairs, but in an heroic feat of efficiency this one was completed in just over half an hour and was followed by a fascinating evening where several members displayed some of the “old stuff” they’d found in their attics.
Members were encouraged to bring any historical artefact that had been passed down through the generations and provide a brief history of the story behind it. These ranged from an old milk kit from the 1930s bearing the family name engraved on the lid to a magnificent ‘Freedom Casket’ and accompanying scroll which was presented upon receiving the Freedom of the Borough of Chorley.
Other items included:
- An antique Waddington’s board game similar to Monopoly
- A beautiful memory quilt made from various materials collected over time
- Five very pretty antique wooden dolls, possibly originating from Asia
- Medals and memorabilia from a great uncle who died in the 1st World War
- A signed Temperance Booklet dating from the 1930s
- A well-loved and cared-for China doll won in a raffle to raise funds for injured soldiers in 1943
- Plates commemorating Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887
The oldest item displayed was a jug dating from the early 19th century, but it was the fascinating stories behind the artefacts that attracted most interest. One member explained the provenance of a leather bag given to him by his uncle who had acquired it in the Middle East during the 2nd World War and in displaying various items from 1955; another described how, before she was born, her family had emigrated to Australia under the ‘Ten Pound Poms’ scheme but returned at great expense after just seven months presumably when they realised that British rain is preferable to Australian spiders.
Many thanks must go to Kathy Whyte who organised the exhibition and produced an information card accompanying each item.
If any newcomers to the village would like to know more about the fascinating history of this area, please get in touch with either Henry (01254 854290) or Bernard (07505 409289) who will use their knowledge and contacts to answer any queries.
Monday 19th January 2026 Organised crime and covert policing
History is the study of the past, but should it still be called history if people remember it within their own lifetime? The answer is yes. Events such as the miners’ strike or 9/11 are unquestionably history, so the Brindle Historical Society makes no apology for hosting a talk in January about events from the 1990s.
The talk was delivered by author and former detective Roger Price, who gave a fascinating and frequently entertaining account of his career with Lancashire Constabulary. He began with a light-hearted and humorous overview of his probationary year, recalling the various “character-building” tricks played on him during training. It all sounded less like modern policing and more like an episode of Life on Mars.
Having survived this initiation, Roger moved through a series of gradually more interesting roles before eventually joining CID. The talk then turned to the rather more serious work he later undertook with the national drugs squad, where the laughs were fewer but the stories no less gripping.
Sadly, for those unable to attend, almost all of the juiciest details from Roger’s more intriguing cases cannot be committed to print — for reasons best left unexplored. You’ll therefore have to rely on your imagination. To help it along, you could always read one or two of Roger’s crime novels which, whilst technically fiction, draw on his real-life experiences and give a strong hint that the truth was probably even stranger.
When he was asked whether he ever felt nervous about his safety following his police career, Roger said that he didn’t because in doing his job he always treated criminals fairly and he believed that they respected that.
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