THE changing face of Padiham over the last century is tracked in a new book.

Duncan Armstrong and Jack Nadin have collaborated to produce a collection of archive photographs, depicting the town through the ages.

Each one is accompanied by a detailed caption, describing many aspects of life, including a chapter on work and industry.

This is just a sample of what is contained in the 90-odd pages.

How many of you remember what is probably Padiham’s best- known chip shop – Fred Manders’ chippy, in Ingham Street?

Fred bought it back in 1920 for just £95 and ran it for 57 years with his wife Isabella.

Keen to continue with tradition, the takeaway had one of the very last coal-fired ranges in the country.

Another image is one which marked the silver jubilee of King George V in 1935 when school children in Padiham planted trees in Memorial Park.

Seemingly, the council asked all the children at schools in the town to vote for their favourite girl and boy, who then planted a tree for the occasion.

The lad chosen from Padiham Council School was nine-year-old Roy Packer, who went on to become a vicar, and the girl chosen was Amy Grimshaw.

He said: “After the event, we were photographed and it was made into a postcard – I still have the original 70-odd years on.”

Billiards was a popular game in Padiham from the 1920s through to the 60s, and the team, pictured right, from the Constitution Club were the winners of the Padiham and District Amateur Billiard League for the 1935/36 season.

Back row, from left, are G Barton, W Livesey, J Thomas, J Monk. Middle row: E Hall, A Sherburn, Dr J Forsythe, W Dewhurst, T Ward and J Mitchell. Front row: T Hartley, W Blezard, H Howarth, R Adams and A Ridehalgh.

The site of the new St Leonard’s School was given by Edmund Starkie, JP and the building opened in 1905.

Bottom right we have class 3 A/B in 1950. Back row, from left, are headmaster and form master Robert Hughes, Donald Hope, Brian Gamble, Donald Moore, Raymond Holdsworth, Derek Holland, Harry Denson, Ronnie Hoole, Amos Sedgewick, Harold Lord, Alan Rostron and Denis Hampson.

Front row: Alan Hardacre, Myra Chadwick, Marion Warren, Mary Lawless, Jean Riding, Marlene Foster, Alice?, Jenny Wilkinson, Kathleen Harling, Margaret Williamson, Jean Stacey, Jimmy Pilkington.

The two girls sitting at the front are Ann Davies and Grace Starkie.

l Padiham is published by History Press in Stroud, as part of the Britain in old photographs collection and is priced at £9.99. It is available from local book shops and both Burnley and Padiham Libraries.