HOW many Burnley folk remember the old pub, the Corporation Arms, which used to stand near the old market hall and open market back in the 1960s?

The inn was a popular watering hole for those who had done their shopping in the market hall.

Outside were the municipal weigh scales, where the market wagons came to be weighed.

Some might also recall ‘Barmy Mick’s stall’, which stood to the left of this picture.

He was a well-known character who appeared every pot fair to sell his wares.

The pub was originally a beer house developed from an old cottage property in Curzon Street, and was listed as such in the 1861 census returns when it was being run by Ben Stevenson.

In later years the inn was owned by Burnley Corporation – hence the name – which had it earmarked for closure for more than 70 years before it actually closed in 1967.

The inn was also in the hands of the Wilkinson family for more than a century.

Son followed father, and father followed grandfather.

For some strange reason the licence had to be applied for to the corporation every three months, but it was never refused.

Parts of the property had once been used as cellar dwellings – for in the basement at one time three fireplaces were found, complete with attached ovens.

You can see the corporation’s coat of arms and the name of the landlord at this time J Wilkinson on our photograph, above, which has kindly been provided by historian Jack Nadin.