I WAS intrigued by a notice board, boldly proclaiming 'Blackburn's Oldest Pub' propped up outside the recently-revamped venue in Darwen Street, now dubbed the 'Stokers and Queen's,' which has the date stone of 1896 above its portal.

However, closer scrutiny reveals that this dubious gimmick is qualified by the tiny script: 'One of.' Originally called 'Stokers Arms,' the hotel, with a neatly attractive late Victorian facade, replaced the former insignificant beerhouse premises.

Note the beautifully-etched large plate glass window of the former vault on the left, in the centre of which is an impression in colour of a stoker attending a furnace. Surprisingly, this appealing work of art has survived a hundred years through the hurly burly traffic of Blackburn and two world wars.

A brief check will easily identify that most pubs were built prior to 1896.

J A MARSDEN, Scarborough Road, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.