Punishment stocks to be restored by Rotary

THE Rotary club of Church and Oswaldtwistle is planning to bring back a piece of history by rebuilding the town’s former punishment stocks.

Rotarians Albert Wilkinson and Terry Hogan have researched the history of the stocks and have established that the first place they were erected was on vacant land behind the former Big Lamp Waggonettes site in the town.

In 1902 the local Oswaldtwistle Council was investigating what should be done with the stocks as their use by then was not allowed by law.

The council gave permission for the Rev Harris, of Immanuel Church on New Lane in Oswaldtwistle, to remove the stocks to a site in the church grounds.

Years later they were moved to Rhyddings Park, which opened in 1909.

Club Rotarian Ron Pickup has volunteered to refurbish the stocks and hopes to have the restoration project completed by autumn of this year.

Sightseers pose for a picture in an archive shot of the old Oswaldtwistle stocks, which are set to be restored by the Rotary Club