The archive is extensive and we aim to make many of these images available online.
*SEPTEMBER 2025 UPDATE*
There are now more than 17,553 images on the website including those on our Other Collections section. There are more images to see if you View our Articles section to read longer articles written by our volunteers on a range of historical subjects.
We have received a donation of Burco Dean archive material which has not yet been digitised for the website but you will find information about Burco Dean and a small selection of images on our Articles page.
We are now operating without the benefit of Heritage Lottery Funding and welcome donations to enable us to continue scanning negatives and making them available on the website. Donations can be made directly to us or via JUSTGIVING
Or scan our Just Giving account QR Code
BCTHIC is most thankful for the generous donations made by:
Burnley Rotary, Burnley Pendleside Rotary, Stocks Massey Bequest Fund, Celeste & Kevin (in Canada) and other donors who have contributed to our funds to enable this project to continue after our Heritage Lottery funding ceased.
All funding contributions are gratefully accepted
We WELCOME NEW VOLUNTEERS and have vacancies on our Wednesday and Thursday afternoon sessions. If you can spare a couple of hours why not contact us and arrange a visit to the archive. All that is needed are some basic computer skills and an interest in local history. PENDLE AND WEST CRAVEN images can be found in the Surrounding Districts pages and we would welcome volunteers from the Pendle area to digitise images and stories about this area as we have no volunteers working on this area at the moment.
We have produced a short history about the project which you can download.
50 Years Ago
Burnley Light Opera Society has begun rehearsals for the annual production, "The Quaker Girl" and members of the chorus meet weekly at Elim School.
From an article by Norman Powell:
My comment last week about the oldest amateur dramatic and operatic societies in Burnley has aroused considerable interest though there seems little doubt that the Garrick Club is the oldest society. I wonder if anyone has any records of amateur music and drama in the town before the Garrick? Rosegrove Methodist Operatic Society has a long history of course, more than 30 years, and I remember St Stephen's Operatic Society celebrated its 21st anniversary with the 1973 production of "The Sound of Music" produced by Malcolm Gent. St Cuthbert's and the Gilbert and Sullivan societies are young in comparison, but they have made a notable contribution to the cultural life of the town since their formation.
I recently requested information about the 1940 production of "The Quaker Girls" by Burnley Light Opera Society, and I was surprised to have a call from a gentleman in Nelson who remembered the show at the Victoria Theatre, and could even remember the principal characters.
