The Peel family

Robert Peel was born at Peelfold (within the township) in 1723, and laid the family fortunes by innovations in calico printing.^[2] A particularly successful pattern featured a sprig of parsley, so Robert Peel became known as "Parsley Peel".^[2] Robert Peel went into business with his Brother-in-law, Jonathan Haworth in 1760, establishing the Brookside Mill Calico Works, the remnants of which are still visible in Bury Meadow Nature Reserve.^[3]

The soubriquet helps distinguish him from his son also Robert Peel, who was born at Peelfold in 1750 and went on to become a successful cotton mill owner (with large works at Bury and Burton on Trent), a very rich man, an MP and a Baronet.^[4]

Sir Robert's son (Parsley Peel's grandson), born at Bury was yet another Robert Peel and in due course Sir Robert Peel; he was a full-time politician and rose to be Prime Minister.^[5] Another historical figure associated with the textile industry was James Hargreaves, inventor of the Spinning Jenny.

Power loom riots

The people of Oswaldtwistle were involved in the power loom riots of 1826. The mechanisation of the textile industry (with the introduction of looms powered by steam engines from the 1820s onwards) resulted in redundancies, low wages, and hunger. On 26 April, a large number of cotton workers attacked the factory in White Ash (Brookside Mill) in Oswaldtwistle, about a mile from Hargreaves' workshop, destroying looms and other equipment. The riots went on for three days, extending to all cotton towns in central Lancashire.^[6]

Coal

Oswaldtwistle is part of the Burnley Coalfield and had a number of coal mines such as Aspen Colliery 53°45′07″N 2°23′59″W next the canal and the East Lancashire line, having both a canal basin and railway siding. Mining here is thought to have commenced in the early 19th century and the colliery closed in 1930. The remains of the site which includes two stone-built engine beds and a bank of 24 beehive type coke ovens are protected as a scheduled monument.^[7][8]

Others in the hills to the south, include: Broadfield Colliery 53°44′13″N 2°22′52″W which in the 1840s had a surface tramroad connected to the printworks at Foxhill Bank via Moscow Mills;^[9] Sough Lane Colliery 53°43′48″N 2°25′44″W which had a tramroad connecting it to Knuzden;^[10] And Town Bent Colliery 53°44′10″N 2°23′49″W.^[11]

PoW camps

During World War II, a number of PoWs (particularly Italians) were interned in camps near Oswaldtwistle.^[12][13]

Oswaldtwistle Moor

Oswaldtwistle Moor (adjacent to Haslingden Moor) is an extensive area of moorland to the south of Oswaldtwistle, with Haslingden Grane bordering the moor's southern edges, Belthorn to the west and Haslingden to the east. The area forms part of the West Pennine Moors.

In May 2007, plans were made to build a wind farm consisting of twelve wind turbines on the moors. This attracted both support and opposition, but the plan was approved by councillors in March 2010.^[17] In October 2012, the project was officially completed, and was called the Hyndburn Wind Farm.^[18]

Oswaldtwistle Mills

Oswaldtwistle Mills is a notable attraction; a textile mill converted into a craft fair and with an exhibition about life in the mill a hundred years ago. It is also home of the world's largest pear drop, made by Stockley's Sweets.

Civic Arts Centre and Theatre

Also of note is the 457 capacity, recently refurbished, Civic Theatre, known as the "Friendly Theatre" and the brand new Civic Arts Centre. .^[19] The ground floor was refurbished, and in August 2010, it opened as the Civic Arts Centre.

The first production performed at the Arts Centre was Romeo and Juliet, directed by young producer, Joanne Haworth. Since then, there have been many productions, with something different happening every week. There are workshops, and drama sessions most evenings, plus projects and new plays, being written, and performed, with at least four plays in production, at any one time. The Centre is now home to a number of theatre groups, including ReAct Academy, Dramatic Annie, Sparks, Oswaldtwistle Players and St Mary's Panto among others. The theatre now has a professional production company that produces shows that are toured around Lancashire.

The Civic Arts Centre is involved in local heritage projects, and organises outdoor festivals. From 1 April 2015, the Arts Centre & Theatre merged, and the building is now known as the Civic Arts Centre and Theatre. It is home to Manford's Comedy Clubs. Jason Manford and John Bishop have both performed there at Manford's Comedy evenings.

Rhyddings Park

Rhyddings Park is the only formal park within Oswaldtwistle. It was originally the grounds of a private house belonging to a local mill owning family. It has been a public park since 1909. More information about Rhyddings Park can be found on the website of its active community group. ^[20]

Oswaldtwistle Carnival

The carnival is held every two years. The committee was formed in June 2014, after a sixteen year gap, and the first event was successfully held that summer.