Photograph 1 is of the Clowbridge Chip Saloon F.C. winning the Loveclough Medal Competition April 23rd 1910. On the Photograph are two of the Spencer Brothers (front row second left possibly Harold) see memorial.
Photograph 2 is of Providence F.C. taken in 1915 when the first world war was already a year old, most of these lads will have been drawn into the armed forces at some time.
Photograph 3 is of Loveclough Football Club, around the time of the Great War 1914-1918.
Brilliant photographs.. was there ever a better named football team than ‘Clow Bridge Chip Shop Saloon F.C.’
I am working on a project on football in Rossendale – and Bacup in particular – during the First World War and have recently been given access to the minute books of the Bacup Borough Amateur Football League from its inception in 1913 until beyond it re-starting just after the war in 1919. The league opened its doors after the war to any club that had its headquarters within 4 1/2 miles of the Bacup Mechanics Institute and suddenly Loveclough Printing Company join the league. They changed at the Printworks and they played in or near the grounds of the Printworks and their colours were blue and white. If you have any further information on them i would be very interested in seeing it.
Regards
Andy