Our Collections
Flints, Fossils & Minerals Collection
The Bacup Museum houses a geological staircase that showcases the history of fossils from 550 million years ago up until the Stone Age and the largest collection of flints on display in this region.
The staircase is divided into three wall frames that are a masterpiece of miniaturisation and unique to this museum. The frames created by Peter John Roberts represent the three stages of early life, middle life, and recent life. At the top of the staircase, there's a geological cross-section of the Greens Clough layers, located north of Bacup. This area is significant to the museum as it provided an opportunity for the NAT geologists to explore the simple structures and horizontal layers, which are an open book of the rock layers and coal seams, important for Bacup's development. During the Victorian era, Sunday afternoon rambles were a popular pastime, and members of the early 'NAT' were encouraged to bring in natural history, fossil and flint specimens collected during their rambles. Many of the fossils and flints collected during those rambles are still available to view today.
Military Collection
Bacup is a town steeped in a rich social and military history, and our collections beautifully showcase this heritage. We have a permanent exhibit featuring weapons, tools, and flints from the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age.
Our military collections are particularly notable, boasting over 50 medals awarded to men from Bacup and Stacksteads who served in both World War I and World War II. One standout story is that of A.B. Norman Clegg, who, despite suffering a fractured arm in two places due to shell splinters, continued to lift 50-pound pans of ammunition to the gun in 1943.
Other fascinating artefacts in our collection include an American Civil War cap worn by Bacup native Henry Redmond, sand and shrapnel from the beaches of Normandy, and a piece of bomb shrapnel from a bomb that landed on the Thorn Estate during the early hours of Monday, October 21st, 1940.
Social & Domestic Collections
Over the years, the museum has shifted its focus to local history. Our collections include entomology, botany, and some of the oldest natural history specimens. In addition, we feature Dr. Worrall's cabinet, a Victorian collector's cabinet of curiosities. Our mining and industrial collections provide a glimpse into a bygone working life in Bacup. One highlight is a lamp carried on the last passenger train from Bacup to Rochdale on June 16, 1947, which you can view in our transport display.
In the museum, you will also find a beautiful christening gown that complements our Victorian school, police, and fire displays.
Opposite these exhibits, we showcase the history of Bacup Camera Club, founded by Nat member John Cook in 1920.
Next, we have a section dedicated to science, fun, laughter, childhood, music, and dance. Following that, we present our numismatic collections, which include money and tokens that were once used in shops and for transportation in and around Bacup.