Thomas Leonard and the Church Walk

Submitted by Alan Marsden on Wed, 04/05/2016 - 19:57

Members of Salem went awalking on Monday around Stocks Reservoir in Gisburn Forest. Although the weather was inclement to begin with, the scenery is stunning and worth every rain drop.

In the 1890s, the minister of Colne Congregational Church was Rev Thomas Leonard. One of his missions in life was to promote the value of walking to the working folk of the Lancashire mill towns. In that decade, mill workers would generally holiday in resorts such as Blackpool and Morecambe with their seaside entertainments and candy floss (today's it's Ibiza and sun bathing on beaches). Leonard wanted them to visit the great outdoors, imbibe the fresh air and keep physically fit. You can read more about him here: http://www.douglashope.co.uk/T_A_Leonard.

I don't think it's too fanciful to imagine Rev Leonard visiting nearby Salem Chapel one Sabbath day in the 1890s to preach. Whether he did or didn't, I'm sure he'd approve of our church walk.