Charles Anderson Frieze – Burnley

Holme Rd Burnley BB12 0RT

Photo – Robert Wade

William Thompson was born at Richmond Yorkshire, the son of John and Catherine Thompson. William came to Burnley in 1908 and gained a place at Burnley Grammar school. Later he learned the trade of cotton weaving at his uncle’s shed. In time he was to become the managing director of this firm. William lived at Oak Bank Todmorden road, where in spite of his great wealth, he led a remarkably simple life. He had neither television nor radio, and his greatest pleasure appeared to be strolling in the nearby Towneley Park. About 1970, ill health forced William to move to his sister’s house at Ingleton Yorkshire. His illness became worse, and he was removed to a nursing home at Silverdale, near Lancaster, where after a prolonged infirmity he died on 18, August 1972. It was William and his sister, Sarah Witham who donated the £333,000 that was eventually used to build the Thompson Recreation Centre. William was never to see the gift he bestowed upon the town, for his death came just a few days before the official opening of the centre. It was his sister, Sarah who performed the opening, and she too was to die a short time afterwards on 8, December 1975. She was the last link in the Thompson family of Burnley.

Many thanks to local historian and author Jack Nadin

The Thompson Recreation Centre was decorated by a large concrete frieze by Scottish artist Charles Anderson.

Town Architects 1975

Formed from precast concrete panels against expanded polystyrene moulds – it stands 150ft long and 9ft high.

It was gifted from funds provided by the estate of local Cotton Manufacturer and major town benefactor, William Thompson. The building was a flagship symbol of progress for Burnley in 1973, it was demolished in 2006.

Fortunately, the frieze was carefully dismantled, stored and reinstated by Andrew Brown.

Mr Brown said:

This frieze has a massive place in our community. It gives me enormous pleasure to give this magnificent artwork a new home. It breathes new life into the legacy of William Thompson who did so much for Burnley.

It is now located at the Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort. walked from the to

Charles Anderson designed the sculpture over months at his studio in Paisley said:

I was a young man of 34 when I was approached by Burnley Council to design a frieze for the centre.

It’s one of my proudest pieces of work and definitely one of the most challenging. I was inspired by the sculptures of the Parthenon so perhaps this is Burnley’s own Elgin Marbles. It features the Three Graces from Greek mythology as well as sporting scenes such as wrestling, weightlifting, fencing, archery, football, tennis and cricket.

I walked from the town centre along Princess way in search of the work – it’s at the rear of the site, just turn right before you reach the hotel.