The social, industrial and local history collection was planned in the 1960s when much of central Burnley - like other northern towns - was being demolished to make way for new developments and various exhibits were rescued from buildings due to be demolished. Many of the craftsmen's tools on display come from the last person carrying on that traditional trade in the district. The building behind the North Wing of Towneley Hall, known as the brew house, was restored and opened as the Museum of Local Crafts and Industries on Friday, April 30th, 1971. From 2002 it become known as the Local History Museum.
The following lists its contents at the time of its opening.
Entrance Room
Big Wheel Tea Shop (Tea, coffee beans etc., from Sto-Mike Coffee Co. Ltd.)
Clogger's Shop
Bakehouse Equipment (from G. Bradshaw, Padiham)
Forge and Wheelwright's Equipment (from J. Simpson, Cliviger)
Pawnbroker's Sign, Blacksmith's Bellows etc. (from R. Rawcliffe Ltd.)
Gas Lamp (from Street Lighting Department)
Balcony:
Burnley Electricity Works Engine Nameplates etc. (from Central Library)
Water Gauge (from Burnley Waterworks, per Central Library)
Woodwork and Wood Carving Tools
Habergham Church Organ Pump Fly-wheel (from R. Marsden, Gannow Bridge Joinery Works)
First floor (Industrial and Domestic):
Wooden Washing Machine (from J. Blaylock, Plumbers)
Four-bar Rack and Pulley (from H. A. Davies, Joiners, Nelson)
Early Electric Washing Machine (from Burco-Dean Ltd.)
Mangle, Carpet Sweepers (from Prestige Group Ltd., Ewbank Division)
Cliviger Pottery
Bar exhibits, Copper Still etc., (from Daniel Thwaites Ltd.)
Collection of T.V. Tubes (from Mullard, Simonstone)
Cooper's Display, Tools etc. (from Bass Charrington Ltd.)
First floor (Local Crafts) :
Saddler's Display, Tools etc. (from Arthur Benn Ltd.)
Brush-making Exhibits (from W. & J. Baldwin Ltd.)
Tobacco-mixing Machine (from Chadwick & Vernon Ltd.)
Basket-Making Display (from Burnley Workshops for the Blind, per Social Services Department)
Stained Glass Windows, Bank Hall (from Burnley and District Hospital Management Committee.)
Ground Floor :
Mining Equipment, Engine etc. (from Burnley Municipal College, Mining Section)
Fire-fighting and Breathing Apparatus (from Fire Brigade Department)
Mill Shaft Fly-wheel etc. (from Brun-Lea Ltd.)
Scale Model Lancashire Looms etc. (from W. B. White & Sons Ltd., Colne)
Reeds, Healds, Cops, Shuttles (from Queen Street Manufacturing Co. Ltd.)
Two Calculating Machines (from John Grey Ltd.)
Loom-maker's Patterns, Clocking-in Timepiece etc. (from Mecca Precision Engineers)
Yarn Testing Instruments (from Dawes & Co. Ltd., Nelson; and from Robinson Bros., Burnley)
Early Printing Press (from Burnley Express Printing Co. Ltd.)
Now the collection, with an accession register distinct from that of the main museum collections, covers a wider range of social history items and part of the collection may sometimes be displayed in the Burnley Room as well as in the Brew House.
Crafts (around 1,000 items)
- Basket making
- Blacksmith
- Brush making
- Carpenter's and wood carver's tools
- Clogger's equipment
- Cooper's equipment
- Plumber's equipment
- Saddler's equipment
- Sign writer's equipment
- Wheelwright's equipment
Industrial and technological history (over 600 items)
- Mining
- Miscellaneous machinery
- Pattern maker (Engineering)
- Photographic equipment
- Sound reproduction equipment
- Textile equipment
Social history (around 2,000 items)
- Bakery
- Bar fittings
- Bottles and jars
- Bygones
- Clay pipes
- Coffee shop
- Domestic equipment
- Miscellaneous
- Shop fittings
- Street furniture