THIS Charity was in 1935 and looks more sparsely attended, despite the Cowling Temperance Brass Band lending its weight to the choir and orchestra.

Forerunner of change, a motor car has parked at the roadside, although in reality Edwardian waggonettes full of sightseers had sometimes been heard “laughing and making merry” within earshot.

This congregation included ‘Kit’ Joy, of Haworth, who had helped build Watersheddles Reservoir in the 1870s and had worshipped at 65 Scartop Charities, and Luke Helliwell of Cross Roads, who was making his 66th attendance.

Scartop Charities drew some worshippers from over the Lancashire border, from Colne and Trawden.

Open house was the local custom, with one bachelor – who subsisted virtually on porridge – baking only twice a year, at Christmas and Scartop Charity!

Notable participants included tenor Thomas Parker, who had sung in York Minster, and John Heaton of Ponden House, choirmaster for 45 years and composer of hymns with local titles like Daisy Hill and Simmerstone.

This year’s Scartop Charity is on Sunday.