CPA Social Club History

 

The club was originally built as a residence for a Richard Holt in 1739. It was named the  Mansion House and a fire place with an inscribed date of 1741 was installed, and is still in existence today , but not unfortunately in the club.

 

The building was bought by the adjacent Rossendale Print Works in 1870 and in 1897 the Print Works Social Club was formed and took over the premises, adding a bowling green and upstairs reading library. In 1899 the Calico Printers Association was founded and incorporated the Rossendale Printing Company into its organisation, hence the club became known as the CPA Social Club, and still retains that title today. It continued to be used as such until in 1980 due to the decline in the Textile Industry the Print Works closed, and the then operating company Tootals handed the club over to its members to be run as a private members club.

          
The club then entered a period of highs and lows until in 1991 in an attempt to attract more members the club was completely renovated with the snooker table being moved upstairs, and a large lounge created where once was the snooker room and tap room.

 

Unfortunately the financial burden of carrying out the modernisation led to a financial crisis in 1994, and the club members had to raise a sum of £3,000 pounds in the form of £50 bonds to ensure the survival of the club.

           
Further misfortune descended on the club on the 5 July 1999 when a deluge of rain brought flood water into the club up to the height of the window cills. The club was subsequently closed for several months.

           
A second snooker table was obtained in 2003 when the Crawshawbooth Conservative Club took the decision to close and following on from that in 2005 it was decided to build a new toilet block which was completed in 2006. Further improvements have continued to be made, to produce the pleasant and comfortable club that can be seen today.