Bury Unitarian Church

I was born at ‘The Nurseries’, Leigh Lane, Walshaw in Bury ..looking back, a perfect beginning for someone who spent their life working as a nurseryman, seedsman and florist! My parents’ inspiration for my first name (Oliver Robin) came from Oliver Slocock, of Knaphill Nurseries in Surrey, then the major supplier of rhododendrons in England.

My early education took place at Elton Junior School where I was taught by Mary Warburton who started her career as a teacher on the same day as I started school. I particularly remember her lessons on ‘cleanliness’ and wonder if this is still a topic on the curriculum today. This was followed by Bury Grammar School, and then a course in Horticulture and Nursery Practice at Lancashire Agricultural College. This in turn was followed by a course in floristry at the London Academy of Floral Art where customers included a Duchess who liked to ‘dress down’ to do her shopping! I returned home proudly bearing a wedding bouquet balanced on my knee on the train– the first of many I ever made.

I married Brenda in 1959 at Bank Street Unitarian Chapel and adopted a girl and a boy. We are now blessed with 6 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren and still counting. (It’s a good job Brenda enjoys knitting!)

My connections with Bank Street go back a long way. I served on a lot of chapel committees and was pleased to be invited to become a Trustee of Bank Street Chapel in 1963 and continue as such for the Church today. Over the years I have enjoyed collecting various bits and pieces which document the history of the Chapel/Church and have some details which other members might find interesting. These include the journey of the stained glass windows from the former chapel to ITV studios and regular exposure on TV, which can still be seen on youtube! Do ask me if you’d like to know more!

An experience which I found particularly interesting was involvement in the promotion of tourism in Bury and the setting up of a tourist office when I was president of the Chamber of Trade. I like to think that such important developments as Bury’s Premier Inn and The Village leisure facility owe their existence to the imagination and vision of those involved in the early stages of planning for the town’s future growth.

One of the things I enjoy most in life is holidaying in the Llyn Peninsular where we are fortunate to spend at least one month a year.

INTRODUCTORY BOOKLET:

A FAITH WORTH THINKING ABOUT

click here for a free download

Bury Unitarian Church
1 Bank Street
Bury
Lancashire
BL9 0DN

0161 761 3785

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