A series of annual “Lancashire Neets” were instituted just after the First World War by the Bacup Natural History Society. These evenings began as a night of Lancashire dialect verse and song, and later became plays which took the form of North country comedies, and a long succession of players became so expert that the performances fell little short of professional standards. Amongst their productions was a three -act Lancashire comedy “ A Bit of Peace and Quiet”, written by the then Borough Librarian of Bacup, John A Vickers and performed in 1954.
One Lancashire Neet staged in memory of Mr Harry Craven, who was closely connected with the Nat, on January 29th, 1972, drew a full house of over 350 people at the Mechanics Hall. On this occasion, Lancashire dialect items were given by members of the Edwin Waugh Society and the Lancashire Author’s Association, with Messrs Clifford Heyworth ( Bill O’ Bows) and Ronald Y Digby as comperes.