THE life of a Burnley caretaker, who served in the Royal Navy and sailed on the battleship HMS Iron Duke, has been set down by Burnley and District Historical Society.

William Gilbert Goom was born in Burnley in 1860 and his father was a palisade maker, living for a time in Dawson Square.

At the age of 16 he joined the navy as ‘Boy’ Goom and served for 10 years, returning to the town to work for Thomas Holden, hatters of Chancery Street.

Around 1886 he became the caretaker of the Mechanics Institute, a position he held for 23 years, before moving to become janitor of the newly opened Municipal College in Ormerod Road in 1909.

He retired after 20 years and died in 1931, aged 71.

When William took his post at the Mechanics, there was a library at the rear, a billiards room at the front, which was also used as a debating and smoking room, while a ladies room overlooked the corporation yard.

An evening school was held underneath, with an entrance from Yorke Street and the young students kept William on his toes with their pranks.

Dances were held regularly at the hall, but the floor had so many knots and ridges that dancers used to bring boxes of wax cut from candles to spread out - and which all had to be scraped off the following morning.

For special occasions boat builders were brought in to remove the knots, or a glazed sheet was stretched out until, eventually, the institute’s directors had a new pitch pine floor installed.

At the next hospital ball, the committee also decided to have the room illuminated with the new electricity, rather than gas light.

In his memoirs, set out in a new booklet produced by the historical society, Mr Goom also recalls the celebrations of the relief of Mafeking.

The Mechanics Hall was turned into a fairy glen with illuminated roses decorating the entrance from the town hall to the stage and lilies and tulips on pillars.

The mayor, Ald Dickinson, wanted a photograph, so gunpowder for making the flash was placed in a long tin tray on the stage.

No one seemed prepared to ignite it, for there was enough, had it been sealed, to blow the town hall and the Mechanics to atoms.

Finally, William volunteered and touched the powder with a long taper, secured to a rod.

There was a great flash and the room was filled with smoke, but the photographers got their picture.

William reckoned this was the finest reception ever held at the Mechanics.

*Read more about behind the scenes at the Mechanics, in ‘The Cares of a Burnley Caretaker’, with notes by Pamela Edwards, which is on sale at Burnley Library, Badger Books and the Weavers’ Triangle (£3.50).