AFTER many years observing the Gobbin Saga I now wish to participate.
Gobbin, as can be verified by reference to the Oswaldtwistle English Dictionary, (does Bob Dobson possess a copy or was it sadly only a plug?) is the waste rock generated in coal mining.
It also means to pack with such material and those employed to do that were Gobbiners.
Most of the Gobbiners lived above the lamp near to the mines they worked at and the word became synonymous with anyone who lived in that part of Oswaldtwistle.
It has been suggested that the 'gormless' interpretation of Gobbin was because of the dangerous and difficult nature of the work.
I apologise if this explanation is not daft enough but I will try to find one that is and then wearing my best racing clogs rush it across to the Citizen.
John Sinclair
Address supplied
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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