Welcome to my local history web site. It has been going for some time now and it has grown, although not as fast as I wanted it to. Nevertheless, I will be putting more stuff on here, as time allows. Local history is important, because people are curious about their origins, their parents and grandparents. where they came from and what were their experiences? Family history though, is a separate subject and there are many ways we can find out about our forefathers and mothers, through many helpful sites and information from libraries etc.

If you have been looking at this site recently, you will realise that there has been something going wrong with it. In later entries, I have tried to put subtitles under pictures. Unfortunately, they keep going awry. I wonder if the Zoomshare people can advise me on this. For the moment, I will put references in the text. I have not been on the site for a while due to a problem with my laptop, which would not allow me to log on to the site and other things. However, the desktop is working fine and I hope to do some work on the site, changing a few things perhaps and adding anything of interest I may come across.

You might be interested in some other things I have been doing.In November 2008, I filmed the official opening of the newly refurbished Market Hall, which has been restored partly from a National Lottery grant, and match funding from Stockport Council. I was the only one there with a camcorder to record this historical event. The same day, Ashton Market's indoor hall was re-opened after a fire back in 2003 as I recall, They had some wonderful media coverage, but where were the media for our Market? The newspapers were there, but there was barely a mention. I suspect politics has something to do with it, and at the moment, we are being invited to give our opinions as to how we can improve our historic market.  In the Hall, you can fill in a slip and tell  the powers that be what you think of our market.

When you go to places like Ashton, for example, or Oldham or Bury, the markets are huge. Yes, Stockport Council has spent a lot of ratepayers money on the much needed upgrade of the Market Hall. (with the help of a Lottery Grant) Whilst the market has shrunk. But how do you attract and keep stallholders, who after all, are only trying to make a living, when their takings will barely cover their rent? And with supermarket prices and pound shops, how can market traders compete? Maybe it is time to level up the playing field, because to not do so will eventually kill off our market, and is that what our Council wants, to lose a revenue earner? Try lowering the rents a bit, perhaps, you might get some more stallholders interested. But don't take my word for it, I am no expert, or economist. But we have to consider all ideas. As we are now, at a time of recession, we need initiatives, regardless of the politics involved.

Please scroll down and look at it if you wish, but I have no opinion to offer, in any political sense. I only am interested in the facts, regardless of who is in power. Politicians come and go, that is why we have democracy. It is the decision of the majority, of course, those who bother to vote. We only get the Council people vote for. If you are not happy, USE YOUR VOTE!. If you can't be bothered, you may not get what you wish for. USE YOUR VOTE ! whatever your persuasion. 

This site is about the way people used to live, bearing in mind the inventions which made life better over time, and the way life has improved for all of us and how often, we take it for granted. I don't claim to be an expert, rather I find out about things. For example, it was only recently that I found out that the 'Roman Lakes' at Marple are not actually Roman! but were a product of Samuel Oldknow, the mill owner, who once had a mill nearby. There is an excellent web site, (a bit more sophisticated than mine) www.marple-uk.com Have a look at it, there is information about Samuel Oldknow on there and loads of other stuff about Marple, one of our favorite local places we visit from time to time.

There is also an excellent book by Peter Arrowsmith, called 'Stockport - A History', (ISBN 0 905 164 99 7) which deals with the development of the town from further back in time, taking in a wider catchment in the surrounding area. I managed to get a copy half price from the Heritage Library, as part of the Town Hall Centenary Celebrations, many publications being reduced. I am currently wading through the book and it contains a lot of factual stuff, prehistoric, Roman and Mediaeval etc. The book is one of the more serious academic works and follows in the footsteps of the likes of Heginbotham and is very useful for those who are interested in the more serious study of the town and locality and the way it developed. 

There is also an excellent book by Steve Cliffe, editor of the Heritage Magazine, about the history of Stockport. It is widely published, and is a great source of information for anyone who is interested in the development of our town and its heritage. There are other publications, such as 'Stockport From The Air', where you can see aerial photographs which compare the past with the present day, and you might be surprised at the changes. (I don't get paid for this by the way. Support your local Heritage!) Stockport Heritage Trust are based in St. Mary's Church in the Market Place and is staffed by volunteers.

Also in the Market Place is Staircase House at the side of the Market Hall, and for visitors to the town who might be interested in its history there are several floors with excellent exhibits, as well as a tour where you can see the old Tudor staircase which gives the place its name. The staircase was restored after a devastating fire and there is a maze of rooms you can wander round and see what life was like many years ago.

I myself was born in Stockport, at Stepping Hill Hospital, Hazel Grove, but on my birth certificate it states the address as '42, Poplar Grove'. I am rather proud of that, because it puts me firmly in a period of history, before the Hospital became 'Stepping Hill'. Hazel Grove though, was formerly known as 'Bullock Smithy', until the city fathers decided to change the name. Perhaps they decided that the name was too crude, or is it an allusion to the farmer who rode a bullock into the town, saddled, in a protest against the saddle tax imposed by William Pitt, declaring 'Pitt be dead'! Such a rebel! But what scorn he poured on the politicians of the day, (of all persuasions),who like nowadays, try and find ways of exacting our hard earned money from us, whilst at the same time lining their own pockets. Small wonder that people no longer trust them, and how will they regain our trust? It remains to be seen.

I know it says 'Local and General History', but you will find other stuff of interest here, like visits to the Cumbrian Lake District and other places, as well as stuff about Stockport and Reddish, where I live. In the photos section, there is text and each picture follows on in a rough chronological order, so if you look at 'Lincolnshire Visit' for example, in the photos section, you can see various images of places of historical and general interest, for example, with comments in the text about a particular scene or place of interest. One small matter I must put right, as I write on this New Year's Day, at the end of 2009, is our mother, Kathleen Kiernan. Today would have been her 82nd birthday, but she passed away on May 21st. 2009. She is sadly missed by all members of our family and I hope to add a page to this site in her memory.

Just as an aside, if I come across other things of interest, I like to point people in their direction by means of a link. Yesterday, (Monday 28th Sept. 2008) I was in Merseyway, in the covered part near to the Mersey Square end, when I saw a temporary exhibition by a local artist, who goes by the name of 'Mat', who hails from Manchester. Now art, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. You either like it or you don't. The title of the exhibition was 'MATROKK', and featured a small part of his portfolio. The theme of much of his work is quite surreal, Gothic in places, and dream-inspired. He has had commissions as varied as covers for CDs, fashion etc. Some of his work has also been used in the Precinct itself. For a look at some of his work, here is the link- www.matrokk.co.uk The lad's going places, and if you are a band looking for a cover, or an advertiser looking for a theme, he's your man!

On a later occasion, April 24th 2010 to be precise, I met up with another author, Stuart Webb. He had written a book entitled 'Lyme Hall'. The book is a work of fiction which uses Lyme Hall as a central theme or location where the action of the story takes place. He was doing a book signing at the Staircase Heritage in the Market Place. I understand the difficulties of getting books published nowadays. Publishers will not back books financially which are not racing certainties, like the Harry Potter books for example. Often authors have to pay publishers and there is little guarantee of success. One way forward is self-publishing, but to do everything yourself can be prohibitive. However there are some publishing outfits out there who are prepared to do limited quantities, and it reduces the risk factor of laying out for large quantities of books which may not sell. If you like a good story with a book which will not break the bank, have a look at his web site www.stuart-webb.com and see what it's all about.

In the stories section, there are samples of my scribblings, some about local characters, both living and otherwise, although there is some profane language in the story 'H And The Magic Tree' it is used in the context of the character telling the story. The emotional content of that story is not unlike 'Angela's Ashes', so have a tissue ready when you read it. But it is not suitable for very young children. So be aware of that.

If you like my site and want to make a comment, there is an e-mail address with it. mikeslocalhistory@zoomshare.com

Now, where do I begin ? Well, there's me for a start. Now some people say that I bear a resemblance to a certain Bolton steeplejack. Personally, I don't see the likeness, but take any slightly mature bloke with a flat cap and glasses and you've got yourself a 'Fred Dibnah' clone! But that's just a nickname people call me and I take it as a complement, for I have a lot of admiration for Fred. But I could never be him. He was a man who made something of himself. An unpretentious man, with no airs and graces, very much down to earth, and if I could achieve half of what he has done, I'd be a happy man indeed. I know there were some who didn't like him, and that's a matter for them, (there are those who don't like me for example, but they must have their reasons.)  What you see is what you get, as the old expression goes. Joking aside though, if they made a film of his life story, I'd put my name forward. (I have done a bit of acting years ago, and I would jump at the chance!) "Dyerr Laaike That !" "It's goin', it's goin," Honk Honk! Honk Honk!

One thing I do share with Fred, is an interest in Heritage and History, although much of mine is at a local level, whereas Fred travelled all over the country, very ably following a script written for him no doubt. But it was his considerable knowledge and understanding of the old building and engineering skills, and his 'hands on' approach, trying the different techniques, from iron casting, to stonemasonry, and woodworking, to splitting slates, and driving steam engines, which for me, made all the programmes more interesting. I was very much saddened when I heard he had passed away, but pleased for him when he received his award from the Queen, for services to Heritage and Broadcasting. An award which he so rightly deserved. Not bad for someone who started life as a humble carpenter. (Now who does that remind me of !)

I could never do what Fred used to do, climb chimneys. He certainly had a head for heights. It's not heights I'm afraid of, but falling from them! I prefer writing things and creating things. I have four books under my belt and if anyone would like a copy of any one of them, they are now only available from the Heritage Centre, in St. Mary's Church, in the Market Place, in Stockport. I never made, or intended to make, money from the books. so I decided to make it a non-profit making activity, in other words, it is just a hobby. The Heritage Trust order copies direct from the printer, and put a small mark up on them, so it helps with their funding.

The first one is about the area where my dad was born, which became known as 'Newtown'. The book is non - profit making and I published them myself at £7.50p, at the time, and for every book I sold directly to people, I donated £1 to Francis House Children's Hospice. Please have a look at their web site to see the wonderful work they do.  http://www.francishouse.org.uk/ Any money from sales after the donations, went back into making more copies. So far, donations  reached over £305 and thanks go out to everyone who made a contribution and especially to those who have given more than the asking price, as an extra donation to the fundraisers, Rainbow Family Trust. (Tel. 0161-443-2200)

I was invited to one of their open days and I went along, not knowing what to expect. I saw the wonderful facilities they had for the kids, not just the ones who were terminally ill, but their brothers and sisters who came with them. I was shown the room with a bed, where they spend their final moments and was not moved at the time, because it is somewhere where those families share their experiences and it was not somewhere I felt I should be. Next door was a Chapel, non-denominational, where all faiths are welcome. In there was a book of condolensces, and as I read the entries from sisters and brothers, unashamedly, I broke down in tears, trying to hide the emotions, I feigned a sneezing fit ! But I challenge anyone to not be so moved. Such a man has no soul.

The book is entitled 'Reddish Newtown - Life Below The Steps' and comes from some humorous stories my dad used to tell, along with more stories and information from other people, as well as my theory as to how Newtown came to be so named, where I looked back at the history of the place, going back to 1847.  I set a target initially of 100 copies and when I reached it I gave them the £100 I had raised.  Eventually I sold in excess of 300 copies. The furthest it has gone is New Zealand and Australia. I am very proud of that and it has given me great encouragement to know that it has reached that far.

Then there have been many, many people who have got back to me after reading the book, to say how much they enjoyed it and how it brought back memories. One lady gave a copy to her mother, who has dementia, but she reads it over and over and the memories come flooding back. For that is what the book is all about, people's memories, of a time and a place. Fond memories too, one lady said she would go back there tomorrow, which is strange, considering the conditions under which people lived. But one thing which was said time and time again by many people and it was "You could leave your door open".

Certainly, there was a greater sense of 'community' in those days, before television. People would sit on the step, or they would go in one another's houses, or they would help each other out in times of need. Something which we have lost nowadays, with all the distractions we have around us, the feeling of belonging to a 'community'. But Newtown was a place with its own unique sense of 'identity', even though the dividing line between different areas, such as Heaton Norris and Lancashire Hill, was only the width of a road. Click on 'Newtown' to read more and see pictures. Or buy the book !

The above represents the entire cover of the book, front and back, opened out. This image will be familiar to people who once lived there. The 'steps' refer to what you see in front of you, a wall across the street, with steps at the side. It was said that,  'If you lived at' top o't steps, you were posh', because the houses were better up there. As you can see, above the steps were semi detached houses (of sorts). Below were the back-to back terraced houses, with communal back yard and shared outside toilet. The kind of properties which typified the latter half of the nineteenth century, which were deemed unfit for human habitation and demolished in the late 1960s / early 70s. But with the demolitions, went a way of life and the destruction of a community. One lady I spoke to said she was born in the off-license on the corner of the street, Kendal Street, the one in the picture above. Others have mentioned the names of people, or families who lived in the various houses, above and below the steps.

The second book was not written by me, but came from a hand-written  manuscript by one 'Percy Hawksworth'. His daughter, Vera, had bought copies of 'Newtown' and she showed the manuscript to me, which was on two pads, single sided. It has been a great privilege to turn Percy's stories into a book and if you like stories with a humorous twist, as well as facts and information about Stockport and Portwood in particular, as well as 'scams' in the Market Place, (before Trading Standards), you might find it interesting. When I was scratching my head for a title for it, I wanted something more than just 'My Life Story'. Eventually I came up with a title with a double meaning, 'Percy Hawksworth - The Best Part of My Life'. 'Best Part', could mean either in terms of lifespan, or in terms of experiences. Both statements are equally valid. It is up to the reader to determine which was the 'best part' of Percy's life. But something else tied in with other things I was doing, which you will see later. 

I gave a copy to Eileen Payne of the Stockport Express and she wrote a brilliant review of it, which made the time I spent on it all the more worthwhile. It appeared in the Express, dated 6th April 2006. Since then, I believe Eileen no longer works there. It was originally intended to serialise Percy's story in the Express or Advertiser. However, it never came about, which is a great pity, because there are very few documents which so adequately describe life at that particular time. Had I not written Percy's manuscript up, it would never have seen the light of day, and the stories would have remained untold.

Percy's book is about being born in 1907 and living for 88 years and everything that has happened in that time. But it is his early experiences which are  the most captivating. Because in those days, people 'had nowt' ('nowt', means 'nothing', for those who study dialect, in foreign climes) One thing which comes across in both books though, is that sense of humour, which was probably borne out of the hardships of living in that time and place. Even the seriousness of wartime experience could be a source of amusement ! I later used some of the stories about the scams that used to go on in the Market in the DVD about the Market Hall re-opening. I have also sent off another article for the next Heritage Magazine (July 2010?) about the fairs and circuses which used to visit the town, which Percy mentioned in his manuscript, some of the stories are quite amusing!

One other book I have had dealings with, is what I regard as the definitive book on the history of Reddish. Written by John Condon, it was published in 1984, using the technology of the day and it is called 'Reddish Remembered'. John at the time was working at Reddish Library and was allowed time to study records and photographs, many of which were donated by local people. He now runs the Library Services, in Stockport. What I have done with the book, is to try and make it more readable, by increasing the print size and using modern technology to try and improve the pictures. I have done the book without making any charge, after all, it is John's work not mine, but it was a privilege to try and improve on it, to make it available for the people of Reddish and whoever else may be interested, and it is also available at the Heritage in St. Mary's in the Market Place.

I have since added another book which is on sale at the Heritage for the princely sum of £2, called 'Historical Connections'. The book is about the connections between some famous people and Reddish. Lydia Becker was a suffragette and edited the Suffragette Journal until her death, when the journal ceased production. She was also a botanist, and corresponded with none other than Charles Darwin over species of plants, the correspondence went on for many years. Lydia's father and his brother took over the Calico Printworks in Reddish Vale, and it was said that they lived there for a time. They eventually went bankrupt. One other connected with the Suffragette movement whose name everyone remembers is Emmeline Pankhurst. It was also said that she once lived at Disley, and the movement used to meet at the Bull's Head in the Market Place, where they would address the crowds from an upstairs window. There is also stuff in the book about the calico printing process and possible reasond for the demise of the business. The book is fourth in a series of booklets about local people, all of which have a blue cover, so watch out for them. There are people who like to collect the series, but there are many other books by local people which are inexpensive, and deal with the history and heritage of their particular patch. Proceeds from all books on sale go to heritage funds which helps keep alive the history and heritage of our town which has changed greatly over the years, although there are parts of our town which have remained as they were many years ago.

I have often heard people describe Reddish in uncomplimentary language, but more often than not, it is the younger end who have little interest in Heritage and History, who speak thuswise. Often, there are derogatory comments from people who either do not live in Reddish, or did not come from the village originally. One such person who once ran a local hostelry, (although it was his wife's name over the door), described Reddish as 'The Village Of The Damned', dwelling on the social problems which beset our area and having little to say about the good things. There are people still around who remember Reddish as it was in times gone by. Reddish has much to be proud of in its past and I hope people will help to preserve the best examples of what we have and appreciate our history. John Condon's book helps us do that and shows us what we have lost. Part of the purpose of this web site is to redress the balance, and to try and show the history and heritage of our village of Reddish, and our town of Stockport of course.

I have recently added another book to my collection, (the fourth) from an enquiry I had from Lisa Maria McBride, in Aberdeen, who wanted to know about her ancestor, Joseph Higginson. With the help of Iris, the good lady wife, I found out so much about him, that I was able to put together a small A5 booklet. This will shortly be available from the Heritage in St. Mary's in the Market Place, or from Fr. O'Connell at St. Joseph's Church in Reddish, or also the Houldsworth Working Men's Club. Again, I have done these as a 'not for profit' venture, but if there is anyone who would like a copy, who can't get to those places, by all means contact me and I will arrange to get one to you. I have also suggested that Joseph's name should be considered for the Blue Plaque Scheme, and that one should be placed at a suitable venue he was associated with. More about Joseph Higginson is further on down this site, scroll down and have a look if you are interested.

The books are self published, they do not have an ISBN number at present, as publishers will not handle them without me parting with money. They are therefore not available from bookshops as yet. I no longer handle the books myself and they are currently only available from the Heritage in St. Mary's Church, in the Market Place. If you purchase a copy from there, please consider a small donation to Francis House, or the Kirsty Appeal (Contact details above) If there is a publisher out there who might be interested, please let me know. As I said before, I do not make any profit from these books. They can also be read for free from the Library, if you have a ticket.

They were also originally stocked by the Tourist Information Centre, (TIC) Staircase House, 30 Market Place, Stockport SK1 1ES. Telephone (0161) 474 4444.  However, for some reason, they seem to no longer stock them, but it does no harm to enquire. If they get enough enquiries they might stock them again. Or  you could ring me. Mike Kiernan (0161) 285 7220 (Home) 07748408395 (Mobile) or e-mail Mike.Kiernan@ntlworld.com and I will pass on any request for copies. St. Mary's Heritage does not at present have a contact number. Percy Hawksworth's book is also available from his daughter, Vera Price. Tel (0161) 336 4412, if she has any left. I have made arrangements with the printer, so that either Heritage Centre can order them direct. This saves me the time in having to handle them. Since writing this however, the TIC have stocked the Newtown book.

Now for the reasons for this site. A lady in America, Kathleen Scott, who originally came from Stockport, was waiting for the completion of the Reddish Newtown book. On her suggestion, I wrote a number of articles for the Stockport Heritage magazine, as a way of 'getting my name known'. Contributors to the magazine do not receive payment, but I did receive a number of enquiries from people who read the review by Steve Cliffe, the editor, who wrote me an excellent account and I am grateful to him for that. 

Sadly, in this year of writing, January 2008, I received word that Kathleen had passed away. I will always be grateful to her for the encouragement she has given me over the years, from across the pond. corresponding by air mail letter, she never got to grips with modern technology, but I always enjoyed receiving her letters and latterly, those she sent to Iris, the good lady wife. If you would like to read the obituary, look at this web address PoughkeepsieJournal.com  enter Scott in the last name and for the moment, past month in the date frame. I am also grateful to the Stockport Express and in particular, Kirsty Elleray for their mention of Kathleen in the January 16th (2008) edition of the Express.

Kathleen originally came from Stockport and once worked on the Manchester Guardian. In America, she worked as a copy editor for 'Time Magazine' and she was working the night the Watergate story broke. She also did copy work for Alistair Cooke's 'Letter From America', so she had a fine journalistic pedigree.

I hope to do more articles, as and when a subject comes up. Just such a subject,  is something I have been working on about 'Whitehill', an old mansion house, which once stood at the end of Whitehill Allotments. However, I have amassed a fair bit of information about it, which would make it too big for an article, but too small, perhaps, for a book. So I propose to put it on this web site. I have also done talks on the various subjects and where they have led me, at the Clinic on Sandy Lane, and one at Offerton, to a group of people who were waiting for tratment of leg ulcers of all things! But they enjoyed it, especially the humour of my dad telling his stories on the tape.

I was very pleased with the response I got from the Newtown book. The book is, of course, aimed at people who lived there and their descendants and it is, in effect, their story. Newtown was demolished in the late 1960s early 70s and people from the area were dispersed to different parts of the town. Some went to other towns, but a few went to Australia, on the £10 passage scheme. The scheme allowed many people to emigrate to Australia for a £10 fare. Some who took the scheme have done well for themselves as a result. A number of copies of 'Reddish Newtown' have found their way to Australia and I even had a call from someone in New Zealand, the furthest it has gone and I am very pleased and proud of that.

Stockport itself has changed a great deal in my lifetime. I was born in 1949. I am grateful for that, because I missed the war. When I was very young, there were still trams running between Stockport and Manchester. It was a time when the railway network went everywhere and it was not uncommon for people to go even relatively short distances by train. At the bottom of Lancashire Hill, was Tiviot Dale Station and you could get a train to Woodley, only a couple of miles away. Now, the station is gone and a motorway runs through where it was. In the year when the motorway was nearing completion, we paid a one and only visit to the Isle Of Man. After a shaky start in Douglas, we ended up in picturesque Port Erin. One evening, I ventured forth to one of the hotels and in a corner was an organist and drummer. I discovered the organist had come over from Stockport and had been there 20 years. "You wouldn't recognise the place now," I said. "There's a whacking great motorway going through it!"

In the town, there was Andrew Square, which was a tram terminus and I very vaguely remember getting on a tram with my mam from there when I was very young. The trams were double deckers and had a driver's position at either end, with a staircase at each end also. At the top of the staircase was a trap door, which was closed, or opened when the driver changed ends and you had to be careful not to go up the wrong staircase, or you'd bang your head on the closed trap door! Now, an ASDA superstore stands on the site where the square was. I believe moves are afoot  and that the store is to be relocated. The present store is to be demolished and the space will be opened up again. I wonder if anyone will have the vision to call it 'Andrew Square' once more? Of course, there are areas of the town which have changed very little; the Underbanks, for example, where some tidying up work is being carried out, as well as the area around the Market Square.

I believe the new ASDA store is to be located along Portwood and that it would require the demolition of the Railway pub. That would be a great pity, at a time when pubs are disappearing from all over the town. The Railway is a 'real ale' pub, with a bit of character, with many guest beers from micro breweries far and wide. It is a haven for members of CAMRA, (The Campaign for Real Ale) and has won many awards. I would hope that the developers of the new store could find a way to retain this excellent little pub. They twice moved the Shambles in Manchester, when the Arndale Centre was being developed, perhaps they can do it here. Only time will tell.

The road to Reddish, where we lived, was cobbled and after I passed my 11-plus exam and was sent to Mile End School, I had many a shaky ride on the old boneshaker buses. We had a bus pass and only paid 2d fare (old money) Thankfully, the council saw fit to tarmac the road, but the old cobbles are still there, under the tarmac, as are the old tramlines. But part of the route went along Merseyway, terminating at Mersey Square. Now imagine building a road, on stilts, over a river for about half a mile. People would think you were mad for proposing such a scheme, yet that was exactly what was done, back in the 1950s. I can think of nowhere else in the world where it has been done.

Nowadays, of course, people walk through the Precinct, without a thought that below them, some 10 metres down, is the River Mersey. But Merseyway is perhaps, one of Stockport's understated engineering achievements. Before it was made into the modern-day precinct, a footbridge connected from Prince's Street, across Merseyway and joined up to Underbank. From the bridge, you could look under Merseyway and see the river below. But one thing you noticed even before you saw it, was the smell of the heavily-polluted river. The river in those days was polluted by industrial effluent from the many factories and was a chemical cocktail. If you fell in it, you either drowned or were poisoned. The surface of the rivers was covered in foam. Thankfully, all three rivers, the Tame, Goyt and Mersey, have been cleaned up and there are fish in them. On occasion, I have even seen a kingfisher flying up and down the rivers and catching fish. I have even seen anglers fishing under the motorway bridge and have looked down to see trout. An encouraging sign that the effects of years of neglect can be reversed. I did have a link to the article which showed a view under Merseyway, but it has changed. If I find a picture I will put it here.

We are fortunate in Stockport, to have collections of old photographs, in both the Library Heritage and St Mary's Church Heritage. Some people have been kind enough to lend me photographs from their own collections, sometimes stored in a shoe box. Some are in a sorry state sometimes, but modern computer techniques make for easier restoration and I have spent many hours pasting over cracks. The results are wonderful. but of course, photographic records only go back so far and earlier images are either paintings or etchings.

A little while ago, on an outing to Altrincham, we were going round the charity shops, when I came across three framed etchings, of views of old Stockport. I was fascinated by them and with hindsight, I wish I had bought them, but it was the thought of toting them back on the bus which put me off and in any case, I was sure I had seen one particular view in a book somewhere. But this one scene in particular which caught my eye, was entitled 'Stockport from Reddish'.  The picture showed a view towards Stockport, from a vantage point, which I would put not far from my parents' house at Woodhall Road.

One recognisable feature in the centre of the picture, was Meadow Mill, easily nowadays the largest mill standing. I believe India mill was the largest, but it was demolished. (Someone recently told me that the Ring Mill was the biggest, I am open to suggestions!) What struck me though, was the size of the mills depicted around it, seemingly of equal stature. The foreground was an idillic pastoral scene and on the skyline, St Mary's Church in the marketplace, another recognisable feature. Nearby was depicted Stockport's castle, looking not unlike the great round tower at Windsor Castle and rather impressive looking. Of course, the castle dissappeared a long time ago and the area flattened to make way for a mill. Later, it became a cattle market. 

The picture got me wondering whether it was a true representation of the scene, or had it been exaggerated in some way. We have all heard of people who, for example, book a holiday from a brochure, only to arrive and find it a building site. A painter of the period, George Stubbs, painted livestock pictures for farmers who wanted to present their produce in the best light, so he used to paint them with exaggerrated features. The result was less a true representation, but more a caricature of the beast in question. I wonder if the picture I had seen was done in the same way, to impress the onlooker. 

The answer to the mystery of the picture I had seen depicting what I thought was a castle, has been kindly solved by Bill Hoad of Stockport Heritage Trust. By the time the picture was done, the castle itself had  long since been demolished. The building resembling a castle, was in fact the mill itself, the 'castellations' being added as a decorative effect. The mill was not a cornmill as I had originally thought, but was involved in the production of muslin. It was also unusual, because of its round or oval-shaped construction, which followed the shape of the original castle. Recent excavation of the site during construction of the 'courts' shopping centre, revealed a water wheel pit, with tunnels which would have brought the water from the river, then returning it when it had done its work. Many thanks to Bill for this information. If you care to look at the Stockport Heritage Trust web site, here is the link to it :- http://stockporttrust.blogspot.com/ 

Sadly, Bill Hoad passed away a while back. His contribution to the Heritage of our town has been invaluable and he will be remembered for that.

Certainly, if you look back at contemporary records of those times, there was much squalour and deprivation. People had few rights, disease was rife and life expectancy was poor. Added to that there were wars and civil wars and the slow transformation from a rural to an industrial based economy. Against this were the food riots and the opposition to the industrialists, with gangs of rioters (Luddites) going out smashing up looms, pursued by the military, with loss of life on both sides. A very different and very tough life indeed. For a more comprehensive explanation of life in those days, there are many web sites covering the period. One such link is further on in this article.

Much of the local history interest I have, is of a relatively recent era. The two books I have done, were about people who lived in the 20th century, talking about their experiences of living through those times. I would not call myself an expert, rather there are things which I find out about and certain things which warrant further investigation. Whitehill is a prime example of that and I will go into the reasons why later. Sometimes, certain other factors which tie in with what you already know, make a connection, like the French Revolution and the Duke of Wellington, for example and the Peterloo Massacre. What these events had to do with Whitehill will become clear as I explain them. To see how these events tie in, you have to look at the story of Whitehill, from its beginning.

Whitehill

For the past few years, I have been following a trail, which has led me from 'Newtown' to Edgeley and even to the U.S.A. I had not gone looking for that trail, rather certain circumstances have occurred, alongside information from people and coincidences, such as the house, mentioned by Percy Hawksworth in the manuscript he left.  The whole thing has centred around the old house 'Whitehill', which once stood at the end of Whitehill Allotments, but which is sadly no longer there.

Over the years, very little has been written about Reddish. One publication in particular stands out, ‘Reddish Remembered’, by John Condon. Written back in the 1980s, is an excellent source of information about the development of Reddish, but it is limited in its quality by the technology of the day. Nonetheless, it gives a fascinating insight into the growth of Reddish and the forces, which shaped its development. However, I have re-done it for large print, without regard for profit, as it is John's work and not my own, and it is for the people of Reddish who might be interested in our history.

Before the coming of the canal, Reddish did not exist as a coherent village, although there was a Reddish Hall and a Reddish Green. The author of Reddish Remembered, stated that before the coming of the canal, there were three places along the route, Sandfold, Reddish Green and Whitehill, which ultimately defined Reddish. The one which caught my attention, was Whitehill. Later, I was to discover more of the history of the place.

Going back some eighteen years, I had little more than a passing interest in history, let alone local history. What began the process was a collection of funny stories my father used to tell. Over the years, I gradually turned his stories into a book, along with stories from other people. The book was about the area, which came to be known as ‘Newtown’. However, none of the people I had spoken to could tell me how it got the name and for that reason, I looked to the historical records of the time. Much of the information came from the Heritage Section at Stockport Library, in particular, a map of 1848. 

In the course of writing up the book, I had read ‘Reddish Remembered’ and had acquired a map of the area in 1938, from Reddish Library. On it was shown the house, Whitehill, depicted as an isolation hospital. What I did not know at the time was the chequered history the house had had. Even then, my interest in it at the time was minimal, as I was dealing with the book.

One of my other interests was the growing of vegetables for the table. I had grown things like potatoes, cabbage and lettuce, at home, as we have a large garden, albeit with poor soil, mostly clay. A friend suggested taking on a plot at Whitehill Allotments and I took one over, several years ago. Alongside the development of the plot, was a growing interest in the historical aspect of the site and subsequently, the mansion house which once stood at the end of it, albeit, I believe, just beyond the perimeter fence which surrounds the site.

As any good gardener will tell you, one of the things which turns up most frequently, whilst digging the soil is the stem from a clay pipe, in fact they turn up in plenty. Of course they were the poor man’s smoking accessory, used by farm labourers, or owners of smallholdings. They were probably discarded after being used several times and ended up being ploughed into the soil. What turns up less often though, is the bowl from the pipe and although I have a collection of many stems, I have only found two bowls or parts of bowls.

Then there are pieces of pottery, no doubt thrown out after being broken and then further broken up into smaller pieces by cultivation. But these are pieces from someone’s once-proud china set, or tea service. These would be of interest to those who study pottery and the patterns would give a clue to their origins. Sometimes though, a piece of pottery turns up which leaves you in no doubt as to where it came from.

On occasion, our members at the allotment band together to do a bit of tidying of vacant plots and a general clean up of the site. Whilst attempting to remove a piece of metal on just such an occasion, I was digging around it and something unusual turned up. At the time, because it was a broken off piece, I did not know what it had been part of, but it was a piece of stoneware, with a brown glaze and more importantly, it had some identifying features on it, in the form of a logo. The logo comprised the letters GL, in stylised writing and underneath, the word Stockport. Here, I felt was a piece, which firmly identified with the town.

I was fascinated by the logo and wanted to find out more about it, so I called the Heritage section at Stockport Library, who informed me that it was the logo of a company called George Leigh, who were a family vintners, specialising in ale, porter and old Scotch whiskey and the premises had been situated on Underbank in the 1800s. I deduced by then that what I had found were parts of an old stone bottle. The top of it had turned up earlier on my own plot some 50 yards away from the bottom, although there is nothing to suggest that they were part of the same bottle. Nevertheless, I have a notion that they were and it is not unreasonable to suggest that the pieces were separated out in cultivation.

On further investigation, I took the pieces to the Heritage section in St. Mary’s Church in the market place, where I showed them to Alan Burgess. “Hang on a minute” he said and he disappeared upstairs in the church. Moments later, he reappeared with an entire version of what I had brought. But I felt elated at the time, because I had found a piece of something which had lain in the ground for over a century and which came from the Victorian era, albeit very broken.

Although the piece had no direct connection with the house, it did serve to show that there was another aspect to Whitehill Allotments other than the cultivation of vegetables for the table, namely an archaeological interest. I did not know at the time, but things were going to get even more interesting.

By now, I had begun to associate the allotment site with the house and I had the location of it on the map of 1938, but it was marked as ‘Stockport Isolation Hospital’. I had also acquired the map of the area from an earlier time, 1848 to be exact, as I was looking at the development of another feature nearby, called Coronation Mill, which I discovered had been built in 1847. The house was shown on the map, not as a hospital, but as ‘Whitehill’. So it was, at the time of the map, occupied. The feature shown on the map was virtually identical to the one I had seen in ‘Reddish Remembered’ and I wondered who actually owned it. In that book, the only thing that was mentioned was that the house had been built in the early 1800s, by the owner of a bleach works, but no name was mentioned.

I decided to try and find out who owned the house, or rather who had had it built and I spent some time at the Library Heritage, going through the records, but to no avail. No mention of Whitehill could be found, let alone anything to connect a name to it. The breakthrough came one day, when I was talking to another of the plot holders at the allotment. He introduced me to his mother, who herself was quite advanced in years. When I mentioned I was looking for the name of the owner of the house, she informed me that her grandfather had told her his name was ‘Sykes’. I had found my name, but I still wanted to find some written confirmation, but it was not to be.

A visit to the Heritage Library proved fruitless. There was plenty of information about the Sykes family and someone had written a book about them, albeit not formally published, but there was no information to connect any of them to Whitehill. On one such visit though, something of significance turned up. Spread on one of the tables, was a huge copy of a tithe map of 1848 and on it was the house Whitehill. However, on consulting the records which came with the map, which is the only one of its kind in existence from around that period, the house was shown to be in someone else's name.

On studying the map further, there, at one side of the house, was the railway embankment, but there was no track shown on it. So at the time of the map, the line was under construction and the route of it had severed the road which led to the house. Where the road joined on to Manchester Road, just opposite Denby Lane, there was a lodge shown. William Sykes, as it turns out, died in 1837, so the house must have been sold on.  A story was gradually unfolding and further information came to light, but the best was yet to come. 

By now I had found a picture of the house in the photographic archives of the Heritage Library. I was excited by this, because It was the first time I had seen it. There was also another view of it, taken from the nearby Whitehill tip, with the house in the distance. It would have been taken from the other side of the canal, which was out of view.

As you can see, this was a substantial mansion house, with a superb collonaded entrance in a classical style. By the time this photograph was taken, however, the house had acquired an annexe, which was constructed of timber, by all accounts. The annexe was probably used as a ward, when the house became a hospital.

Of course, no trace of the house remained after it was demolished. Even the exact location of it is not known, but it can be worked out by consulting the various maps which show it. Interestingly enough, those later maps do not show the allotment site. It was on the allotment that another interesting development took place, which was for me the 'icing on the cake', in my study of the house.

One day, a fellow plot holder and committee member, Ruth McKenna, shouted me over to her plot. "Come and see this" she said. What she had found, was a piece of stone and it lay, face down in the soil. When I turned it over, I was amazed at what I saw. It was a stone carving of a coat of arms, on what would originally have been the middle of it. The left hand end bore a floral motif, the other end being broken off. I knew then, that it must have come from the old house. I carried it off to my shed and began to remove the soil from it and generally cleaned it up.

The carving intrigued me. I had to find out whose coat of arms it was, so I used the internet to find an expert. It was then that my ignorance was exposed, for the reply came back, "This is easy this one, it's the Royal coat of arms!" The Royal coat of arms, for the uninitiated, comprises a lion rampant on the left and a unicorn on the right. In the centre is a shield motif, around which, on a banner, are the words : 'HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE'. These are known as the 'Order of the Garter'. The motif means 'Evil to him who evil thinks'.

But then I noticed something which intrigued me and you can see it on the image of the central part of it. Look at the letters around the garter and you can see that some of them have been rendered in reverse!

These are namely, the 'S' of the 'SOIT', the Q of 'QUI' and the 'N' and 'S' of the 'PENSE'. It set me thinking as to why it was.

When you look at the thing, it is a wonderful example of the stonemason's craft. The detail in it is very fine, not just on the shield, but the chain work has been rendered in such fine detail. So why then the apparent mistake in the letterwork? A close up of the floral motif gives a clue to the piece and the significance of it will become clear as the story of the Sykes family connection is revealed. Since writing this however, a friend of mine who happens to be a Mason, has told me that the 'mistakes' are an old Masonic tradition, but he was not at liberty to reveal the reason for it. Such is the secrecy surrounding Masonic society. I would imagine it is locked up in Masonic ritual. Reminds me of an old Arab saying, 'Only Allah makes things perfect'. Arab carpet makers always introduce a small mistake in their work, by all accounts, because of the saying !

The representations on the floral motif are the rose, thistle and shamrock. These are symbols of the union between England, Scotland and Ireland. The rose of England, the thistle of Scotland and the shamrock of Ireland. Of course all three came under the Union, the banner of 'Great Britain' and its flag was the Union Jack. 

As time went on, two more pieces turned up. One was in someone's shed, being used as a bench, the other, I found broken into three pieces, where someone had discarded them. But I still had no idea what they were and initially, I thought they had come from over the door of the entrance to the building. However, I realised that the main piece would have been too small and in any case, there was nothing in the picture that suggested where the pieces came from in the building.

I came to the conclusion, eventually, that they had been part of a fireplace. It seemed to fit. The main part was the top of it and the other pieces would have been at the side. Using computer trickery, I decided to see what the entire top piece would look like, if it were not broken.

I thought the find would be of local interest and would also show the importance of our allotment site as a place with some historical and archaeological interest alongside the horticulture. Whilst deliberating what to do with the piece, I decided it really belonged to the people of Stockport and should be in a museum. So I contacted Frank Galvin at the collections department at Woodbank Hall and arranged to meet, with a photographer from the Stockport Express. and below is a link to the article. Although the photograph shows me holding the piece, it is quite heavy and is actually balanced on my workmate! (not a person, a bench!)

http://www.stockportexpress.co.uk/news/s/204/204442_allotments_ancient_buried_treasure_fires_imagination.html

Sykes Reservoirs Notice board text

William Sykes came to Edgeley from Wakefield attracted by an advert in the Manchester Mercury of 27 November 1792.  It read:

An Eligible situation for Bleach Ground or Print Field in which there are a number of Fine White Sand Springs with a Rivulet capable of Turning Wash Wheels etc.  The Grounds lie very contiguous to the populous Manufacturing Town of Stockport where Bleachers and Printers are both much wanted and every encouragement will be given to a good tenant

William Sykes took the land, first renting, but later purchasing it, and built a bleach works. Cloth produced locally by handloom weavers from Edgeley, Stockport, Adswood, Cheadle and Cheadle Hulme was brought to the works for bleaching and then sold on to Manchester and London merchants.

The bleaching process involved repeated steeping of the cloth in natural alkaline solutions derived from ash, called ‘bucking’.  Then washing.  Then exposure in the fields to sun and air, called ‘grassing’ or ‘crofting’.  Followed by immersion in buttermilk, called ‘souring’.  Before finally being washed stretched and dried.  The whole process could take up to eight months.

Theft of cloth from a croft was an offence liable to capital punishment.  A watchman was employed to guard Sykes crofts at night.  He would discharge a gun at ten o’clock each night.

By 1804 new chemical methods had been introduced using calcium hypochlorite.  This eliminated the need for grassing the cloth in the fields.  But the new process and expanding production required more water than could be supplied by the rivulet and springs.  Wells were sunk, which by 1830 had quadrupled the water supply.  The supply was constant and did not even fail in dry summers.  The purity of the water was tested by the eminent Manchester chemist, John Dalton.  He recommended that it be stored in reservoirs and filtered before use, to reduce the carbonic acid and iron content.

The present system of reservoirs dates mostly from about 1850.  Water was pumped into the upper reservoir and then allowed to drain through a series of sluices and filter beds into the works.

The business was carried on by successive generations of the Sykes family: from William to Edmund to Richard and so on.  In 1892 it became a private company and in 1900 it was merged with the Bleachers Association.  However it continued to trade under the name of Sykes and Co.

By 1966 the bleach works employed 180 workers, producing typewriter ribbons, surgeons coats, pillow cottons and 118 types of cloths.  It closed in 1986.

Frank Galvin, May 1993

It is hard to imagine nowadays, with the surrounding urban sprawl, that the area around the bleachworks would have been quite rural in nature, the town having not yet grown to swamp it with dwellings, in fact on my map of 1848, there are few dwellings shown, although the works had its own branch line by then. Like many industrialists, they must have been quick to realise the benefits of the new railway system as it grew, enabling the transport of goods to the market place more quickly and to more and more destinations. So it made sense to have their own rail connection, right up to the works. The trackbed ran alongside the reservoirs to the works and here below, you can see the course of the old line, now overgrown with trees, which joined the main line at sidings near Booth Street. 

I have good reason to remember Booth Street. When I was a very young child, my parents lodged in a house there. One day, my dad took me to see the trains, down a path which led to the sidings. Someone had carelessly thrown aside some metal swarf. Being such a young child, I didn't know what it was and I went to pick it up. In doing so, the swarf slashed through my fingers and to this day, I carry a scar on the inside of my left forefinger and a smaller one on another. At the time I was about 2 years old, but I remember the incident vividly and my hand being immersed in a bowl of water. 

This section of the dead line, alongside the upper reservoir, is fenced off. It continues however, alongside the lower reservoirs, as a footpath, which on a sunny day, makes for a pleasant stroll. However, the peaceful idyll belies the fact that any location can aquire noteriety, for just recently, a poor woman was pulled from the lower reservoir and subsequently died in hospital. Foul play was suspected and a man was arrested. But I believe investigations are continuing at this moment in time. No doubt in times to come, the incident will go down in history, to be commented upon by future local historians. What happens today, becomes the stuff of future local history. (Am I making sense here ?)

At the other end, where the line joined the sidings, a footpath cuts through, passing the spot where the accident with my finger had taken place. I paused a while at the spot and reflected on the incident, which happened over 50 years ago.

By 1911, the expanding town had reached the grounds of Edgeley House, the Sykes' dwelling. Now re-named 'Fold House', the building is currently up for sale. If anyone is interested, the agent is 'Gasciogne Halman' and the contact number on the sign is (0161) 428 1118. The person I spoke to was called Wendy. (I don't get paid for this either!) I phoned them up in the vain hope that it might lead me to the Billy The Bullman Fresco, but to no avail.  I hope to find it perhaps, in the archives of the Heritage Library.

Nearby, where the works had stood, is a new housing estate, Sykes Meadow, so the name lives on. There is also an article in the Stockport & District Heritage Magazine, issue Vol.5 No.9 (Spring '04) Page 14, by one Ron Flanagan, who once lived in Fold House, by then divided up into different dwellings, each with its own postal address. Ron was actually born in the house in 1926, the same year as my dad and he describes memories of his time there. He also mentions the practice of the discharging of a gun by the night watchman and said that the practice continued well into the late 1960s. (Probably stopped by the noise abatement society !)

Incidentally, a picture of the works, as well as some information, can be seen (page 26) in a book by Bernard Hayes, entitled 'Once There Were Stacks Of Them'. (ISBN No. 0-9536743-9-8) The book is about, of all things, chimney stacks, some of which are no longer there, which once adorned the Stockport skyline. In it, the chimney at Sykes' works was said to have been the tallest in Stockport, at 302 ft. Fred would have loved that !

When the railway came to Stockport however, there was the problem of the valley, with the river Mersey at the bottom of it, which needed to be traversed. Many designs for bridges were proposed, but the one which finally won through, was the construction of a huge viaduct, spanning the valley. Although there are several books on the subject, in the Heritage Library, one thing which caught my eye, was a copy of an article, which could once be seen in the covered market, on the wall of The Coffee Pot cafe, (before the Hall was refurbished. The Coffee Pot has now gone) which is entitled "Dimensions of the Stockport Viaduct", which gave the statistics for the original viaduct, which of course, only had two tracks at the time. The text reads as follows :

Between Houldsworth Square and Sandy Lane, on the edge of the Vale were a number of large houses in their own grounds. Though many are no longer there, they gave their names to some of the roads. One of the oldest was Reddish Hall, home of the 'De Reddyshe' family. (There are sometimes variations in the spelling of the name) The hall is featured in 'Reddish Remembered' by John Condon and there is an engraving showing the building to be a half-timbered affair, which stood roughly where Reddish Vale School now stands. Coming south along Reddish Road, then called Reddish Lane, which was then a wide tree-lined boulevard, with open fields either side, set back from the road, with a drive up to the properties, 'South Cliff', which gave its name to Southcliff Road. The building probably became the club house of the golf course. 'Broomfield', where the primary school now stands at the end of Broomfield Road. 'Woodville' which gave its name to Woodville Grove. Then there were three in close proximity to one another, 'Spring Hill', 'Bella Vista', which became the Carousel pub, then next door, 'The Grange', now a nursing home but with the same name. Where the huts are of the Army and Air Cadets, just behind the fence, there are two old gate stumps, one bearing the word 'Willow' and the other 'Grove'. This was the location of the house, Willow Grove, which gave its name to the cemetery. Having mentioned these properties in an article in the Heritage magazine, I received an e-mail via the editor, Steve Cliffe, from Susan Gray, with information concerning the property. One of her relatives worked there in 1851. The census page shows three cottages and Willow House. The owner was Joseph Marsland, a coal merchant employing 18 labourers. The house was occupied by the Marsland family, of wife, 1 daughter and 3 sons plus 2 servants. Thanks to Susan for this information.  Further south was 'Wood Hall', which gave its name to Woodhall Road. Information has come to me from Gay Saunders regarding Wood Hall. Gay was asking if I had any information about it. Much of my information comes from reproductions of old maps, and is more to do with the location of the properties. I was able to send her part of a map of 1911, which had the hall on it and I will show it here.

 

The firm of Hames Harrison, have been brickmakers in Lancashire for four generations. The present firm had a brick-croft at Sandfold Lane from 1897 till January, 1919, when the clay having been exhausted, they took over the croft at Harcourt Street. The present plant is well equipped for the manufacture of housing bricks. (The Harcourt Street brickworks became Jackson's brickworks, it is now a modern housing estate with a large fishing pond in the middle, very popular with local anglers.)

Sadly, the building and others connected to it fell into dereliction, and there were calls to have them pulled down. At one point, there was a  fire, some believe to have been an act of arson, and the Tudor staircase was badly damaged. Thankfully, the decision was taken to refurbish the properties, and the old staircase was lovingly restored also, by craftsmen. The whole complex then became the Tourist Information Centre and visitors can go round on different floors and see the story of the development of the town, called the 'Stockport Story'. The old Tudor staircase can also be seen in another part of the building, and there is a commentry which can be taken round, in different languages.