Gabrielle Ray grave to be restored

The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America are planning to restore the grave of Miss Gabrielle Ray, situated in Englefield Green Cemetery, Egham. Gabrielle was born in Stockport in 1883, the site marked by a blue plaque erected by the Gabrielle Ray Appreciation Society. She became the most photographed stage beauty of the Edwardian age.

For more information, please click on the following link: Gabrielle Ray memorial

The Summer 2014 Heritage Magazine is out Now.

The latest Stockport Heritage Magazine is in the shows NOW !!

With stories of-
Brewery Horses
New plaques for Stockport Canal
The Stockport to Stalybridge  rail service
Local motorcycling in the 1930s
Memories of wartime Heaton Norris
Thomas Web town maker
The Ashtons of Highfield
The Cheshire rising
A suffragette buried far from home -

and many more interesting titbits and letters.

Another Sad Event

Yesterday was the Funeral of another long standing Heritage Centre volunteer and Trust member.

Doreen Dethick was born in Oldham but spent most of her adult life in Stockport. She was a very active member of the Heritage Trust as well as supporting the Plaza Cinema group and could always be relied on to be there when needed.

Our sympathy goes out to her daughter Sharza at this sad time.

Chadkirk Festival 2014

 Another good turn out for the Chadkirk Festival.

There was lots to see and do and the weather made the day.

Don't miss it next year, always the last Sunday in July.

St Chad's Well Dressing 2014

Stockport 2014 Parade

Derek and Angie were in character as part of the 2014 Carnival Parade

Romiley School Re-enactment Day

On Thursday 10th July, the children of Romiley Primary School, walked from the site of their old school, to the present school on Sandy Lane, just as they had done 100 years ago.

Members of staff and pupils, dressed in period costumes, outside the old National School on Guywood Lane prior to the walk to new school on Sandy Lane.

The children and pupils arriving at their new school.

Graffiti on St. Mary's

 What can you say about people who do this to the oldest building in Stockport.


Not only the oldest but there is a possibility that these stones came from Stockport's Castle, which was out of use when the old church was built in the 14th century.

St. Mary's Throws a Birthday Bash

The Nave Cafe is just one year old this week and St. Mary's Church threw a birthday party for the young people from Pure Innovations.

There was plenty of food, drink and a musical cake, a guitarist, dancing and small gifts for the helpers.

Thank you St. Mary's for a nice evening. 

Unveiling of Stockport Canal Plaques

Wednesday May 28^th saw the unveiling of two plaques marking the line of the Stockport Branch of the Manchester and Ashton-Under-Lyne Canal, known locally as the ‘Lanky Cut’. The first at 2pm was at the side of Nelstrop’s flour mill, Albion Mill at the top of Lancashire Hill. The second at 2.30 was at North Reddish Park Community Centre. The plaques were unveiled by the Mayor of Stockport, Councillor Chris Murphy and his wife Dot and in attendance was Peter Scott of the Manchester & Stockport Canal Society and other dignitaries.

Also present at Albion Mill was one of the directors of the mill.

Unlike the blue plaques around Stockport which are round, the two unveiled are green and oblong in appearance.

Plaque at Albion Mill

The canal was an important trading route into Stockport and its terminus was at the top of Lancashire Hill beyond the mill, where there was a coal wharf and other businesses. Unfortunately it fell into disuse and like so many other canals it became derelict and in 1971 it was filled in.

Over the years the potential for use of the canals for leisure purposes was realised and many were restored by engineers and enthusiasts alike. Most notably locally is the Peak Forest Canal and the branch from Marple to Macclesfield. More recently the Huddersfield and the Rochdale Canals were restored to navigation and along with the Cheshire Ring opening up new routes popular with narrow boat owners with the potential for going further afield all over the country, and the canals are popular with other users such as walkers, cyclists and anglers alike. Unfortunately this popularity came too late for the ‘Lanky Cut’ and what could have been a useful amenity for local people was lost and largely built over in places. The Huddersfield Canal had been built over where it went through Stalybridge and there was a proposal to divert the route via the River Tame and rejoin the original route further along. This was rejected however, and buildings on the original route were demolished. Where the Rochdale went through Failsworth a CO-OP supermarket built over the canal was demolished and rebuilt and the canal and a new basin constructed.

The aim of the Manchester and Stockport Canal Society is to bring back the canal which should never have been lost, and you can look at the society’s web site by typing in Stockport Canal in the address bar of the computer. Anyone can also become a member of the society and receive news about forthcoming events and activities.  Someone once called them a ‘bunch of dreamers’. Looking at the Huddersfield and Rochdale canals shows what can be done if we dare to dream. However, bringing the Stockport Canal back may be a nightmare for some along its route!

Heaton Moor Window

P. Blagg Ltd. of Heaton Moor Road have been selling

hardware to the area for the last 110 years.

Angela Kenrick has dressed their window on behalf of the Heritage Trust, with a number of vintage items which are bound to stir up the memories of the older population.

Sad News

Jim Clare, Chairman of the Heritage Trust, Town Crier and everyone's friend, passed away in the early hours of Thursday 22nd May, at his home in Woodsmoor.

He was a man with a large voice and an even larger personality.

He will be sadly missed by all who knew him and our sympathy goes out to his wife and family.

Hawk Green Festival

A May festival on The Green has been revived by Hawk Green Residents Association recalling festivals of long ago. 

A king and queen presided over stalls, vintage vehicles and maypole dancing by the brownies. The Green has a long tradition of serving the outlying district of Hawk Green near Marple and was levelled with cinders from Goyt Mill for use as a cricket field in the 1930s. Before that it was common land where horses, sheep and cattle could be grazed by nearby cottagers.

The organisers turned up in costume reflecting a WW1 theme and the sun honoured the day.

Unveiling Blue Plaques in Reddish

On May 28th at 2pm, a new Blue Plaque will be unveiled at Nelstrop's Mill at the top of Lancashire Hill.

At 2.30pm on the same day another Blue Plaque will be unveiled in North Reddish Park to commemorate the site of Stockport's Canal.

Spring Issue Heritage Magazine

The Spring issue of the Stockport Heritage Magazine is out now !!

Packed full of interesting articles and news about Stockport's Heritage - 

Uncertain future for our pubs.

Bramall Hall.

The name's the same.

Trams and Tripe.

Songs and games of a bygone era.

Woodbank Hall survey

Potatoes will grow in anything.

A companion for Cobden?

King Cotton is dead.

Romiley Primary School's first 100 years.

Walks from Cheadle Hulme.

Iron furnaces and forges.

Also letters, updates about our buildings at risk and news from the Stockport Heritage Trust.
The cover price of the magazine has gone up to £2.80,after 7 years of being the same price, but there are less adverts and more colour pages.

Stockport First World War exhibits

Stockport Heritage Centre in St. Mary's Church now has items from the First World War on display - focusing on local people. We're also keen to collect your family history accounts of First World War experiences for our archive. Free entry - all welcome! Open Tuesday, Friday & Saturday 10.30-3.30 and Thursdays 10-2pm.

Romiley, The Great War Remembered

"A group known as ROMILEY REMEMBERS would love to hear from anyone who had  family living in the Romiley, Bredbury or Woodley area during the First World War. We would like them to share memories of these people with the group, so that we can commemorate the areas life in the 1914 -1918 War.

We plan to publish a book, with a trail, remembering all the local Soldiers, Navy and Airmen, who died fighting for their country in the conflict.

Please Contact Angie Clark at clark.theateam69@btinternet.com.

Thank you.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Stockport Heritage Trust and all the volunteers at the St. Mary's Heritage Centre, would like to wish everyone a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Christmas Presents

The Heritage Centre shop in St. Mary's Church has the widest selection of local history books in Stockport.

They range from our £2 series of which there are now 38 titles, to Peter Arrowsmith's ultimate history of Stockport for only £10, and many in between, all wonderful gifts.

We are open Tue, Thur, Fri & Sat 10.30 - 3.30pm right up to Christmas Eve.

Another One Bites the Dust

Another of Stockport's old buildings is no more.

As I understand the situation, this was a very unusual shop front as it had a first floor display window and this is why it has never been re-developed. I am only aware of one other in Stockport now.

I ask myself, "is it sometimes better to compromise on heritage rather than loose it all together".

St. Wilfrid's Day Fair

The weather may have put off the early risers but they made up for it in the afternoon.

With entertainments, story time, raffles and lots to see and do the St. Wilfrid's Day Fair got off to a good start in 2013 and we hope to make it grow each year.

The gurning competition in Stockport's dungeon was organised by Stockport Heritage Trust.

In spite of the quality of the entrants, Sean Downs had no trouble deciding who the two winner's should be.

Tony Marsh won the adult prize, a meal for two in the Arden Arms and Kayley Ebbrell won the children's, a £10 voucher for the Candy Shack sweet stall in the market.

Well done to Jo Lovell and her team for organising this great event.

Foodie Friday

Its a great way to kick off your Friday night before heading on to your favourite hostelry or just going for a bite to eat and a sneaky beer after a hard day at 'the office'. Foodie Friday will continue to be a regular event on the last Friday of every month and the beers and food will change accordingly over the seasons

Heritage Open Days 2013

This year's Heritage Open Day saw the centre of Stockport as one large venue, with 10 heritage sites and eleven retailers all taking part and offering something new, free or different, to the many, many visitors that came.

 Around 500 people came to see Stockport's Dungeon, there was also a guided tours under the Produce Hall, viewing of the old and unusual clock mechanism at Winter's.

Raffles at Mr. Simms and Celebration Cakes were  on offer, as well as free samples of beer at Robinson's and Victorian cordials in the Market Hall.

Our Fred Dibnah look-alike (Mike Kearon) gave the history of the Market Hall and the NatWest bank opened it's doors to a positive flood of visitor wishing to see two unique and amazing fireplaces.

 Our own Tony Marsh gave tours of St. Mary's Church and graveyard.

Ladies enjoyed Edwardian style sherry and cake at the Three Shires and everyone seemed to have a great time.