In February, on a bright and chilly day, a coach took three dozen or so members to Rochdale. Not only to view the magnificent Town Hall, but to tour the refurbished Co-Op museum on Toad Lane,where the Co-Operative was born. In September this year, as the curtain raiser for the season, we are to enjoy a talk 'More than a shop, the story of the Co-Op' by Gillian Lonergan , the Head Archivist of the Co-Op. In 1844 Rochdale Pioneers Society was established, starting a period of phenomenal co-operative growth. Based on their eight 'Rochdale rules', including distributing a share of profits according to purchases that came to be known as 'the divi'.

In October Keith Warrender will bring us the story of the occasion when Bowden Bridge Quarry, Hayfield, saw the start of a mass trespass, that marked the start of the campaign for freer access to the countryside, that culminated in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. 400 people participated in the trespass onto Kinder Scout,  the highest terrain in the Peak District. As the trespassers scrambled towards the Kinder Plateau, they came face to face with the Duke of Devonshire's gamekeepers. Scuffles ensued, resulting in five Manchester men being jailed including, leader Benny Rothman.

Why an early photo of the Iron Bridge, Brabyns Park, to illustrate a talk on Mather & Platt? The Bridge, Grade II listed, is one of the very few cast iron bridges that survive from the period it was built, 1813,and the connection between this Bridge and Mather & Platt? The Bridge was built by Salford Ironworks, which later evolved into Mather & Platt. Ken Bishop will visit, to lecture on the history of the company. Which became international, but is best known, locally for its factory in Newton Heath, Manchester. The Park Works site,on a site measuring 50 acres alongside, and with direct access to, the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was developed from 1900. Just over a century later, in 2005, Mather & Platt became part of Willow Pumps, Germany

December brings the Christmas party and a talk by Warwick Burton, on the seasonal subject, the story of St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas was born in Patara, at the time in Greek territory, now on Southern coast of Turkey, in the third century. This meeting is for members only, tickets  £2,and must be bought prior to the evening.  A ‘bring and share’ event, members bringing either a sweet or savoury course. Alcohol is not allowed in the hall. Warwick Burton is well known locally for his knowledge of the railways of Marple, an interest which his father, Monty shared. Warwick’s book ‘Railways of Marple & District from 1794,  online at Marple Railways.

St. Kilda, an enigmatic name. An archipelago of five islands, lying 40 miles west of Benbecuala, outer Hebrides, whose remaining population were evacuated, on an August day in 1930. Even in late 19th century the islanders could communicate with the rest of the world only by lighting a bonfire on the summit of Conachair, ('the beacon')  the highest point, and hoping a passing ship might see it, or by using the "St Kilda mailboat". A daily ‘Parliament’ meeting, was held every day after prayers, attended by all the adult men. The population survived by catching seabirds for food, feathers and oil, farming crops and raising livestock.St Kilda became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. Donald Reid, President of the Society, will give us an insight into the history of this iconic island.

In February we shall escape the wilds the Atlantic Ocean and St. Kilda, and travel to the green fields and streams, of Mill Brow, where, by the nineteenth century, four cotton mills graced the valley The area which had been part of the royal hunting grounds of the Peak Forest in medieval times, developed with agricultural activity, served by Ludworth Corn Mill, in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. The local farms, Hollywood End and Pear Tree Farm date at least from the seventeenth century. In February Ann Hearle & Anne O’Mara will give us an insight into the history of the valley, a valley filled with Primrose, Clough, Hollywood Head and Holly Vale Mills located on Mill Brook.

March will see the Society take to water, as we learn of the history and development of Peak Forest Canal from Grahame Boyes. For much of its length, the canal runs alongside the River Goyt. Both the canal and the river are havens for plants and wildlife The Peak Forest Canal boasts two Scheduled Ancient Monuments in its 15-mile length – the grand, three-arch Marple Aqueduct and the historic Bugsworth Basin. Bugsworth Basin is the end of the canal, where it once connected with a horse-drawn tramway that carried gritstone, limestone and burnt lime to be loaded at Bugsworth for onward carriage to Manchester, the North West and Midlands.

Bill Mellor is the latest member of a long established local farming family to run Higher Farm on Threaphurst Lane in Hazel Grove. After reading animal husbandry at university he began working with his father and subsequently took over the farm which he now runs single handed. He has a herd of pedigree Simmental beef cattle and a flock of pedigree sheep. Bill sells all his meat direct from the farm to local clients, or to selected local butchers. He is a prominent member of the National Farmers Union and promotes their 'Back British Farming Campaign'.

Bill will review the way in which British farming has changed during the time his family has run the farm, and about how things are done today on a local farm.

Wooden roller on Brabyns Brow changeover bridge

In the last newsletter in May our look at local heritage followed the Marple Locks from the aqueduct, up eight of the locks but stopped just before the ninth lock at Station Road. This was not accidental, there were several reasons for this. It is a natural break point, roughly half way up the flight of locks; there had already been a lot of points of interest to see and to absorb; most of all, we were prevented from following on up the locks because of major repair work being carried out at Lock 11. The walls of the lock had begun to bulge inwards and when you are sailing a narrowboat built to specific dimensions to go through these locks, that could cause a problem.

 The work looked as though it would go on forever. The contractors, Keir, blocked off the canal and took over a sizeable chunk of Memorial Park as well. Just how much space did they need? However, all’s well that ends well. The lock has been repaired; Keir has left; and the park has been beautifully restored.

 It seems appropriate to explore the rest of the locks and we have a detailed description of the Upper Eight in the “Our Local Heritage” section of the website. However, as a “taster” we could look at some of the points of interest at Lock 9.

 This bridge at the start of Brabyns Brow is a changeover bridge - a point where the towpath changes from one side of the canal to the other. If you haven’t noticed it before, the wooden roller mounted on the wall prevented the tow rope from abrading on the stonework. The deep grooves on the roller show that it did its job effectively.

Just above the lock, opposite the towpath, is a small brick shed. (above) This was the control shed for diverting water from the canal to the railway. The steam engines which passed through Marple 60 years after the canal was built needed large quantities of water to create their steam. They would fill up from the large tank at the station which, in turn, would be filled by water from the canal. The foundations of the tank can still be seen above Platform One. However, water was a precious commodity and the canal company charged the railway for this supply, even though they were both owned by the parent company. The brick shed contained the valves and meters which controlled this supply. Until a few years ago the shed had an open door but the health and safety guardians have bricked it up completely though, to be fair, they have made a very neat job.

Just beyond the brick shed is a cast iron post, about one metre high but firmly fixed into the ground with a base plate. (left) Have a look at it and, if you can’t work out what it was or why it was there, go to our website. There you will find the answer plus much more of an intriguing historical walk up the flight of locks. Enjoy the journey!

Neil Mullineux, August 2019

September 2007 Girl Power – Manchester Style

Jean Bailo

October 2007 Ellen Turner – Local Girl in National Scandal

Kate Atkinson

November 2007 Life in Longdendale

David Frith

December 2007 Christmas Party The lighter side of Local History

Jack Turnbull

January 2008 Underground Stockport

Kevin Dranfield

February 2008 The John Rylands Library and its collections

Dawn Yates

March 2008 10,000 years in Mellor

Ann Hearle

April 2008 AGM – followed by: Fire in the Summit Tunnel

Donald Reid

July 2008 Cheese & Wine Evening

at the Old Vicarage, Mellor

September 2008 Modern Day Adventures of Joseph Watson

In the footsteps of Lyme Park’s gamekeeper - Emily Orford

October 2008 Millennium Walkway in the Torrs

Derek Brumhead

November 2008 Marple 300 Million Years Ago

Dr Fred Broadhurst

December 2008 Christmas Party – Members only

“What and Where in Marple” - Photo Quiz - David Burridge

January 2009 Styal Country Park

John Hill-Watson

February 2009 Who’s Been Living in my house?

Ruth Hargreaves

March 2009 History of Railways in Marple

Warwick Burton

April 2009 AGM – followed by: A Present from Marple

Ann Hearle

July 2009 Cheese & Wine Evening

at the Old Vicarage, Mellor

September 2009 Joseph Paxton – the busiest man in England

Danny Wells

October 2009 Victorian Railway Architecture

Robin Bluhm

November 2009 The Carver Theatre

Trevor Jones

December 2009 Christmas Party – (Members only)

Marple Photo Quiz, Part II - David Burridge

January 2010 Political Violence in New Mills in the 1830s

Ron Weston

February 2010 Canals of Marple

Ian Moss

March Memories of Marple Bridge

Peter Corcoran

April 2010 AGM – followed by:Excavations in Mellor

Peter Noble

July 2010 Cheese & Wine Evening

at the Old Vicarage, Mellor