Share |

Dig Archaeology Manchester Event 8th June 2017

Ashton Manor's Court Leet Chair Restored to the Borough

The chair was recently acquired at auction by Tameside Local History Forum and was on display at our annual Heritage Fair on Saturday at Albion Church.

Ashton-under-Lyne's Manorial court met twice a year until the 1870s and then once a year until it was dissolved in the 1950s. Here the Lord of the Manor's Steward would sit dispensing justice, mostly civil disputes between neighbours, but also petty criminal offences. This particular chair is nearly 200 years old and bears the Earl of Stamford's Crest.

Our Forum is now hoping for donations, however, small and to find a permanent site soon for it to remain on display to the public.

Gay Oliver - 3rd October 2011

Click here to download a copy of the newsletter with some background to the day and event

Recent Research Paper "Chemicals, Plastics, and the Sterling Group: a Chapter in the Recent Industrial History of Stalybridge".

It sets out the history of the Sterling Group of chemicals and plastics manufacturing operations that eventually occupied five of the derelict cotton mills in Stalybridge and Dukinfield. These manufacturing businesses were started in 1948 by an Austrian refugee, Rudy Sternberg, and at the their peak employed about 1000 people in Albion, Castle, Whitelands, Tower and Queen Mills, as well as the Globe and Phoenix Iron Works sites.

by Tom Craig

Now deposited in the Tameside Local Studies and Archives Centre at Ashton-under-Lyne.

Congratulations and Well Done to Everyone!!

Graveyard Inscriptions for
Stamford Street Methodist Church

The Chapel is currently being converted into apartments, but some time ago the gravestone inscriptions were recorded by members of the Family History Society of Cheshire and the transcripts turned up again fairly recently. Extra information has been added by members of Tameside Local History Forum and the results are downloadable here in PDF format. It may take a little while to download because it is a fairly large file.

Blue Plaque unveiled for Ronnie Hazelhurst

e-Tameside Awards Night
24th January 2008
With a James Bond Theme
This Year at Dukinfield Town Hall's Jubilee Hall
*****Runner Up in the Best Voluntary/Community Website*****
Click Here for Photos

The Forum picks up Green Flag Awards at Liverpool

Julie Fisher and head gardener Dave King, received a Green Flag award on behalf of Ryecroft Hall, Audenshaw. Jean Marlor and Frank Brown received a Heritage Plaque on behalf of Victoria Park, Denton. Christine Clough and Alan Pickles a Pennant on behalf of Gorse Hall, Stalybridge. The venue was BT Conference Centre in Liverpool, presented by Fiona Armstrong newscaster, journalist/writer.

Tameside Magistrates' Court Archives

Earlier this year Tameside Archives Library took delivery of the pre Tameside Magistrates' Court records. They were delighted to receive these, until a large van load of huge boxes arrived. Christine Clough offered the services of the Forum to help unpack and pre sort these records. She, with Harry Lever and Terry Harding, turned up every Wednesday morning until they were sorted into rough town and date order. The records are now sitting on the shelves in good order awaiting cataloguing.

Stamford Park Consultation

Tameside Council is putting together a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund to restore and improve Stamford Park and wanted to know what people thought.
The bid will fund the restoration of Stamford Park with the aims of:

conserving the heritage of the park
improving the facilities already within the park
increasing the range of people who use the park
improving the skills and knowledge of the people running the park.

The bid will be submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund in September 2007.
Earlier this year Tameside Local History Forum in conjunction with Tameside Council were in the park seeking your views and your ideas for improvements.
It was clear that there is great affection for Stamford Park across Tameside and strong support for improving the Park and its facilities.
There are now some exciting plans for the Park and we would now like to give you the opportunity to look at these. Please visit the Tameside MBC website where you can have a look at the plans and add your comments:
www.tameside.gov.uk/consultation/stamfordpark

The Odd Whim Public House

Formerly a Gatehouse to Ashton and built by the famous 19th Century Prophet John Wroe – was rescued from developers and demolition and subsequently gained listed building status. This important, historical building, which is unique to both Ashton and Tameside is now earmarked for full restoration. ( see below for progress)

Saved from the Ashes

A marble sculpture, reputed to have cost £2000, to the memory of John Whittaker (1776-1840) the founder of Higher Hurst, was in the Queens Road MNC Chapel in 1861. The sculptor J. H. Foley later created the Albert Memorial in London.

Following the closure of Queens Road Chapel in 1967/8 the sculpture was taken to Hurst Community Centre which was subsequently destroyed by fire in 2000.

This sculpture was recovered from the ashes in 20 pieces and it was sent to Liverpool to undergo restoration.

This important piece of local history, described by the art critic Pevsner as “An uncommonly fine, tender piece” will, upon restoration be exhibited at the Central Art Gallery on Old Street Ashton-under-Lyne.

These are both classic, recent examples of the achievements of the Local History Forum in the preservation of our rich Tameside heritage.