Many people are missing our monthly meetings but hopefully
we will be able to resume our programme before too long. In the meantime, we
are making daily posts to our social media accounts and regular additions to
our website.
Please keep in touch with our activities by following the regular posts to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/furnesshistory/ our website: https://furnesshistory.blogspot.com/ and our Twitter account https://twitter.com/furnesshistory
We always welcome contributions to our publications. Just write to furnesshistory@gmail.com.
Chapel-en-le-Frith Takes Aim
Recently published is this new title from Liz McCormick of Chapel-en-le-Frith. The book tells the story of Military volunteering in the district of Chapel-en-le-Frith from the establishment of the Rifle Volunteers in the late 1850s through to the Home Guard of WWII. Physical features such as the Drill Hall and the Target Wall are described in detail. The subject has been extensively and carefully researched and features many illustrations and maps.
Price £10 from reading Matters in Chapel and 34 Yeardsley Lane, Furness Vale.
A Kindle edition is
available from Amazon, price £5.
The author has most generously shared the proceeds from book sales between the Royal British Legion and the History Society for which we are enormously grateful. Please support this excellent publication
The book includes references to the former rifle range at Longside on Whaley Moor. This little
known feature was on the land below the Dipping Stone and although out of use
for more than 100 years, its course can still be distinguished.
Looking Down
An aerial view of the village from June 2016. Yeardsley Lane runs down the centre ofthis photograph and Yeardsley Hall is seen in the right foreground. This is already an historic image for the football field, then in preparation has since been completed.
Photograph courtesy of Keith Webster.
Our Earliest History
Kiln Knoll
High up on the hillside between Broadhey Farm and Redmoor Farm is a double mound known as Kiln Knoll. It straddles the county boundary and a footpath passes nearby.
The first Ordnance Survey maps were published in 1838 and on this edition Kiln Knoll is marked as a barrow.
Barrows are found throughout Britain and usually date from the Bronze Age, between 2200BC and 1100BC. More than 10,000 examples survive. These were burial places and often contained a stone chamber beneath a mound of earth. They might contain either a single or multiple grave and would often be re-opened for subsequent burials.
The mounds on Kiln Knoll have been hollowed out; it is suggested that this is the result of raiding for stone or treasure.
Both Derbyshire Heritage Gateway and the Modern Antiquarian websites acknowledge Kiln Knoll as a barrow. Historic England, on the other hand suggest that this may be either a post medieval lime kiln or quarry (1500 - 1750AD)
Lime kilns were common throughout Britain, the earliest examples being from the Roman period. Lime was burned to produce mortar for building or fertiliser for agriculture. The stone would have to have been carried by cart or pack horse from the Dove Holes or Peak Forest area including a long climb up from Whaley Bridge
The name of the site suggests that the lime kiln theory
might be accurate but without an archaeological survey, the origins of this
monument will remain a mystery.
A lime kiln did exist in the village in the 19th
century, at the site of the brickyard.
The Pearsons of Furness Vale
When Mr Bernard Pearson hired a barrel organ in Ancoats in order to raise money for the Whaley Bridge Comforts fund, he was rather surprised that the hirer did not ask for his name and address. But after dragging the instrument up and down every road in Whaley Bridge he says he knows why ! No one who has had to do such an arduous job would want to keep the thing a moment longer than was necessary, he says, and it was with heartfelt relief that he restored the instrument to its owner.
Still, as we reported last week, the experiment was a great success. Mr.Pearson doubted if it would raise even £20 for the fund, instead of which it raised more than £54. And the fun and gaiety it engendered made it even more worthwhile.
The fun began when the barrel organ travelled by guard's van to Whaley Bridge. Mr. Pearson and his friends had never handled a street organ before, so they practiced on the journey, to the delight of the guard and mystification of some of the passengers.
Some of Whaley Bridge's most sedate citizens seemed prepared to pay large sums for the privilege of "having a go" on it, and by Friday, Mr. Pearson had become so expert that several people refused to contribute at first because they thought the organ was being managed by real gypsies.
Bernard and his
wife, Annie, were at this time living in Whaley Bridge at Brookfield House on
Reservoir Road. Bernard had been appointed organist at Furness Vale Methodist
Chapel in 1916, a post that he held until 1953. His father William worked at Furness Printworks and was
Superintendent of the Sunday School.
Their home was at 1 Yeardsley Lane.
Mr and Mrs William
Pearson and their sons Bernard and Lister stand at the door of their home, 1
Yeardsley Lane
Another member of the family, James Pearson, had been the village butcher. The shop which was established in 1850, was at 148 Buxton Road; underneath, in the cellar, was the slaughterhouse. He was succeeded by his son, also called James who continued in business until at least 1914.
Reuben Wharmby Part 3
Reuben was born in 1914 and lived
at the shop which his mother ran in Canal Row / Furness Row. The shop was in
the middle of the row, probably at number 7.
The shop moved in the mid 1920s, to the house by the canal bridge, the
former Jolly Sailor / Traveller’s Call beerhouse.
In the 1990s, the Imperial War
Museum recorded an interview with Reuben. The interviewer was Bob Watkins and
the story includes comments from Reuben's wife, Alice. This is the account of
Reuben’s early life in Furness Vale, his marriage in 1937, his call up in 1940
and his army service. The interview is 2 hours long and the complete transcript
is available to read on our website. The final part will appear in our April Newsletter. In this third part, Rheuben tells of his
role in the invasion of France.
The interviewer’s contribution is
in italics
This episode begins where Rheuben has just gone ashore from the landing craft aboard his armoured carrier..
You see, as soon as they stopped, gun crews jump out and unhook gun and then they had to do it... but I didn't let em manhandle it. I used to tell the Sergeant... Goidman, "Show me you want gun", I said "just do that" So I used to circle round and put gun where he'd showed me. Now others used to let them unhook it and manhandle it in position but I did it wi' Carrier.
Which made more sense really didn't it to do it that way? It was just as easy to turn round once he'd shown you there, that were it.
It was pointing in the direction of where he wanted it to go. Between them lines
What was your first impressions of getting over there and your first thoughts when you got there Reuben? Well, I mean, everybody was trigger happy because nobody knew what were happening did they? That were Boardman what said he would put me on a charge because I wouldn't shoot at them Germans running across, you know.
When was this? It were soon on. There was some Germans running along the wall, they were making for a....a wood. And sergeant put his gun up and it wouldn't work, so he said "Wharmby, shoot them". I said "no, if I shoot em, they'll only shoot back. He said "You're on a charge. You're on a charge in t'morning". I said "And you're on a charge and all, your gun's not working"
This was the sergeant and you told him, he's on a charge as well? Yes, because he were in trouble, his gun always had to be working. I said "You're on a bigger charge because his gun no..."
So did you ever hear any more about that? No, well, he couldn’t do could he? And that bloke pinched all t’things out o’ t’church. You know these things with gold sewing on? And he got wounded and as he were carrying em away. He weren’t wounded bad. Carrying em away he said “Look after me loot Wharmby” So first church thatI come to, I took em all in there, put em back in church
Put them back in ? They were them cloths with all gold writing on. Gold cotton yes.
Let’s just go back to those first positions where you were, where you put your guns and so on. Was there any action around there? Oh aye, yes, they were always shelling but it were funny, you got used to em. When they were going, you knew they were going over, you know, you could tell by the sound as they weren’t landing here, so you got that used to em. Now I used to like being at front ‘cause when you were in HQ. I used to come up with rations, I got moved to HQ for some reason, not long. When I used to come with ration, I’d give em t’ration and they’d start shelling. Now all these blokes had dug a trench, and they were all in t’trench, but they hadn’t dug a trench for t’visitors
No, that’s right So I used to go in the Carrier
So you were exposed, if you were there, you were exposed weren’t you? Yes
So you didn’t have anywhere to get into? No, they’d got in their own. So I was glad when I were moved back to t’gun
It sounds as if you mentioned you get used to this firing where the sound is. You do
You seemed to get used to it very quickly. Yes, you do. Our shells, you can hear the coming over and you can tell. Now you knew some were dropping short because one once dropped short and killed a lot of B Company. You know.
Have you any ideas where this was Reuben, at that time and what part of France you were in? Well, it were early on weren’t it? Where did we go?
Can you remember the name of the place that you landed at? No. Marseilles. Did we go through Marseilles?
No. Did you see Mulberry Harbour at all? Mulberry Harbour as you were coming in? No
No, you didn’t see that, O K. The book said you landed at Ferlaix Courseulles. Courseulles or something like that . And then you went to an area just west of Caen. I know it was one of your first positions And then how far is Antwerp off?
Ooh, You’re a long way from Antwerp. This is the early part of the War, You’ve only just got there I know that Manderly never stops along the road on t’move
Now you’ve just got there probably now about the end of June and you’re just going through, you’re going south of Normandy. Are there any other incidents around that time? Yes, I remember there were always a lot of tanks stuck and there were one stuck on a bridge. And they had to push it off. Well, them, they had crew couldn’t get out because they pushed it off and it dropped down with turret in t’water. It weren’t so deep but enough to cover turret. Now, you see, nobody could do anything about it , they were just shoving it out o’ t’way.
And that was the early part of the war? Just after you got there? You see,there are places around there. If I could give you names they might jog your memory. There was a hill there that was known as Hill... Hill 122, Hill 122, 112, 112
Which was around that area? And we had a trench there what we had to stop anybody going in. There were two officers killed. And Germans had a gun set on that trench. And two officers who were visitors, they jumped in there and Germans fired and killed one and another come, killed him. I’m not sure if there weren’t three officers killed so they banned that trench.
Oh, in the same trench. Yes, They must have had a gun lined up on it
And that was, you can remember that happened near this hill, Hill 112? Yes, that was at Hill 112
On the Hill 112? There were other places there. There were chateaus, one or two chateaus around Yes, a chateau. They used one of them for a HQ, that chateau. Upstairs there were boxes and boxes of brand new pots what had never been opened. All good pottery, you know. Dozen minerals of the boxes.
This was in France? Yes. They were up in t’attic
O K . Then from that sort of general area. Can you remember moving on anywhere from that general area So in Holland. Is it Holland
You’re in France now Ah, but where do we go next
Well, from here you go up into Belgium, Holland Holland, I remember that because that were. We were at a farm there and I’ve never been as embarrassed in my life. And there were a stall with pigs in. And last stall was a toilet, just a bucket and an earth toilet. And daughter, she must have wanted to go and she come and lean on pig sty while I were on toilet. Ooh. I never felt so rough in my life
I’m trying to remind you of some of the places in France that you were in because Holland all comes later on and whether you got any that you can remember the places in France. At this time you were moving down towards a place called Falaise. Falaise Gap, I remember that. There was two big banks up. We went up this road here and there was two big banks as high as window and there was horses on there with carts. Dead. They’d been shot and fell over. And talk about smell. And all t’way up there was this horrible smell of horses. I remember that. And we were going up there and what a relief when we got to the end of it because it were all t’way up.
And you were driving a Carden Loyd. So how did you drive your Carden Loyd through all this? They were on t’grass. You see there were a big grass flat before it rose up, so they were on this flat part where they rolled over on t’flat. Each side there was a flat at bottom of hill, you know, so they were on that
And Falaise, that was thought to be round the second or third week in August something like that. And then, I know, the best way probably , is to remind you of places that you went to and you might then be able to remember what you were doing in those places. When you went to Falaise, you started then moving towards Holland. The first big place you came to. I don’t know if you remember going over the River Seine or the River Somme Yes. Weren’t it a Bailey bridge? I think it was because I’ve got an envelope full of suggestions what I put in at Turners. I used to get paid for suggestion and a bloke invented these. An engineer, and they were great big heavy rollers and I said there were more metal here than what there was on t’Bailey bridges. And it said Bailey bridges on ‘t. Everybody called it Bailey Bridge after. Because I said there were more metal in it than there were on t’Bailey Bridge.
But you do remember going over the Somme? Yes. Boats all fastened together
The Bailey bridge. And they had those on the Somme and Seine, you say? Yes, I think them were on the Seine, yes. It were a wide river. There was all these boats together.
At this stage you are moving on up towards…. You mentioned Antwerp earlier. Does that mean you can remember what was happening around Antwerp? Yes. Didn’t they flood it. Didn’t Germans flood it.
Well, they may have done I think they flooded Antwerp, one part of it. They bursted a dam somewhere and flooded one part of Antwerp.
In the dock area wasn’t it? One part were flooded. I remember them saying they flooded one part of Antwerp.
Is there much in the way of action that you can recall at this time? Oh aye. Oh aye. There was shelling all t’time. It didn’t stop so often. I remember one night, I dont know where we were, but it were shelling all day and all night. Shelling and shelling. And er, ooh it were terrible. All night it were going on and you could hear em going past you know That were us firing. But that were best thing I ever saw in t’army where me and Fergie had to go up that road. There were a river; now I don’t know which river that was and Scottish Regiment wanted to cross and they couldn’t cross because Germans were there and they couldn’t cross. Now what we did; me and Fergie were detailed to go up this road in bottom gear and we used to go up , and he’d come down and I’d go up and he’d come down. And we did that from about 6 o’clock until 6 next morning. Just me and him, up and down. I’ve got a paper. I’ve been looking for it somewhere. And just as I’d turned round and were coming back on me last trip, they started shelling that area. Ooh, they didn’t half bomb it and what they thought that was the only thing as I say, what worked in t’army. Germans must have thought as there were a lot of armoured vehicles being moved up ‘cause we were in bottom gear and they made a lot of noise in bottom gear and I mean with going up and down, up and down all night. So they thought as we’d got a lot of armoured vehicles and when I turned round; ooh, that area, they didn’t half shell it. But with them moving all that up, these Scotch men got across.
Yes. What time of year was that. What was the weather like? We’ll try and find out where it was. Yea, I know it was a. I wonder where it was. Time of year I know were eves. But I know it were only me and Fergie did it.
Can you remember whether it was Summer time or Winter time or? Well, it must have been more Winter because I think we started at 6 o’clock at night when it were dark, and we were doing it till next morning
So. Was there snow on the ground? No. It were funny where’s that area where we’d been; they didn’t half shell that, and that was the only thing I saw what worked
You see, you were around in November you were around the Maas, the River Maas. Yes, I wonder if it were Maas. I know that and we couldn’t see river from where we were. I think it were area or something just behind hill. Anyway Regiment got across. I had a paper somewhere about me and Fergie during that
We left this at Antwerp. Antwerp is September at this stage when you were up in Antwerp. Apart from it being flooded, is there anything else you can remember about Antwerp. Or what was happening then? No
That’s early September Me and me laddo, Fergie, when they was sleeping in Carriers and what not, we always managed to get in somebody’s house and they used to make us very welcome. It were very rare when we roughed it. We thought we could get. We could charm birds out of trees.
Fergie. Because we can’t talk too loud can we because Alice is outside. And, she were called, er, Martini. There’s a drink called Martini isn’t it? She said you’ll always remember my name, like the drink, my name Martini. O K Martini.
I think the best way is if I mention some names to you, and some places, in order of sequence of where you were going because the name might remember them. Antwerp it was September then about the middle of September, Arnhem happened and the First East Lancashire Regiment. Was that Arnhem where they brought some Yanks and we had t’go? We had to go and relieve em?
No. I’ll tell you what Arnhem was. Arnhem was where they dropped the parachutes on the bridges. Oh. We stood watching them. Hundreds were coming down, we say them. What’s that other place were they go through Yanks and they sent us.
That’s Ardennes Ardennes
I’ll remind you of places as they go in logical sequence at times. So in September it was Arnhem and you said you remember these... Parachute dropping, yes
Anything else you remember about then Aye, and we saw them being shot and all as they come down
Were these American parachutists I don’t know, they were in t’distance. You know. We could stand and watch them and you could see when they were shot. You know it started it started going all over t’place.
Anything else around that time? Well, from that area in September, that’s about the third week in September, a bit later on towards the end of October, you were in a town called ‘s-Hertogenbosch
Oh aye, I go to town on t’line was ‘s-Hertogenbosch Catherdral What can you remember of ‘s-Hertogenbosch then? Well, we pulled up near railway. railway were over there and we pulled up here and we all moved into houses, you know. Eh and women let us sleep on their beds and they’re sat on chairs and everything and used chamberpot, all through t’night and we didn’t bother. It didn’t matter to us, we don’t bother. And we were in that cellar.
Is this in ‘s-Hertogenbosch? Yes. I were consoling t’civilians
Looking after civilians? Trying to tell ‘em “You’ll be alright, we’re here”
You’d come to save them. Do you remember any of the fighting that was around there? Well, yes. They shelled. There were a big garage with a glass roof and they shelled that and they smashed that up to smithereens. And we were only father down the road.
At this stage, are you in the support company? Yes, all time. Where did we go when we went up railway bank on t’sleepers? That was at ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Eh, and it were rough because them vehicles they were made for soft ground and banging over sleepers, it were knocking heck out of ‘em. We went there because they found out there were mines up grass. There were t’railway bank, then a wall and then field were here and they found out there were mines there so we went up railway line. And they said on that day, East Lancs took born to that. Took born to ‘s-Hertogenbosch.
When you got over those, sleepers were they? Yes, railway sleepers
When you got over those, into the town, what happened then? Well, we had to park somewhere in town, somewhere where we could put guns In position. Soon as you stopped anywhere, guns were in position. Have you seen that big island? A photo of a big island and there is a gun in t’middle of it. Well, I towed that gun there, to t’middle, and then I had to go under hedge or somewhere and tow me net over; camouflage it; and it were Johnson and Harris and Ronnie Carter were on that gun, I can just make them out.
Do you remember seeing any of the fighting that was going on in ‘s-Hertogenbosch? Not really because they were doing it from far back. There were a bit of street fighting went on but I think they was retreating more. Shells were coming hard over, far away, farther back
You saw this street fighting going on then? Yes. And I seen some of them coming down the street 53 years is a long while to remember isn’t it? And I can’t remember because…
I’m just trying to get you through the places if you remember specifically about the places You see, I don’t know why, but I never seemed to take anything serious, I don’t know.
There were all these serious things going on around you at the time Yes, of course there were. But you were all blokes there. I mean a bloke saw me 34 years after, in Asda. His daughter married somebody near Wigan and he come to me and he said to me “Are you Benny Wharmby?, I said “Yea”. He said “I’m not used to this he says, but I was dead sure it were you”. Well, I mean, I was dressed with a cap on. He says “I knew it were you”. I said to him, I says “How the heck do you remember me, I don’t remember you” He says “I always remember you, you stood out in t’army”. And Jimmy Murthwaite what had his arm round me all night, he were t’same
These were people who were in the, in your regiment. Yes, they were all, they were gunners. They was young men what was replaced, dead ones.
So, at ‘s-Hertogenbosch, you put a gun into a roundabout? It were a big roundabout, with a grass top.
And then you go to cover up your vehicle. What do you do then? Well, I usually got meal ready. If it were dinner time, I got meal ready. I used to do cooking for t’gun crew.
Yes, so that was your job really Yes driving and that, I mean Gun crew wanted to be on t’gun, they needed five men on t’gun.
You didn’t help with the gun crew then? No, no
Is there anything else you can remember about ‘s-Hertogenbosch ? I wonder where it was when that bloke, they never found out if someone set detonators off or if somebody trod on em.
That was earlier Oh, were that earlier?
It was at a place called Niort in Normandy There were a lot killed there.
Do you remember that? Yes because
Were you there? I was in there. And Boardman come, sergeant, over me gun. He said “Get gun hooked up, we’ve got go to Corporal…...I forget his name. His gun has been wiped out”. But he hadn’t been shot. This shell hit his ammunition. All his boxes were there. And this shell hit ammunition. Well all that blew up, and blew all five up and gin and all. So, luckily, they said “right, we’ve got to go and replace Ollerton’s gun”. Ollerton, he were called. So we went from there and put this gun in position where he were. And next morning, we went back to there and found out about all these dead. Now I’d have been there only for going and replacing that gun. So that’s how it works.
You said detonators didn’t you, you did say detonators A bloke always felt responsible because ration did come up and he wanted a box for his tea. They dish your tea in it, and he wanted a box. And he emptied these detonators under t’wall so they never knew if somebody trod on em or if somebody, sun set em off.
Well we know the date of that. That was in a place called Noron-l’Abbaye near Mieux It made that bloke ill really because I think he felt ….
This is in Thys near Thys and it was about August the 15th but at the moment you’re in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and this is about October 23rd, 24th So, in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, was there anything else you wanted to remember there. Well, only this fighting, because they didn’t give up you know, they did a lot of shelling in
‘s-Hertogenbosch, they didn’t give up easy. They used to retreat and rebuild and then they’d start again. You’d think it, they’d gone because everything were quiet and then all of a sudden….You know, they’d been reforming. And another trick they had; they used to withdraw all the troops and leave perhaps a dozen men in t’wood, just to fire and cause a bit of trouble to take your attention while they went back and reorganised and then all of a sudden, they’d let loose again
I mean, you were in ‘s-Hertogenbosch for a few days. The book said you were there for about four or five days I think. And most of that was fighting time Oh, it were, most of fighting there, definite. Then we moved on to somewhere else, another little village.
Can you remember what it was? No, I remember, there were still Germans there when we went, because we pulled back into this village.
‘s-Hertogenbosch was end of October.
Rheuben Wharmby’s story will continue in our next Newsletter
Forced Landing
Squadron Leader Attwood caused a sensation on 12th December
1936 when he landed his Handley Page Heyford bomber in a field at Jackson's
Edge, Disley. K4868 made a perfect landing but Pilot Officer Clifford was not
so lucky when he tried to put K6898 down in an adjacent field. His aeroplane
ended up with its tail in the air but the crew of three climbed out
safely. The servants from nearby
“Homestead" took care of the crews
and provided them with refreshments. Attwood didn’t know where he was despite
having circled the station to try to read the nameboards.
That morning, seven aircraft of 102 Squadron had left Aldergrove near Belfast, bound for RAF Finningley near Doncaster. Crossing the Irish Sea, they flew into snow and freezing fog. As the crews lost sight of the other aircraft, the formation soon broke up. Low on fuel and without sight of the ground, they flew on hoping for a break in the fog.
Flight Lieutenant Villiers flying K4874, was lost over
Oldham. He instructed his crew to bale out but he fell from the roof of the
cottage where he landed and broke his leg whilst Leading Aircraftman Mackan
parachuted onto a mill roof and fell through the skylight. The aeroplane
crashed at Shaw.
K6900 reached Hebden Bridge unfortunately killing three of
its crew. The pilot, Sergeant Otter survived and was destined to eventually
reach the rank of Air Vice Marshal.
L5188 reached Whitwell Hill near Malton, where Flying
Officer Gyll-Murray was able to make a forced landing.
K4864 flew as far as Blyborough, Lincolnshire where it crash landed after hitting a
telegraph pole, without injury to the crew.
Only one of the seven Heyfords, piloted by Sergeant Biddulph, arrived safely at Finningley.
The following day being a Sunday, saw a large crowd gathered at The Homestead,
Disley to watch K4868 take off and resume its flight to Yorkshire. A
photographer from the Stockport Express was there to take a photograph of the wrecked aircraft.
Six months later, another Heyford crashed in the Peak
District. K6875 was on a night exercise when it crashed above Edale. The moors
were covered in mist and the crew could not establish their altitude. The
aircraft burst into flames and the crew of six were killed.
The Handley Page HP-50 Heyford first flew in 1930. An
ungainly looking craft, this was the last biplane bomber built for the RAF. 125
of the aeroplanes were built and entered service from 1934 to equip 12
Squadrons. The last aircraft was withdrawn in 1941.
RAF Finningley opened in1915 and was one of many airfields around Doncaster. The station closed in 1996 and has since become Doncaster Sheffield Airport which offers flights to many holiday destinations and a number of Polish cities.
Our thanks to Neil Ferguson-Lee for much of the research for
this article.
Kate Marriott
A number of Furness Vale people emigrated to North America
in the 19th and early 20th century. As a member of the
Mormon Church, Kate Marriott’s family history has been recorded.
Kate Marriott was born in Furness Vale on the 17th October 1878. Her parents were John Marriott (1832 - 1879) of South Head Farm, Hayfield and Catherine Higginson (1845 - 1883)
She married William Burrows (born 1876 in Pendleton) on 16th May 1903 in Manchester.
They emigrated in 1909 and settled in Raymond, Alberta, Canada.
They joined the Mormon Church which played an important role in their lives. Between 1904 and 1925, they had eleven children although three died in infancy.
William died on 13th February 1965 and Kate died on 2nd April 1969.
Kate Marriott had been the last of ten children:
Thomas Marriott 1864-1937 b F.V.
Ralph Marriott 1866-1946 b F.V.
Joseph Marriott 1866-1946 b F.V.
Frank Marriott 1868-1938 b F.V. d F.V.
Sarah Ann Marriott 1870-1944 b F.V.
John James Marriott 1872-deceased b F.V.
Mary Polly Marriott 1874-1974 b F.V d Glossop
Jesse Marriott 1876-deceased b F.V.
Charles Marriott 1877-deceased b F.V.
census returns for 1841,1851,1861 show John Marriott living
at South Head Farm, Hayfield, a labourer.
The farm is in a remote location below Kinder.
Catherine is in 1851 and 1861, listed in Hathersage, then in 1871 at Chinley,wife of John Marriott, labourer of High leighton, Chinley.
In 1881 she was living at Howcroft Farm, off Dolly Lane.
They had married on 6th November 1862
The Station Inn
A photograph of the Station Inn as built with two storeys. The shop front at 1 Station Road can be seen.
This large public house, next to the railway station was built c1868 by Samuel Hall. When first opened, The Station Inn was of two storeys and the building incorporated a separate shop, No 1 Station Road. It was rebuilt in the late 19th century with a large function room on the top floor and re-named The Station Hotel.
Samuel Hall had died in 1893. Before building the Station
Inn, he had resided at Waterside, Furness Vale. He was also underlooker and
manager for Levi and Elijah Hall, colliery proprietors to whom he was related.
Between 1907 and 1920, The Station Hotel was owned by Heaver Brothers Brewery of Bollington. It was sold in 1920 to Bell’s Brewery of Hempshaw Lane, Stockport who were
eventually taken over in 1949, by Robinson’s of Stockport, although brewing continued until 1968.
Robinson’s refurbished the pub with an open plan layout and
relocated the bar which had previously backed on the Station. The new name was
The Crossings.
29th March 1901 at the Station Hotel, Furness Vale
an auction was held by George Brady to sell both the pub and adjoining
shop. The pub had lately been occupied
by Samuel Hall and was currently being run by grocer and provisions dealer
James Hall. Inn and shop were in one
block and each had the "usual out offices". The buildings were described as substantial and in good condition. The ground plot was of 480 square yards,
leasehold with an annual ground rent of £4.1s.
The inn was purpose built, modern and commodious having bar, bar
parlour, smokeroom, taproom, kitchen and cellars. Above was a large
clubroom and 6 bedrooms. There was a large yard with good stabling.
Loose fixtures and trade utensils were to be taken by the purchaser at
valuation of the auctioneer. Further
details were available from Mr James Hall on the premises or Elijah Hall of
Furness Vale
7th January 1920 Turner & Son were to auction
at the Macclesfield Arms a number of Hotels, Public Houses, Beerhouses, Off
Licences and Cottages. The sale
included the Station Hotel and adjoining shop.
The shop was let at £14 6s per annum
with the tenant paying the rates. The
999 year lease had begun on 29th September 1864, the ground rent was still £4
1s. The London and North Western
Railway was paid a sum of 2s 6d per annum "for the right of light"
Also in the 1920 sale was The Shepherds Arms, Whaley
Bridge with the stables &c., adjoining thereto situate between the new and
old main road from Manchester to Buxton.
One early licensee by the name of Jackson was grandfather of John Jackson, the butcher. He had a brother who also lived at the pub. Every decent hostelry has a ghost and the Station Hotel was no exception. The spectre was described as a hunchback, just like Mr Jackson’s brother.
Jackson ran a
“station wagon” to transport people to dances held in the function room.
In the early 1950s dancing lessons were given in the function room by Ronnie Dennis of Marsh Lane and his wife. Music was from an electric gramophone, often Victor Sylvester recordings.
GALLERY
Snowdrifts at Yeardsley Barns in the winter of 2013. Photograph courtesy of Keith Webster.
Buxton Old Road was impassable in Winter 2013. Photograph by Keith Webster.
Locomotive 44818 passes Gowhole Sidings on 16th
February 1968. This view is now obscured by trees but we can see the
electricity station just beyond the railway embankment and in the centre of the picture, Furness
Vale Printworks. In the distance, the line of houses on Buxton Road is just
visible.
Photograph courtesy of Derek Buckett.
This photograph from Kate M. Chalmers features a line of servicemen and civilians in Whaley Bridge. The style of dress suggests the 1920s. The event, perhaps a parade or remembrance service is unknown.
An
earlier photograph from Kate Chalmers. In the centre foreground is the corn
mill which was built in the late 18th century. In its lifetime it
served a number of purposes including a Wesleyan meeting room, wireworks,
smallware manufactury and a barites works. In 1912, the roof collapsed leaving
the building in a dilapidated condition. Although much was demolished, a few
remnants remain to this day.
Market
Street, New Mills in 1905. The scene is clearly recognisable even though the
shops on the right hand side have long since been demolished.
Photo
courtesy of Tony Beswick
A
decorated float outside of New Mills Town Hall. Neither the event nor the date
are known.
Photo
courtesy of Tony Beswick
Union
Road, New Mills c 1970. The cinema is still evident on the left.
Photograph
from Niall Dorsett.
VILLAGE POST OFFICE
The Village Post Office at the Community Centre, Yeardsley Lane remains open. Tuesday and Thursday afternoon 13.30 – 16.30.
The programme of films is suspended until further notice.
SOCIETY SHOP
The History Society offers a wide range of publications but
at present we are not in a position to sell printed copies. A number of our titles are available as
e-books and may be purchased from Amazon Kindle. A list of titles may be viewed
here: https://amzn.to/2xnLDQi
We hope to introduce internet shopping in the near future.
MEETINGS
We have suspended our programme of meetings until further notice. Neighbouring societies have done likewise and we have therefore omitted our usual listings. Our Website and Newsletter will advise when the situation changes
Growing Up In Whaley Bridge
This is a very lively Facebook group with 1000 members. Reminiscences and numerous historical photographs are regularly posted by its contributors. Scroll down through its pages to view a large resource of scenes from the past.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/438388482840816/?fref=ts
Similar groups serve other localities including:
Buxwoth Reunited https://www.facebook.com/groups/202542456586634/
Eh Up New Mills https://www.facebook.com/groups/165879423592725/
Growing up in Chapel https://www.facebook.com/groups/1642762309270765/
The Buxton Line – featuring our local railway: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BuxtonLine/
There are many other groups. Search Facebook to find those to suit.
Don’t Forget the Website
Remember to visit the History Society website. http://furnesshistory.blogspot.com
We always welcome contributions to both the website and to this newsletter. Please hand these to David Easton or email them to furnesshistory@gmail.com tel 01663 744080
The next edition of the Newsletter will be distributed early in April 2021
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