Gordon Batty Collection – Rochdale Rushbearing 1994
Category Archives: Lancashire
Gordon Batty Collection – Saddleworth Rushbearing 1994
JMO National Day of Dance 30th March 2019
On 30th March 2019 Medlock Rapper hosted the Joint Morris Organisation’s Day of Dance in Manchester with around 50 teams of morris dancers performing throughout the city centre. Unfortunately it was a case of so many dancers, so little time.
Additional photos courtesy of Lee Reilly
Gordon Batty Collection – Shaw and Crompton Rushbearing 16th July 1994
Gordon Batty Collection – Parish Church of St. Chad, Rochdale.
There is a tradition that the Parish Church of Rochdale was intended to have been erected down by the river, but that when the foundations were being laid, overnight they mysteriously disappeared, to re-appear at the top of the hill near the present site of the church. Several attempts were made to build in the valley, but each time the same thing occurred, and the materials would mysteriously be moved over-night, so eventually it was agreed to build the church on its present site, and no further trouble was experienced. This in not an unfamiliar tale and St. Chad’s is not the only church to which it has been ascribed.
Read more »REVIEW – Mike Leigh’s Peterloo
Now Available on DVD, Blu Ray and Digital Download
at Amazon.com
On 16th August 1819, 60,000-80,000 men, women and children gathered together in St. Petersfield in Manchaster for a peaceful protest and to hear the orator and political reformer Henry Hunt.
The local magistrates concerned by the gathering issued a warrant for the arrest of Hunt (and others.) In the execution of this warrant the Yeomanry and 15th Hussars charged into the crowd, but coming from different directions left no route for the gathered throng to disperse.
In the chaos, 15 people were killed and 400-700 seriously injured.
Read more »The Rainhill Trials
In 1824 the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Company was set up by merchants in the area in order to facilitate transport between the two major cities. The idea was heavily influenced by William James a land surveyor and property investor who had the vision of a national railway network after seeing the development of independent colliery lines and the advancement of locomotive technology.
Up until this point railways were generally run using a mixture of cables powered by stationary steam engines and horse haulage, occasionally using steam locomotives for short sections. George Stephenson, engineer for the project advocated using locomotives for the entire line to overcome the issue with cable haulage that one technical issue could paralise the entire system.
In 1829 as the construction of the line neared completion the directors of the company were still unsure how to power the railway, and so it was decided to hold a competition with a prize of £500, to find a locomotive that could prove the viability of the idea. Read more »
Stephenson’s Rocket at the Museum of Science and Industry
The original Stephenson’s Rocket is on display at the Museum Of Science and Industry in Manchester until April 2019, the first time the locomotive has been to Manchester in 180 years.
https://www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk/
Gordon Batty Collection – Littleborough Rushbearing 1993
Collection of photos taken on 14th & 15th August 1993 at Littleborough Rushbearing Festival
A Short History Of Tim Bobbin Lancashire Author, Poet & Artist
Self portrait of John Collier (Tim Bobbin)
As a Mancuniun, I came to Rochdale some thirty odd years ago, knowing nothing of this northern textile town. Coming from the big city I inevitably felt I was moving into the back of beyond, until my wife took me in charge and began my re-education.
She began by taking me to the parish churchyard to see the grave of Tim Bobbin’.
“Tim who?” I said.
“You’ll see!” said she, and we did.
As we stood there in the sunshine at the eastern end of the lovely grey church, beside the great slab of granite lying on top of poor Tim and his wife, I peered through the wrought iron railings protecting the grave from vandals to read the epitaph reputed to have been written by the incumbent just twenty minutes before his decease and decided that I had to find out more.
” Here lies John and with him Mary,
Cheek by jowl and never vary,
No wonder they so well agree,
John wants no punch, and Moll no tea.”