Newsletter Friends of Congleton Museum
Newsletter Friends of Congleton Museum
Newsletter Friends of Congleton Museum
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Where’s<br />
Jiggy?<br />
Chester had rhinos; Liverpool had lambs;<br />
Manchester had cows; San Francisco had<br />
hearts… <strong>Congleton</strong> has bears!<br />
Jiggy, the famous jigsaw bear, has taken up<br />
residence on the museum‘s first floor landing for<br />
the duration <strong>of</strong> this summer‘s Bearmania festival.<br />
For twenty weeks beginning on Saturday<br />
21 st May, upwards <strong>of</strong> 70 uniquely decorated 5ft tall<br />
fibreglass bears, designed by sculptor Billy<br />
Hyland, will be situated throughout the town,<br />
directing visitors on a trail promoting schools,<br />
organisations, businesses, and charities — such<br />
as the museum! Jiggy is listed as number 9 on the<br />
bear trail map.<br />
Kindly loaned to us by owners Paul Bates and<br />
Sue Holmes <strong>of</strong> Jigsaw RTM, Jiggy was the<br />
prototype bear. Painted in a colourful jigsaw<br />
pattern by Sue, Jiggy was the first bear<br />
unveiled at the preview day back in January<br />
and has become a bit <strong>of</strong> a media darling.<br />
According to the website mybeartown.co.uk he<br />
―took to the red carpet like a natural.‖<br />
Jiggy has been featured on the March cover <strong>of</strong><br />
Local Life magazine and in several issues <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>Congleton</strong> Chronicle. Surprisingly, he‘s even been<br />
interviewed by radio station SILK FM. With his<br />
fame preceding him, it‘s hoped that Jiggy will be a<br />
big attraction, drawing many bear trail followers to<br />
the museum. There‘s no admission charge for<br />
visitors to view the bear (although donations are<br />
<strong>Friends</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Congleton</strong> <strong>Museum</strong><br />
<strong>Newsletter</strong><br />
Summer 2011<br />
welcome and it‘s hoped they‘ll return to enjoy the<br />
museum), and photos <strong>of</strong> children posing with<br />
Jiggy are encouraged. Bear-shaped cutouts will<br />
be available for children to colour in and a cuddly<br />
teddy bear (donated by museum volunteer<br />
Dorothy Robinson) will be awarded to the winner<br />
<strong>of</strong> a Name the Bear competition. The museum<br />
shop will also be selling Bearmania merchandise,<br />
children‘s books and bear-shaped soaps.<br />
Other bear sponsors include Barefoot Living,<br />
VISYON, Berisford Ribbons, the Mercian<br />
Regiment, Siemens, Top Nosh, Beartown Tap,<br />
Churches Together, The Cubs, The Scouts,<br />
<strong>Congleton</strong> in Bloom and many <strong>of</strong> the local<br />
primary schools.<br />
This community arts festival has been organised<br />
by the <strong>Congleton</strong> Beartown Company, with<br />
support from <strong>Congleton</strong> Schools, <strong>Congleton</strong> Town<br />
Council, <strong>Congleton</strong> Community Projects,<br />
<strong>Congleton</strong> Partnership, Plus Dane and Cheshire<br />
East Council. Proceeds from the sale <strong>of</strong> the bears<br />
and bear-themed merchandise<br />
will be donated to local charities<br />
and Animal Asia to help<br />
rescue caged bears.<br />
Preserving the past, recording the present, educating the future
Greetings from India<br />
Dear all<br />
2<br />
I am having a fabulous and<br />
very interesting time working and<br />
living at FLAME (Foundation <strong>of</strong> Liberal and<br />
Management Education) University, situated near<br />
Pune in a deep valley by a natural lake. Despite<br />
the lake, the environment is dry and rugged with<br />
sparse bushes. The temperature averages 32°C<br />
every day. I share an<br />
apartment with 7 other girls.<br />
We all get along really well<br />
and they are mad, loud and<br />
fun, so there is always<br />
something going on and<br />
never a quiet moment! It is<br />
fully catered, but all the food<br />
is vegan. The campus has<br />
good facilities - a small gym,<br />
a football field, a pool, an<br />
outdoor theatre, a movie<br />
room and an amazing drama<br />
studio, which I am very jealous <strong>of</strong>! The power<br />
goes <strong>of</strong>f about 4 times a day as the electricity has<br />
to be shared out and diverted, so you can be mid<br />
class and it goes pitch black!<br />
All my friends are Liberal Education students.<br />
Most speak three languages: their mother<br />
tongue, Hindi and English, and they all speak to<br />
each other in English because it is guaranteed to<br />
be understood. The university is very liberal, but<br />
you must be in your room for 11.30pm (there is<br />
an alarm that sounds like an air-raid siren, which<br />
gave me a shock first time I heard it!). The<br />
students can leave campus, but must get<br />
permission first and when you re-enter you have<br />
The average person in the UK<br />
uses 150 litres <strong>of</strong> water a day<br />
but this is not sustainable; we<br />
are using more water than the<br />
rivers are receiving from rain.<br />
Here are a few hints on<br />
reducing our water<br />
consumption:<br />
Remember to turn <strong>of</strong>f the tap<br />
while brushing your teeth<br />
A running tap wastes over<br />
Alex (right) with friends Shinai Dominic (left)<br />
and Shambhavi Rai (centre).<br />
6 litres per minute.<br />
Drop a hippo in your cistern<br />
Give your water company a<br />
ring; they can give you one <strong>of</strong><br />
these devices for free.<br />
Bathers beware!<br />
A bath typically uses around<br />
80 litres, while a short shower<br />
can use as little as a third <strong>of</strong><br />
that amount.<br />
Preserving the past, recording the present, educating the future<br />
Earlier this year<br />
we bid farewell to museum<br />
volunteer Alex Smith who was<br />
travelling to India to live and<br />
study for several months<br />
before attending university in<br />
England. We asked Alex to<br />
keep in touch and tell us about<br />
her adventures. The following<br />
is an extract from her<br />
first missive…<br />
to pass a breathalyser test.<br />
I am a drama intern, so I work in<br />
the administration <strong>of</strong> the<br />
department and help with the<br />
organisation <strong>of</strong> events. In return, I<br />
can attend a few classes on topics<br />
such as comparing Indian drama to<br />
Shakespeare, costume, make up<br />
and acting workshops. I am going<br />
to shoot a film for an alumni <strong>of</strong><br />
FLAME, which will be fun. I am really excited, but<br />
also nervous, as in front <strong>of</strong> the camera there is<br />
nowhere to hide!<br />
The week just gone was a holiday, which I spent<br />
living with a friend called Henna and her family. I<br />
really enjoyed my time there and I came to<br />
understand Indian culture much better, such as<br />
their family values, the role <strong>of</strong> women and the<br />
value <strong>of</strong> education. I also got to share what a<br />
typical Indian teenage girl does with her free time,<br />
which turns out to be similar to me!<br />
Alex<br />
Invest in a water butt<br />
Your ro<strong>of</strong> collects about<br />
85,000 litres <strong>of</strong> rain each year<br />
which then just runs straight<br />
into the sewers. This could fill<br />
450 water butts with<br />
water: you could<br />
water your garden,<br />
your houseplants, or<br />
wash your car for<br />
free! To get a<br />
butt, call your<br />
local water<br />
company.
The 19 th Century Poor <strong>of</strong> <strong>Congleton</strong><br />
The Poor Law Research Group<br />
<strong>Congleton</strong> is fortunate to have<br />
an excellent set <strong>of</strong> town records<br />
dating back several centuries.<br />
However, much information can<br />
be obtained from documents<br />
held in the County Archives at<br />
Chester and the National<br />
Archives at Kew. One group<br />
relates to the administration <strong>of</strong><br />
the New Poor Law <strong>of</strong> 1834.<br />
Under the New Poor Law<br />
parishes or townships were<br />
grouped into unions, which were<br />
the unit <strong>of</strong> administration for<br />
relieving the poor and other local<br />
issues. <strong>Congleton</strong> Union, when<br />
formed, consisted <strong>of</strong> <strong>Congleton</strong><br />
and some 30 nearby townships;<br />
the workhouse was built at<br />
Arclid.<br />
Each union was under the<br />
control <strong>of</strong> a board <strong>of</strong> guardians;<br />
paid <strong>of</strong>ficers were responsible<br />
for the day-to-day affairs <strong>of</strong> the<br />
union. A brief search <strong>of</strong> the<br />
county archives catalogue for<br />
<strong>Congleton</strong> shows board<br />
minutes, registers <strong>of</strong> births,<br />
baptisms and deaths in the<br />
workhouse, general and<br />
parochial ledgers, vaccination<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficer's report books,<br />
statements <strong>of</strong> account and more.<br />
These documents have been<br />
used to good effect by authors<br />
Marlene and Graham Langley in<br />
their book (copyright 1993), At<br />
the Crossroads, A History <strong>of</strong><br />
Arclid Workhouse and Hospital.<br />
Unions were supervised by the<br />
Poor Law Commission, based in<br />
London, which was responsible<br />
for ensuring uniformity across<br />
the 600 or so unions. The<br />
system resulted in a huge<br />
amount <strong>of</strong> correspondence<br />
between unions and the<br />
The complexity <strong>of</strong> the New Poor Law made it<br />
necessary to publish handbooks for the<br />
various <strong>of</strong>ficers. This is the actual book owned<br />
by John Brocklehurst, Relieving Officer. (He<br />
was not the dishonest <strong>of</strong>ficer referred to in the<br />
text.) The inscription is probably in his own<br />
handwriting. The book runs to 547 pages. An<br />
eye-catching entry in the index is 'Corpse,<br />
admission <strong>of</strong>, into Workhouse.' About 30<br />
further pages are devoted to advertisements<br />
for stationery associated with Poor Law<br />
administration. This book is stamped to show<br />
that it was bought from W J Harper <strong>of</strong><br />
Sandbach. According to Morris and Co.’s 1880<br />
Directory <strong>of</strong> Cheshire, W J Harper, <strong>of</strong> Market<br />
Square and Hope Street, was a music seller,<br />
stationer, newsagent, dealer in musical<br />
instruments, sewing and washing machines,<br />
iron bedsteads, bedding etc.<br />
Commission, much <strong>of</strong> which<br />
has been preserved in the<br />
National Archives at Kew.<br />
While the correspondence for<br />
each union is filed separately, it<br />
is for the most part un-indexed,<br />
and is known as Series MH12.<br />
The matters covered by MH12<br />
vary widely. One member <strong>of</strong><br />
the group, working on<br />
documents covering a period <strong>of</strong><br />
under two years, found, among<br />
other things, a reference to the<br />
matron being paid in porter (a<br />
dark-brown or black bitter<br />
beer), a dispute between the<br />
guardians and the medical<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficers, inmates being set to<br />
stone-breaking, and fraud by a<br />
relieving <strong>of</strong>ficer (relieving<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficers were responsible for<br />
actually handing out relief, so<br />
were in a trusted position which<br />
was sometimes abused). Also<br />
<strong>of</strong> considerable interest are the<br />
appointment forms for <strong>of</strong>ficers,<br />
David Jackson<br />
Co-ordinator <strong>of</strong> the Poor Law Research Group<br />
which provide details including<br />
age, former residence and<br />
employment <strong>of</strong> people appointed<br />
by the guardians; these had to<br />
be approved by the Poor Law<br />
Commissioners.<br />
To make the content <strong>of</strong> the<br />
MH12 documents for <strong>Congleton</strong><br />
Union more accessible a group<br />
<strong>of</strong> us have started to summarise<br />
and catalogue them. About<br />
1,800 documents have so far<br />
been photographed and put on<br />
disk and each member <strong>of</strong> the<br />
group can enter the information<br />
on to a standard template at<br />
home. When the group has<br />
covered a sufficiently long<br />
period, their work can be<br />
combined into a single file.<br />
Please email David Jackson for<br />
further information and future<br />
dates <strong>of</strong> Poor Law Group<br />
meetings:<br />
djackson4761@yahoo.co.uk<br />
Preserving the past, recording the present, educating the future 3
Life During Wartime<br />
Patricia Anne Hurst (nee Jolley)<br />
Pat Hurst was born at her maternal grandparents’<br />
smallholding in the rural village <strong>of</strong> Smallwood. Only a year old<br />
when England entered WWII, Pat shared her parent’s house<br />
on Willow Street (since demolished to make way for a car<br />
park) with her younger brother and began attending nearby<br />
St Stephen’s school in 1943. When her father volunteered for<br />
service, Pat was <strong>of</strong>ten sent to stay with her paternal<br />
grandparents near the park. Interview by Betty Butterworth<br />
Q: Were your parents working<br />
when you were born?<br />
A: My mother didn‘t. My father<br />
had been doing a college<br />
course. He did a degree in art<br />
and he qualified to teach art.<br />
Q: Did he ever get to do that?<br />
A: No, because the war came.<br />
Q: You told me he volunteered<br />
for the war. What does that<br />
mean exactly?<br />
A: Instead <strong>of</strong> having calling up<br />
papers… he joined before<br />
then. He went into the<br />
Cheshire Regiment.<br />
Q: You told me that your<br />
mother was upset that he‘d<br />
volunteered.<br />
A: She said, ‗You should have<br />
waited until you were called<br />
for.‘ She was worried about<br />
him. He was only a little man.<br />
Q: And she had one baby and<br />
another on the way?<br />
A: Yes, so she sent me to my<br />
grandmother‘s most <strong>of</strong> the<br />
time. My little brother wasn‘t<br />
very strong. He was baptised<br />
on the kitchen table – using a<br />
mixing bowl for the water -<br />
because they thought he was<br />
going to die. He was very<br />
weak, but he survived.<br />
Q: Did your house have an air<br />
raid shelter?<br />
4<br />
A: We didn‘t have a shelter.<br />
The shelter was near my<br />
grandparents‘ house.<br />
Q: Do you remember going<br />
into the shelter?<br />
A: Definitely. I can even<br />
remember the outfit… I was<br />
only about two, but I can<br />
remember the outfit that they<br />
put me in – a blue ‗siren suit‘.<br />
You put it on when you heard<br />
the siren. It was an all-in-one,<br />
like babies wear now. It was<br />
all in blue!<br />
Q: You wore a special outfit<br />
to go into the shelter?<br />
A: Well… I was spoiled,<br />
wasn‘t I? I had everything!<br />
Q: Even during the war?<br />
A: I never went short<br />
because my grandmother at<br />
Smallwood, she‘d got<br />
animals… And she was<br />
always baking; she had a big<br />
Aga. And she had fruit, with<br />
having an orchard. She made<br />
apple pies and raspberry<br />
pies. It was gorgeous! And<br />
she had goat‘s milk. I didn‘t<br />
drink much milk, but she did<br />
have goat‘s milk. And she<br />
made cheese – goat‘s milk<br />
cheese. And we had bacon.<br />
She‘d swap something with<br />
someone else, so there was<br />
bacon.<br />
Preserving the past, recording the present, educating the future<br />
Q: Do you have any other<br />
memories <strong>of</strong> going into the air<br />
raid shelter?<br />
A: It was horrible. It was dark,<br />
cold… and the smell <strong>of</strong><br />
cement… I can smell it now -<br />
you know when cement‘s not<br />
dry? These shelters were<br />
underground, at the bottom <strong>of</strong><br />
Rood Hill, where the chippy is<br />
now – just round the corner, at<br />
the bottom <strong>of</strong> the hill.<br />
Q: How many people would go<br />
down there?<br />
A: Oh, you could get 50 people<br />
or more; it was very big. And<br />
there were wooden forms to sit<br />
on - no chairs, just long<br />
wooden forms. But they had<br />
entertainment. I can remember<br />
they had me tap dancing!<br />
Because I‘d had some tap<br />
dancing lessons, they thought I<br />
was Shirley Temple! And they<br />
told stories, there was<br />
singing…<br />
Q: Did you have a favourite<br />
subject in school?<br />
A: Yes, nature! We had a<br />
nature table competition and I<br />
won a prize – it was a game<br />
called Knight Errant. It came
Then & Now<br />
from a paper shop along<br />
Willow Street called<br />
Davenport‘s. I‘d worked hard.<br />
We had to go down to the park<br />
and find things <strong>of</strong> interest,<br />
nature… and we had to label<br />
them, set them out nicely. I<br />
loved it!<br />
Q: Did you have a lot <strong>of</strong><br />
friends?<br />
A: Not really, because the<br />
children that went to St<br />
Stephen‘s School all lived on<br />
the estate, which is Bromley<br />
Farm. They all congregated<br />
together, but because I didn‘t<br />
live up there I wasn‘t one <strong>of</strong> the<br />
crowd. It was a bit lonely.<br />
Q: Were there a lot <strong>of</strong> evacuee<br />
children in <strong>Congleton</strong>?<br />
A: Yes! We had one –<br />
Margaret. She came from<br />
Manchester. She was very<br />
independent… streetwise,<br />
more grown up. I think she‘d<br />
been somewhere else first and<br />
then she came to us.<br />
Eventually she went to Mow<br />
Cop and I never saw her again.<br />
Q: Did you know where your<br />
father was stationed?<br />
A: My father was at Dunkirk;<br />
he was in Belgium and<br />
France. And my uncles were<br />
in Egypt and India - one was.<br />
Another one went to<br />
Normandy and East Africa.<br />
Q: Did they all come back?<br />
A: All except one. He got<br />
malaria in Egypt. There was a<br />
Red Cross ship — it was the<br />
only Red Cross ship that got<br />
bombed. He was on the ship.<br />
Q: Did your dad come back<br />
safe?<br />
A: He‘d had a bomb dropped<br />
on his toe, but he was all<br />
right. I remember him saying<br />
that he was lucky to get back<br />
in one piece. He‘d lost loads<br />
<strong>of</strong> friends, you see. He never<br />
really got over it. He must<br />
have seen some horrible<br />
things.<br />
Q: Did you know him when<br />
he came home?<br />
A: Oh, I did! My mother knew<br />
he was coming. He came<br />
from Crewe station, and he<br />
had to walk. We were<br />
upstairs, me and my little<br />
brother… I‘d creep down and<br />
Then Now<br />
she‘d say, ‗Go back to bed! I‘ll<br />
let you know when he comes.‘ I<br />
could hear his footsteps<br />
coming along the street… I<br />
listened all night, till about<br />
midnight, when I could hear his<br />
footsteps coming along the<br />
street and I knew it was him.<br />
Q: Were you aware <strong>of</strong> the<br />
American GIs or Dutch soldiers<br />
in <strong>Congleton</strong>?<br />
A: Oh, yes! The evacuee<br />
taught me this one… She says,<br />
‗They‘ve got chewing gum and<br />
sweets. We‘ll sit on the step<br />
and when they come past we‘ll<br />
say, ―Have you got any gum,<br />
chum?‖ I remember my mother<br />
said, ‗That‘s very naughty! You<br />
shouldn‘t do that.‘ One was a<br />
coloured man. I‘d never seen a<br />
coloured man before, and I<br />
used to look out for him - he<br />
was so interesting!<br />
Q: Besides gum, did you get<br />
other sweets <strong>of</strong>f the GIs?<br />
A: Marshmallows! They used<br />
to bring little pink<br />
marshmallows. My mother<br />
said, ‗You‘ve been talking to<br />
the Americans again.‘ I‘d say,<br />
‗It wasn‘t me; it was Margaret.‘<br />
End <strong>of</strong><br />
Bridge Street<br />
looking<br />
towards the<br />
town centre.<br />
The top <strong>of</strong><br />
Rood Hill<br />
where the<br />
lighthouse<br />
once stood.<br />
Modern photos<br />
by Mark Bennett<br />
Preserving the past, recording the present, educating the future 5<br />
Then Now
Meet the Volunteers... Mark Bennett<br />
Our volunteers are our most important resource. You are the backbone <strong>of</strong> the museum and vital<br />
to its continuing existence. Simply stated, without volunteers there would be no museum.<br />
Interview by Colin Lansley<br />
Mark Bennett, aged 42, is a <strong>Congleton</strong>ian and proud <strong>of</strong> his roots,<br />
and he thinks the people <strong>of</strong> <strong>Congleton</strong> are pretty special too. After<br />
leaving school and trying his hand at several jobs, he thought he<br />
would like to try working abroad. He gained all the necessary<br />
qualifications and landed a job in Calgary, Canada. However,<br />
things changed dramatically for Mark on a return visit to England<br />
to see his parents in 2009 when he suffered a severe brain<br />
haemorrhage. This life-changing event stalled his career but<br />
nothing could keep him down. Two years later, we are very<br />
fortunate to have him here at the museum where, among other<br />
duties he utilizes his PC skills by electronically improving worn or damaged photographs. Mark also<br />
assists us by photographing the books in the museum‘s library for inclusion in the database as well<br />
as researching possible sources for grants—essential for funding on-going projects.<br />
Q: Where did you go to school?<br />
A: My last school was<br />
Westlands High School. It‘s<br />
been knocked down now and it‘s<br />
nothing but houses.<br />
Q: Did you receive any further<br />
education?<br />
A: Yes, I went to Manchester<br />
University to study Chemistry.<br />
After a few minor jobs I went to<br />
Manchester Metropolitan to get<br />
my MSC in Science Instruments.<br />
I left, had a few more minor jobs;<br />
then I went to Exeter University<br />
to achieve my PHD in Electrical<br />
Capacitance Tomography,<br />
which is similar to an electrical<br />
version <strong>of</strong> a CT scan. I was then<br />
able to apply for jobs in<br />
universities and succeeded at<br />
Leeds. After this I started<br />
applying for jobs abroad.<br />
Q: Why abroad?<br />
A: After working at Leeds<br />
University for five or six years I<br />
and decided I‘d really like to try<br />
Canada because the people I‘d<br />
met from there seemed so<br />
friendly and positive. I stayed in<br />
Vancouver for a while and<br />
looked for jobs on the Internet,<br />
6<br />
and that‘s how I got the job at<br />
Calgary University.<br />
Q: How long were you there?<br />
A: From February 2006 to<br />
June 2009.<br />
Q: What brought you back?<br />
A: I was back in England on<br />
holiday visiting my parents and<br />
had this brain haemorrhage. I<br />
was in hospital for three to four<br />
months. After I had recovered I<br />
went to live with my parents,<br />
but everything had fallen apart<br />
in Canada.<br />
Q: So what made you come to<br />
the museum?<br />
A: I was looking for voluntary<br />
work to get myself a bit more<br />
active, feel more useful and the<br />
museum was one <strong>of</strong> the first<br />
things that came up.<br />
Q: How long have you been<br />
here at the museum?<br />
A: I‘m not sure. I would think<br />
about a year.<br />
Q: Do you think the museum<br />
does enough to involve the<br />
people in <strong>Congleton</strong>?<br />
A: Yes, I think it‘s really good.<br />
It‘s a shame that not many<br />
Preserving the past, recording the present, educating the future<br />
people know <strong>of</strong> it. I do think,<br />
though, we should advertise a lot<br />
more.<br />
Q: Where do you see yourself in<br />
the future, or where would you<br />
like to see yourself?<br />
A: Hopefully back in full-time<br />
research. Also, I‘m interested in<br />
becoming a writer – a<br />
screenwriter. I had some interest<br />
recently from a company in<br />
Canada and it allowed me to get<br />
a good agent there. The film<br />
business seems quite unstable<br />
though, so I try not to get my<br />
hopes up too much.<br />
Mark has come a long way since<br />
the beginning <strong>of</strong> his illness in<br />
June 2009. It’s only two years<br />
and he’s working at the museum<br />
and socialising with friends, and<br />
speaking to him you wouldn’t<br />
know anything had happened. In<br />
March, he arranged a return visit<br />
to Canada to see his old work<br />
colleagues and take care <strong>of</strong><br />
some medical requirements. He<br />
made the trip on his own, which I<br />
think is a marvellous<br />
achievement. I truly think<br />
whatever Mark sets his mind to,<br />
he achieves.
Step Back in Time on a History Walk<br />
Mill Walks and<br />
Industrial Yarns<br />
5 th June 2011<br />
Leader:<br />
Lyndon Murgatroyd<br />
Discover how the cotton, silk<br />
and fustian industries<br />
shaped <strong>Congleton</strong>‘s layout<br />
as well as its fortunes: this<br />
walk takes a leaf out <strong>of</strong><br />
Lyndon Murgatroyd‘s popular<br />
book Mill Walks and<br />
Industrial Yarns with stops at<br />
many <strong>of</strong> the mills – some<br />
transformed into chic shops,<br />
<strong>of</strong>fices and flats, some<br />
derelict, some only<br />
memories – whose tales he<br />
tells. The route takes in Park<br />
Mill on Mountbatten Way and<br />
Victoria Mill on Foundry<br />
Bank as well as mills in<br />
Worrall Street. Mr<br />
Murgatroyd will point out the<br />
weir that once fed both the<br />
Old Mill and the Corn Mill<br />
and the memorial plaque for<br />
the Old Mill. You will also<br />
visit the site <strong>of</strong> Roldane Mill,<br />
the derelict Brook Mill and<br />
the converted Providence<br />
Mill.<br />
A Pub Crawl<br />
Through Time<br />
3 rd July 2011<br />
Leader:<br />
Lyndon Murgatroyd<br />
Long lost town centre<br />
drinking establishments are<br />
the focus <strong>of</strong> this ‗pub crawl<br />
through time‘.<br />
You will stop where The<br />
Mechanics Arms once<br />
stood, and pass the former<br />
Prince <strong>of</strong> Wales pub and<br />
the house that was called<br />
The White Bear. The Red<br />
Cow building and the site <strong>of</strong><br />
the Globe Inn on Cole Bank<br />
Hill are also on the route,<br />
before the walk returns to<br />
the High Street.<br />
Noting the disproportionate<br />
number <strong>of</strong> inns, taverns<br />
and drinking houses for the<br />
size <strong>of</strong> <strong>Congleton</strong>‘s<br />
population, Mr Murgatroyd<br />
says, ―In the process <strong>of</strong><br />
walking up the High Street<br />
on the way to the Lion &<br />
Swan, I‘ll point out and give<br />
some history on over 30<br />
more public houses.‖<br />
At the<br />
Chalk Face<br />
7 th August 2011<br />
Leader:<br />
Ian Doughty<br />
All walks depart at 2.00pm from the museum, situated behind the town hall.<br />
Price including cream tea £4.00. <strong>Friends</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Congleton</strong> <strong>Museum</strong> £3.00.<br />
At the turn <strong>of</strong> the<br />
20th century, <strong>Congleton</strong><br />
was one <strong>of</strong> the smallest<br />
Education Authorities in<br />
the country. However, the<br />
conditions within the<br />
schools left a great deal to<br />
be desired, with one being<br />
described as ‗dirty and<br />
depressing in the extreme<br />
and so crowded with<br />
children that healthy and<br />
convenient conditions <strong>of</strong><br />
work were impossible‘.<br />
On this walk you will visit<br />
the sites <strong>of</strong> some <strong>of</strong> the<br />
schools <strong>of</strong> the time – the<br />
Grammar School in the<br />
Cockshoots, St Peter‘s<br />
School in Chapel Street<br />
and St James‘s School in<br />
North Street – to look at<br />
the type <strong>of</strong> education they<br />
provided and hear about<br />
some <strong>of</strong> the remarkable<br />
incidents that occurred<br />
within them.<br />
Preserving the past, recording the present, educating the future 7
Story & Research by Mark Bennett<br />
<strong>Congleton</strong> has its fair share <strong>of</strong> ghosts, but library<br />
worker Sheila Dutton was at first taken aback by<br />
the angry spirit <strong>of</strong> a WWII Polish Air Force pilot at<br />
the library. Sheila says she had ―strong feelings <strong>of</strong><br />
a psychic nature‖ and ―sensed it, like when<br />
you know someone‘s in the room or<br />
right behind you‖. However, she<br />
gradually realised the ghost was<br />
mainly angry at not being noticed,<br />
and she resolved to help.<br />
After escaping from Poland<br />
through Romania when the<br />
Germans invaded his home<br />
country, Flt./Sgt Zygmunt Kowalski<br />
<strong>of</strong> the 316th squadron <strong>of</strong> the Polish Air<br />
Force (P.A.F.) was eventually stationed at R.A.F.<br />
Woodvale (near Southport). He was killed on<br />
21 st March 1944 at 10.45am (one month short <strong>of</strong><br />
Curator’s<br />
Corner<br />
8<br />
his 23 rd birthday) when his Spitfire crashed into a<br />
stone wall on The Cloud in bad weather.<br />
For a time, the scrapped Spitfire was stored at the<br />
site where the library would one day be built and,<br />
feeling it was his duty, the spirit <strong>of</strong> Flt./Sgt<br />
Kowalski remained with his plane. When the<br />
wreckage was dismantled and the parts<br />
split up, Kowalski was left stranded<br />
and confused and in due course<br />
took up residence in the library.<br />
After doing ―lots <strong>of</strong> research and<br />
discussing it with various friends‖,<br />
Sheila recited the Air Force<br />
procedures for releasing a pilot from his<br />
responsibilities and Kowalski‘s spirit was<br />
finally released. He was last seen embracing<br />
his younger sister, Valeska, on the Carpathian<br />
Mountains, perhaps finding some peace in his<br />
own version <strong>of</strong> heaven.<br />
<strong>Museum</strong>s are always looking for that all important item with which to<br />
illustrate a local or national event, such as commemorative medals, mugs,<br />
cups, bookmarks and tea towels, as well as that now forbidden item, the ashtray.<br />
This one, made in 1938 to commemorate<br />
the installation <strong>of</strong> a new 2,000 volt<br />
transformer in the council‘s electricity<br />
substation, reflects the growth in<br />
importance <strong>of</strong> this new source <strong>of</strong> energy to<br />
the town.<br />
‘Watt’ a Novelty<br />
Electricity is something we all take for<br />
granted but it was not until 20th February<br />
1931 that premises on the town‘s principal<br />
streets were able to receive power from the<br />
council‘s new substation in Bromley Road.<br />
This was later than in most neighbouring<br />
towns, and may have been because the Corporation owned the very pr<strong>of</strong>itable gas works, the<br />
income from which was used to subsidise the town‘s rates.<br />
Although originally discussed in 1919, it was not until 1929 that the <strong>Congleton</strong> Electricity Special<br />
Order was approved and work began on building the substations and supply cables. This venture<br />
involved the council purchasing power for the North West Midland Joint Electricity Authority and<br />
then reselling it to both private and commercial consumers. It proved to be as successful as the gas<br />
works, hence the need for an improved supply and the new transformer in 1938.<br />
Preserving the past, recording the present, educating the future
Local History from only £1<br />
‘On yonder hill my uncle stands<br />
(<strong>Congleton</strong> Edge)<br />
But he will not come near<br />
For he is a Roundhead<br />
and I am a Cavalier’<br />
Excerpt from<br />
The Upper Biddulph Valley<br />
by Peter Boon<br />
Read more about the<br />
Upper Biddulph Valley from its<br />
role in the Civil War through to<br />
early industry and agriculture<br />
Other booklet titles include...<br />
<strong>Congleton</strong> Town Halls Peter Boon<br />
George Sandbach Albert Williams<br />
Chemists <strong>of</strong> <strong>Congleton</strong> Ray Rowe<br />
The Old Mill 1752-2003 Lyndon Murgatroyd<br />
The Parnells David Daniel MBE<br />
Geology and Geography <strong>of</strong> <strong>Congleton</strong> Peter Boon<br />
John Bradshaw <strong>of</strong> <strong>Congleton</strong> Peter Jackson<br />
The Inn Signs <strong>of</strong> <strong>Congleton</strong> and District Joan P Alcock<br />
Bath House Albert Williams<br />
Astbury Village Peter Boon<br />
My Grandmother’s House Peter Boon<br />
Between the Howty and the Dare in <strong>Congleton</strong> Peter Boon<br />
More titles are available in the museum or visit our website<br />
www.congletonmuseum.co.uk<br />
Preserving the past, recording the present, educating the future 9
Address<br />
<strong>Congleton</strong> <strong>Museum</strong><br />
Market Square<br />
<strong>Congleton</strong><br />
Cheshire<br />
CW12 1ET<br />
Phone<br />
01260 276360<br />
E-mail<br />
info@congletonmuseum.co.uk<br />
Website<br />
www.congletonmuseum.co.uk<br />
Opening Times<br />
Tuesday - Friday<br />
12.00 - 4.30pm<br />
Saturday<br />
10.00 - 4.30 pm<br />
Sunday<br />
12.00 – 4.30pm<br />
Monday<br />
Closed<br />
For holiday opening times<br />
please contact the museum.<br />
Can You Help?<br />
Are you a budding writer<br />
or history enthusiast? If<br />
so, we’d love to include<br />
your articles or story<br />
ideas in the <strong>Friends</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Congleton</strong> <strong>Museum</strong><br />
<strong>Newsletter</strong>. If you can<br />
help, please get in touch!<br />
10<br />
Contact Us<br />
Vintage Visit<br />
to the <strong>Museum</strong><br />
Preserving the past, recording the present, educating the future<br />
The car park across from the<br />
museum was filled with a<br />
colourful array <strong>of</strong> vintage<br />
automobiles as we played<br />
host to a group <strong>of</strong> visitors<br />
from the Northwest division<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Daimler and<br />
Lanchester Owners’ Club<br />
(DLOC) during their winter<br />
run on Sunday 27 th February.<br />
According to the group‘s website, the DLOC was formed in June<br />
1964 with the primary aims <strong>of</strong> promoting interest in and<br />
preservation <strong>of</strong> all vehicles manufactured by Daimler,<br />
Lanchester and BSA.<br />
Among the 16 vehicles displayed that afternoon were a Daimler<br />
Dart, a Daimler V8 Saloon and a Daimler Conquest. A 1927 2door<br />
Daimler 20/70 with a rare sleeve valve engine was also on<br />
view (see photo with proud owners Harris and<br />
Andrew Alston).<br />
The group‘s 30-mile drive began in<br />
Knutsford, with a stop at the museum<br />
for refreshments and a guided tour by<br />
Collections Manager Ian Doughty,<br />
before carrying on to Little Moreton<br />
Hall and then a return journey to<br />
Knutsford and dinner at the Cottage<br />
Restaurant.<br />
The group discovered <strong>Congleton</strong><br />
<strong>Museum</strong> while researching additional<br />
venues to visit near Little Moreton<br />
Hall.―We like to choose activities that<br />
are different and unusual; places that<br />
our members haven‘t been to before,‖<br />
said organiser David Page.<br />
―Something to interest the ladies,‖<br />
added cheeky chairman Brian Baker.<br />
This year‘s winter run was held in<br />
memory <strong>of</strong> previous DLOC chairman<br />
Mike Taowey and secretary Lionel<br />
Morris, both <strong>of</strong> whom recently<br />
passed away.