Bamford & Norden August 2021

at Crimble Cottage for a time and
had two houses built for his sons on
Norden Road, namely: “Chasewood”
and “Beechfield”. I understand that the
then Archdeacon of Rochdale, Thomas
Rawlinson Sale, owned the property
between 1919 and 1935.
Colonel James Brewer Gartside next
bought the property and he and his
family moved in around 1936. In the
1930’s, Colonel Gartside set about
modernizing the house and at some
point, installed the beautiful ‘Fusiliers’
fireplace in the main lounge, presumably
in recognition of his connection with
the Lancashire Fusiliers. Unfortunately,
he was unable to complete the
modernization program due to the onset
of World War II.
Gartside for over 30 years, he was a true
gentleman and a respected employer.
Crimble Cottage was subsequently
bought by Fred. Ratcliffe and Norman
Ledson at auction in 1960 and turned
into a restaurant. It was known as the
“Crimble Hotel and Cottage Club”, and it
remained in its original form until they
sold it to the Decker Hospitality Group.
Deckers spent a fortune on the building
which had three distinct areas: the
Conservatory Dining Room, the Peacock
Room and the Fenton’s Lounge were all
additions to the main building. The art
deco-style restaurant had glamorous
interiors and boasted two enormous
cruise ship crystal chandeliers in the
dining area. Decker’s Hospitality Group
Ltd sold this popular restaurant complex
to Crimble Properties Ltd as a going
concern in March 2018. The Crimble
Restaurant Ltd, which traded as ‘Crimble
Hall’ closed on Sunday 14 April 2019,
having gone into voluntary liquidation.
For the time being we shall have to
leave this part of our journey through
Bamford, except to say that at the top
of Crimble Lane there is a small wood
known locally as the ‘nursery’. This was
a sheltered play area for local children
The ‘Fusiliers’ fireplace.
– who climbed the trees; mainly beech
and horse-chestnut, played football and
Incidentally, Colonel Gartside succeeded
cricket, collected bonfire wood, and
his father Thomas E. Gartside as
played conkers which they had collected
Chairman and Managing Director of
in the autumn from here and nearby
Shiloh Spinners Ltd, Royton who was
Crimble Hall.
one of the original founders of Shiloh
Spinner Ltd, in 1874. Colonel Gartside Here we must end this part of our journey
was subsequently followed by his son through Bamford, look out for Part 7 in
Edmund T. Gartside, the third generation a later issue.
of the family to manage the Company
for over 125 years. On a personal note I Brian Clegg
had the pleasure of working for Edmund Who has lived in the local area all his life.
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