This is a video from Marple Local History Society's archives of Fred Winterbottom talking about his early memories of Marple. It was recorded in 1996 by Gordon Mills and was converted from VHS tape to digital format by The Marple Website in November 2011. In January 2020 it has been uploaded to Youtube and migrated to the new website.
This is a video from Marple Local History Society's archives of Barbara Hambleton talking about her memories of Marple and Marple Bridge. It was recorded in 1996 by Gordon Mills and was converted from VHS tape to digital format by The Marple Website in March 2011. In February 2020 it has been uploaded to Youtube and migrated to the new website.
This is a video from Marple Local History Society's archives of Tom Oldham recalling his memories of Mellor. It was recorded in 1997 by Gordon Mills and Stanley Knott and was converted from VHS tape to digital format by The Marple Website in January 2011. In February 2020 it has been uploaded to Youtube and migrated to the new website.
Many people will know Hannah Robinson, who has lived in Marple all her life. She was born on Ellesmere Avenue on the 15th of May 1935, moving to Chadwick Street when she was four and working at Marple Swimming Baths, the Goyt Mill as a 'lady winder' and Strines Printworks.
These are Hannah's memories of Old Marple in her own words.
Built as a Sunday Schools for the Congregational Church on Hibbert Lane in 1866, just a year or so after the Church itself was built in 1865, The Albert Schools played a large part in the lives of my grandfather, my parents and my aunt, and myself, siblings and cousins.
This is a video from Marple Local History Society's archives of Trixie Gough talking about her early memories of Marple. It was recorded in 2004 by Gordon Mills and was converted from VHS tape to digital format by The Marple Website in November 2011. In January 2020 it has been uploaded to Youtube and migrated to the new website.
Marple Hall is probably Marple's greatest historical loss. If it had survived a few more years it may have become a tourist attraction like Bramhall Hall but sadly that was not to be and all we can do today is speculate what might have been. However, at least you can at least take a Guided Tour of the hall through these pages and learn something about the incredible history that helped shape the community we live in today and discover a few relics that people managed to save.
Samuel Oldknow came to this district in 1787 and remained for over 40 years, until his death at the age of 72. During this time he changed the face of Marple beyond all recognition, being the chief architect and driving force in the development and industrialisation of the area. Along with his mill at Mellor he was responsible for the building of roads, bridges, coal mines and housing for his workers. He was also instrumental in the construction of the Peak Forest Canal. A monument to him, placed in the Church he built to replace the old Chapel that had become too small for the expanding community, gives a clear indication of his standing and influence.
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