The Marple Local History Society was formed in 1951 as The Marple Antiquarian Society and changed to its present title in 1990. More than 80 members meet on the third Monday in the month from September to April at the Evangelical Church on Queen Street, Marple.

The meetings invite speakers on various subjects of local interest or from further afield. Recent talks have included Girl Power - Manchester Style, Ellen Turner - Local Girl in National Scandal, Life in Longdendale, Underground Stockport, 10,000 years in Mellor, The John Rylands Library and its collections and "Fire in the Summit Tunnel". The Society also has close links with the Mellor Heritage Project and the Iron Bridge Restoration Group.

In July there is a Cheese and Wine evening at Mellor, which includes a guided tour of the archaeological excavations. During the summer two or three coach tours are organised to places of interest where specialist guides meet us. Past visits have included Gorton Monastery, Tissington Hall and Longnor, Port Sunlight and Ness Gardens, Llangollen, followed by a canal boat trip over the Ponte Cysyllte Aqueduct, Chesterfield and Hardwick Hall, Liverpool Cathedrals, and Shibden Hall.

The Society holds extensive archives of local and regional interest and is constantly adding to them. Many of these are donated by local people but some arrive from as far away as the U.S.A. The archives are presently stored at Mellor but the committee hope to move them to Marple and is actively looking for suitable accommodation.

Annual subscription for the Society is £10 and visitors may attend talks for £3. New members are always welcome and further information can be obtained from Hilary Atkinson on 0161 427 3802 or

This year’s letter is a joint effort from Ann and Hilary as at the AGM Ann retired as chairman after almost twenty years. Hilary was elected chairman at the first committee meeting after the AGM.

The Society continues to attract people and the talks were varied and stimulating. The first talk of the season was by Jean Bailo, a Blue Badge Guide who talked about some notable Manchester women – some well known such as Mrs Gaskell – and some more obscure but equally amazing ladies. Dr Stella Butler gave a fascinating talk about The John Rylands Library and its collections and we also heard about Ellen Turner – Local Girl in a National Scandal and about Life in Longdendale and Underground Stockport. The average attendance at meetings was between sixty and seventy people and new members are always welcome. The outings, researched, planned and led by Judith, with almost full coaches are very popular and where possible, there is a link with the season’s talks.

The Christmas party food was plentiful and Jack Turnbull kept us laughing with ‘The Lighter Side of Local History’. There was a good number at the cheese and wine evening at the Old Vicarage and everyone enjoyed looking at some of the old records and photos. Donald Reid, our president, gave a talk on ‘Fire in the Summit Tunnel’ after the AGM. It was fascinating as Don was heavily involved in dealing with the disaster. It led to many questions and comments.

Thank you everybody who helps in any way to make the Society successful.

The restored Iron Bridge was officially opened on Sunday June 22nd by Mark Whittaker, Peter Clarke and Ann. It has taken seven years of hard work by Mark and Peter of the Marple Web Site, working with our Society and Stockport Council. The most exciting moment for Ann was standing on the original bridge with Mark and Peter after the Bailey bridge had been removed - months of work to restore the bridge were then needed.

The excavations at Mellor proved as exciting as ever. Last year the deep Iron Age ditch by the entrance to the Old Vicarage was extended towards the wall of the churchyard and the adjacent land inside the garden was excavated. Now we believe we have found another entrance to the fort plus the gulley of a very large round house, not to mention numerous post holes and straight gullies. More of the garden will be ‘dug up’ this summer. This year’s Open Days are on the 6th and 7th of September. The Society will be manning the book stall in the Parish Centre and volunteers to man the stall are needed. Please contact Judith Wilshaw 0161 427 7285.

At this point, I would like to congratulate Ann on becoming the ‘Heritage Hero’ for the North West at a ceremony recently held at The Lowry. Ann will now go forward as a National Finalist at the Nationwide Community and Heritage Awards Ceremony (Nationwide Building Society in association with the Heritage Lottery Fund) to be held at the Tower of London in November.

Work on the archives continues each Thursday at the Mellor Parish Centre. We have made good progress but there is enough work to keep us going for another few years. It is good to be part of a team. We are all learning new facts about our district as we trawl through the archives to record and index for the new computer index. New filing cabinets have been purchased to replace a very old one and the numerous cardboard boxes.

The society's money is used for publishing books, mounting exhibitions, acquiring and keeping archives. Meetings are advertised locally. Anyone can attend one meeting as a visitor or join the society. Many people hear of the society through seeing one of the exhibitions. The subscription is £10 and there are currently one hundred and four members. The local library holds an index to the society's archives and passes on questions from the general public.

FOR MORE INFORMATION contact
Hilary Atkinson on 0161 427 3802 or

LOCAL HISTORY PUBLICATIONS

Marple Local History Society publications

• Brabyns Hall £ 2.50
• Festival Programmes £ 0.10
• History of Marple £ 3.95
• Hollins Mill £ 2.50
• It happened 500 years ago £ 0 .50
• Marple Hall £ 2.50
• Marple Hall postcards £ 0.10
• Marple Rose Hill House £ 2.50
• Marple C19 Failure £ 1.50
• Oldknow Mill postcards £ 0.10
• Samuel Oldknow £ 1.75
• What did they leave £ 1.00
• The Wallers £ 2.50
• 1851 Census £ 1.00
• Marple Bridges and Turnpikes £ 2.50

Local books published by others

• Marple and Mellor (pictures) £ 11.99
• Marple. Now and then (pictures) £ 12.99
• Twelve Mellor Walks £ 3.50
• Maps of Mellor £ 4.95
• The Kitchen Gardener £ 2.50
• Mellor Heritage £ 2.50
• Mellor Church £ 2.00
• Mellor Archaeological Trust £ 3.50
• From Peak to Plain £ 3.50