Archive stories of people
Stories from the archives linked mainly to people of Marple and District.
October 1859 – letter from William Foster, ship’s carpenter to his wife:
“My dear wife, I am sorry to inform you that the ship is a complete wreck. She has gone to pieces this morning, about 5 o’clock. There are only 25 – 30 of us saved out of about 400 souls."
Amongst the passengers who did not survive was Sarah Ann Foster (neé Woodruff). Sarah was born in Hatherlow in the township of Bredbury on the 28th April 1821 and christened at Hatherlow Independent church.
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Read more: The Loss of the Royal Charter - Sarah Foster’s story
In the Local History Society’s photograph archives we have a folder labelled “People named” and another one labelled “People unnamed”. Unnamed ones are occasionally identified. Named ones are quite often known because of their local history connections. However there is this one very poor photograph of a couple in a cottage garden, named on the back “Amanda and Henry Prevost”. No one at the Archives recognised these names but, armed with this information, it has been possible to at least trace part of the life story of Henry.
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According to census details from 1841 to 1911 the Ratcliffe family lived in Priestfield House (off Strines Road). However, on three of the censuses (1841, 1861 and 1871) the name of the house was given as Captain Nuttalls. This information has come to light due to researching a request from Steve Till who lives in Somerset. Details of this research are now in our archives.
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This article contains a newspaper report on an industrial accident at Botham’s Mill, Mellor in 1878, which resulted in the death of an 11 year old girl, the subsequent inquest and recommendations.
The industrial revolution brought with it a large demand for female and child labour. Prior to this children had always done work, in their homes or fields nearby, much of it depending on the season. With the transfer of the work to textile factories they now often worked more than 12 hours a day.
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The late Peter Bardsley (1929-2010) scoured the 19th and early 20th centuries Stockport Advertisers, and other local papers, in the Stockport Heritage Library for these stories of the Marple past. Peter was a stalwart of several organisations in Marple, including the Local History Society and the Holy Spirit Church. He authored or co-authored several local history books, including Hollins Mill and Brabyns Hall and Park, both with Ann Hearle. In May 2011 a new display board, in the Marple Memorial Park, about the Carvers and Barlows, was dedicated to Peter.
Thank you Peter!
left at the first Gourmet Market in Stockport in 2006, tasting donkey sausages!
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A recent request from Janet Davies enquiring about her husband’s ancestor, Ann Maria Vanpine, led to a search on line and in our archives. From these it is possible to learn about some periods in Ann’s life.
The Duke of York’s Royal Military Asylum,(left) records Ann’s admission to the Southampton Branch at the age of 10 on the 5th December 1821. This was a separate branch of the Chelsea RMA and was exclusive to girls. It was established as a haven for the orphaned children of soldiers who had fallen in the war with France 1793 to 1815 (Battle of Waterloo).
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High Peak reporter: June 14th 1924
A Long Lived Mellor Family
Five brothers whose ages aggregate 373 years.
The total ages of five brothers, natives of Mellor, Derbyshire, namely Stephen, Alfred, Edwin, Abraham and Jesse Marshall amount to an aggregate of 373 years. They are the surviving sons of the late Mr Samuel Marshall who died in 1902 aged 91 years. He served his time as a hatter and worked at Ridgway’s at Smithy Lane, Chatterton Lane, Ludworth.
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A letter in Cheshire Ancestor from Joyce Rishworth with a photograph of The Jolly Sailor at the time of some celebration and asking whether anyone could suggest what event this was, led to a visit to our archives of Joyce, her husband, John, and his sister, Mary.
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