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CHURCH CHARITIES AT CHEADLE.

We are pleased to congratulate the rector and churchwardens of Cheadle upon the restoration to the church of a copy of the list of the original benefactions, which it will be remembered was removed by the late rector at the time of the church's restoration. The credit, however, of their replacement is, we understand, rather due to Mr E. D. Stone and the generosity of a leading member of the congregation. They are enclosed in a neatly-carved oak frame, on two panels of oak, and whe her as a work of art or as a record of the pious generosity of our forefathers, are a decided ornament to the parish church. They are placed on the west wall, on the south side of the belfry, the framework matching with the elaborately carved organ loft, great credit being due to Mr Roger Bateson, of Heaton Norris, by whom the carving and tracing has been executed, as well as to Mr Whiteside, of Manchester, who has spaced out and painted the lettering in a most artistic fashion. The following is

a full copy :

BENEFACTIONS.

1662. Mrs Elizabeth Hansby left £100 0s 0d, the interest yearly to be distributed in Bread every Lord's Day to the poor of the Township of Cheadle Bulkeley who attend Divine Service. The above interest to be paid out of an estate in Ack Lane, known by the name of Burgess estate.

1669 Mrs Dorothy Bulkeley left six acres of Land in Cheadle Mosley, the profits yearly to apprentice a Child or Children of some poor tenant in the township of Cheadle Bulkeley.

1678. Richard Downs, of Brook, left £2 10s Od yearly to Ten poor, aged Persons in the Township of Cheadle Mosley.

1745. Jas. Kelsoll, Gent., left £30 0s 0d. The interest to poor Housekeepers who are not Pensioners in the Township of Mosley and Bulkeley, the interest to be paid by the overseers of the poor in the said township.

1772. Mr Jno. Gatley, of Manchester, Gent., left £100 0s 0d, the interest to be applied in purchasing School Books and instructing Six poor Boys or Girls who belong to Cheadle Bulkeley in the English Language.

1785. Mr Jonathan Robinson, of Cheadle Hulme, gave three acres of Land, Cheshire Measure, the Yearly profits to pay a Schoolmaster in Cheadle Hulme for instructing eight poor Children.

1839. The Rev. Matthew Dunn, late of Cheadle Bulkeley, Clerk, by his will, dated Dec. 17th, bequeathed to the Churchwardens of this parish the sum of £100 towards purchasing a clock for the Tower of this Church. The said Matthew Dunn, by his will gave the sum of £200 Os Od to George Ban

croft, Joseph Nadin, Joseph Downs, and Joseph Higham, upon trust, to invest the same in the public funds, or upon Government or real security, and to distribute the interest and dividends once or oftener each year in Blankets, Clothing, Food or Coals, or both, to such poor people, parishioners of Cheadle, as his trustees should deem proper objects of Charity, and to appoint New Trustees when reduced to two

1818. Reginald Fowden, formerly of Cheadle, bequeathed to the Rector and Churchwardens of the Parish of Cheadle a sum of £2000 0s 0d upon trust, to apply the interest thereof amongst Ten poor, aged, Blind Persons residing in the Parish of Cheadle, in equal proportions of £100s 0d per annum each. This bequest was in the year 1870 disclosed to the then Rector and Churchwardens. Their claim was disputed, and, with the sanction of the Charity Commissioners and the parishioners of Cheadle, the sum of £1137 16s 3d was accepted in discharge, the same being invested in 3 per cent. annuities in the name of the official trustee of Charitable funds, the income to be paid to the Rector and Churchwardens of the parish of Cheadle for the time being. Cheadle.

S. S. A.

SANDBACH FIFTY YEARS AGO.

The following relating to Sandbach fifty years ago may interest your readers: The publichouses have generally been well preserved, but fifty years ago the George Hotel was the house" of the town, and was kept by a man named Emery. The coaches stayed here on their way from Liverpool to London, and one inhabitant informs us that he has often witnessed the interesting sight of a coach full of prisoners bound hand and foot, on their way to transportation for a term of years or life to Van Dieman's Land. Frank and Betty Birtles were interesting characters at the time of which we now speak. They were toffee vendors, and the very peculiar sort of toffee which they made was known by "Long Frank and Short Betty." Fifty years ago the sites of the shops belonging to Messrs Walton and Lunt were merely garden ground. The premises of Mr Fox, the photographer, were then partly occupied by a currier's shop belonging to Emmanuel Booth, and by the residence of "Peggy and Dicky" Fisher. Many curious anecdotes are related of these characters, which we have not space to chronicle here. They kept a mangle, and it is said that they were "patronised" by all the gentry round The servants who brought the clothes to the mangle came from miles round, and semetimes when a number of them congregated together much had to be spoken of before the time for separation came. This is probably the reason that Peggy Fisher was the proprietress of a sort of embryo registry office. Her hus

band was a coal carrier. Near to the institution there was the butcher's shop of Mr Ralph Arden-a sprightly young man at the time of which we speak. Close to there was also the residence of Madame Wells, who was a very charitable lady. About the site of Mr Allman's clothier's shop, a confectioner carried on a small trade, whilst next door, somewhere about Mr Cooke's jeweller's shop, lived an eccentric inhabitant of the name of John Birchell, or as he was more familiarly called, "Old Crab." This gentleman had a predeliction for growing sunflowers in his garden at the front of his house. Though this circumstance was not particularly noted at the time, it is a fact that his garden was generally well filled with this particular flower. The Old Hall was occupied by Mr Thomas Bostock, a silk throwster, the same gentleman who built the factory at the top of the hill. The present licence of the Old Hall was removed from the Crown Inn, a publichouse which stood at the bottom of the church steps. Half-way up the hill was situated what was called the poorhouse. A more elegant establishment at Arclid has since been erected. At the top of the hill lived Charles Dunning, a personage who kept a bear, and got his living by visiting the various wakes in Staffordshire and Cheshire. Report speaks favourably as to this gentleman's pugilistic abilities. Over the door of his residence was the carved image of a bear, so that he was evidently not afraid of making known his profession.--Tomlinson's Almanack.

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William Birch was shot at on July 23rd, 1819, in Loyalty-place, Churchgate, but the result was not fatal. He afterwards was enabled to get into a garden in Millgate, belonging to Mr Joseph Lane, who immediately took him to Mr Killer, surgeon, in the same street, Mr Flint being likewise sent for in consultation, and the Rev. Charles Prescot was present to take any deposition he might be desirous of making. The three gentlemen, after duly considering the matter, thought it advisable that Birch should remain where he then was until the excitement in the town had in some measure subsided, which was until past midnight. Stockport at that period could not boast of cabs or hackney coaches; but there was one John Lawton, a dealer in milk at the bottom of Lancashire Hill, who had a Sedan chair, which was procured for conveying Birch to his father's residence in Little Underbank, instead of his own home in Churchgate a file of soldiers preceding and following the Sedan, which was accompanied by Mr Flint and myself. Having been laid comfortably in bed, Mr

The

Flint made a thorough examination where the bullet had entered, enlarging the opening in the chest one or two inches, hoping that it would eventually make its way out, which, however, never occurred. patient, nevertheless, when sufficiently recovered from the shock to the system, was taken to his own house and lived several years afterwards, having a pension bestowed upon him by the then Government, Lord Sidmouth being head of the Home Department. This was enjoyed by him until death, and was afterwards continued to his widow during life. The remains of both now lie interred at the north side of St. Mary's Churchyard. After Birch's death the ball was found firmly embedded in the breast bone. The bone cut in two, disclosing the two halves of the bullet, was ex hibited by Mr H. Heginbotham at the meeting of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society in May this year, and since then has been placed amongst the town's relics in Vernon Park Museum, Stockport.

The following is a copy of a handbill circulated at the time of the occurrence, and issued from the press of Mr Lomax at a period anterior to the commencement of the Advertiser by him:—

TO THE PUBLIC.
Warren-Bulkeley Arms Inn, Stockport,
August 6th, 1819.

THE positive information upon the oaths of so many per

sons that have already been examined before the Magistrates, of Mr WILLIAM BIRCH, of STOCKPORT, being SHOT, of it's being done feloniously, and of the persons who actually did it being identified, would have been sufficient in other times to have satisfied the public mind, that such a horrid deed had been perpetrated, and could not be excused.

That after a painful Investigation of all the circumstances which have occupied nearly three weeks, the committal of two persons, and the advertising of others by name, it should be found necessary to publish one fact more, is lamentable. But to prevent the Public being further misled (although permanent prejudice may be out of the question), this may induce them to make further enquiries, which the innocent Individuals immediately interested have never had the anxiety yet to do for themselves.

Mr Birch, on the 23rd ultimo, a little before ten at night, was coming from his own home towards Mr Prescot's front gates, and by the wall within about twenty yards of the steps, which lead up to the gates, he was met by Bruce and two or three others (he thinks three), who halted, and Bruce questioned him about Harrison. Mr Birch addressed Brucs by name, and asked about Mr Sims, when one of the men. who has escaped from justice, and is advertised, immediately fired a pistol close to the left cheek of Bruce, at the body of Mr Birch, who apprehended more violence, and fled groaning over the palisades of Mr Lloyd's garden, and past the windows of the room where sat Miss Holmes (then and yet a visitor), Mr Flint, Surgeon to the Dispensary, the two Miss Lloyds, and both the Sons of Mr Lloyd, at supper, which is known to Mr Lloyd's servants.

The moment Mr Birch had passed the windows, still violently calling out, the whole party rose up and went together (much alarmed, of course) into the garden, and

were met by Mrs Bates and Mrs Stopford, and many more neighbours, who live in Loyalty Place. The garden was searched, but no one found, as it afterwards appeared Mr Birch had got over a wall and into Mr Lane's house. Mr Lloyd's clerk, Beely, was standing with Aaron Jenkinson and Others, at his own passage door, nearly opposite; and his other clerk, Bullock, was going up the Churchgate, opposite the Britannia, and was there met by the said Mrs Stopford's daughter, at the time the pistol was fired. Robinson and some of his family, were at the windows of his house, very uear the spot, at the time.

Mr

Mr Birch had no pistol. Mr Killer first saw him after he was shot, and probed his wound. Mr K. was afterwards assisted by Mr Flint and Mr Ameers. Bruce was taken before three o'clock in the morning, and described the other men with him, and pointed out the mark on his face made by the flash from the pistol. William Pearson, a prisoner,

ran after Birch into Loyalty Place, and he was followed by David Davies, who lives with Mr Leah, in Edgeley; the lat ter have been already under examination. The Surgeons above-named, as well as the Surgeon of the 15th Hussars, all agree that a bullet is now lodged near to the midriff of Mr Birch, having taken a direction backwards and downwards, by reason of its having come in contact with the breast bone.

Mr Lloyd, at the time, was fortunately with Messrs Armstrong, Wood, and Bowyer, who had met him at the Warren Bulkeley Arms, concerning the bail for Mr Harrison.

The wicked Conspiracy which has been entered into by certain Individuals in the Town, to involve the characters of innocent persons, because they are loyal, will meet with Exposure and Reprobation, if not due Punishment. Stockport. J. W.

SATURDAY, JULY 24, 1886.

Notes.

RECOLECTIONS OF STOCKPORT.

XII.

In my last paper I left Mr Samuel Chadwick awaiting the arrival of Mr Sims Reeves to pay him a visit at his residence in Wharf-street, Heaton Norris. A sumptuous banquet was prepared, to which Mr Chadwick had invited a select few of his friends, to meet the illustrious tenor. Mr Chadwick at this time may be said to have been at the height of his prosperity and popularity. He had a goodly following of supposed friends (I had almost written false friends), who stuck to him like leeches while the sum shone, and were ever ready to partake of his hospitality. He rose rapidly in public estimation, and was installed in some of the most honourable offices at Tiviot Dale Chapel, and was looked up to by his real friends-the members of that sanctuary. Unluckily for him he allowed him. self to be dragged into the arena of politics. was elected a councillor for Heaton Norris Ward, and stood high on the poll at several elections. He was unfortunately drawn into a law suit, which greatly aggrieved many of his true friends. From this time his prosperity began to wane at the mill. His machinery was depreciating.

Не

Several years

of bad trade ensued, and the money which he ought to have spent on his machinery to keep it in order had been spent in unnecessaries, and was to a very large amount got from him by one or two of his fair weather friends. I have often heard it said that misfortunes seldom come singly. It was so in

Mr Chadwick's case. A break-down on a large scale to his steam engine was the finishing stroke to his misfortunes. A collapse was the sequel. A number of his true friends were willing to assist him out of his difficulties, but he refused their offer and preferred going through the bankruptcy court. Mr Chadwick appeared to have lost all his energy after this. He tried several ways of gaining a livelihood; sickness came upon him, and he lay prostrate on several occasions for weeks. He died (in my opinion) broken-hearted on Friday, October 5th, 1883, aged 53 years, and was interred at the Stockport Borough Cemetery on October 9th. He was generous to a fault; and not being a good discerner of men and their characters he judged everyone to be honest like himself. This was the main cause of his ruin.

There were two individuals (whose names I could mention) who filched over a thousand pounds from Mr Chadwick. These gentlemen left Stockport some years ago, and the town has been all the better without them. The mill, after standing idle for many years, has now become the property of the Rivett family, the enterprising yarn doublers, of Heaton Norris, and it is now undergoing a thorough renovation, and will shortly be filled" with the best of machinery, and I hope in full work, and the firm prospering.

On the opposite si le of the canal is an extensive corn mill, now owned by Messrs Nelstrop and Co. The first portion of this corn mill was built by Mr Beard in the year 1819. In 1823 the lower storey

of this corn mill was filled with doubling frames owned by Mr Thomas Foster, who was often seen

in company with the late Mr Ralph Orrell, the founder of the Travis Brook Mill. Mr Foster was a diminutive person, and had a very swaggering gait. By his pompous style of walking he gained for himself the sobriquet, and was best known by the operatives as "Cockey Foster." I never heard of Mr Foster having works anywhere else but in this corn mill cellar. Across the canal and opposite the gable end of this corn mill stood a wind mill. This for many years was owned and worked by a family of the name of Heyes. It was burned down in the year 1857, being worked at the time by a person named Wilson.

About the year 1814 Messrs John and Joseph Read built their cotton mill on the canal side. The way to it was down Sandy-lane a few hundred yards, then turning to the left we go the full length of Coronation-street, and arrive at Read's cotton mill. This was worked by the Read family with great regularity until the time of the cotton famine, 1862; then, like many more, it succumbed to its fate. There were many families I knew who never worked anywhere but at this mill up to the time of its stopping. A portion of the mill was burned down a short time ago. Another portion is now worked by the Rivett family, who have constructed a foot bridge across the canal, which forms a communication to their works on the other side.

following manner. She got a piece of old rag, This she placed

either cotton or linen would do.

on the fender, and let it remain there until it was thoroughly dry. She placed it on the end of the poker, ignited it, and held it over the tinder box until it ceased flaming. She then let the residue

drop into the box, pressed it down with the lid, and the tinder was ready for use. The matches of those days were clumsy-looking things in comparison with the matches of the present. They were made of thin slips of wood, about six inches in length, the ends pointed and dipped in melted brimstone. They were sollin bundles, about thirty in a bundle, and were spread out like a fan, so that every match might be seen. The tinder box, flint, steel, and matches were then indispensable objects in every household. When we resided in Chestergate we were generally awakened in the morning by hearing the watchman cry the hour as he went his round, or by the sound of the men's clogs and the females' pattens as they clattered on the pave ment in going to their work.

My earliest association with Heaton Norris was the neighbourhood of Hesketh-street. There were very few houses in this locality then, fields and gardens were to be seen all round. On the first morning of our residence there none of the familiar sounds of the clogs and pattens struck my ear. To my astonishment we were awakened by the tolling of a bell. This was Mr William Hig. son's factory bell, which was rung every morning to awaken the work people, at a quarter to five in the summer season and a quarter past in the winter. It was late at night when we had done flitting from Chestergate to Hesketh-street, Heaton Norris. Our furniture and bedding was huddled together, and the only bedsteads erected that night our new house were those on which we children father and mother slept; had to sleep on beds placed on the chamber floor. As stated before, I was awakened this morning by the tolling of Mr Higson's factory bell, and then came the click of the flint and steel. I heard my father bammering away on the steel, I could see the sparks fly, and I heard my father saying angry words about the tinder being damp, meanwhile I was in good hopes of lying in bed a little longer. At last a spark would fall on a Silence dry spot of the tinder, and ignite it. reigned for a few moments, and then came a red glow on my father's face. He was blowing at the ignited tinder. He succeeded in lighting the match and candle, and my brother and myself were 8000

in

The oldest mill on Lancashire hill is the one erected on the Old-road, towards the close of the last century, by Mr George Higson. From the early part of the year 1826 to the year 1840 I resided with my parents within a hundred yards of this mill. The most dreaded sound to my ears from the year 1823 to the year 1826 was the rattle of the tinder box and the click of the flint and steel, caused by my father trying to obtain a light by these means. my I have often heard my father trying to gain a light by this process, and I have lain in bed snug and warm, wishing all the while that he would not succeed, thinking I should be allowed to lie in bed until the light was obtained. The wish was not always granted, for on many occasions we have been aroused and ordered to dress in the dark and hurry off to our work. The tinder box has now become a relic of the past. I may describe what was to be found in every house before lucifer matches were invented. Ours was a round tin box, four or five inches in diameter; it had a loose lid, which fitted inside the box and was used as an extinguisher. My mother was the manufacturer of the tinder, and it was made in the

hurried off to our work. I have tried to depict the way our forefathers adopted to get a light.

My first occupation at Mr William Higson's mill, Old-road, Heaton Norris, was to go and learn to be a bobbiner; that is, that I was to take the empty bobbins out of the spinning mule creel and replace them with full ones. My other duties were to learn to clean under the machinery. In doing this the cleaner had to be quick in his movements, otherwise he was in danger of being caught between the carriage and what was called the Samsons. The carriage was the portion of the mule which carried the spindles. This was driven out by steam power to the extent of about sixty inches; it was then pushed back, and the "faller " guided by the spinner. The Samsons were cast iron fixtures which supported the rollers and the creel. I have known several boys seriously injured and one killed whilst following this occupation.

My master was an elderly man named Sutton. I was told that he was at one time manager for Mr Higson, and was superseded by Mr Joseph Littlewood. I afterwards became the little piecer for Mr James Rhodes, who spun on the next mules to Mr Sutton's. The rope from the belfry came through the ceiling of several of the upper rooms and terminated between the creels of Messrs Sutton and Rhodes's mules. This dangling rope was a sore temptation to me, and I often longed to have a pull at it. One day I was between the creels and near the rope. I could not resist the temptation any longer. I observed that the por. tion of the creels where I stood between were filled with full rovings, and that I could not be seen. I took hold of the rope, and pulled with all my might, not thinking I was doing wrong. I could feel the swing of the bell, and I knew that I was making it tell, so I pulled away for about a minute, and then went to my piecing, not knowing the comnion I had caused by my foolish act. The neighbours were soon in the streets inquiring what was the matter. It was reported that the mill was on fire, and a large concourse of people were soon surrounding the mill. Mr Joseph Littlewood, who was a very shrewd person, did his utmost to find out who rung the bell, but he did not succeed. Shortly after this adventure a neighbour of ours named Joseph Brown, who was a mule spinner at the Hope Hill mill, solicited my mother to allow me to go and piece for him; he succeeded, his request was granted, and I became his piecer at

once.

On Sundays he

Nearly five years elapsed before I went to work at Higson's mill again. During that time great alterations had taken place. A number of old cottages had been demolished in Hesketh and Short streets to make way for the new engine house and the mill adjoining, lately held by Mr Rigby as his waste warehouse. Formerly Mr Higson's engine was supplied with water from two reservoirs situated in a field opposite the Heaton Norris Work house, now the Vestry Hall. Mr Higson caused a tunnel to be made a considerable depth, extending from his new engine house to the canal, and afterwards drew his water from it. Mr Higson reluctantly parted with his old engineer (William Gratton), who had "tented" his old engine many years, and engaged a young man named William Hammond. This gentleman was a great card in his day. He was master of his work, and he did not forget to let people know it. He dressed very showily for a person of his means. would strut about in a coat of some peculiar colour, and a tall white beaver hat. In other respects he was a very decent fellow. He was good company, and was highly respected by Mr Higson and by Mr Littlewood, the manager. A general holiday took place-I think it was on the accession day of the Queen, the 20th June, 1837. A number of Mr Higson's hands were showing their loyalty by the firing of cannons and a number of 56 lb. weights. Most of these large weights have a square hole in the bottom several inches deep. these weights is a very dangerous process. resorted to because a greater report is made when fired. The general way of firing them is this. The hole in the weight is charged with gunpowder, a wooden plug is then driven in the hole by a heavy hammer or mallet, a small hole is then bored through the plug by a gimlet; the weight is then placed in a hole in the ground (the top downwards and made to stand as perpendicular as possible. The hole in the plug is then filled with powder, a light is put to it, and away flies the plug in the air, generally in splinters, and a loud report takes place, which is all that is desired by the bombardiers.

Firing

It is

On this auspicious day Mr Hammond was the principal artillerist. One of the weights had been charged, a light was put to the gunpowder on the plug, there was a flash, but no report; the plug still remained in the weight. After waiting a few seconds Mr Hammond went to put some more p wder in the hole, bored in the plug, and whilst doing so the powder ignited, the plug flew out and

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