THE BAILEY MANUSCRIPT______Harry Bailey of 24 York Road, Bowdon, died on November 7y 19715 aged 79. He compiled during his life a manuscript of life and events as he remembered them among the people at Bowdon Vale, beginning with the winter of 1895-65 . . . “when there was 13 continuous weeks of frost and stand pipes were used to supply water, also earlier incidents told to me by my parents who lived in the all their lives”. Bowdon Vale, earlier and from 1900 Some recollections of people and life chiefly below a line drawn from Motley Bank, Sowler’s Wood, South Downs Road to Shepherds Cottages at the end of Road and on to New Bridge Hollow and on this side of the Bollin to Ashley M ill Mottley Bank, a very old house of farmhouse type with fields adjoining providing pasture for cattle, occupied by Mr. Rigg who always kept Jersey cattle for own purposes also poultry, ducks, geese and sometimes peacocks. From here and all round the boundary there were farms, begin­ ning with Moss Farm kept by James Hall who kept cattle and served the district around with milk delivered with float by C. Davenport. Opposite the farm is the old Moss Cottage, the oldest re­ maining thatched cottage remaining in the district, built in 1666, and by the pathway leading through the fields to was a saw pit where trees were brought and sawn up. The gents cricket ground came next (to Moss Farm), most exclusive, we often went to watch the matches and usually a rope was placed across the pathway and beyond this we were forbidden to go without permission. Next to the cricket ground was the College House and playground. It was a notable school and housed as many as 40 or 50 boarders along with the sons of a great many local upper class people. It found employment for quite a number ol local women washing and cleaning along with indoor maids; for the washerwomen it was almost a full time job. Also so much food was needed that each week quite a number of locals would go with basins to get 2d. worth of dripping. Professor Hall was Headmaster. Then came Mr. Smith, a typical Headmaster and respected by everyone. On Sunday mornings he could be seen going to Bowdon Church accompanied by quite a number of his pupils of the same faith. The pupils were quite good at most sports and many after leaving became members of Bowdon Cricket Club and so enabled them to be one of the best teams in the County. Equally there was an equally fine hockey team playing during the winter months; among the outstanding players were R. H. Voss, K. Rigby, R. Ambery, Herbert and Fred Terras, Frank and Eric Church, R. Geenhow, S. E. Rigg, E. H. Longson, Arnold Wolff, L. C. Crockett, Chuffy Smith, Ron Killick. There were many others, also a professional, James Breksford, who lived in York Road and later took a shop in selling cricket gear and sweets. After the college came S. Pimlott’s shop and nursery established about 1850. The garden extended to York Road, part of which was unmade and no houses from Eaton Road. A portion of the nursery was also in Grange Road with quite a number of damson trees on it. The Goulden family also had a plot of land adjoining Pimlott’s which also extended to York Road with an extended piece bordering on Vicarage Lane beyond the mews (stables) but not extensively cultivated. Along to Bowdon Old Hall, occupied by old members of the Warburton family with an old-fashioned garden tended by a man named Gresty, a Dunham resident. During the fruit season Mrs. Warburton would be by an outside door and hand out apples and pears to the children on the way home from school. Just beyond Vale Road is Vale Bank House and stables kept by Mr. John Hall, a jeweller, then on to Mr. Frank Mottershead with horses and stables chiefly engaged on Council work and portering. A few yards away came Vale Farm kept by Mr. Alderley, a kind of gentleman farmer; he too kept a number of cows and sold milk, farming a number of fields in Bow Green Road by the seven wells. ■-* Next came Bow Green Farm kept by Mrs. Beswick and worked by her sons who also had a milk round. A little way on to Bow Green one comes to Mr. Joseph Chester’s nursery and farm. He kept one or two cows but chiefly relied on other farmers for milk which he retailed. Back along the road we come to the Gorse stables, then the house occupied by Mr. Hampson. By the side of the house a road leads to another small farm worked by Mr. Hartley; he also had a number of milk customers. Also nearby is the in which lived Mr. Inman and Mr. Walmsley. There was some farm land and buildings surrounding the house. There may have been an odd cow though the land was kept chiefly for grazing horses which had become too old for working and were kept and used as dog meat for a number of St. Bernard dogs, which must have been a profitable speculation as a man named Mr. Greenaway was employed solely looking after them. They were at times taken to shows all over the country and won almost all the premier prizes. During the last two years together Dr. Inman went to China on holiday and completely disappeared, and it was common opinion that he had been murdered; he never returned and Mr. Walmsley left and went to live at Bowdon Hall after marrying and selling all the dogs, some to America and other countries. He was one of the first men around here to own a car, a De Dion, quite a feature. He owned the Iron and Steel works and merged and then took over Redpath Brown and Co., Park. Mr. Gaddum then came to the Priory and there was still farming done there. A common sight each winter was to see Mr. Gaddum on his way to the railway station in a horse-drawn sleigh. It would seem we always had regular falls of snow in winter and more set seasons. Coming into the village there was a smallholding in Brick Kiln road farmed by William Mottershead. He had two or three cows and retailed milk by hand. He also did portering and some coaling. The first portion of his stabling was occupied by Mr. W. Clarke who repaired shoes and kept a shop in Vale View. Mr. Mottershead also lived there. The building and field are now covered with the Primrose Bank houses, Robinsway and Bailey Walk. Farther along we come to Mr. Spilsbury’s farm. He also had some cattle, retailed milk and did portering and always had a supply of coal which could be bought from i cwt to loads. Coal could also be bought from Mr. Evans, butcher, at the corner of Priory Street. His yard and stable were a little way up Priory Street. Next to Spilsbury’s farm came Mr. Warburton’s; he had a number of cattle and fairly large milk round, probably the biggest in the village, and almost every day the cattle would be driven along York Road to a field called the Yellow Backs which is now the Council houses and Bollin Avenue, there to graze and in the afternoon back to the farm. In all cases milk was delivered morning and night.

At the top of Priory Street is Glebe Farm, nicknamed Duck Hall, Church owned. This land was chiefly for grazing and was occupied by Mr. Fletcher. Shortly after he died the place was taken over and his son William opened a butcher’s shop next to Mr. Clarke’s. He still kept the stable at Glebe Farm and used it for killing sheep, which he often kept in the pad­ dock, a piece of land running from the top of Priory Street to Priory Road. A pathway ran alongside, leading into Priory Road and adjoin­ ing it is an open space of ground on which Mr. Potts, who earlier lived at the Gorse, built the Wesleyan Chapel. The spare ground on each side was used by Mr. Guy who kept a pony used for taking back washing which most of the and almost every day lines of washing were hung out. There were other drying grounds in the village and at the first house in Priory Street and at the last house in York Road and also No. 1. Brick Kiln Row and at the house in the field along the cinder road at the end of Brick Kiln Row. These houses were equipped with special stoves capable of heating a number of irons to enable the number of villagers employed there to keep pace with the large amount of washing done almost every day of the week. Wages were Is. 6d. a day; hours 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and often later. The village earned the name of Soapy Town and was made more popular when a pro­ cession was arranged in aid of the Indian Famine fund in which Joe Hassell and Jack Riley were the principles who paraded around the district on a horse-drawn lorry complete with washing- tub, mangle and washing hung on a line, and they dressed as washerwomen. The name is gradually dying out now that large laundries 0 opened out in the district and hardly any of that work is done in the village, and many may not have heard the name “Soapy”. W. Evans, a cab proprietor, collected and delivered all the huge hampers of washing and many of the small parcels of washing by members of their own families by hand or barrow. Where the wash was a fortnightly one there was a chance of wearing a fancy garment on the odd special occasion and people were not slow to observe this practice. At 32 Handel Terrace, Priory Street, lived a man named John Proctor, a blacksmith, and though not a good scholar he was one of the finest craftsmen for miles around and at the back of his house there was a corrugated building where he made ornamental iron work, gates, fencing, repaired well pumps, shod horses, made hoops for children, and carts and anything con- nected with iron. One very fine job he made was an iron arch over the gateway at High Lawn, East Downs Road entrance. Unfortunately this was taken down by some government officials and used in the War effort. He left Priory Street and continued in business at the old Smithy on the Brow, by the Church, and there he employed a blacksmith, and the place being more central more work came his way and there he ended his days (a grand man). Every Saturday after­ noon he would make his way to the football field accompanied by two dogs and could be seen with Mr. John Bailey who always carried a stick with a dog’s head on it and called the old black dog. He lived at 31 Priory Street, across from Mr. Proctor’s. Every spring quite a number of women in the village made nettle beer and sold it at Id. a bottle and it was drunk in large quantities, most people regarding it as very good for one’s blood (a grand drink). At No. 12 Ashley View, Priory Street, lived an old lady, Maria Roberts, and her daughter; and once or twice a week she would make and sell some chipped potatoes cooked in an ordinary frying-pan. There was often a queue as the quantity cooked at one time was so small Tom Potts, at No. 1 Vine Cottages, also began cooking chips, but an extension was built to the end house in Huxley Terrace so the others closed down. Most of the women in the village found time to make home-made bread even though the ovens were rather small, and others made and kneaded the dough and then it was taken down to Mr. Southern’s bakehouse in Altrincham and baked in one large long loaf about 2 feet 6 inches long costing Id. per loaf. There were also deliveries from Altrincham. Then two houses were built on to the houses in Brickkiln row and the first house was cellared and contained a large oven which extended under the pathway to the front of the houses. At the shop at the corner of Priory Street and at the shop in Vale Building, ovens were built in the cellars where bread and confectionery were made. From this shop some of the houses were converted into shops. A greengrocers, butchers, bootmakers and grocers Next came an off-licence, formerly a pub called the “Volunteer” but closed because of disturbances and there being an increasingly strong feeling against intemperance, especially amongst the members of the Wesleyan Chapel who every Monday night held a kind of social evening in the school room which was well attended by the young people in the village; tea, cakes and biscuits, and often a full tea party, were given free. Songs were sung, lantern slides shown, and at times lectures pointing out the disastrous effect taking drink caused in many homes. Everyone was invited to sign the pledge and be a Son of Temperance. A few broke the vow several times, then came back and signed again. Still, a happy night worth remembering. Behind the off-licence was a brick building where the bell-ringers used to meet and practise handbell ringing; most of the men were elderly and as they died off and there not being younger replacements the team of ringers ceased to exist. Adjoining the off-licence was- a private house occupied by Mr. Corke, who made a living as a market gardener on a plot of land on the left-hand side of the footpath leading to Vale Road. Next came another grocery shop kept by a man called Wiseman. Then came Buckley’s shop; he had a milk round, sold bread and some grocery. And lastly a tiny sweet shop kept by an old man named Wilkinson. These shops were in Huxley Terrace. It will be noticed that the first house in Brickiln Row and what was originally the first house on the other side each have an upper and lower room. At the house on the right-hand side, to which were built a house and bakehouse, lived Mr. Latham, a council worker at Hale. His wife kept a shop and although smaller than any of the others she stocked and sold almost everything one could think of in the grocery line—cigs, matches, paraffin, and very fine home-boiled ham. A little gold mine. She moved from there to the recreation ground in Eaton Road where she built two shops. After they died their only daughter sold them and went living away. When the full licence was taken away owing to frequent disorderly scenes an off-licence was granted and there was quite a good trade in jug- and-bottle line. Small parties of men drank to­ gether down the backs but for comfort it meant a walk to the Griffin or the Stamford Arms at Bowdon. This was a big hazard as so many of them took too much drink and on their way home would be stopped by the police, all big burly men, and summoned for being drunk and in­ capable and usually fined 2s. 6d. or 5s. These men and poachers and petty thieves were the policemen’s chief customers. There were odd occasions when one of the party was unable to walk. They would borrow a handcart, then plac­ ing their pal aboard would push the handcart home by the East Downs Road way, and so evade the police. Some of the stay-at-homes formed themselves into a little club, renting the house No. 37 Priory Street and each weekend would club together and raise 9s. and so buy a barrel of beer from the off-licence, roll it up the street, and then sit around it till it was empty, playing draughts and dominoes. This was, however, dis­ banded and the only club life in the village was a portion of the Mission Church which was par­ titioned off on the west end side of the door, where drink was not allowed. Members were mostly unmarried men from the age of 18 years onwards. Amusements, a small billiards table, card games, draughts, dominoes, reading, and during the winter months was heated and quite com­ fortable. An old man named Mr. Slater, living in 27 Priory Street, was in charge and was the sub­ ject of many pranks chiefly organized by Syd Priestner who was the old man’s bodyguard. The club being so small and the number of young villagers having increased, a few of the older ones approached Archdeacon Gore and a committee was formed, and with the gifts from some of the gentry of Bowdon and collections of smaller amounts by men in the Vale a new club was built in 1904 on a piece of ground given by the Earl of Stamford, the Church having first claims on it, and for the first few years was under strict super­ vision. The cost was around £400 and it was built by Williams, builders, of Willowtree Road. The left-hand door gave entrance to the clubroom and the right-hand side of the door was partitioned off with pitch pine sliding panels in line with the iron pillars supporting part of the roof and again divided to form a room for cards, games, dominoes, draughts and a reading room. There was a good collection of books and ever so many encyclopae­ dias; their numbers gradually reduced as time went on, so many were borrowed and not re­ turned. The membership fee was 4s. a year and a Mr. Bowland was secretary, Mr. Priestner, treasurer, and Mr. Barnes, caretaker. He was a cripple through an accident, still well able to do the job and received 12s. per week. Opening hours were 6 p.m. to 10.30 p.m., Mondays to Fridays, and on Saturdays and Bank Holidays from about midday to 11 p.m. In the larger part of the room was a full-sized billiards table, with a charge of 2d. for 50-up on the larger and Id. for 50-up on the smaller table. There was a fairly good membership, though quite a few of the people in the village were against club life and often voiced their objection, and shortly afterwards a Mr. Faulkner living in Hale took an interest in the mission and the club and formed a Bible class. This was ever so well attended and a complete success, and at times he would provide for an outing by horse wago­ nette to Arley Hall and other such places. To the members this was really a highlight. Many of the old people had never been so far away from the village. The feelings of his followers must have had a profound effect on Mr. Faulkner and he must have felt rewarded for his generosity, for a little later on he gave a fine wooden building which he had in his garden at home and he had it taken to pieces and rebuilt and attached to the rear of the clubroom. To add to the popularity of the game a billiards and whist league was formed in Altrincham. Many of the churches in the district joined in along with , Tim- perley, Broadheath, Sinderland, Dunham and Bowdon Vale. Matches were played on Monday # evenings and during the winter months competi­ tion to get on the teams was very keen and there was never any difficulty in finding a team; when the Vale were playing away there were always a few spectators as stand-bys and as an encourage­ ment to the players chosen. Some of the church institutes had only one table and many of their players used to practise their billiards at the billiards hall which had been built and was well patronized. These tables had a slightly larger approach to the pockets and these made it easier to play on. The Griffin and Stamford Arms each had a billiards room. After two or three years there were a few good players. Brad Smith was deemed to be the best, he having had some coaching from Mr. E. Morley who had a billiards table at home and was amateur champion of Cheshire. Each year there was competition for a shield given by Mr. H. Gaddum. There was much excitement at Christmas time. A goose given by Mr. Hampson from the Gorse; a turkey from Mr. Tom Ashworth, Heald Road, who often played the piano for the singsongs we had; a round of beef from Mr. Fletcher, butcher. There were prizes for all the other games, chickens, ducks, rabbits, legs of lamb, pieces of pork. One must imagine the keenness.______The village was well provided for at this time in all sport. Th e cricket, football and bowling clubs were very popular. The cricketers won so often that the league disbanded. The footballers also won the league at one time without losing a match. The bowlers also won and Jim Chesters and John Crosby each won the Chester merit and all- North Counties, Fred Goulden the Northwich Infirmary Cup. The teams were nearly all local lads; this may be due to the fact that there was no means of transport other than walking or cyclings and not many had cycles. The bowling green was laid out by Mr. Lockett who lived at the Brickyard House and had some greenhouses on the 'field' towards the Bollin. The cost of laying the grass was about £40. On the cricket field a pitch was laid out and fenced off, and the outfield was left rough. The fencing was moveable. A small wooden hut was built and part of it used by the bowlers. The recreation ground in Eaton Road was first used for football, then Mr. Mottershead’s field in Brickkiln Row and afterwards a pitch was marked out on the cricket ground on the far side so that it did not quite reach the pitch laid out for cricket. The room at the Club was used for dressing; with so much more activity in the Club many men were brought together and in consequence politics and local affairs were often discussed and occa­ sionally rather heatedly. Most of the villagers were Tory-minded. Many of them were employed in private ser­ vice as coachmen and gardeners and so upheld their employers’ views and there was a prospect of dismissal should it be known one held other views! There were a number of Liberals and just a few supported the Labour party which was beginning to make some progress in the country. People holding these views were chiefly employed in the works or the building trade. On several occasions a leading representative would hold a meeting at the bottom of Priory Street and though not too well received certainly made some headway and during the next few weeks there were arguments between all the parties. At the next general election many people were surprised when Sir William Crossley broke down the Tory stronghold for the Liberals and held the seat won for quite a long time. It is believed that this was the cause of Mr. Faulkner severing his connection with the Club (a sad day for the Club members). It seems he had liberal views and appeared on the platform at one of Sir William Crossley’s meetings. Some members of the church took exception to this along with Archdeacon Gore and maintained that anyone who supported any other cause could not be a true Christian Churchman and so the Club lost a benefactor and the Bible Class some members. The Urban District Council was formerly known as the Bowdon Local Board. Before mov­ ing into the office in Richmond Road it had an office in the end house of the Polygon in Stam­ ford Road and a Mr Pownall was the Surveyor and lived above the office. The affairs of the Council were under the control of the rich and middle-class residents. For quite a number of years the men employed were chiefly old men of the village who had probably got past their commercial value in some trades. As time went on a mild sensation was caused when at a com­ ing election Mr Isaac Warburton from Grange Farm (Knowledge Box by nickname!) Mr Hamp- son a gardener and the oldest of them Mr Guy of Priory Street held a meeting in the Club after being proposed as candidates. They voiced their views and the advantage of having working men to represent the villagers. At the end of Mr Guy’s speech he asked for support to send all the other opponents to oblivion and to the delight and sur­ prise of many of them they were elected as mem­ bers of the Council and so became the first work­ ing men to gain that honour and from that time though always in a minority there have been two or three representatives on the Council and most of them Chairmen. Apart from the Club one had to go into Altrincham for other enjoyments where there were travelling shows often staying in the town for short periods. One Snakes Ghost Show in a large tent erected in Moss Lane and Ghost Shows they were. Maria Martin, the Murder at the Red Barn, The Face at the Window and such like. The Pierrots were also here and put on different shows on the piece of land on the right hand side by the Railway Bridge in Moss Lane and often there were fairs with all kinds of Shows, and the small Theatre in Shaws Road with Plays of the General Gordon of Khartoum type, Music Hall turns and eventually the Flickers, silent pictures which were quite new and popular, with Charlie Chaplin, a comic who, before going to America, played in sketches with the Mumming Birds in Manchester and accepted as the finest. Also Flora Finch and the Keystone Cops and many others. There was always a queue reaching into Green­ wood Street, and Mr. Hook, the Manager, would walk to the end of the line saying early doors this way, three pence extra to all parts. The charges were 2d., 4d., and 6d. Shortly after the Hippodrome was built and varieties were the chief performances with Pantomimes at Christ­ mas time. Mr. Haytor was the Manager and later on the Picture House was built near the baths in Stamford New Road. These were chiefly American films. Sound was incorporated and became ever so popular and very often was packed out. Later on Hale Cinema was opened. This was the last word in cinemas at the time, much more com­ fortable and better conducted in every way.

Another yearly attraction was the Agricultural Show. Preparations began in June. Mr. Bailey with two other men putting up the Boskins, ring rails and all the other shedding needed. Martin Stones erected the stands and Pecks the tents, and it was in November before it was all cleared away. On Show Day hundreds of people would stand behind the Church rails and watch the horses and cattle being lead to the ground from Hale Station and from local farms where many had stayed overnight having come from some distance away. Sheep and pigs were the only ones to be brought in carts. The same procession could j be seen after 5 o’clock when they were on their i way home. Bowdon Wakes and San Jam fair was quite a feature too, held each year on a field at the end of the park on the right hand side on Charcoal Road, so called because of the charcoal pit just inside the Park Rails. This seemed to peter out at the time of the Boer War; Knutsford May Day and Lymn Rush Gathering were two noted festivals held each year and great crowds of people attended. Many from afar. There were not many soldiers in the village at that time though the yeomanry was building up and many of the farmers loaned a horse and firing practice was held on the Battery (a field by the Birkin) with targets placed in the Bank of Royle’s Pool Bank Farm field Other training was held in Tatton Park. This proved to be very useful when the War came about in 1914 when thousands of horses were commandeered, though motor trans­ port was begining to rapidly come to the front, still horses and mules were used during the whole of the War and were able to take guns and material impossible to motor vehicles. During the Boer War there were one or two occasions when the British Army was beseiged and as they were relieved there was great rejoicing especially after Maffekin and a popular song bringing in all the names of the Generals and places in South Africa was composed and most people learned and sang it... ‘The babys name was Kitchener, Carrington Methuen Keckwith White Cronje Kruger Powell Majuba, Gattaker Warren Col- enzo Plumer, Capetown Maffekin French Kim­ berley Ladysmith Bobs a Union Jack and Fighting Mac and a Lydite Pretoria Bobs .. .’. When the War was over a few of the time serving soldiers came home on leave and one Fred Beacroft 33, Priory Street, bought a phonograph with six cylindrical wax records—Annie Laurie, Banks of Loch Lomond, Killarneys Lakes, the Minstrel Boy and two others. This was really something new and I doubt if there was another one in the Vale. As time went on they became very popular and many of the villagers acquired one and later on came the gramophone with wax disc records, clearly a great improvement but neither of them could oust the piano or the concertina one or two possessed. Nicknames The Village being nicknamed “Soapy”, a large number of the men folk too had nicknames, such as: Casser, Chipper, Butcher, Bungy, Algy, Basher, Piedy, Ducky, Jady, Chingy, Shimlow, Aggy, Meff, Toe, Billy-one-two-three, Wilky, Mansen, Briggy, Ranji, Hockney, Lively, Keck Shake, Tumsey, Tim, Oddy, Pudding, Lather, Pickles, Doctor, Clogger, Dabsy, Floater, Tubby, Pom Pom, Old Hat, Tod, Nickerty Nack, Gents Cockles, Honkey, Nib, Weary, Pokey, Ebby, Twid- lor, Kipper, Windy, Buttercup Joe, Nib, Tosser, I Knowledge Box, Sammy Nack (he split a raisin to make weight), Giant (smallest man in Village), Darkie, Robbo, Dobby Horse, Slasher. . . . Nearly all have passed on and therefore are rarely heard. For some time Pigeon-flying Clubs had been in existence in the Altrincham area and a number of the Valeites, namely G. Clarke, S. Spilsbury, G. Lovett, A. Goulden, S. Hicks, G. Oilier, P. Higson, and maybe one or two more. Each kept a loft and entered birds in the races which were held each Saturday during the Summer months. On a chosen day in the week the birds were put in special baskets and taken to Altrincham Station and from there to their destination where, after having a number stamped on the underside of the wing, they would be released. For the first few weeks in the year the races would be for young birds, with distances from fifty miles and upwards. Afterwards the older birds would compete, with longer distances extending to Northern France and Spain—Nantes and San Sebastian and other places. Although every endeavour was made to release these birds in good weather it often hap­ pened that they encountered the reverse during the flight, with disastrous results and only the few that returned home were a day or two over­ due and yet were among the winners. This meant a long and sometimes weary wait to get the num­ ber and clock it in at the Post office. When the races were completed on Saturday’s as many as six runners were spaced along the road from the Pigeon Cote to the Post Office at Bowdon where the Postmaster stamped the time of arrival. Two and a half minutes were allowed for what might be called a Relay Race. As time went on clocks were introduced, so the runners lost their job and a bottle of pop or beer which was the reward for his services. Over the years all the chief races were won by one or other of the villagers. George Clarke was perhaps the most successful and it may be he had the advantage of always being in touch with his pigeons each day as he and his father carried on a business making and repairing boots and shoes in a building in W. Mottershead’s Farm in Brick’kiln Row, where the pigeon cote was also situated, and each day he would put on a long white coat when he went out to feed and tend them and in consequence they became remarkably tame. (Next time: Some old Buildings and their use). Mrs. Sutton kept the Post Office and at the rear of the shop there was a small brick building which housed the telegraph boys awaiting calls for delivery. This service was discontinued and the Post Office was transferred to the other end or the building and taken over by Mrs. Ormson (corner of St. Mary’s Road).

About 1890 a Lads Club was formed and meet­ ings were held on Tuesday, Thursday and Satur­ day evenings, 7 to 9.30 p.m. under the supervis­ ion of two of the church officials in the old school room, a building adjoining the school house. A gymnasium and games were provided. The Church Lads Brigade was also formed and St. Mary’s Football Club—the first in the district. It was in the old school and in the new one that Mr. H. W. Evason was Headmaster for some 40 years. He was also Clerk to the B.L.B. (Bowdon Local Board) with an office in the first shop in the Poly­ gon, in Stamford Road, next was Mr. Pickering’s caterer’s shop, then entrance to an upstairs studio where Estelle took photos. Next was Mr. Brooks the grocers and next Mr. Tootill’s chemist’s shop —to complete the Polygon. Standing a little way back is the old cottage in which lived Mr. Pitt Hardacre who controlled the Comedy Theatre in Manchester and who almost every Sunday could be seen going out into the country riding in a beautiful jaunty car accompan­ ied by one or two of the leading artists. The house next door was taken over by the B.L.B. and the lower rooms were converted into offices and thus the Urban District Council was formed, with a caretaker in the rooms above. At the death of Mr. Evason, Mr. Willis Paterson, a Solicitor, was appointed Chief Clerk with Mr. Evason’s son-in- law, Mr. Percival, as assistant and the new School­ master was Mr. , who came and lived in School House next to Miss Edwards, Headmis­ tress of the Infants School. It was about this time that the Government brought in free and compul­ sory Education. Hitherto a change of 2d to 9d per week for standards 1-7 years was made. Some of the poorer families found it difficult to find the money to pay the fees and in consequence many of the children came part time and did odd jobs in order to help out the family budget, and finally left altogether at the age of 13. This was extended to 14 years and the school hours changed from 9-1.30 p.m. to 9-12 noon and 1.30-4 p.m. Some alterations were made in the school, a gal­ lery on the west side of the middle room was taken out, also a new room was built to accommodate the infant classes. Later on the old school room which had been used for cookery classes was demolished and the commemoration stone transferred and built in the wall of the new infant school wall. After the death of Mr. Evason, Mr. C. Oldham was appointed, and his wife took the Cookery Class for girls and for a while a mixed class along with all the other teachers. Mr. Oldham proved to be a very strict, just and go-ahead teacher and quite a few gained honours and became pro­ minent in local Government and business affairs. Mr Oldham (Headmaster of the Church School) and Mr. G. McKenzie were also responsible for rehearsing and staging concerts and plays (“Cox and Box”, “Freezing a Mother-in-Law”, and many others each year), during the winter months to a packed and delighted audience. During one of the rehearsals he was taken seriously ill and after a short while passed on, a great loss to the district and the scholars and after only a few years. So for the next few months two temporary head­ masters took over until the arrival of Mr Blake- man who took up residence in the School House and who very quickly proved to be an excellent choice, especially when one considers he main­ tained the high standards of the late headmaster. Formerly there was a trust fund which brought in £4 per year for further education but this seemed to have been lost or perhaps merged into the Earl of Warrington’s Charities. A yearly sum of £110 was for the distribution of Bread and Cloth­ ing for the Poor each Sunday. An original sum of £5,000 increased in value and in 1902 was £5,610 invested in Consols and was for apprentic­ ing and educating poor children, also clothing them and also affording relief to the aged poor. Walton’s, Cooke’s and Bagshaw’s charities pro­ duced £216 yearly for educating, and building purposes. Penny bricks were sold by many of the scholars to swell the building fund. A new Parish Hall was widely spoken of as being the object. The St. Mary’s Football Club was disbanded and the Church Lads Brigade also seemed to be losing favour. A photograph shows Archdeacon Gore and Revd. Portbury with two officers, Captain Brown and Capt. Oats, with the five remaining boys, E. Aldcroft, Charles Bailey, John Evans, R. Sutton and Joseph Rawlins. At a later date the Earl of Stamford’s Boy Scouts was formed. This move­ ment became worldwide. A football club was formed in the village and games were played on the recreation ground in Eaton Road. The Bell Room was used as a dressing-room, a building situated at the rear of the off-licence opposite the Club; originally the handbell ringers used this room for rehearsals. The off-licence was formerly known as the “Volun­ teer” and had a full licence then, and when it was taken away a number of the old hardheads rented a house in Priory Street (No. 41) and each Saturday they put the little money they had to­ gether and purchased a barrel of beer and rolled it up the street to the Club where they would stay till they emptied it, whilst playing draughts and dominoes. By doing this they eliminated the risk of being apprehended for being drunk and incapable on their way home from the “Griffin” at Bowdon.

For quite a while very few new houses had been built, but now the authorities and builders began to move and the village took more shape. Eaton Road was remade, new sewers put in, two blocks of terraced houses were built the front gardens of the houses next to Hamilton terrace were taken away to straighten the footpath. The cindered part of York Road to Grange Road was remade and houses built on the north side and later on the opposite side. The trees and hedges in Vicarage Lane were removed and new houses were built at the top. The Lane had a steep rise, at the top, and this was remade and the rise made gradual. Further houses were built and extended to almost opposite York Road. The boundary to the allotments on the Moss came to the roadway in Vicarage Lane and the entrance was tranferred to the pathway leading to the Vale and some semi-detached and terraced houses were built adjoining the Mission Church and the brick field in Bow Lane became worked out and closed, the second one in the village to do so. On the left-hand side of the pathway, leading to the Vale, was a nursery with some greenhouses cultivated by Mr. Corke and his son. He lived in the house adjoining the off licence, and Chesters at Bow Green also had a Nursery, and between the old houses in Vicarage Lane and Grange Road, Gouldens and Pimlotts shared the whole of the ground reaching to York Road, and, at the lower end of Grange Road, Pimlotts also had a portion of the field as an orchard with quite a number of damson trees. These, by the way, were very popular and could be found growing around the boundaries of many of the gardens and in the Hedgerows in the lanes and one may have thought that the amount produced would meet the villagers needs. This was not so for two or three times each week Greengrocers’ carts would arrive loaded with fruit and vegetables and often a large box containing fish on ice, and seemed to do a good trade. Bananas being the exception, people were very sceptical about them. Each year an allotment show was held in the club and there was always keen competition be­ tween the professional and the amateur gar­ deners. Times were hard, and long hours worked, and there was a good deal of overlapping when one considers that there would be half a dozen carts delivering milk morning and night and as many bread vans delivering bread each day, some from Altrincham, and one Hampsons from Broadheath and it was in the late hours of the night when many returned home. There was still a lot of home baking. Some years earlier for various reasons, one of them lack of oven space, people would make the dough and then one of the family would take it to Southern’s bakehouse in Altrincham where it was baked into one large loaf about 2 feet 6 inches long at a charge of a penny. Workmen’s wages were always paid at the end of the week and this meant for the poor people, who were unable to afford an account, and also many others had to wait for the men­ folk to give them money to enable them to do the shopping. Then off to Altrincham they would trudge where most things were cheaper, and during the last hour or so at give-away prices particularly the perishable goods and meat, also damaged goods. Broken biscuits at a penny a large bag. Shop hours were 8 to 7, Mondays; 8 to 8, Tuesdays and Thursdays; 9, Fridays; 11 o’clock Saturdays with half-day 1 o’clock Wednesday. When the weather was fair grocers, butchers, greengrocers and many other shop­ keepers displayed their goods in the open, at the front of their shops, and in the summertime water carts would be continually employed spraying water to dampen down* the dust which was a menace to health. It covered all the road­ side hedges and for a short distance in the fields the crops were seriously affected. The surface of the roads was small stones rolled together in marl, and as it dried out passing traffic would cause it to swirl in clouds especially on the main roads where the traffic was heavier. The advent of the tarmac roads almost eliminated the dust problem. Cycles were now within easier reach of the people and at weekends there would be ever so many on the main roads heading for the country villages along with the trotting ponies and gigs chiefly owned by the tradesmen. Many of the villagers would spend hours at Park Road corner and street head—watching this spectacle. There was a 10 miles an hour speed limit for cycles and the police were always there and made many prosecutions for speeding particularly when proceeding downhill. To ride to Chester in 3J hours was considered a great feat. A hazard was caused when during the heat of the day in the summer months the tar would melt and adhere to ones tyres and shoes. Fishing was a very popular pastime and most of the farmers around would allow anyone to fish in the pits in the pasture fields and lots that were caught were brought home and put in the pit at Duck Hall (Glebe Farm pit at the tope of Priory Street and here in comparative safety the kids would try to recapture them. It was also an inducement for them to continue this pastime in later life. There was an abundance of wild life. Hares, pheasants rabbits and almost every kind of native and migratory birds and one could start at the Gorse. Lycetts Lane later called Beswicks lane and now Bow Lane and find many scarce birds eggs and quite a few people had a grand collec­ tion, and in the fields by the Bollin around Easter time there was any amount of plovers eggs and also plenty of fish in the Bollin, chiefly gudgeon with a few trout and roach. The trout were bred in a hatchery in the wood on the other side of the Bollin. Each day one of the keepers from Tatton would pay visits there, so it was somewhat private, though most of the village boys went in at times. The hatcheries were covered over with small mesh wire netting to keep the leaves from the trees fouling the water, and were fed by the overflow from a pit near the Polo field and was called two Trees pit. Excepting for a Sunday School Day trip to the seaside which only cost around l/6 d each almost the whole of the summer holidays were spent down the Bollin at Ashley Mill, the Manns, and Heywoods and in the Winter it was skating and sliding on the pits and the Brick Yard field which was absolutely safe. This was the next field to the Yellow Backs, now Bollin Avenue. There was also a shallow pit in the right hand corner of the recreation ground in Eaton Road on which the younger children used to slide and there was also some swings and a see saw for their enjoyment on the raised land nearby. During the holidays almost every evening there would be quite a number of youths and some grown ups playing cricket or football and sometimes hockey. Finding suitable gear was a real difficulty and we often made do with solid india rubber balls or shapeless ones and chipped bats and sticks thrown out by the Gents club and College boys. On Saturday afternoon the village team played their home matches and when one considers they were all local lads in the size of the village they were quite a good team. It was now about the turn of the century and Mr Ormson built two blocks of seven houses extending from Hamilton Terrace to York Road. The gardens at the front of the first row were taken away and the road was remade and as time went on houses were built on the north side of York Road and later on the opposite side and the cindered road made remade to grange road. This follow on building meant work for some of the local men. The infants school was built in 1906 and was undoubtedly needed as it saved the little ones the journey each morning at 9.0. and again at 1.30 up to Bowdon School especially during the wet and winter weather. Bad weather and frost also affected building operations and workmen lost quite a lot of time and loss of wages and this may have been a factor which led some of them, and those who were only casually employed to emigrate to Canada and Australia. After being away two or three years (in Australia or Canada) a few came back, not having found conditions very favourable. The others stayed on and were quite successful, one or two becoming heads of departments, and were amongst the leading citizens. Occasionally they would come home and spend a month’s holiday and go back in high glee, which I think is proof of their well-being and when the 1914 War came about they all excepting two joined the forces and came over with their contingent. The pay was good and very little red tape. When the War broke out it was widely thought that it would be over by Christmas 1914, yet most of the single village men went to join the army and so many thought they might keep together and they attested at the Drill Hall in Hale. A few were rather surprised when they failed the test. It seemed they were only accepting men 100 per cent fit, so those who had only slight defects to sight, teeth, feet, were refused for the time being; also the medical profession was rather strained. Unfortunately the War continued and as time went on the standard of fitness was lowered and treatment provided, so many of those previously rejected were now accepted. Married men with a few children were not wanted owing to the cost to the country. During 1915 the War assumed greater and alarming proportions, so men and more men were needed and recruiting took place all over the country. The position became serious so the Government issued a Bill calling up every man between 18 and 38 years of age, and only those who were employed on important work— engineers, munition workers, farmers, bakers, butchers, and other jobs necessary to keep home life going—were exempted and later the age limit was extended to 48 and 50. Men at this age were trained as Home Guard and were stationed at various parts of the coast line. They also relieved younger men for overseas service. Most of the men in the Vale were employed in private service or work that was not of national importance, so only two or three in the works, the baker, the butcher, farmers’ sons and one or two unfit were left to carry on in what seemed an almost deserted village, along with the aged and the women and children. The majority of the villagers had some­ one in the forces and some families were wholly depleted. Instances were in Priory Street. The John Dean family six sons, cousins William Dean five sons, Davies four, Leigh four. In Vicar­ age Lane the Herritys four; in Brickkiln Row the Spilsburys four; in York Road the Thomp­ sons three, the Baileys four, the Priestners four, the Cockrofts four, the Hassells three, the Morgans three, the Price family three, a few more with two, and quite a number with one and some the only member of the family. Among the killed were: F red and Jim Cockroft, Neville Priestner, Llewellin Goulden, Arthur Durrant, B. Shaw, A. Durrant, Harry Hope, all from York Road; George Collins, Walter Long, Percy Spils- bury from Eaton Road; Jim Aldcroft, Jim Smith, Arthur Aspey, Herbert Oilier from Brickkiln Row; Charlie and Alf Davies, George Leigh, William Hooley from Priory Street; John and Fred Herrity, George Pimlott, Jack Ennion, Ben Johnson from Vicarage Lane. Alf Pimlott from the shop at the corner of Grange Road died about a fortnight after coming home and Frank Sparkes from Priory Street a few years afterwards. Peter Dean, Arthur Hassell, Stan Spilsbury died earlier in life from injuries or gas, and several others were affected and received small pensions. Dick Hooley and Bill Bailey each were awarded the Military Medal. At the time they lived next dooj to one another at 16 and 18 York Road. I do not maintain that this is a complete record. An enquiry I made revealed that 92 per cent of the villagers were in the forces. An excellent contribution. ' -»-■ ? - *- -XW

Men of military age, who were engaged on munitions, were issued with a numbered badge and certificate and some who were awaiting call up and deferrment were given a khaki armlet to wear and so minimize the unpleasant feeling which, along with the show of white feathers among some of the people whose sons were in the Army. As time went on women and older men were brought into the works and took over many of the semi-skilled jobs and so released many more men. Most of the one-man businesses were closed down, so great had become the need for more men and they were given a few weeks grace in which to wind up or make other arrangements. Also, all the young men on reaching 17^ were called up. The infantryman’s pay was Is. per day, and if one allotted half that amount to dependents the government added 3/6 and this was a great help to most homes. Engineers and transport drivers received a further 3d a day pay. The allowance for those who were married was 19/- for the wife and 2/- for each child. The 7 /- allowance to mothers and fathers was often used to send parcels, and were a real treat. Many of course went astray. Money was of little use unless one was able to get down to one of the bases, where the canteens were, and one could draw some pay and so enjoy all kinds of sweets etc at reasonable prices with cigarettes at 50 for 10d, in tins. Later in the war when the American soldiers arrived, we found that we were outpriced in the villages, their pay being ever so much more than ours, and of course up went the prices of goods. This caused some ill-feeling among many of the troops. However, to a great extent this gradually disappeared and we were glad of their aid in the bitter struggle, fresh, full of life and enthusiasm they soon found where the shoot­ ing gallery was and fitted in the task splendidly. Without their aid it is very doubtful whether we would have won the war, and when one considers the scarcity of rifles, equipment and war materials, through the loss of ships at sea, one can see how desperate the situation was. The local home guard: T. Ormson, G. Gallimore, S. Benson, J. Beswick, J. Hawkins and a few others, along with members of the surrounding districts trained on Altrincham football ground with pikes and broom handles, there being only a few rifles for instruc­ tion. Food, too, was becoming a problem and the cricket ground at the top of Priory Street was divided into allotments. Two hours were added to the hours of daylight during the summer and one take off during the winter time. This was a great help to all who could find the time to do the job and augment the meagre rations. Meat was usually sold in penceworth and most other food in oz. and lbs.

(The last words of the H. Bailey manuscript refer to the return from the First World War, and with them bring his interesting contribution to Bowden News Sheet to a close.) What a wonderful feeling to be at home again. Then the dismay of returning made me think should I ever have another leave, perhaps it would be better to spend it at one of the rest centres where one was reasonably safe and there would not be the contrast. Home life was very trying and everyone full of anxiety and doubt at the outcome of the war and the safety of their relatives and friends and hoping there would be a quick end to the war. The indescribable conditions under which men lived and fought, mud, water and shellholes everywhere for miles touching one another. Lice and filth and desolation. Just how men survived under such conditions amazes one. The horror and frightfulness of it all makes me believe that it is impossible for anyone to exaggerate any descrip­ tion of it. Perhaps it is best to try and forget the worst and remember the few simple concerts we had behind the line and most were very simple yet all received with joy and acclamation and of course the many humorous cookhouse happenings etc. November 4 (sic), 1918, cease fire at 11.00. War over and the enemy defeated. Bewildered and profoundly relieved. {end of manuscript) Many have expressed their interest and appre­ ciation in these extracts from the late Mr. Bailey’s little book of memories, and it prompts me to ask whether similar documents are available which throw light upon the thoughts and memories of Bowdon people, which would also help to keep their memory green. Please get in touch with the Vicar if this is so. We are most grateful to the Bailey family for permission to publish. These extracts from the 'Bailey Manuscript' written by Bowdon resident Harry Bailey (1892 - 1971), were typed up and featured in of St. Mary's Bowdon Church News Numbers 156 (February 1972) to 180 (December 1973).

Canon Maurice Ridgway, Vicar at Bowdon from 1962 to 1983, was a scholar priest who also as a keen local historian. He compiled the printed cuttings into a notebook for Bowdon History Society.