Oldham Histories Festival and heritage open days 6 September – 6 October 2018 Discover more about the people, places, buildings and stories across the borough Welcome to Oldham Council’s Histories Festival and Heritage Open Days. This is your chance to find out more about the people, places, buildings and stories in your area. From talks to walks there’s plenty to discover, whether you’re interested in architecture or heritage or just curious about the history around you. All events are free, and there’s no need to book, unless otherwise stated in the event description. Key: disabled access parking refreshments toilets Oldham Local Studies Family History Help Desk and Archives Want to trace your family history Discover the fascinating history of but don’t know where to begin? Our the Oldham area and its people. Our experts are here to get you started or archives date from 1597 and cover help with any problems. an enormous range of subjects. Every Mon and Wed, 2–3.30pm Come along and take part in a range Advance booking required of talks, tours and special events. The Story of My Street 84 Union Street, Oldham OL1 1DN Mary Pendlebury shares the story Open: Mon and Thu 10am-7pm, of Coppice Street and some of its Tue 10am-2pm, Wed and Fri 10am- remarkable residents. 5pm, Sat 10am-4pm Sat 15 Sept, 2–3.30pm T: 0161 770 4654 The Seven Holy Crosses E: [email protected] of Oldham An exploration of the enigmatic medieval crosses that once defined the landscape of Oldham Edge and Health in Oldham before the quest for their location. the NHS Presented by Oldham Historical A fascinating new display looking at Research Group. medical provision in Oldham before Wed 19 Sept, 7–8.30pm the advent of the National Health Service in 1948. Daily – see above for opening times Researching the First World War Soldier Want to find out the story of a WWI soldier but don’t know where to begin? Our experts are here to help start you on your journey. Sat 29 Sept, 10.30am–12noon Advance booking required Oldham Town Centre Building Stones of Oldham Mayor’s Parlour and Civic A guided tour of Oldham Town Centre’s Silverware Tour iconic buildings and the stones that Take a tour of the Mayor’s Parlour and made them. Meet at Oldham Local view the Trust Silver of the 10th Battalion Studies and Archives. Manchester Regiment. Central to this Sat 8 Sept, 2–3.30pm display are the silver drums and bugles Booking required on 0161 770 4654 or purchased by the Ladies of Oldham in email: [email protected] Oldham World War One Walk Join Roger Ivens for a tour of World War One locations in Oldham and the stories behind them. Meet at Oldham Local Studies and Archives. Sat 15 Sept, 10.30am–12noon Booking required on 0161 770 4654 or email: [email protected] The United Reformed Church 200 Years of Town Centre Worship and Witness with guided tours at 10am, 12noon and 2pm 1924 as a memorial to those who had Sat 15 Sept, 10am-4pm fallen in the Great War. 107 Union Street, Oldham, OL1 1DH Tours available from Thu 6–Fri 21 Sept (weekdays only) 0161 770 4012 for times and bookings The Old Road Through Oldham Civic Centre, West Street, Follow the ancient medieval route Oldham OL1 1UJ through Oldham on an informative walk led by Jeremy Sutcliffe. Tues 18 Sept, 11am–12.30pm Oldham Parish Church Booking required on 0161 770 4654 or Built in 1830 the Oldham Parish Church email: [email protected] of St. Mary with St. Peter is a Grade II* Meet at the Peace Garden, corner of listed building. Explore the vast crypt George Street and Union Street. containing vaults that belonged to many Oldham Lyceum mill owners of the town. The legendary A guided tour of one of the most iconic ‘Oldham Giant’ is also buried here! architectural gems in Oldham Town You can also view a memorial and Centre, which has had a facinating exhibition to Oldhamers killed in the and varied history. Spanish Civil War. Thu 20 Sept, 10.30–11.30am Fri 7 Sept, 11am–3pm, Sat 8 Sept Booking required on 0161 770 4654 or 10am–3pm, Sun 9 Sept, 12noon–3pm email: [email protected] Rock Street, Oldham OL1 3UH 95 Union St, Oldham OL1 1QG Meet at the entrance to The Lyceum. Oldham Town Centre Fri 28 Sept, 7pm Ghost Walk Oldham Library, Greaves St, OL1 1AL Uncover some of the ghostly goings- Tickets £5 or for details visit: on in Oldham! A fun walk suitable for www.oldham.gov.uk/liveatthelibrary children 6 years and over accompanied by an adult. Thu 20 Sept, 7–8pm Oldhamers in World War One Booking required on 0161 770 4654 or An illustrative talk by Roger Ivens email: [email protected] exploring the stories of local people Meet outside The Old Museum, Greaves Street, Oldham OL1 1DN Union Street Walk Take a guided walk along one of Oldham’s most famous streets. in wartime to commemorate the end Meet at the Peace Garden, corner of of the First World War. George Street and Union Street. Performance Space, Oldham Library, Tues 25 Sept, 11am–12.30pm Greaves Street, OL1 1AL If I Should Fall Fri 28 Sept, 6pm In 1916 Beattie is ahead of her Booking required on 0161 770 4654 time. A bombastic adolescent with or [email protected] a promising future and a talent for writing. At sweet 16, Billy Glover is Beattie’s first love. They live in letters Oldham Poets: The First World sent across the battlefield. Over War in Verse twenty years later, Beattie, like the During the First World War both local rest of Britain, finds herself in another newspapers, the Oldham Chronicle and war. Only this time she’s got a failing the Oldham Standard, published a large marriage and an ageing mother to number of poems written by soldiers at contend with. Living in memories, the front and civilians at home. Staged amidst the bombing, rationing and by Oldham Theatre Workshop, the story village gossip can Beattie survive and traces WW1 through these local poets. finally put Billy to rest? If I Should Fall Wed 3 Oct, 6pm explores what it means to be at war – Performance Space, Oldham Library, then and now. Greaves St, OL1 1AL Gallery Oldham praise on Sunday, 17.00 – 18.00. Uncover some of the unique items Sat 8 Sept, 11am–1pm and on display from our extensive social Sun 9 Sept, 1.30–6pm history collections. As well as historic Mill Brow, Chadderton OL2 1RT items we are also home to many modern objects that reflect life in Oldham today. The Changing Face of Greaves Street, Oldham OL1 1AL Business in Oldham Open: Mon to Sat, 10am–5pm Exploring the ever changing business T: 0161 770 4653 landscape over the last 50 years. E: [email protected] Wed 12 Sept, 6-7.30pm Manor Mill, Victoria Street, Chadderton OL9 0DD A Stroll Along the Booking required on 0161 770 4654 Oldham Panorama or email: [email protected] The Oldham Panorama is one of the best visual records of the transformation of North West England into an industrial powerhouse. This guided tour Coldhurst explores the buildings and people Holy Trinity Church on show in this view of Oldham Built by local firm, Emanuel taken in 1876 by Squire Knott. Whittaker, and consecrated in 1848. Thu 6 Sept, 1pm The church houses Coldhurst’s World War One Roll of Honour and Oldham Microscopical and contains one of the earliest examples Natural History Society of Robert Thompson of Kilburn’s Open Day ‘Mouseman’ carvings. Find out more about the natural Sat 15 Sept, 10am–3pm history of Oldham, with real Godson Street, Oldham OL1 2NZ specimens and historic microscopes. Includes tours of Gallery Oldham’s natural history collection at 11.30am and 2pm. Crompton Sat 29 Sept, 9.30am–4pm Belgian Refugees in Oldham Chadderton During the First World War Following the German invasion St Matthew and St Luke of Belgium in August 1914, many ‘Simply Us’. Find out more about the thousands of Belgian soldiers and life of this once small rural church civilians fled to Britain. This talk tells which today finds itself in a large the story of those Belgian refugees urban community. Additional activities who found sanctuary in Oldham. include ‘Dong Our Church Bell’ on Mon 1 Oct, 2pm Saturday morning and a church Crompton Library, 7 Farrow Street cake café. Concluding with a song of East, Shaw OL2 8QY Delph area. The tour visits the headstones and Castleshaw Roman Forts monuments of some of the victims and A guided tour of the two Roman forts people who involved in the events of the on the Chester to York military road. day. No dogs allowed. Please arrive 15 Tours include findings from the latest minutes early. excavations in 2014, 2016 and 2017. Sun 16 Sept, 2pm Meet in the car park at Waterworks Booking required on 0161 770 4654 or Road next to Castleshaw Outdoor email: [email protected] Education Centre. No dogs allowed. Barry Street, Oldham OL1 3NG Sat 8 and Sat 15 Sept, 2–3.45pm Castleshaw Outdoor Centre, Waterworks Road, Delph OL3 5LZ Dobcross Holy Trinity Church Built in 1787 this Grade II listed St Thomas’s Church, Heights ‘Pennine Auditory’ Chapel contains This beautiful landmark 18th Century fine examples of original box-pews.