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Rochdale Local History

Rochdale Local History Discover the Local Studies Collection for Rochdale, Heywood, Middleton and Pennines. Please contact Local Studies at Touchstones Rochdale.

The strength of the Local Studies collection of the Rochdale's Arts and Heritage Service is due to the kind generosity of the people of the borough kindly donating their photographs and archives. We hope that these pages will help celebrate Rochdale Borough's unique history. Do you have photographs, maps, documents etc that you would like to donate so that future generations can marvel at the fasc

inating history of the Rochdale area? You can discover more by visiting the Link4Life website. New for 2017: Call in for FREE access to FindmyPast, as well as AncestryLibrary.

Operating as usual

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
06/01/2023

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)

When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Happy New Year from us at Rochdale Local Studies! All the best for 2023!Photograph is the Fairy fountain at the cattle m...
01/01/2023

Happy New Year from us at Rochdale Local Studies! All the best for 2023!

Photograph is the Fairy fountain at the cattle market on The Holme for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

Pub Quiz Friday! Last one of the year!If you happen to be outside (or inside!) a pub this New Year's Eve, can you take a...
30/12/2022

Pub Quiz Friday! Last one of the year!

If you happen to be outside (or inside!) a pub this New Year's Eve, can you take a picture of it and send it to me?! We are sort of running out of pubs...! :-) Jenny

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Merry Christmas from us all here at Rochdale Local Studies! We hope you have a cracking day!(Photo is Dunlop children's ...
25/12/2022

Merry Christmas from us all here at Rochdale Local Studies! We hope you have a cracking day!

(Photo is Dunlop children's Christmas party in 1943!)

Merry Christmas..! :-) Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanke...
23/12/2022

Merry Christmas..! :-)

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
16/12/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
09/12/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Timeline photos
08/12/2022

Timeline photos

Next week we'll have a brand new exhibit in our museum - a collection of beautiful 1930s Art Deco dolls house furniture, handmade by World War I veteran Edgar Yarwood for his niece Daphne.

These fascinating pieces will be on display from Wednesday 14 December, and you can read more about the poignant story behind the collection on Museum Crush: https://bit.ly/3P4cq8c

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
02/12/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!
Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
25/11/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
18/11/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!
Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments.

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
11/11/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!
Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments.

11/11/2022
Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
04/11/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!
Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Continuing our research for Black History Month we have been looking at Pablo Fanque, Britain’s first black Circus owner...
29/10/2022

Continuing our research for Black History Month we have been looking at Pablo Fanque, Britain’s first black Circus owner. We are lucky enough to have one of the original posters for his shows in the collection.

Pablo Fanque, born William Darby in 1796 in Norwich, was a famous circus performer in his youth but became the proprietor of his own circus company.

Details of Pablo Fanque’s early life are scant. Church records suggest that his parents were John Darby and Mary, née Stamp, that they lived in St. Stephen’s parish and that he was one of a family of four or five children. On his first marriage certificate, in 1848, he declared his late father’s occupation as “butler”. It is possible that his father was African born and had been brought to the port of Norwich and trained as a house servant. Pablo’s earliest known appearance in the sawdust ring was in Norwich on 26th December 1821, as ‘Young Darby’, with William Batty’s company. His circus acts included horsemanship, rope walking, leaping and rope vaulting.

In 1841 Pablo, aged forty-five and living in Oxford, left William Batty to begin business on his own account, with two horses. The towns of Lancashire, Yorkshire and adjacent counties became Pablo’s favourite venues. Pablo’s visit to Rochdale in 1843 produced the poster which inspired John Lennon’s lyric ‘For the Benefit of Mr Kite’.

‘Fanque’s Amphitheatre’ opened in the Victoria Gardens, Norwich for the winter season of 1848-49, Arthur Barns achieved 50 consecutive somersaults there and the clown, Tom Matthews, was presented with a silver snuff-box by his admirers.

By the 1860’s Pablo’s circus was in decline. He died on 4th May 1871 at the Britannia Inn, 22 Churchgate, Stockport, at the ripe age of seventy-five. He had been there with his second wife, Elizabeth, and two sons, George and Ted, since at least the beginning of the previous month. Pablo’s funeral took place in Leeds and was a spectacular occasion. The hearse was preceded by a band playing the ‘Dead March’, followed by Pablo’s favourite horse, Wallett, and four mourning coaches. The deceased and his horse were brought from Stockport by train, and were met by throngs of well-dressed spectators.

If you would like to read more there is an excellent essay here: https://mikedashhistory.com/2011/09/08/pablo-fanques-fair/?fbclid=IwAR29bmj_jHyC0Nl7HAMgZGE4AkWfc3J01Nm2XfK_ZftDPAOAL02G8x0sFdQ

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
28/10/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

This October we celebrate Black History Month, Local Studies Assistant Shakra has been looking into Frederick Douglass a...
26/10/2022

This October we celebrate Black History Month, Local Studies Assistant Shakra has been looking into Frederick Douglass and his links with John Bright:

Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey) was born in 1818 in Talbot County Maryland U.S.A. He was separated from his mother Harriet Bailey as a young child and raised by his grandmother (Betsy Bailey) as an enslaved child.
Frederick’s mother died when he was just 7 years old. He only had the opportunity to see her a few times in his lifetime. He learnt that his mother was the only black person in Talbot who was able to read, an unusually rare triumph for a female field worker.
When Douglass was five years old, he was taken to a plantation owned by Colonel Lloyd. He lived there with other enslaved children and found himself contending for food and other comforts.

In 1826, Douglass found himself once more, this time to Baltimore. He was to live with Hugh and Sophia Auld at Fells Point. His duty was to take care of their son Thomas. Sophia was a caring soul and would teach Douglass to read along with her son Thomas. When her husband learnt of this, he put an immediate stop to this. He told Sophia that ‘literacy would spoil a slave’.

Douglass made it his mission to learn to read and write. Secretly, He would exchange bread for lessons from the poor white boys he played with. He also had access to Thomas’s old schoolbooks which he used to trace letters of the alphabet.
Fredrick Douglass was sent on to St. Michaels, Eastern Shore in 1832 where he experienced punitive living conditions under the care of Captain Thomas Auld. He quickly leased Douglass in 1833 to a local farmer Edward Covey who was well known for his abuse towards slaves. Within 6 months of his time there, Covey attacked Douglass who retaliated and won the fight. This made Douglass confident and stronger to protect himself in the future and fight for his freedom.
The following year, Douglas was found working on William Freeland’s farm. Life here was much better. Douglass started a Sabbath school where he took the opportunity to teach other Black people how to read and write.

Douglass planned to make an escape to the North but his plans were soon discovered and he was arrested along with four other slaves. Douglass was then sent back to Baltimore to live with Hugh and Sophia Auld and to learn a trade.
Douglass worked at many different shipyards as a ship caulker. He made a deal with Auld who allowed him to hire out his own time as long as he paid Auld a set amount each week.
Douglass became more involved with the Black community at Baltimore where he met his future wife to be, Anna Murray – A freeborn Black woman.
In 1838 Douglass escaped from his servitude. Dressed as a sailor he travelled from Baltimore to Wilmington, Delaware by train. From there, he made his journey to New York City. Douglass changed his name from Bailey to Johnson to protect his identity.
Destiny brought Douglass to meet with the Black abolitionist David Ruggles who assisted Douglass to safety. Soon after his arrival to New York, Anna joined him and they were both married.
Taking Ruggle’s advice, Douglass and Anna left New York City and headed for New Bedford, Massachusetts. Douglass and Anna stayed with a local Black couple and worked as a common labourer, earning money as a free man for the first time in his life.

Despite the trials and tribulations Douglass experienced, his love for reading remained strong along with his dream to abolish slavery. He attended an Anti-Slavery society Convention in Nantucket in 1841. He made an impression on abolitionist William C. Coffin, who invited Douglass to address the general body and was hired to join the assembly.
Douglass found himself travelling the country and supporting the anti-slavery cause often describing his own experiences. Working as an agent provided Douglass with a wage, enough to support his family. Douglass and Anna had five children.
Douglass pursued on to publish his very first book in 1845, autobiography – ‘Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave’. His authenticity as an ex-slave was questioned on numerous occasions. Douglass eventually provided names of people and locations in his life to prove he was speaking the truth.
He went on to have a further two books published, My Bo***ge and My Freedom in 1855 and Life and Times of Frederick Douglass in 1881.

Douglass found his books were well received and he was becoming popular amongst those who opposed slavery. Douglass soon learnt that his owner Hugh Auld was adamant to bring him back to enslavement. This threat saw Douglass leave the US and travel abroad during the period August 1845 – 1847. He headed for the UK and found much love and support from his English supporters.
Douglass used his time wisely whilst in the UK and educated his many audiences about the evils slavery brings and how it destroys lives.

Douglass spent much quality time in the company of Quakers and as a result met John Bright through this network. Bright was enthusiastic and supported Douglass in his cause. In 1846, Bright invited Douglass to talk about his experiences at different locations around Rochdale. Douglass and Bright became good acquaintances and Douglass visited Bright regularly at his family home whilst he stayed in the UK.
In 1847, Douglass retuned a freeman to the US thanks to the kindness of John Bright who contributed a third of the money needed to purchase Douglass from Hugh Auld, slaveholder. Ellen and Anna Richardson who were British supporters in Douglass’s cause completed the remaining two thirds by raising funds and granting his freedom.

Frederick Douglass remarked On March 30, 1847, at a farewell banquet at the London Tavern in London:
“I do not go back to America to sit still, remain quiet, and enjoy ease and comfort. . . I glory in the conflict that I may hereafter exult in the victory. I know that victory is certain. I go, turning my back upon the ease, comfort, and respectability which I might maintain even here. . . Still, I will go back, for the sake of my brethren. I go to suffer with them; to toil with them; to endure insult with them; to undergo outrage with them; to lift up my voice in their behalf; to speak and write in their vindication; and struggle in their ranks for the emancipation which shall yet be achieved.”

In his conclusion, Douglass confirms, “I came here a slave, but I go back free.”

(Information extracted from D. J. Thompson – ‘When Frederick Douglass came to Rochdale a slave and left a free man’ & britannica.com)

Looking through our fabulous donation from the Friends of the National Libraries - part of the Blavatnik Honresfield Lib...
22/10/2022

Looking through our fabulous donation from the Friends of the National Libraries - part of the Blavatnik Honresfield Library that was started by William Law of Honresfeld in Littleborough!
These are first and second editions of Roby's 'Traditions of Lancashire' and Whitaker's 'History of Whalley'. We are honoured to have them as part of our collection.

For more information on the FNL and the Blavatnik Honresfeld Library, visit:
https://www.fnl.org.uk/pages/honresfield

Littleborough Historical & Archaeological Society have a great section on their website about William Law and Honresfeld:
https://www.littleboroughshistory.org/honresfeld.html

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
21/10/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
14/10/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess, and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
07/10/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Pub Quiz Friday!Bit of a tricky ye olde one for you today! :-)Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvi...
30/09/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!
Bit of a tricky ye olde one for you today! :-)

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
23/09/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Timeline photos
19/09/2022

Timeline photos

We are deeply saddened at the death of Her Majesty The Queen.Our thoughts and condolences are with the Royal Family at t...
08/09/2022

We are deeply saddened at the death of Her Majesty The Queen.

Our thoughts and condolences are with the Royal Family at this sad time.

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
02/09/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
26/08/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
19/08/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
12/08/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Pub Quiz Friday!Apologies for last week's lack of post, was off work a bit poorly! Usual rules: Guess the pub below and ...
05/08/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!
Apologies for last week's lack of post, was off work a bit poorly!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)

When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
22/07/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)

When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Pub Quiz Friday!Someone said last weeks was a bit easy, so here's a ye olde tough one for you! (Saying that, bet one of ...
15/07/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!
Someone said last weeks was a bit easy, so here's a ye olde tough one for you! (Saying that, bet one of you gets it right away...!) :-)

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)

When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
08/07/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)

When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
01/07/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)

When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Pub Quiz Friday!Bit of a ye olde one today!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've bl...
24/06/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!
Bit of a ye olde one today!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments.

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
17/06/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
10/06/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments.

Photos from Rochdale Local History's post
04/06/2022

Photos from Rochdale Local History's post

Pub Quiz Friday!Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't w...
03/06/2022

Pub Quiz Friday!

Usual rules: Guess the pub below and where it is! For obvious reasons I've blanked the sign out (don't want to make it too easy!)
When everyone's had a guess and someone gets it I’ll post the proper photograph in the comments.

Bank Holidays!Hi everyone, the Local Studies Centre will be closed next Thursday and Friday (2nd & 3rd June 2022) for th...
28/05/2022

Bank Holidays!
Hi everyone, the Local Studies Centre will be closed next Thursday and Friday (2nd & 3rd June 2022) for the Jubilee Bank Holidays.

Hope you all have a cracking couple of days! - The Local Studies Team

(Photo is Fairy fountains on The Holme to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897)

Address

Touchstones Rochdale, The Esplanade
Rochdale
OL161AQ

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 12:30pm
1pm - 4:30pm
Thursday 10am - 12:30pm
1pm - 4:30pm
Friday 10am - 12:30pm
1pm - 4:30pm
Saturday 10am - 2pm

Telephone

01706924915

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Comments

Hi, I am not a resident of Rochdale but I have recently learned my parents lived at Red Lumb in the late 1950's can anyone give me any information or local history of the area please? You can contact me via private message here on Facebook - many thanks in advance :-)
Hi I am looking for picture of 2 off jame's place, whitworth road, rochdale around 1880. If anyone can help with a picture of it or close to it, would appreciate it thanks
Couple of cast iron machine plates i bought some years ago , that might be of interest , The Atlas iron works Thomas Holt & son's Molesworth street Rochdale, Iron founders & manufacturers of Steam engines & textile machinery , i also have a book on this company, thought you might like to see them
Not long to go until our first falcon trail event! Are you as excited as we are? 😊 🦅
National Lottery Heritage Fund
Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre
Rochdale Local History
Rochdale Borough Council
Rochdale Online
Rochdale News
As previously promised, this is a picture of Eric Duckworth of Dunsterville, Rochdale, who was killed aged 19 at Gallipoli in 1915 and whose remains were never formally recovered or identified. In March 1922, his parents took out the sapling of an oak tree (pictured) to plant on the Turkish peninsula in his memory and, as you can see from the third picture, it continues to thrive. The centenary of this unique act of commemoration is being marked with a one-off event and it would be great if you joined us. Here is the ticket link: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/todmorden/central-methodist-church/the-gallipoli-oak-centenary-event/e-kxygyv
If the story interests you, it is told in full in the book The Gallipoli Oak. You can get it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/GALLIPOLI-OAK-Martin-Purdy-Dawson/dp/0955447216/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2Q2967X2BRJ2G&keywords=The+Gallipoli+Oak&qid=1647006788&sprefix=the+gallipoli+oak%2Caps%2C57&sr=8-
I'm tracing James Barker of 4 Thompson St Rochdale who was a bandmaster in Rochdale in 1911. He was born in Waterbarn in 1846. He also called himself a Professor of Music in 1901. Ring any bells?
Any pictures of Hollingsworth Lake 1963, I lived there and I had lots but lost them in a fire ! This was the year when we had record low temperatures and very heavy snow fall.
St James Church magazine from November 1934 has some interesting advertisements.
The records of 320,000 troops from the Punjab who fought in the First World War have been found in the basement of a Museum in Pakistan. They have been there unread for some 95 years. At present only 45,000 have been made available and a website is still under development. The records are indexed by village of origin, name, fathers name, district, regiment, caste and rank, the efforts of these brave men is often forgotten.

Those who died in WW1 are commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website. It is sad that the Neuve-Chapelle Indian Memorial in France, located on the outskirts of the commune of Neuve-Chapelle, in the departement of Pas-de-Calais is seldom visited. This new database however does not just cover those who died but also those who served.
Pictured are servicemen of the Punjab In WW2.
Three Rochdale lads, Grandad's two brothers and cousin
Back in the 60's my father was a Power Knitter. I can't find any info about the occupation. Can anyone help. Thanks.
It’s fantastic to be back in local studies and meeting the friendly and helpful staff
Join the Edgar Wood Society for cream tea and a rare chance to explore Edgar Wood's Long Street Methodist Church and recently renovated school buildings. Saturday 7th August - £10
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Castleton Gabriels F.C. Friends of Heaton Hall Heaton Park Tramway Saddleworth Museum and Gallery Saddleworth Museum Markets National Football Museum Manchester city center Salford Museum and Art Gallery Gorton Works Free Trade Hall Coronation Street: The Tour Hyde Road Science and Industry Museum Musée des Sciences et de l'Industrie Manchester City Gaol