KNUTSFORD HERITAGE CENTRE! SPRING 2017

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REVIEW OF THE YEAR 2016

EventsMost  of  the  Centre’s  events  this  year  were   linked  to  Canute.  They  included   the   Big   Viking   Weekend   with   themed   ac>vi>es,   and  demonstra>ons  by  Viking  re-­‐enactment  friends,  Liz  &  ScoF.They   also   brought   along   their   Viking   Boat   for   the   May   Day  procession.   In  July  the  Heritage  Centre   linked  with  TaFon  Garden  Society   to   create   a   garden   at   the   RHS   show   depic>ng   Canute  

fording   the   River   Lily.   This  won   a   Silver   Medal   and   the   wicker  model  of  Canute  is  now  a  feature  of      the  Centre’s  garden.  During  Heritage  Open  Days  Val  B.,  the  Centre’s  curator,  gave   talks  on  King  Canute.October  18th  was  the  anniversary  of  Canute  becoming  King  of  all  England   and  on   that   day   the   Danish  Ambassador,   Claus  Grube,  visited  Knutsford  with  his  wife  and  enjoyed  a  guided  walk   round  the   town,   a   visit   to   the   Canute   exhibi>on   and   Millennium  Tapestry  and  a  meal  at  Gusto  with  70  guests.  (continued on P2)

THANKS TO THE FRIENDSThe Friends of the Heritage Centre recently purchased a newcash register for the Centre’s shop. The old till had been giving problems and was well out of date. The new one will enable us to keep better records of sales and separate income streams.

Produced by, and on behalf of, the Friends of Knutsford Heritage Centre

NEWSLETTERFEBRUARY FORUM 2017

THE SHOPThe volunteers love an excuse to use the new till! So come along and make our day! There’s something for every- one among our extensive range of books, cards, local

souvenirs & gifts. All profits go towards the running of the Centre.

This year’s series of enjoyable and informative talks started with Professor John Prag, who explained how the discovery of a Bronze Age wooden shovel and a hoard of Roman coins led to a 20 year project looking at the unique landscape of Alderley Edge, and the growth of the village, especially after the arrival of the railway. John Prag was the co-ordinator, and the research of several experts, with support from Manchester Museum, has been compiled into a weighty hardback book entitled ‘Alderley Edge Landscape Project: From Sleeping King to Cotton Kings’ .

! The second talk was by Audrey Young, Chairman of Knutsford Historical Society, who shared with us her research on Miss Winifred Comber, born in Knutsford in 1895. She was a keen traveller and photographer and her photos were used for covers of Cheshire Life in the 1930s. At the same time she was writing a monthly WI column for the magazine. We enjoyed a slide show of Winifred’s photos and saw images of Doddington castle near Bridgemere, Anglo-Saxon crosses at Sandbach, the Norman chapel in Prestbury churchyard, alongside scenes of people at work, such as peat-cutting at Lindow and a blacksmith shoeing at Sandlebridge. Comber Way in Knutsford is named after this indomitable lady.

" Week three saw Knutsfordian Tony Leadbeater talking about his great grandfather, Henry Pemberton, a builder who was responsible for over 100 houses and public buildings in Knutsford at the start of the 20th C. These ranged from terraced houses, such as those in Middle Walk, to large detached properties such as the former Kilrie. He also built extensively for Lord Egerton and local business man Tommy Beswick. Henry had 12 children, most of whom benefited from the 49 properties he left to them in his will. Tony amused us with some vivid recollections of his grandparents and various aunts, uncles and cousins, along with several interesting photos.

" Our final talk was entitled ‘Knutsford Past and Present’ and was a journey through Knutsford's history from the time of King Cnut (who some think gave his name to the town) up to the present day. David Bryant gave a well- researched presentation, including old photos and documents form the Centre’s archives along with modern photos of his own. He explained how Knutsford prospered despite having no major industries. There were small silk and cotton mills, but the town’s importance came from being on a major coaching route, providing services for the surrounding wealthy estates, the holding of the Quarter Sessions and the popularity of the racecourse.

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(continued from P1)

Other   events  included  stalls  for   the   Lions  Street   Fair   in  May   and  one  on  the   Heath  during   the   Tour  of  Britain  cycle   race.   The  surprise   guest   at   the     ‘Big  Draw’   fes>val  was   Ruby   Barnhill,   who   featured   in   the  film  ‘The  Big  Friendly  Giant’.

Exhibi+ons2016  was  a  busy  year.  In  February  we  had    Caldwell’s  Nurseries   exhibi>on.   This   was  followed  by   our  big   exhibi>on      ‘Canute:  Viking   Warrior   and   English   King’   to  celebrate  the  Canute  Millennial.

ArchivesDuring   2016   Vivien,   our   archivist,  con>nued     accessioning   and  cataloguing  the   items  in  our   archives  and  collec>ons.  This   year   she   has   undertaken   research  into  H.   ChaFels  &  Co,   Caldwell   and  sons,  Major  Henry  Hill  and  more,  to  add  to  the  photos  and  documents  in  the   archives.  At  the   monthly   Volunteers’   mee>ng   she  discusses   some   of   her   work   to   give  everyone   an   insight   into   the   documents  held  and  the  stories  they  tell.

Walks  &  talksThanks   to   the   commitment   of   the  volunteers   involved,   about   244   visitors  were   shown   round   the   town   or   enjoyed  tapestry   talks.   In  addi>on   52   scouts   and  guides   took   walks,   one   of   which   was   a  new,   specially   requested   ghost   walk   in  mid-­‐October.  

WebsiteThis   year   George,   a   new   volunteer,   has  taken  on  the  role  of  liaising  with  the  Team  Leaders   and   forwarding   content   to   our  website  designers.  As  a  result  our  website  is   always   up   to   date   and   reflects   the  current  ac>vi>es  going   on   in  and  around  the  Heritage  Centre.

FriendsThe   Friends   commiFee   has   con>nued   to  organise   events  and  raise  money   for   the  Centre.  Dona>ons  this  year  have   include  a  projector   stand,   preserva>on   materials  for  the  archives,  a  new  Burco  boiler  and  a  new  printer  and  other  IT  accessories.  Events   have   included     a   meal   out   in  January,  a  6th  successful  February  Forum,  

a  wine   tas>ng,  an  ou>ng  to  the   Anderton  boat   lib   and   the   annual   quiz   night   in  November.  The  AGM  was  held  in  October  when  the  serving  officers  were  re-­‐elected.  Membership   stands   at   87,   including   11  honorary  members.

Educa+on/SchoolsThe  Schools  wri>ng  compe>>on  has  been  running   for   five   years  now   and   this   year  six   local   schools   entered.     Thanks  go   to  Waterstones  and  Mr   Simms  for   dona>ng  the  prizes.  Val  D.  has  stepped  down  as  the  organiser   and   if   there   is   anyone   with  educa>onal   experience   who   would  consider   volunteering   to   further   develop  this  compe>>on  and  encourage   links  with  local  schools  this  would  be  good.

GardenOur  outdoor   space   is  a   real   asset   to  the  Centre   and   much   appreciated   by   our  visitors.   Spring>me   brought   a   dazzling  display   from   the   pink   camellia,   summer  was   notable   for   the   deep   red   pelar-­‐goniums   and   fuchsias,   and   michaelmas  daisies  brightened  up  the  autumn.

   The  9th   annual  Friends  of  the  Heritage   Centre   fund-­‐raising  quiz   night   was   held   at   Toft  Cricket  Club  on  Nov  21st.  The   quiz   was   hosted   by  committee  members,   Mary   &  Wendy,  and  58  brain-­‐storming  individuals   formed   ten   teams  to   try   to   win   Iirst   prize.   The  winning  team  was  ‘The  End  of  the   Road’   ….   a   happy   ending  for  them,  as  it  turned  out!

A   two-­‐course   supper   was  provided   by   Jane   &   Steve   of  ‘Foodies’.  Plans   are   already   under   way  for   the   2017   quiz   which   will  see  a   completely   new  team   of  compilers   and   presenters!  Thanks   to   them   a l l   for  stepping   forward,   as   this  event   is   an   important   part   of  the   Friends’   fund-­‐raising   and  social  calendar.

.ANNUAL QUIZ EVENING

ARIGHI BIANCHI The Friends’ next outing will be a guided tour of the iconic Arighi Bianchi building at Macclesfield on April 27th.The business was founded in 1854 and is housed in a Grade II* listed building in Macclesfield. Its cast iron and glass frontage was inspired by Paxton’s Crystal Palace of 1851, and was the work of local builder George Roylance. Our visit will start with tea/coffee and scones at 4.30, after which Nick Bianchi will talk about the family, the business and their GradeII* listed building. Cost: Friends £9, Guests £10""""""""""

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BITS & PIECESNEW GARDEN VOLUNTEER

We are delighted to welcome Gail as the new Garden Team Leader She is looking

forward to working with the garden volunteers to maintain the ‘cottage garden’ feel of our award-winning

courtyard gardens. When you are passing, do pop in and see how things are

growing!_______________________

“IT WAS OUTSTANDING.”This was one of the comments from year

5 at Egerton Primary School after the children had been taken on a guided walk

by two of the Centre’s experienced guides. They also commented that “The tour guide was so interesting” and the only negative comment was that they

wanted it to last longer!________________________

NEW JIGSAWSAre you a jigsaw fan? We now have a new 1000 piece souvenir jigsaw of the tapestry featuring key scenes, such as

Elizabeth Gaskell’s house, May Day on the Heath and a King Street panorama.

A GUIDE’S STORY(by George. W)

  Having  re>red  in  the  summer  of  2015,  I  decided  to  take  part  in  an  

event  that  I  had  never  had  the  >me  to  do  before  ….  take  a  walking  tour  

of  Knutsford,  where  I  have  been  living  for  the  last  14  years.  Cakes  and  

tray-­‐bakes  have  been  an  important  part  of  my  daily  life,  so  turning  up  to  

go  on  the  ‘Trails,  Tales  and  Teashops’  walking  tour  seemed  to  fit  the  bill!  

Alas,  the  teashops  had  ‘closed’,  but  such  was  the  enthusiasm  of  my  tour  

guide  that  I  was  ‘hooked’,  and  upon  my  return  to  the  Heritage  Centre  I  

registered  my  interest  in  being    a  volunteer  guide.

  Time  moved  on  to  the  following  summer  and  an  interview  with  tour  

guide  leader  Caroline  beckoned.  Would  I  pass  the  test?  Would  my  

northern  Irish  accent  be  suitable  for  the  ears  of  the  genteel  clientele?  

Aber  a  couple  of  training  runs  (walks)  I  was  accepted  onto  the  rota,  and  

my  first  solo  flight  loomed  up  on  a  summer  Friday.  Having  built  up  my  

confidence  and  steadied  my  nerves,  I  strode  confidently  into  the  

Heritage  Centre  with  >me  for  another  script  rehearsal  before  the  clock  

struck  2pm.  Then  ….  nobody  turned  up  to  go!  Tragedy!

  My  first  real  proper  tour  turned  out  to  be  ‘Cranford  and  Elizabeth  Gaskell’,  escor>ng  a  tour  group  combining  English  and  German  speaking  

visitors.  So  with  a  spring  in  my  step  I  launched  forward  up  Heritage  Way,  

and  never  looked  back.  Some  of  the  group  were  Elizabeth  Gaskell  

enthusiasts;  one  visitor  was  able  to  translate  for  me  (which  helped  …  my  

German  course  at  night  class  being  insufficient  to  translate  19th  century  

goings-­‐on  in  our  lovely    town.)

  All  is  well  that  ends  well,  when  some  70  minutes  later  I  escorted  my  

group  safely  back  to  the  bosom  of  the  Centre  and  on  to  their  tour  bus.  

Thereaber  a  welcome  cup  of  tea  was  placed  before  me,  and  the  rest  (as  

they  say)  is  history!

.

COULD  YOU  BECOME  A  VOLUNTEER  AT  THE  HERITAGE  CENTRE?

  George’s  story  shows  one  of  the  many  roles  for  volunteers  at  the  Centre.  We  welcome  all  volunteers,  whatever  you  have  to  offer,  but  we  are  par>cularly  looking  for  someone  with  teaching  experience,  or  an  interest  in  educa>on,  to  help  develop  links  with  the  local  schools.  We  consider  it  extremely  valuable  for  children  to  be  encouraged  to  take  an  interest  in  their  local  area  and  its  history.              We  are  also  looking  for  a  volunteer  to  co-­‐ordinate  an  oral  history  project,    interviewing  local  residents  and  recording  their  memories  of  Knutsford.  If  you  are  interested  in  these  or  other  volunteering  roles,  please  contact  the    Centre.  

George enjoys a welcome cuppa after his tour of Knutsford. If you’d like a guided walk round Knutsford with George or one of our other volunteers just call at the Heritage Centre any Friday between June and October at 2pm for a ‘Turn up and Go’ walking tour of the town. Cost is £5

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A KIND OLD KING

Last autumn term a story-writing competition was held for local school children. As we were celebrating all things ‘Canute’ the children were asked to choose Vikings and King Canute as their theme. Below is an excerpt from one of the winning entries, by Tyger Parrish of Egerton school.

There once was a man called King Canute. He was a kind old man and wise to boot.

With his army of Vikings he was a man who lead.They came from Denmark where they had fled.

He arrived in England to become the king.Now listen to my story because this is the thing.

It was 1016 when he came ashoreWith hundreds of ships and men for war.

He had 10,000 men in his armyAnd all of them thought he was barmy.

King Canute was old and wiseWith a big grey beard and dark brown eyes.

Viking King Canute the greatWhen going to fight he was never late.Everyone thought he was rather silly

But he was smart and discovered River Lily.River Lily, you ask, where is that?

It’s near the park in Knutsford where people chat.

.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS

HERITAGE CENTRE AGMTuesday, March 21 at 7pm

Followed by “Delve into your Past”

by Joan Irving ofCheshire Family History Society

________________________

WELCOME DAYS21st - 22nd April

11am - 4pmIf you want to know what your local

Heritage Centre is all about then come along to one of our

Welcome Days.Discover our treasures, such as the amazing Millennium Tapestry and Lady Jane Stanley’s sedan chair.

Find out what we do and talk with our experienced

Team Leaders._______________________

LIONS CLUB INTERNATIONAL CENTENARY 2017

Exhibition in Garden Gallery28 March - 4 June

________________________

TODAY’S BUSINESSES ARE TOMORROW’S HERITAGE

Exhibition in Garden Gallery20 June - 16 December

Knutsford  Heritage  Centre,  90A  King  Street,  Knutsford,    Cheshire  WA16  6ED     Tel:01565  650506            www.knutsfordheritage.co.uk              email:info@knutsfordheritage.co.ukReg  Charity  No.  107691

 Opening  times:          Summer:  Tuesday-­‐Saturday  11am  -­‐  4pm,  Sunday  2pm  -­‐  5pm          Winter:  Tuesday  -­‐  Saturday  11am  -­‐  4pm        Open  most  Bank  Holidays  2pm  -­‐  5pm