The History Wall is back.
This was the 80 meter installation sponsored by McCarthy and Stone which told the story of Chorlton-cum-Hardy from a small rural community living around the green in the 17th century to the busy and lively place we know today.*
It was designed as a walk and consisted of 16 large panels with paintings by Peter Topping and stories by me and allowed the visitor to discover the stories and the people who lived here.
During the eight months that it stood along Albany and Brantingham Road it drew lots of local attention, featured in the media and even became a tourist attraction.
As Lord Bradley of Withington said at the official opening “this was a unique collaboration between a local historian and an artist with a developer to enliven a building site and bring history alive.”
And befitting the event the opening and the story behind the project was the subject of the short film GLAD TO BE IN CHORLTON - Opening of Exhibition of "Chorlton-Cum-Hardy The Story" by Hardy Productions, UK.**
But the installation was only a temporary exhibition and with the completion of the new development the wall came down ready for its permanent home at Chorlton High School.
This is a suitable final resting place.
Just behind the wall is the historic Hough End Hall while away to the north is Chorlton Brook and to the west the park all of which have been part of the township’s history.
And for me and Peter it has a personal connection because between us seven of our children attended the high school and many of the original photographs in the display came from the collection of John Lloyd who taught generations of young people on this site and the others that made up Chorlton High.
The wall was the culmination of a project which had aimed to place my stories and Peter’s paintings in selected venues across Chorlton in a history trail.
Each small exhibition placed the spot in its historical context and included something which was special to the venue, whether it be an historic event or a tale of the people who lived behind the door.
And the collaboration has gone on with a book about Didsbury, a series of walks and talks and plans for new ventures based on Manchester.***
And each of us continue with our own projects.
Peter has an exhibition of his work including some of the paintings which feature on the wall along with others of Chorlton, Manchester and beyond which can be seen at CHORLTON-CUM-HARDY... A MOMENT IN TIME EXHIBITION.
The Exhibition is on till May 25th 2014 at Arison Gallery, 512 Wilbraham Road, Chorlton, M21 9AW. Telephone: 0161 881 6734, email: arison.gallery@ntlworld.com web: www.gladtobe.in
I am deep in writing a book on Manchester and the Great War along with a series of talks and walks, while continuing to write for the blog and preparing a second book on the history of Chorlton.****
But I digress the History Wall can be seen at Chorlton High School on Nell Lane
All of which just leaves me to to thank the school for giving the exhibition its permanent home and McCarthy and Stone who sponsored it.
Pictures; the Wall at McCarthy and Stone's development by Tom McGrath and at Chorlton High School by Peter Topping, Paintings from Pictures, www.paintingsfrompictures.co.uk
*Chorlton the History Wall, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Chorlton%20the%20history%20wall
**GLAD TO BE IN CHORLTON -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh-EAGuWaNs by Hardy Productions UK, https://sites.google.com/site/hardyprodsuk/
***Didsbury Through Time, Peter Topping & Andrew Simpson, Amberley 2013
****The Story of Chorlton-Cum-Hardy, Andrew Simpson, 2012, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/the-story-of-chorlton-cum-hardy.html
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| The Wall today |
It was designed as a walk and consisted of 16 large panels with paintings by Peter Topping and stories by me and allowed the visitor to discover the stories and the people who lived here.
During the eight months that it stood along Albany and Brantingham Road it drew lots of local attention, featured in the media and even became a tourist attraction.
 |
| The Wall in 2012 |
And befitting the event the opening and the story behind the project was the subject of the short film GLAD TO BE IN CHORLTON - Opening of Exhibition of "Chorlton-Cum-Hardy The Story" by Hardy Productions, UK.**
But the installation was only a temporary exhibition and with the completion of the new development the wall came down ready for its permanent home at Chorlton High School.
This is a suitable final resting place.
Just behind the wall is the historic Hough End Hall while away to the north is Chorlton Brook and to the west the park all of which have been part of the township’s history.
And for me and Peter it has a personal connection because between us seven of our children attended the high school and many of the original photographs in the display came from the collection of John Lloyd who taught generations of young people on this site and the others that made up Chorlton High.
 |
| The start of the story |
Each small exhibition placed the spot in its historical context and included something which was special to the venue, whether it be an historic event or a tale of the people who lived behind the door.
And the collaboration has gone on with a book about Didsbury, a series of walks and talks and plans for new ventures based on Manchester.***
And each of us continue with our own projects.
Peter has an exhibition of his work including some of the paintings which feature on the wall along with others of Chorlton, Manchester and beyond which can be seen at CHORLTON-CUM-HARDY... A MOMENT IN TIME EXHIBITION.
I am deep in writing a book on Manchester and the Great War along with a series of talks and walks, while continuing to write for the blog and preparing a second book on the history of Chorlton.****
But I digress the History Wall can be seen at Chorlton High School on Nell Lane
All of which just leaves me to to thank the school for giving the exhibition its permanent home and McCarthy and Stone who sponsored it.
Pictures; the Wall at McCarthy and Stone's development by Tom McGrath and at Chorlton High School by Peter Topping, Paintings from Pictures, www.paintingsfrompictures.co.uk
*Chorlton the History Wall, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Chorlton%20the%20history%20wall
**GLAD TO BE IN CHORLTON -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh-EAGuWaNs by Hardy Productions UK, https://sites.google.com/site/hardyprodsuk/
***Didsbury Through Time, Peter Topping & Andrew Simpson, Amberley 2013
****The Story of Chorlton-Cum-Hardy, Andrew Simpson, 2012, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/the-story-of-chorlton-cum-hardy.html
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