Walks, talks and an exciting new history project here in Chorlton during 2015

Now I am not one to indulge in much pre New Year planning but I have been bending my mind to a new set of talks, walks and an interesting project based around the idea of a history club at the Post Box Cafe.

Beech Road in the late 19th century

During the next few months I want to re run a series of walks around historic Chorlton, starting with Beech Road in 1847.  You know the theme, what could you have seen and who would you have had to be polite to?

Assuming of course that like me the chances were you would have been pretty low down the pecking order.

I come from a long line of agricultural workers, itinerant traders and textile workers, so had I been here in the township in 1847 I have no doubt that I would have been working on the land and doffing my hat to the people of plenty who passed by on important business.

But I also have amongst the family one young man who was sent out to Canada in 1914 as part of the British Home Child scheme which sought to place young people on farms and as domestic servants.

Application for a British Home Child, 1914

It was and remains a controversial policy which if you are generous was aimed at giving a fresh chance to children from broken homes, some of whom were destitute and others in the care of the Workhouse.  But it was also seen by many as a way of exporting “problem children” who experienced maltreatment and abuse at the hands of employers who in turn were often motivated by the opportunity to acquire cheap labour.

During the Canadian migration which lasted from 1870-1930 over 100,000 young people left these shores and today as many as 10% of all Canadians are descended from British Home Children.

It is a story which is not well known in this country and is still one which has not been fully explored in Canada and sits beside the practice of sending young people out to Australia which only ceased in the 1970s.

So it will be one of the forth coming talks at the Post Box Cafe which has been hosting history talks for the last few years.

Mushroom darner 1930

And the Cafe will also be the venue for an interesting new project based around the idea of a history club. Chris and I have not fully worked out the details but I think we would be looking to encourage people to bring along and share some historical objects which they could talk about for a few minutes.

It might be a photograph or souvenir and the together we could explore the significance of the object and begin to place it in the broader context of our shared history with the emphasis always being a mix of fun enlightenment.

So the wooden mushroom used for darning socks might compete with a set of brass rods used in connection with the early radios only beaten by that faded picture of grandfather in his Great War uniform and the torn admission ticket to a concert of the Beatles.

All will have stories behind them which will delight, enthral and broaden our knowledge.

Not a bad start then for someone who never plans anything.

Pictures; Beech Road, from the collection of Rita Bishop, mushroom darner, and Application for a Boy from the collection of Andrew Simpson