When the walking season arrives …..

Now there is never a bad time for a history walk across Chorlton.

Over the last decade and a bit I have hosted them on days when the sun cracked the paving stones, on days when the rain came down like stair rods, and on one memorable occasion when the snow tumbled from the skies.

It didn’t stop the historically curious coming in big numbers, although on that memorable snow day in November, the audience fell away …. 25 had booked, ten turned up and we lost two on route.

Prompting me to reflect ….. never perform with children, animals, or snow.

But not so yesterday, which was the 12th History Walk commissioned by the Library Service during the 18th Chorlton Book Festival when we wandered through northern Chorlton in search of the lost hamlet of Martledge, the awful story of young Francis Deacon’s murder in 1847, potato poachers from Hulme, and our Library’s connection to the Titanic.*

And not forgetting Mrs. Elise Crump, who ran the butcher’s shop on Oswald Road. In October 1946 she had appeared on the first broadcast of Woman’s Hour and three months later was invited back to reflect on how it had all gone.

So the walk had the lot and despite slight showers 24  people turned out for the walk through Chorlton’s past.

All of which just leaves me to thank Gail Mallett, Mathew Benham and Ruth Estevez.  

Gail from the Library Service coordinated the details of the walk along with the preparations for Chorlton Book Festival. 

Mathew is one of our three local Councillors and helped marshal the walk, and Gail who is a successful local author dealt with the admin on the day.

As ever we ended up at the Edge on Manchester Road for their excellent light meal.

And for those who missed the walk, I will be back, next Sunday, during the Chorlton Come Together event.

With one postscript and apology, if we didn't get round to asking you for your permission to be included in the pictures .... sorry.

Location; Martledge

Pictures; on the walk on the day, 2022, courtesy of Mathew Benham and Ruth Estevez

*Chorlton Book Festival, 2022, https://www.chorltonbookfestival.co.uk/

**The Edge, https://www.edgetheatre.co.uk/