Andrew Simpson: Withington Civic Society

Showing posts with label Withington Civic Society. Show all posts

Thursday, 29 June 2023

Picking my way through a bit of Withington’s history …….

Today I am renewing an old association with Withington.

St Paul's, Withington, 2023

It is a place I have a fond spot for, given that it was where I first washed up as a student in 1969.

And over the next three years I spent time in a tiny bed sit overlooking Wellington Road, a bit longer in a slightly bigger bedsit facing the Old House at Home and finished with two years in Miss Finn’s house in Rippingham Road, with the Recreational ground as a sort of companion.

Back then I was less interested in the history of the township focusing more on the dive bar of the White Lion, the occasional visit to the Scala, along with the weekly attendance at the Launderette.

If there was a feature essential to my life it was possibly the telephone box beside the bank on the corner of Egerton Crescent, which in a pre mobile age, was the link with home, usually on a Sunday when time weighed heavy.

But enough of such nostalgia and instead a story of Withington Civic Society, and in particular their range of excellent books on the history of the place.*

I long ago acquired a copy of “A walk through the history of Withington” which looks to have been updated, and now courtesy of David Rydeheard I have two more, which are "Wartime Withington”, and “A legacy of love”.

Wartime Withington rather says what it is but is written around a collection of memories from those who lived through the period, while A legacy of love is the story of the Harrison organ at St Chad’s Church in Ladybarn.

There are more in the pipeline and I look forward to reading these when they are published.

At which point I could delve into the three and write stories of pubs, churches, war time bombs and musical instruments, but that would be to steal the thunder of the society and the individual authors so I won’t.

Instead I suggest you follow the link and acquire your own copies.**

Pictures; St Paul’s, Withington, 2023, from the collection of Andrew Simpson, and covers from Withington Civic Society’s publications.

*Withington Civic Society, withingtoncivicsociety.org.uk

**Buying the books at, contact@withingtoncivicsociety.org.uk

Tuesday, 27 June 2023

Walking Withington ……. on a grey indifferent June day ….. and throwing in a bit of history

I had hoped that the sun would being cracking the paving stones today.

Withington chimney's, the Red Lion, 2023

But June in Manchester can be as variable as any box of chocolates, and the hot sunny weather of last week has given over to one of those grey, grim days with just hint of rain.

That sort of rain which arrives without warning, trickles rather than falls and is never enough to warrant putting up the umbrella.

But in truth had Sammy sunshine chosen to brighten up Withington it would have been a distraction from a pleasant hour with David Rydeheard who shares with me a fascination for the history of Withington.

David is a member of Withington Civic Society and as well as exploring a bit of the township’s story, we got an invite by Cate and Elizabeth to sample a bit of cake, at the weekly drop in at St Paul’s Church.*

St Paul's 2023,

St Paul’s is I believe one of the only churches to have a war memorial to those who survived and came home as well as plaques recording those who died. All three contain the names of those who left Withington to fight, and I think it shows originality of thinking to celebrate the living alongside the dead.**

Looking into the graveyard at St Paul's, 2023

At which point I could wander offer into a detailed story of the church but its web site says it much better than I could, leaving me just to offer up the link.***

And reflect that we had arrived too early to slip into the Red Lion which was a pub I frequented a lot in the 1970s and 80s and which saw the inquest in 1838 of Chorlton’s own Mary Moore who was brutally murdered on her way home from the Manchester Markets to Dog House Farm.

But that’s a story which has already featured on the blog.

Location; Withington

Pictures; wet days in Withington, 2023, from the collection of Andrew Simpson