Chorlton Arts Festival ........ so good it's back this September

 Now every community should have their own Arts Festival, and the news that this September Chorlton Arts will be staging events across the township is very exciting.*

Chorlton Arts Festival 2002-14

The original Chorlton Arts Festival grew out of a conversation over a bottle of wine in 2002 between Hilary Barber, Val Stevens and Ed Wyllie, which became a series of events embracing theatre, visual arts, exhibitions and the spoken word.

The following year there were 28 venues around Chorlton, including pubs, bars, schools, art galleries church halls and the streets.

Badly Drawn Boy performed at St Clements Church, there was an Arts Trail across the Meadows and amongst the highlights was that simple fact that over 3,000 young people were involved in some of  "art" over that week
In the run up to the 2003 festival, Zoe Morris who was deputy head at Chorlton High School and festival director,  commented that “the idea was to create a festival for the community, by the community and people of all ages and backgrounds, taking part in what is a fantastic event”.**

Launching the Chorlton Arts Festival, 2004

That determination to involve the whole community is very much at the heart of Chorlton Arts,
which aims “to bring together residents and venues active in the Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Performing Arts, and Crafts at all levels facilitating creativity within the Chorlton Community”. ***

Much the same was true just 100 over years ago.

In Kemp’s Chorlton Almanac for 1910 there are listed seventeen associations ranging from the political to drama, musical, and gardening to horticultural societies.

And there were clubs catering for cricket, football, bowling, golf, as well as hockey, lacrosse and lawn tennis. ****

What is even more surprising is that back then the population of Chorlton was 16,000.

Chorlton Operatic Society, 1913

Of all these cultural ventures one of the most lasting was the Chorlton Operatic Society, which was active from 1907 into the 1930s

According to the programme notes from La Fille De Madame Angot, “Two Operas are performed by the Society each Season, and throughout the winter months a series of Whist Drives, Concerts and Social evenings are held, when Subscribers and Acting Members have the opportunity of becoming acquainted.

The subscription is 10/- per annum, which entitles each Subscriber to two Specially Reserved Seats for each of the two Opera, which they have the privilege of booking before the general public.

Proportionate profits derived from the Season’s working are devoted to local charities, each Subscriber having a vote as to this distribution, also in the choosing of the Operas for the following season” ****

So, we have a long tradition of doing the "Arts" and doing them well in Chorlton.

And now the Festival is run by Chorlton Voice through the year under the auspicies of Chorlton Arts Project culminatiing with Chorlton Arts Festival whch because of Covid has movved once again to September from its traditinal date in May.

CHorlton Operatic Society, 1913

This year there are around about 1000 artists, including art on the streets and in shops, pubs and other public places, as well as perfomances by choirs, and a range of activities by young people and school groups.

Added to which you can take your choice from events inside, outside, and virtualy from September 11th to September 19th.

Leaving me just to point you to the programme and wish you good reading.

Location; Chorlton

Pictures, memorabilia from the early years of the Arts Festival, 2003-4, courtesy of Zoe Morris, and programme of the Chorlton Operatic Society, 1913 from the collection of Andrew Simpson and the Manchester Courier, Sally Dervan

*Chorlton Arts Festival Programme, www.chorltonarts.org

**South Manchester Reporter, May 2003

*** Chorlton Arts Mission Statement, www.chorltonarts.org

**** The Chorlton-cum-Hardy District Almanack & Handbook For 1910, Harry Kemp, 35 Wilbraham Road

***** La Fille De Madame Angot programme. La Fille De Madame Angot was performed between May 1st and May 3rd, 1913, at the Public Hall West Didsbury

Coming soon ………..Chorlton Arts ….. the Festival

Now every community should have their own Arts Festival, and the news that this September Chorlton Arts will be staging events across the township is very exciting.

Chorlton Arts Festival 2002-14

The original Chorlton Arts Festival grew out of a conversation over a bottle of wine in 2002 between Hilary Barber, Val Stevens and Ed Wyllie, which became a series of events embracing theatre, visual arts, exhibitions and the spoken word.

The following year there were 28 venues around Chorlton, including pubs, bars, schools, art galleries church halls and the streets.

Badly Drawn Boy performed at St Clements Church, there was an Arts Trail across the Meadows and amongst the highlights was that simple fact that over 3,000 young people were involved in some of of "art" over that week
In the run up to the 2003 festival, Zoe Morris who was deputy head at Chorlton High School and festival director,  commented that “the idea was to create a festival for the community, by the community and people of all ages and backgrounds, taking part in what is a fantastic event”.*

Launching the Chorlton Arts Festival, 2004

That determination to involve the whole community is very much at the heart of Chorlton Arts,
which aims “to bring together residents and venues active in the Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Performing Arts, and Crafts at all levels facilitating creativity within the Chorlton Community”. **

Much the same was true just 100 over years ago.

In Kemp’s Chorlton Almanac for 1910 there are listed seventeen associations ranging from the political to drama, musical, and gardening to horticultural societies.

And there were clubs catering for cricket, football, bowling, golf, as well as hockey, lacrosse and lawn tennis. ***

What is even more surprising is that back then the population of Chorlton was 16,000.

Chorlton Operatic Society, 1913

Of all these cultural ventures one of the most lasting was the Chorlton Operatic Society, which was active from 1907 into the 1930s

According to the programme notes from La Fille De Madame Angot, “Two Operas are performed by the Society each Season, and throughout the winter months a series of Whist Drives, Concerts and Social evenings are held, when Subscribers and Acting Members have the opportunity of becoming acquainted.

The subscription is 10/- per annum, which entitles each Subscriber to two Specially Reserved Seats for each of the two Opera, which they have the privilege of booking before the general public.

Proportionate profits derived from the Season’s working are devoted to local charities, each Subscriber having a vote as to this distribution, also in the choosing of the Operas for the following season” ****

So, we have a long tradition of doing the "Arts" and doing them well in Chorlton.

For those interested in the forthcoming festival, there will be a presentation at the next Civic Society meeting which will be in Chorlton Library on Tuesday May 14th at 7.30

CHorlton Operatic Society, 1913

Location; Chorlton

Pictures, memorabilia from the early years of the Arts Festival, 2003-4, courtesy of Zoe Morris, and programme of the Chorlton Operatic Society, 1913 from the collection of Andrew Simpson and the Manchester Courier, Sally Dervan


*South Manchester Reporter, May 2003

** Chorlton Arts Mission Statement, www.chorltonarts.org

*** The Chorlton-cum-Hardy District Almanack & Handbook For 1910, Harry Kemp, 35 Wilbraham Road

**** La Fille De Madame Angot programme. La Fille De Madame Angot was performed between May 1st and May 3rd, 1913, at the Public Hall West Didsbury

An Arts Festival …….. a silly newspaper ..... and a heap of Chorlton stories no one else will dare publish

I welcome the return of Chorlton Arts Festival, and along with it that silly but happy publication which goes under the name of Chorlton Weaklie News.

And for those who don’t know, there is a connection between the two. 

After a break of a few years the very successful Chorlton Arts Festival returned in 2019, and despite the best efforts of Colin Covid in 2020 it is back this year.*  

Its Festival Director Peter Topping commented, “Things are looking positive at the moment and we are hoping to not only have art displayed on hoardings, fences, outside walls and in windows, but indoors if permitted and, for good measure, we will go virtual again. 

One thing is for certain, Chorlton Arts Festival is definitely ON THE ROAD AGAIN.”

And that brings me to Chorlton Weaklie News, which is also produced by Peter, and carries regular updates on the Arts Festival.

I have been reporting on the newspaper from when it first hit the streets back in February 2020.**

It is, to misquote that Woody Allen film, All the Chorlton News you wanted to read but didn’t know where to look.  It is silly, irreverent and at times quite topical.

So here in no particular order are, “Bodies Found in Southern Cemetery”, “Books Discovered in Chorlton Bookshop” and “Dead Shark Found in Chorlton Diving Club Pool”.

My favourite to date is “Mysterious Container Found on Doorstep”,  which breaks the news that “In the early hours of the morning a man was seen lurking around doorsteps depositing glass containers with a white liquid inside”.

The inspiration for Peter’s flight of fancy was “Billy’s Weekly Liar".

This  was a broadsheet sold in Blackpool from 1922 till the death of its creator, William Curtis in the late 1960s.

Mr. Curtis was the owner of Billy’s Joke Shop in Preston, where Peter grew up.

And rereading Billy’s Weekly Liar still has the power to bring a smile , which was in fact the motto of the paper …… “Smile Dammit Smile”,  and it would be hard not to, with stories, like “Unconscious skeleton found on beach”, “A football scout from a Midland Club is interested in Dan Druff from Ayr” and “Brighton Prom stolen By Ladder Gang”.

All of which led Peter to compile his “counter factual Chorlton news stories” into a book, which he called Smile Dammit Smile!!! Chorlton.

The book  is available from http://www.pubbooks.co.uk/ or Chorlton Book shop, 506 Wilbraham Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9AW 0161 881 6374.

And that is it.  Any one wanting to sign up as an artist or to volunteer have until June 1st, and all you have to do is go the Chorlton Arts Festival link.

Location; Chorlton

Pictures; Arts Festvals banners on Beech Road, 2021, from the collection of Andrew Simpson, remaining images, courtesy of Peter Topping, 2021 

*Chorlton Arts Festival, www.chorltonarts.org

** Chorlton Weaklie News https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/search?q=chorlton+Weaklie+News

Chorlton Arts Festival On the Road Again …. 11th - 19th September 2021

 Every place should have a festival at least once a year, and Chorlton has two this September.

Artists, friends and volunteers

So along with the Chorlton Book Festival we have the Chorlton Arts Festival   Back on the Road Again.*

Last night the Arts Festival was kicked off with a host of guests including artists, friends, and volunteers.

To which the Lord Mayor, Cllr Tommy Judge, and his wife the Lord Mayoress were in attendance to open the Festival.

And not wanting to miss an opportunity I took a few snaps of the night.

Peter Topping and the Lord Mayor

The Festival is run by Chorlton Voice through the year under the auspices of Chorlton Arts Project culminating with Chorlton Arts Festival which because of Covid has moved once again to September from its traditional date in May.

This year there are around about 1000 artists, including art on the streets and in shops, pubs and other public places, as well as performances by choirs, and a range of activities by young people and school groups.

Two happy friends

Added to which you can take your choice from events inside, outside, and virtually from September 11th to September 19th.

Leaving me just to point you to the programme and wish you good reading.

And when you have done the reading and selected the events you want to see, it will be just a matter of getting down and enjoying all the art that is there to see.

Location; Chorlton

Two happy volunteers

One happy cake

Pictures; the opening night of the Chorlton Arts Festival, 2021, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

The Lord Mayor joins the volunteers

*Chorlton Arts Festival Programme, www.chorltonarts.org

Chorlton Arts Festival is back …… May 17th to May 26

 Yep, Chorlton Arts Festival is back, with another exciting mix of cultural events, spanning art, literature, drama, and music.*

Along with our annual book festival it is one of the things that marks Chorlton out as something a bit special.

And last night the week was launched in the presence of the Lord Mayor, civic dignitaries, patrons of the festival and friends.

Four young musicians from Chorlton High school performed a selection of songs and there was a tribute to Ed Wylie one of the founders of the festival.

Leaving me just to point you in the direction of the link to Festival’s site, and in preparation for all that is to come suggest you read up on the history of the event and look at pictures a stories spanning the full 24 years of its existence at Chorlton Arts Festival ...... the history.**

Location; Chorlton

Pictures; Chorlton Arts Festival, 2024, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

*Chorlton Arts Festival, 2024, https://chorltonartsfestival.org/ 

**Chorlton Arts Festival, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Chorlton%20Arts%20Festival

All you ever wanted to know about Chorlton Arts Festival .... tonight

Historian and author Andrew Simpson and local artist and author Peter Topping will take you on a journey through the history of The Arts Festival showing how it has grown into a successful community event in Chorlton.*

It began when a teacher, a city councillor, and a vicar sat down with a bottle of wine and explored the possibilities of an annual festival of the arts here in Chorlton. **

They were ….. Ed Wyllie, Val Stevens and Hilary Barber and that was in 2002

And now in 2026, the aim remains to bring “the Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Performing Arts, and Crafts at all levels to the Chorlton Community”.

Leaving me just to say come along and find out about all the bits from 2002 till 2026.

The presentation will is part of Chorlton Arts Festival and will be in the Community Rooms of Chorlton Library, Manchester Road starting at 8pm and conclding at 9pm.

*Chorlton Arts Festival https://chorltonartsfestival.org/

**Chorlton Arts Festival stories, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Chorlton%20Arts%20Festival

Twenty-four and as exciting as ever .... Chorlton Arts Festival is back

So, there I was passing the Makers Market and who should I see but Peter and Linda at the Chorlton Arts Festival stall.*

Its twenty-four years since the festival was a lunched and this year promises that same mix of events spanning all the arts and still “a community Arts Festival for and by Chorlton people”.

I could say more but won’t.  

But you can find stories of how the festival came about along with plenty of pictures of past events by following the link.**

The programme is available online or as a hard copy from Chorlton Library.

Location; Chorlton, May 8-May 21

Pictures; Peter & Linda, and the programme

*Chorlton Arts Festival https://chorltonartsfestival.org/

**Chorlton Arts Festival stories, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Chorlton%20Arts%20Festival

 

A community play ............ for a community festival

Our arts festival is now in full swing and yesterday one of the events caught perfectly the guiding principle of “a community Arts Festival for and by Chorlton people”.

It was billed in the programme as “A Play In A Day – Workshop” which took place in one day involved 30 participants, followed by a performance and no experience was needed.

And in the words of Jules Gibb the project director "This play has been created today in the true spirit of the Arts Festival- by forming an inclusive community of local people. 

The participants have never worked together before and have created this piece in an afternoon. 

They tell an important story. 

Ada Nield Chew was a self-educated young factory girl when she took on the patriarchy and capitalism single handedly. 

She went on to become an important campaigner for women’s rights, suffrage and socialism. 

She started her activism in Crewe and after her marriage lived in various addresses in the northwest.

 From her address in Chorlton she continued her work unionising and organising women workers everywhere along with her daughter Doris."

And the rest was a rewarding day for the actors and an equally enjoyable night for the audience.

Which is all I have to say other than I am glad I went and include these sleeve notes from Jules on Ada Chew,who "was a Staffordshire lass and travelled on the first Clarion Van which left in the 1890’s from Chester and travelled across the north and Scotland speaking to women about the ILP and union membership. 

The Vans had three feminist activists on board. On the first one was Sarah Reddish and Caroline Martin as well as Ada. 

The Vans were horse drawn and George Chew was the driver. He was from Rochdale but an active ILP member. After their marriage they settled in Rochdale. 

Ada continued her activism from there and travelled with her baby daughter all over the country. The family definitely lived at the Chorlton address according to Doris Nield Chew the daughter. 

They finally settled in Burnley where Doris got the education that was denied her Mother. She graduated in History from Mcr University and taught History in Burnley Grammar School. 

She published a book of her mother’s writings". 

Location; Chorlton Arts Festival

Pictures; “A Play In A Day”, 2026 from the collection of Andrew Simpson

Chorlton Arts Festival started on May 8th and runs through to May 21st, with 200 events across Chorlton, covering all the Arts. 

*Chorlton Arts Festival, https://chorltonartsfestival.org/

Walking Chorlton's past ......... tomorrow

Now that is not so daft a question if you lived in a small rural community on the edge of Manchester in the summer of 1848.

Ploughing Row Acre, 1894 on Chorlton Row, now Beech Road

For a start, most people earned their living from the land, and many of these would be agricultural labourers, who worked for local farmers and in some cases rented their homes from those same farmers.

Along with these there was a sizable group of small market gardeners, growing cash crops for the Manchester markets on one to nine acres of land which they rented from a handful of landowners.

Added to these were the tradesmen ranging from the blacksmith and wheelwright to shopkeepers, carpenters and dressmakers all of whom were dependent on both the farmers and the “people of plenty”.

Harvest on the meadows, circa, 1890s

And even some of the more prosperous, who after 1832 commanded a vote in General Elections, might think carefully about voting for an election candidate who was not the preferred and stated choice of the wealthy and powerful Egerton family who owned something like 67% of all the land in Chorlton.

So, the question of who you should be polite to in 1848 was a serious one which might cost your livelihood and your home.

And that will be the theme of this walk through Chorlton’s past which is part of Chorlton Book Festival, and this year coincides with Chorlton Arts Festival. *

Along the way there will be some tales of dark deeds, mixed with the everyday life of farmers, agricultural workers and their families, and a nod to the posh residents who must be treated with upmost politeness.

We were a small rural community of just 761 people, spread out in a number of hamlets.

St Clement's Church on the green, circa 1870

On the northern boundary was Martledge, south of Chorlton Brook was Hardy and at the centre was Chorlton itself.

Smaller communities in some cases just a few houses were scattered in between.  And as if to underline a dependence on the land, each of these small communities were separated by fields and orchards.

And so today we will take a walk down Chorlton Row, from Barlow Moore Lane, stopping to look at the big house, several cottages, some interesting fields and of course the smithy, the Wesleyan chapel and a beer house.

Along the way we may encounter a few people it would be prudent to be polite too, and plenty who are too busy to pass the time of day.

Chorlton Row, now Beech Road, 1854

Having reached Chorlton Green there will be a brief stop to survey the old church, the two pubs, and three farmhouses, along with assorted wattle and daub cottages, and the village school.

After which we will head north, visiting another 18th century farm cottage before crossing the Rough Leech Gutter at High Lane, hard by Scotch Corner and that local beauty point known as Pits Brow,  finishing at the site of the ancient Ash Tree “at the foot of which a certain man engaged in prayer each day.**

So, there will be plenty to see, and much that will tell us about what it was like to live in a small rural community, just 3½ miles from the smoke, noise and enterprise of Manchester.

Assemble at the corner of Beech Road and Barlow Moor Road at 2pm on Sunday September 22nd.***

The walk will conclude after much history and a degree of fun at the Edge for refreshments.

There are lots more events during the Book Festival which coincides with Chorlton Arts Festival.****

Pictures; ploughing on Beech Road, circa 1890, and harvesting on the meadows, courtesy of Mr. Higginbotham, from the Lloyd collection, and detail from the 1854 OS map for Lancashire by kind permission of Digital Archives Association, http://www.digitalarchives.co.uk/ old St Clement’s Church circa 1870s from the collection of Tony Walker

*Chorlton Book Festival September 20-28, 2019, https://www.chorltonbookfestival.co.uk/

**Ellwood, Thomas Chapter 4, History of Chorlton-cum-Hardy, South Manchester Gazette, November 28, 1885

*** Walking Chorlton’s Past Sunday 22 September 2019, £7.50 payable in advance at Chorlton Library.  Assemble at the corner of Beech Road and Barlow Moor Road at 2pm.

****Chorlton Arts Festival, http://chorltonartsfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Arts-Festival-Programme-with-Listings-Sept-1-2019-WEB-2.pdf

It was 20 years ago today ……. an Arts festival … a bottle of wine …and a heap of good memories later

Now, it’s that time of year again when Chorlton prepares for its own arts festival.

It began when a teacher, a city councillor, and a vicar sat down with a bottle of wine and explored the possibilities of an annual festival of the arts here in Chorlton.

Fundamental to the concept was that it should be fun, and open to all and embrace all the arts.

And the rest is history, and that history is soon to be written.

So, with that in mind, this is the appeal for memories and memorabilia, from anyone, who took part, organized an event or just went along and enjoyed a performance.

You can leave a message, or an offer of something interesting at https://chorltonartsfestival.org/contact/

And the rest will be part of your contribution to our own Arts Festival.

Location; Chorlton

Pictures; first Chorlton Arts Festival programme, 2002,courtesy of the Chorlton Arts Festival, and the opening night of the Chorlton Arts Festival, 2021, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

Faces at a festival … Chorlton Arts Launch ..... May 18th 2023

The second in a short series of pictures recording this year's launch of Chorlton Arts Festival, 2023

Jeff Smith MP and some of the invited guests, 2023

The Lord Mayor, Cllr Yasmine Dar 

Cllr Mathew Bentham, 2023

Man takes picture of man taking pictures, 2023

Linda, Eve and John, 2023

The full programme of events is available by following the link.**

Location, Chorlton

Pictures; launch night of Chorlton Arts Festival, 2023, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

*OK Chorlton ….. our Arts Festival is back, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/2023/05/ok-chorlton-our-arts-festival-is-back.html 

**Chorlton Arts Festival, 2023, https://chorltonartsfestival.org/2023-festival-programme/