A rich treasure trove of history

EXAMINING some of the collection are (from the left) society secretary Michael Lawson, Councillor Colin McLaren, chairman Mark Johnson and trustee Christine Dennis

AN official programme for the opening of Broadway in 1925, fire and safety regulations from Chadderton Power Station and a towel from the former Victorian Chadderton swimming baths.

This are just three of the fascinating documents and artefacts which members of Chadderton Historical Society showed to the Chronicle.

Many an hour could be spent reading school records from the 1930s, which are a stark reminder of the days when pupils were absent due to whooping cough or lost their lives to illnesses such as diphtheria and scarlet fever.

Just a few decades earlier, in 1898, the annual report by Chadderton Urban District Council’s medical officer records the deaths of infants under 1.

Four died of diseases such as diphtheria and scarlet fever, 10 wasting diseases, 21 diseases of the nervous system, 16 diarrhoeal diseases, 23 respiratory diseases and 50 other diseases.

Dark times are also remembered with a copy of the examination of a Henry Baggillie on suspicion of “witchcrafte”.

He was interviewed by none other than Lord of the Manor Edmond Asshton. And the signature and seal of another Lord of the Manor, Sir Watts Horton, features on the society’s single most important document — an original indenture from 1776.

It also has a copy of the earliest known document relating to Chadderton, a grant of land by the rector of Prestwich, circa 1220.

Stepping forward in time there is the gramophone record “A Mother’s Farewell (Just Before the Battle), bought at around the start of the First World War from a shop in Middleton Road, and recently donated items which belonged to the Ogden family of builders, who demolished Chadderton Hall.

These are just the tip of the iceberg of items collected and donated over the years and society secretary Michael Lawson said: “We have got boxes of stuff to do with all aspects of Chadderton and hundreds of phonographs.”

People who would like to donate items can contact Michael on 0161-652 3930.