1. The Calico Printers Association (CPA) was largely responsible for the development of Whaley Bridge, and it is on record that in 1860 the first sewing machine was installed in the Bingswood Mill. According to a contemporary writer, this innovation was so "noticeable" that crowds came flocking from as far away as Manchester to see it working.

2. In the same year the first telegraph message was sent from the Whaley Bridge mill to Manchester. And to the unbounded amazement of everyone concerned an answer was actually received the same day!

3. Roman Catholic services used to be held in the room over Mr Firth’s greengrocer’s shop in High Street, before the Church of the Sacred Heart was built.

4. Whaley Bridge Bowling Club: an original club card reveals that in 1907 the committee included three colonels, four M.P.’s two J.P.’s, one major and a doctor.

I do not know who the people were HPH but two of the Colonels would have been Colonel Hall and Colonel Mandelberg.
RockBanker is good at solving, and creating, puzzles so I think he will sort out the MP's for us.
The rest is up to you lot out there.

R. S-S
 

Hi Buggyite,

You mention Dinting Vale, Strines and Buckton Vale; the CPA must have been a good employer reference the list of long serving workers below:

50 Years of Calico Printing

A Jubilee History of the C.P.A. published by the Calico Printers' Association Ltd., Manchester, 1949.

On November 8th 1899 the Calico Printers' Association Limited came into being under the chairmanship of F.F. Grafton, with an issued capital of £8,200,000 made up of £5,000,000 share capital and £3,200,000 debenture stock.

   JUBILEE EMPLOYEES

It is with considerable pleasure and gratification that the following roll is presented of those still in the employ of the Association in its Jubilee Year who will have completed 50 or more years of service.

BUCKTON VALE WORKS

D. Redfearn, J. Brindle, J. Thorp, J. Mellor, H. Langley, T. Brennand, E. Winterbottom, J. Andrew, P. Corker, J. Smith, H. Kilshaw, W. Heap, W. Norris, F. Thorneley, R. Wright, W. Roberts, I. Bagshaw, J. Grindrick.

DINTING VALE WORKS

E. Bevan, E.H. Williams, J. Roberts, F. Fielding, H. Sellars, J. Williamson, G.W. Ainsworth, J.W. Metcalfe, J. Garlick, W.S. Ford, W. Hobson, J. Clarke, E. Mottram, S.H. McMath, A. Fletcher.

STRINES WORKS

A. Stott, A. Sandiford, W.T. Nutter, R. Gibson, C.F. Shaw, H. Whittaker, W. Howard,
A. Bagshaw, J. Ferns, H. Atherton, T. Howe, J. Brooke, G.E. Shepley, C. Devlin, J.
McKee, T.H. Smith, J. Jackson, E. Whittaker, J.W. Heywood, J. Swindells, F. Booth,
J. Ardern, W. Bennett, A. Tetlow, W. Ollereshaw, T. Waterhouse.

There were, of course, other mills who had long serving employees and I’ll let you know later just how they were rewarded for their loyal service.

R. S-S

Hi George,

I am sure you will remember this gentleman and his shop.

High Peak Reporter

15 November 1919

Mr Ernest Crabtree begs to inform the Public of Whaley Bridge and District that he IS OPENING GOYT SHOP, corner of George-street, Whaley Bridge, under the name of The Amalgamated Fruit, Fish and Grocery Stores, on FRIDAY NEXT, November 21st, with a Choice Selection of ENGLISH and FOREIGN FRUITS, FISH, VEGETABLES, Etc. FRESH FISH DAILY. WREATH & BOUQUETS GOT TO ORDER. A TRIAL SOLICITED.

1 May 1920

GOYT SHOP, GEORGE STREET, WHALEY BRIDGE

THE PUBLIC OF WHALEY BRIDGE AND DISTRICT ARE REQUESTED TO NOTE THAT THERE IS NO ICELAND OR FROZEN FISH TO BE OBTAINED AT THE ABOVE ADDRESS. ONLY THE BEST SELECTED AT LOWEST MARKET PRICES. FRESH ARRIVALS DAILY.

E. CRABTREE proprietor.

3 December 1921

E. CRABTREE, Fruiterer

George Street, WHALEY BRIDGE

IF YOU WANT THE BEST IN FRUIT, FIGS, DATES, NUTS, PRUNES, ALMONDS, MUSCATELS Etc. DON'T FAIL, WHEN SHOPPING, TO PAY A VISIT TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS REMEMBERING THAT THE BEST IS THE TEST OF CHEAPNESS

ORDERS PROMPTLY DELIVERED TO ALL PARTS OF THE DISTRICT NO CHARGE FOR DELIVERY

R. S-S

Good evening R. S-S

What are very interesting photograph you have posted (#6).

I think you are probably correct when you point out Whaley Bridge's longest serving Town Councillor is at the heart of the demonstration.

There are other very familiar faces in the crowd with some of Whaley's most notorious activists present.

One of the gathering is so famous I think prospective councillor NevClarke started a thread about him on this forum.

P. S

I am wondering how this photograph was obtained and I think the question needs to be asked but may not be answered.

Here goes anyway.

R. S-S, are you a member of MI5 ?

A pity Wonderwhy that you could not enhance the photo to see what the one citizen who has bothered to hold his placard aloft was so passionate about.

The rest look quite apathetic-lots of hands in pockets and don't quite know what we are protesting about- but remember this was pre daytime television :-)  Maybe it was the winter of discontent. 

Cheers

It nice to see more recent history photos as I'm sure we sometimes forget what it was like before the A6 By pass

Edited by user 24 January 2013 08:25:57(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Very interesting photo indeed.   There is electoral hope for Labour in Whaley yet. 

Councillor Pritchard is indeed present, quite the radical even then.  It reminded me that I had seen this and other photos from the same event before.  It was indeed 'Whaley's Anti Poll Tax Rally' from the spring of 1990 and I was holding this print and others in my hands today. 

They are of a much higher quality than the one presented here, even with Peter's enhancements.  You might expect this from a professional photographer.  They also have a very clear and unambiguous copyright notice on the reverse, with contact details which are still current.  I am sorry to report, after speaking directly to the photographer, in order to compliment them on their work being used by such an esteemed local historian, that they have not given permission for this to be reproduced.  In fact it and the others have only been displayed in public once. 

I/We would like to stress that the integrity and honesty of RSS is not being questioned in this matter.  The owner of this image has not asked for the image to be removed and they are indeed pleased that it's provoking a discussion and enjoyment.  However, they wish to remain anonymous and have asked me to liaise with Robert in an attempt to find the person or persons unknown who copied the photo, possibly others, without permission.  My email address is below and I'd be grateful if Robert would contact me even to confirm that he has no knowledge of its provenance or that he can't remember where he obtained it from.

Edited by user 24 January 2013 18:06:56(UTC)  | Reason: Odd bits of code all over the post