On this day 31st August 1907

Mrs Pankhurst, suffragist, visits Rochdale to open new women’s club.

On this day 30th August 1911

A rare bird, known as the “Egyptian Goose”, caught alive near Ashworth Chapel.

On this day 28th August 1894

Gas explosion at the Central Hotel, Town Hall Square; several narrow escapes.

On this day 27th August 1928

Rialto Picture House opened. Miss Gracie Fields appeared.

On this day 26th August 1874

Wuerdle and Wardle Local Board first met.

On this day 25th August 1930

Lieutenant- Colonel J. C. Bateson resigned as Commanding Officer, Church Lads’ Brigade.

On this day 24th August 1863

John Street New Bridge begun.  The old structure was a footbridge.

On this day 23rd August 1906

Mark All (78), the veteran walker, who was walking 60,000 miles in seven years for £500, came through Rochdale.

On this day 22nd August 1896

Mr F. W. Purcell ended his proprietorship of the Theatre Royal.  He died April 3^rd, 1927, aged 78 years.

On this day 21st August 1878

Rochdale Cricket Club’s first athletic festival on the cricket ground, Dane Street.

On this day 20th August 1884

For Lancashire against Surrey, Mr F. Taylor scored 54 not out.

On this day 19th August 1905

Post card craze causes chaos at the Post Office.

On this day 18th August 1866

Festival of local choirs in St. Chad’s Church-80 voices.

On this day 17th August 1902

James Percival, of Smithy Bridge, a botanist of international repute, died this day.

On this day 16th August 1957

Mr Frank Lingard of Bingley Square won the Ald. Wycherley Cup for the best garden on the whole of the Corporation estates.

On this day 15th August 1956

Almost a hundred motor vehicles took part in the second annual Road Courtesy Rally, run under the auspices of the Rochdale Road safety Committee.

On this day 14th August 1891

Spring Mill Reservoir rose 2ft. 4in. in twenty-four hours, owing to heavy rains.

On this day 13th August 1891

Record rainfall; 2.124 inches registered.

On this day 12th August 1951

Mr H. Hargreaves (56), former secretary of the Coral Mill, Newhey, died.

On this day 11th August 1868

Extraordinary drought that continued for some time.  The reservoirs nearly empty and some of the mills were compelled to stop.  This was the origin of using Dearnley water.

On this day 10th August 1956

Presented by Mrs Jefferson and members of the Jefferson family, a memorial plaque to Mr John Cecil Jefferson was dedicated at St. Mary’s Church, Wardleworth.  Mr Jefferson, a surgeon, had been for many years connected with the church. 

On this day 9th August 1952

Slight improvement reported in the unemployment and short-time cotton industry

On this day 8th August 1882

Royal Humane Society’s testimonial presented to Edward Fallon, of Toad Lane, for life saving.

On this day 7th August 1890

In Spotland Nearer Side District, with an estimated population of 13,000 inhabitants, only five deaths took place during the following five weeks.

On this day 6th August 1877

Cattle Fair Ground, Theatre Street, opened.  Prior to this date the fair was held in Church Stile and adjoining streets.

On this day 5th August 1871

Gen. Tom Thumb, his wife, and Commodore Nutt paid their last visit to the town.

On this day 4th August 1930

Rochdale Hippodrome opened as a cinema with “Talkies.”

On this day 3rd August 1924

Milnrow War Memorial unveiled by Major-General A. Solly-Flood.

On this day 2nd August 1856

Eel weighing 7lb. 1oz., 3ft. 7in. long, caught in the canal.

On this day 1st August 1923

Miss Margaret Leahy, film actress, at the Hippodrome.