Full House !

Sir Charles Halle and his famous orchestra gave a concert in the Town Hall today in 1881.

Museum Closed Today

A stormy town meeting was held today in 1857 to consider the propriety of opening museums etc. on Sundays.
The resolution lost by a small majority.

The smell of the greasepaint, the roar of the crowd !

An Amateur Dramatic Society began in 1856 to hold meetings in a room opposite St. James' Church.

January 11th 1856

The Great Storm Of '39 !

January 9th  1839 saw a great wind storm hit Rochdale with much damage to property in the neighbourhood.

Snow And More Snow !

The Great Snowstorm began today in 1827.
Most roads in Rochdale became impassable.

A New Newspaper

The Manchester Examiner and Times was first published today in 1846.
John Bright was one of the promoters for this new publication.

Concert for our troops

500 wounded soldiers were entertained today in 1917 at the Town Hall.

Click on this link below to learn more about Rochdale during WW1 and to see some interesting photographs.
http://artsandheritage.link4life.org/index.php/discover/local-history-online/wartime/world-war-1

Send Out The Search Party

Today in 1931 a rambler from Bolton was lost on Rooley Moor.

Snug and Cosy !

January 3rd 1837, an entry from the Spotland Workhouse Diary :

'.........with the assistance of some new Blankets we have got through the storme
without any complaints of the Inmates being Starved in Bedd.'

No Snow !

According to the Rochdale Observer for the beginning of January 1877, the season was very mild.
' As showing the mildness of the season, daisies and dandelions were gathered at Greave.'

Away From The Rain !

The Cabman's Shelter, South Parade, opened today in 1877.

Fluffy Fabric !

During 1886 Flannelette was introduced.
Greatly appreciated in days without elecric blankets or central heating.

Celebrated Work

' History of the Parish of Rochdale ' by Henry Fishwick was published today in 1889.
This can be consulted online as an eBook.
For those closer to home, you can consult this renowned book by calling in to Local Studies at Touchstones Rochdale.

Be Prepared

Eighteen sick and burial societies with 60,000 members and £135,000 in funds existed in Rochdale at this time.
29th December 1896.

Very Generous Gift

It was announced today that an anonymous donation of £5,000 was given to the Building Fund of St. Johns Catholic Church.
The gift was from Mr. James White.
1918.

Pea Souper !

Rev. F.W. Norburn, today in 1925, drove his motorcycle and sidecar into the canal at Littleborough during fog.

Bah ! Humbug !

Today in 1868 at St. Mary's Church, Wardleworth the Christmas decorations were torn down by some person unknown.
The candlesticks on the altar were carried away and several vestments destroyed.

Food Bank ?

The last week of December 1862 saw 18,000 persons relieved by the Soup Kitchen and in addition the Guardians relieved another 13,226.

Poor Denis !

Ronald Roberts in his book, 'Pea Soup on Friday', which are his personal notes on Birch Hill Hospital, mentions this when talking about Christmas 1929 :
On my second Christmas Day the main joints were from Denis, the farm bull, his replacement having arrived a short time earlier.

Generous Donation

Today in 1917 Mr.and Mrs. F. Lye gave £100 to each of ten charitable institutions as a memorial to their son, Second Lieutenant Gilbert Lye and their daughter Mary.