Spread The Word !

A valuable gift of books was today given to the Free Library in 1884 by the British Museum Trustees.

Rochdale Blue Plaques

This week will see the unveiling of a Blue Plaque to commemorate Butterworth the Jewelleres.

Since 1903, the property has been occupied by Butterworth Jewellers, which is the longest established family-run business within the town centre. Here is a picture of the bottom of Drake Street taken in the 1930s.

How Big ?

A thousand trout were today put in Spring Mill Reservoir by the local Angling Society.
This was in 1914.

Today It Would Be Brian Cox !

On the evening of the 6th March 1911 the guest lecturer at the Rochdale Literary and Scientific Society meeting was Professor Rutherford.
Ernest Rutherford became known as the father of nuclear physics and won the nobel prize for chemistry in 1908.
He is widely credited with first 'splitting the atom' in 1917.
After his death in 1937 he was honoured by being interred with the greatest scientists of the United Kingdom, near Sir Isaac Newton's tomb in Westminster Abbey.
The title of this lecture in Rochdale was : 'Transformations of radio-active matter'.
For those living locally, this work can be read in the Local Studies Library at Touchstones Rochdale.

A Mystery

Today in 1907 some bones were found at Clegg Hall.

Still Thriving !

Derby Street Board School opened today in 1882 at a cost of £5,000.
The school has had a name change to Deeplish School along with two new bulidings over the years.

Stars and stripes in Rochdale

John Philip Sousa and his band came to Rochdale today in 1905. Sousa is most fmaous for his marches: Washington Post and Stars and Stripes forever.

On this day......

In 1899 the Newhey Brick and Terra Cotta works opened on Huddersfield Road.

Cheap train travel

On this day in 1865 the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company introduced cheap train service to Manchester a single third class fare was 8d, return 1s.

Return of the tram to Rochdale

Today sees the return of the Tram to Rochdale, terminating currently at the Rochdale Train Station stop on Maclure Street. A day earlier and one hundred and twenty eight years later when the tramway opened to Royton on the first of March, 1885. 
This was not the first tram. Steam trams came into operation in the area in the 1880’s. Rochdale’s trams ran on a narrow gauge of 3ft 6ins, rather than the standard 4 ft 8ins.  Rochdale’s first steam tram ran from the Wellington Hotel (now the Nile Night Club) to Buersil, then returned and made its way to Littleborough, on 7th March 1883. The trams were run by a private company – the ponderously named ‘Manchester, Bury, Rochdale and Oldham Steam Tramway Company.’ By 1902 the Rochdale Corporation had begun to operate electric trams, their first route opening on 15th May, 1902. By 1905, after the Corporation had bought out the Tram Company, the whole system was electrified. The last section to be electrified was that to Littleborough – which had been the first section to have steam trams in 1883. 

Bring out your dead

The burial ground on Drake Street was closed today in 1855. The Rochdale Cemetery on Bury Road opened on 28 April 1855.

First Motor Car

The Annals of Rochdale mention that a 'Motor car first passed through the town' on this day in 1897! Wonder how many cars will pass through Rochdale today..........

Read All About It !

' Rochdale Past and Present ' was published today in 1875.
The author William Robertson wrote many books on Rochdale's history which can be read in the Local Studies Library.
If you do not live locally we have some e-books which may be of interest on our website.

A Fishy Story !

30,000 bream, perch and dace were placed in Hollingwotrh Lake today in 1863.

Blizzard Conditions !

It was during February 1724 that Daniel Defoe went over Blackstone Edge in a snowstorm.
He was a novelist with his most famous work being, ' Robinson Crusoe '.

Read All About It !

Lieut. Col Fishwick was today in 1897 elected Chairman of the School Board.
Henry Fishwick is famous in Rochdale for having written, ' The History of the Parish of Rochdale'.
This book can be read as an eBook on our website.

Plague

The Great Plague casualties peaked in Rochdale during February 1665.
The local death rate increased dramatically.

Out With The Old

Blackwater Street Chapel was last used today in 1856.
This was the old chapel which opened in 1717 and was enlarged in 1752. At this time it was estimated that there were about 200 Non-Conformist families in Rochdale.

Please click on this link below for more information on ' Places of Worship ' in Rochdale:

http://artsandheritage.link4life.org/index.php/discover/local-history-online/rochdale/places-of-worship

Les Miserables

The final meeting was held today in 1866 of the Relief Committee.
One million pound sterling was estimated to have been lost in wages because of the depression.

Cattle Market

Beginning in February 1608 a Cattle Fair began being held in Rochdale three times a year.