Memories

Do you have any Memories of Wardle life or Watergrove? Would you like to share them with us? if so please E-mail me and I will put them on this page. You don't have to have your name on the web site if you don't want to.

MILDRED FIELDING Courtesy of Rochdale Obsever 25th January 2003

My family say the tales I tell of the winter of 1947 are just that -tales. The snowstorm cut off Wardle from the rest of the world, something which happened nearly every winter. We knew winter had come when we could see the skiers on Birch Hill. My oldest brother Michael took me on our sledge down Birch Road to do our mother's shopping at the store at Hurstead (It's a flower shop nowadays). We were actually on the top of the stone wall going down until the dip in the road where Wardle High school is now. The snow was so deep there we were on a level with the cross bar of the lamppost. Why did we go? Well, we couldn't get up the village and couldn't get down Wardle Road and Birch Road would have been kept open up to the hospital gate, so it was the easier choice. Another bad winter was 1955. In January, I was on short time and had to register at Littleborough dole office on Fridays to get my money Wardle was again cut off, the snow having come during Thursday night. I couldn't get to the office, so I went on the Monday I didn't get paid. I was simply told a woman who worked in the canteen and lived in the cottages that used to be at the end of Great Howarth and she had been able to get to work. No amount of explanations could convince the officer that up in the village we had been cut off. I eventually had to go and see Willie Edwards and ask for his help so I could get paid. Mr Edwards, as well as being a Wardle councillor, was also our local postman.

White hell was up to top of lamppost

I can remember walking along the old village road at Watergrove in the summer of 1957 (could be wrong about the year) when there had been a drought and no water in the reservoir, some of the walls of the homes where still standing. I also worked for my uncle for over 6 yrs  John Hardman in the 1960's at Cook Street pallets and recall some great times. I was living in Littleborough and walked over peddlers everyday. On hot summers days going to the Hare & Hounds with a large sauce pan to be filled with shandy, yes Uncle John paid. Has a school kid we used to visit another Uncle (Herbert) who had a bungalow opposite Sandifords mill my cousins Sheila-Dorothy and Hillary along with my brother and sisters would play in the surrounding fields for hours, sadly those fields are now full of houses. Regards   Eddie

Eddie Hilton

Make all emails subjects Wardle please as I delete a lot without opening.

Having found your wesite somewhat by accident, I asked my mother for her memories of Wardle, Her Grandparents were Bamford Cryer from Vineyard Cottage. and Sally Mellor of Watergrove farm. They where married in 1893. Bamford was born at Newgate Wardle 1868 and Sally was born at Lee Wardle in 1869. Her Great Grandparents were James Cryer from Watergrove and Betty Bamford Married 1866. Here parents were William Halstead and Ruth  Halstead ( nee Cryer ) Ruth had a sister called Ada who married Frank Dearden. My mum grew up at 111 Ramsden Wood Rd. She had three Cottage homer freinds Jean Leach   Margery Hudders and Alice Palein . Other freinds where Murial feilden and Olive Taylor. Her infant teachers were Miss Walker and Miss Dixon.  Tere Junior teachers were Miss Bamford Miss Hays and Mrs Schofeild. A tragedy she remembers was a young lad accused of stealing eggs. ( wrongly ) was given a very strong talking to by the owner. The lad then ran up onto the moors. the mists came down the lad got lost, and was later found dead. I hope this bit of history is of some use to your group. My mothers Christian name is Mildred. All the best Nigel.

Nigel

Hi Julie, Just love the site. My 2x Gt Grandfather Thomas Leach was born at Dobbin in 1805. I think he is connected to the Leach Family who were involved with the Wardle Wesleyan Chapel. He married Sarah Crier had two sons Edmund and John who both died as infants. He then married Elizabeth Wild b 1814 in 1834 and had 10 children, two of whom again died as children. I would love to find some kind of connection with other Leach researchers. The children who lived are as follows. Mary b 1836 m Richard Dearden and had sons John Thomas, Benjamin, William Robert and Joseph Thomas b 1840 my Gt Grandfather m Elizabeth Shepherd in 1862 then emigrated to the USA, my grandmother came to NZ and Married Wilkinson Wood, my mother was Alice Wood b 1904 Elizabeth Leach b 1843 m Jacob Wild and emigrated to the USA.Names Connected to that family are Dawson, Noyes and possibly Haddock. Rebecca Leach b 1846 m William Hoyle some of this family emigrated to NZ and some remained in England Anne Leach b 1848 emigrated to NZ and m George Widdup Hannah Leach b 1851 m John Hartley She was John's second wife and together they had a son Thomas b 1882 whose family I would really like to find. Joseph Leach b 1854 emigrated to NZ and m Harriet Strickland Alice Leach b 1858 m Robert Widdup and emigrated to NZ. I have visited Dobbin and been to Watergrove which is just below Dobbin. I planted a tree in that area where the Wardle Society were establishing a small woods, to commemorate the Leach family living there. I have loads of family photos many of whom I can't identify which is such a pity as they are mostly tintypes taken in the 1860's. I have read most of the stories on the site and think it is a wonderful idea to enable people whose families came form the area to put out information about their families in the hope of a connection. Best wishes to you all From Kaaren Beverley in NZ

Kaaren Beverley

I grew up in Wardle village and was always fascinated myself by the reservoir (spent a lot of time walking up there).  There is a great book all about the villages (there were more than one) which were drowned to create the reservoir.  It is called "watergrove a history of the valley and it"s drowned villages" by Allen Holt and published by George Kelsall, Littleborough. Some people were against the reservoir being built but they don't really state there was widespread riots or anything, just letters  against it being built. Apparently there were no shops and so they had to walk down to Wardle Fold to buy supplies.  Quite a long way considering some of them lived over the back of the reservoir near Brown Wardle and Hades.  Apparently numbers of residents were dropping rapidly before the reservoir went ahead so It must have been an area which was starting to decline anyway.  The book states that they moved into Wardle village leaving there houses empty and workmen started to move into the empty places.  It is a very interesting book and if you want a copy I believe the bookshop in Littleborough has them and usually Rochdale Observer will post them as I've bought many local books through them. Hope this helps you a bit but if you can get the book it is a mine of interesting information Love the website.  It brings a tear to the eye those lovely village pictures.  I've got some so when I get a scanner (soon) I'll send some too.  Does anyone have the script and photo's of the pace egg play.  It was something I loved as achild and I know Ken Rawstron used to play Dirty Bett and he's still in the vallage.  Someone may have a copy or just know it off the top of their heads.  I went to St James C of E and Wardle High school.  I left in 1985 and moved to Sydney.  I very much miss the countryside as I did a lot of walking around the hills (and tunnels) as a younger person.  You are doing a great job.  It's in my favourites.  To anyone who knows me or my family a big hello from Michelle Uttley!!! Hi Julie, Here are a couple of photos I have found.  The reservoir one is three photos together, hence the lines were the photos overlap.  They were both taken in 1989 when the renovations to watergrove had not been completed.  The other is Bluepot tunnel, a favourite walk of mine, or was that just because you got to stop at the King Bill for a pint.

Michelle Jenkins

Congratulations on your website. My name is David Kershaw and my great-grandfather lived at Vineyard House. I remember being taken by my father in a very hot summer (1960?) to see the foundations of the Alderbank Mill which, I believe, my great-grandfather owned.  I have a smallish  oil-painting, painted by my grandfather's sister I believe, of the mill. If anyone has published any research which includes details of the Mill and/or the family I would be interested to find where I can purchase it.

David Kershaw

New from here

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Hi Julie, here is a picture of Alderbank taken in May 1950, looks like a sunny afternoon and not a car or extension in sight. The two ladies sat on the wall would be Mrs Doris Blakey, mum of Tony and Colin and Mrs Edith Saunders, mum of Anne and Alec, I would guess that's Anne on the trike. At the first house on the left ( 3) lived the Beaumonts, son David, his dad was chief engineer on the Watergrove project and unusually for that time he had a car, you can see the oil marks under the trike in the foreground. Next house along (5) lived the Worseley's, I'm married to Ann the daughter, next at 7 lived our family so I married the girl next door, next at 9 lived the Medlocks, Beryl the daughter visits Wardle from Oz this Summer for the first time in 40+ years. Next house was the Winklers, Tony, Winnie and daughter Margaret, next can't remember, next the Blakey's, next the Saunder's, next Mr and Mrs Hindle, dad Dennis, son Bobby, daughter Janice. Next house Mr and Mrs Beardsley, Ernie, Margaret and sons Ian and Paul Daughters Beryl and Joyce. Next house Mr and Mrs Morgan with sons John, David and Ken, final house you can see I think might have been Mr and Mrs Morant and daughter Peggy. Amost 57 years ago. With best regards Peter.J. Jeffs

Peter Jeffs

Hi Julie I only just found the web site  brilliant!  There is even an entry from my brother in law Peter Jeffs - we lived next door to one another and he married my sister Ann who sadly is no longer with us. Back to Tuddies Lodge which was across Jacksons field close to my home on Alderbank. (Tuddy being the nickname for the farmer Eric? Jackson  god knows why but he was always Tuddy!) All the local kids probably caught their first Perch out of the lodge which of course we were always told was a very dangerous lodge so of course it was like a magnet for all the kids  most especially Philip Matthews, Chris Bentley and I. It was indeed dangerous, one winter when we were playing on the ice and Philip fell through . he was in fact rescued by the daughter of the Billy Edwards  the local postman  I think his daughter was Megan  anyway she rescued Philip at some considerable risk to herself and I think I remember that Philips mum gave her half a crown for her trouble!! Sadly of course Philip also is no longer with us, but many happy memories of our childhood together are! I am happy for you to quote my name JOHN WORSLEY age 58. PS When rambling over the moors as kids we used to sometimes stumble upon an area we called the hidden valley  out towards Brown Wardle over the back of the reservoir. It was a magical barren place  does anyone else remember it or is age getting the better of me??

JOHN WORSLEY

Hello Julie I originally came from Belfield, Rochdale and my cousins first introduced me to Wardle & Watergrove. I used to go horse riding at a farm which you approach past the car park in Wardle, you can still see the farm on the top of the hill. We also walked right through the tunnel that emerges at the reservoir , when you are 9 years old this was incredibly exciting. The tunnel is now gated off at the other end near Shore. I now live in Bury but took my springers up there this Sunday & extended my walk to pass the old ruined farm steads. The views are beautiful. I have also walked via Whitworth past the golf club to Watergrove & I went to school with someone whose parents ran the moorland home on the tops there. Is this now a private residence. Regards Hilary

Hilary Jackson