Operation Manna

 Frank Pleszak tells the story of Operation Manna, a 1945 humanitarian air drop to relieve starvation in wartime occupied Nederland.

Recorded at Furness Vale History Society in January 2026.

 

What The Papers Said

Our video features a selection of news stories from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Mystery of the Taxal Lodges

 A recording of the December meeting of the History Society

How Yeardsley Hall would have appeared originally.

 

Most of the large houses in the 1400s period were built on the capital H principle, the two uprights would have had a floor on the top. The cross piece would have been the main hall. , There were few chimneys prior to the 12th century, the fire in the larger houses being in the centre of the floor, the smoke escaping through doors and holes in the roof; hence "sluttish soote, a whole inch thick". The evolution of the manor house followed (13century onward). The most striking feature was the open-roofed hall. One notices the two wings each of two stories; solar near to the chapel or part of it; domestic offices, buttery, pantry, etc; hall with hearth in middle. Men servants, soldiers, slept on rushes in the hall. Other rooms gradually evolved leading from the hall and solar until the building became complex; it grew rather than designed. The hall was next devided, and became of less importance after the 11th century, except as a living room, until eventually the word hall was only used for the entrance lobby. The Solar became the drawing room.

Miss Turner's Schooldays

 

 FURNESS VALE

Before Furness Vale school was opened in 1877, the owner of Furness Printworks - a Mr. Saxby - kept a school for the children of his employees in a building near Lodge Farm, adjoining the Printworks. There was a room above used as a church. This would be about 1875 or 1876 and the "Dame" who managed the school was a Miss Eyres. Mr. Goodwin took over this school and moved into the new Board school when it was ready.

Our summer holiday in 1940, the year after war broke out, was shortened to three weeks as children were considered safer at school! We had very wet weather during the holidays and on our return brilliant sun. We felt so cheated that each day we took our furniture out and did lessons in the yard. It was so very hot many children could not stand it and put on hats or used their individual hand towels, sometimes with weird results. Later, air-raid shelters were built in the yard and we had little or no play space.

I was always given a young men assistant when I was Head at Furness 1 had boys up to 14, and a man had always been Head before. The man I had as an assistant when we were a Cheshire school was always someone who had been through College but failed finals. He had to take his exam again and on passing was moved on as the Cheshire authority would not pay certificated salary for a man assistant. I never took P.T. with the boys, but did most of the garden of which we were very proud. The boys made the bird bath and flagged paths, and the garden was always self-supporting.

Canon Satterthwaite

 

Charles James Satterthwaite 27th May 1834 - 21st June 1910 

Canon Satterthwaite was for over 50 years, associated with the parish of Disley.    He was born in Lancaster, the son of James Cornelius Satterthwaite, Land Tax Commissioner and Quay Commissioner in Lancaster.

Educated at Lancaster and Cambridge, he was ordained Deacon in 1858.   The following year, he became Priest and was appointed Curate of St.Mary's Church, Disley. He was appointed Honorary Canon of Chester in 1904.   He remained incumbent until his death in 1910, aged 76. He is buried in the churchyard of the small St.Helen's Parish Church at Overton near Lancaster. a church dating from the 12th century and resting place of a number of his family members. On his death he left an estate worth more than £52,000

Anglican worshippers in Furness Vale had been given the use of the top floor of the Coach Building at Lodge Farm as a  Mission Church. Lodge Fram was owned by Mr Saxby who also owned the nearby Printworks.   The Mission Church was 120 seats and also served as a day school until the Board School opened in 1876. 

The congregation has long aspired to build their own church. A history of St.John's records that Canon Satterthwaite and the Bishop of Chester tried to persuade Mr.Evans, Rector of Taxal, to agree to a church being built in Furness Vale. He would not agree and correcpondence continued for several years. Canon Satterthwaite counted the houses in Furness Vale and Newtown that lay within Disley Parish.  The number was 479 and the population, 2155.  This didn't help to persuade Sam Evans and a stalemate continued until 1907 when Col. Cotton Jodrell became patron of the living of Taxal and was able to change the Rector's mind. 

Several fund raising activities followed during the next two years until at a public meeting in the school, the Bishop, proposed the erection of a "tin tabernacle". The proposal was turned down in favour of a permanent stone built church.  Colonel Cotton Jodrell donated £500 as well as the necessary land. Further donations from the people of Newtown and other sources brought the building fund to £1125. Plans were drawn up by the architect, Mr Preston of Disley and the building contract was given to Mr. J.W.Swindells of New Mills.   

Building work was completed in 1912 and on March 17th the last servicec was held at the Lodge Farm Mission.  

The opening service was held on Saturday March 23rd. It was due to be conducted by the Bishop but as his train was three hours late, it was taken by the Rural Dean, Mr.J.H.Thorpe.

Reverend Satterthwaite died on 21st June 1910 and was unable to see the completion of the plans that he had supported. 

His wife, Victoria, had died four years earlier.  A search on the internet will find some of her watercolour paintings, many featuring Italian scenes.  One local painting depicts Disley Station in 1888.

 

 

 

 

Sketching the Brickyard

 The last of the beehive kilns at Knowle's Brickworks was demolished in 1988 but not before Alan Clark visited with his sketchpad.

We are grateful to Sam Clark for donating his father's work. 

 

Inns of Higher Disley

At the "Top of Disley" were two inns, the Bull's Head and the Blazing Rag (or Flaming Rag).  These two hostelries catered for travellers crossing Whaley Moor.  The new turnpike road, passing through Furness Vale opened in 1804 and these two inns lost much of their traffic and eventually they closed.  The Blazing Rag lived up to its name and was partly damaged by fire.   Susan Marshall suggested that it was here that William Wood was met by his assailants before meeting his death at Longside in 1823.  The film, "A Village Story" suggests that Byron House (illustrated) is the former Blazing Rag

.

The Bull's Head was about 600 metres downhill. It is now a house called Stone Seat, a Grade II listed building. Its stables became four private houses. The inn lost its licence in 1829.  This was also one of the buildings where wooden skewers had been made, a cottage industry centred on Higher Disley.   The Bull's Head was probably a coaching inn providing a change of horses for traffic making the steep climb from Disley village.

 

Disley Ancient and Modern by Susan Marshall. was published in 1967

Postcards from the Francis Frith Collection

Buxworth 1955; Buxton Old Road, Disley 1965; Whaley Bridge 1960; Brierley Green 1955; The Rising Sun, Rainow, 1965; New Mills Market Street 1965; Market Street, Disley 1965;

 

 

The Bells of St. Mary's Disley

 This historic timeline of the bells of Disley's parish Church has been prepared by Barbara Roberts of Disley Local History Society

 

 

Poynton Towers - A Lost House

 The grand house in Poynton was variously known as Poynton Castle, Poynton Hall, Poynton Lodge and Poynton Towers.

 

Poynton Hall c 1795

 

 

The earliest record of Poynton is from 1289 as a manor. This was held by Sir John De Warren (c1384-7). The first Poynton Hall was built between 1548 and 1552 by his descendant, Edward Warren. The house was flanked by a pair of imposing towers and a bridge to keep out the deer. The driveway was lined by 27 lime trees.

Poynton Hall 1760

The Hall was inherited by Sir George Warren in 1737 at the age of 2 years. When he married Jane Revell in 1758, he acquired a fortune of £130,000. Jane was under age and a marriage to the Third Duke of Bridgewater, her guardian, had been agreed. She, and Warren however, eloped to Scotland where they married. 

George Warren (1735 - 1801) improved the estate and rebuilt the house although the towers were retained and he employed John Metcalf to build a new road. He also extended his property by adding farms and common land. He created the Poynton Pool and in 1791 bought the Worth Estate from the Downes family of Overton Hall in Taxal. He was instrumental in developing the local coalfield.

The estate passed to his daughter Elizabeth who married Lord Thomas Bulkeley. He succeeded to the manors and took the name Warren, They were philanthropic and provided land for St Thomas' Church and a National School. Homes and shops for their employees' were built.

The couple died childless and the estate passed to Elizabeth's niece, Frances Warren. Lady Vernon. They continued to be charitable giving land for Stockport Infirmary, Norbury Church and the Grammar School. Their estate and mines manager was a quaker who cared for his workers and paid good wages.

Whilst the village prospered, the hall fell into neglect. George Warren had lived abroad and mining encroached into estate lands. By 1841 the tenant was Samuel Christy, of hatmaking fame.

In 1850, the Vernons sold the manorial and market rights to Stockport Corporation.

The Hall was again rebuilt and included tennis and croquet lawns, a cricket pitch and a kitchen garden. Later, electric lighting and central heating were installed. The Christys remained until 1883 and then it was the home of the Dowager Lady Vernon followed by Rear Admiral Anson. 

 

                                                                Poynton Towers 1910 - 1919

The property, now known as Poynton Towers, was sold in 1911 to Walter Hodgkinson of Hollins Mill in Marple and then in 1926 to Walter Torkington, another hatter.

Plans to turn the house into a country club fell through and it was demolished in 1936.

 

1897 Ordnance Survey Map

 

 

SLACKHALL - A GRADE II LISTED HAMLET

Slackhall is a hamlet on the Sheffield Road, 2km North East of Chapel-en-le-Frith. This is at a crossroads on the unclassified road between Chapel and Castleton via Mam Tor.
Originally a pack horse trail, the road was improved in 1819 by the Sheffield & Chapel-en-le-Frith Turnpike Company. This road was a branch of the Sheffield and Buxton Turnpike Trust which was wound up in 1884. The road, in the 20th century became designated the A625. A landslide at Mam Tor led to that section of the road being abandoned in 1979 and the declassification of the route.

                            Slackhall.  Photograph courtesy of Manchester Libraries

 For such a small community, Slackhall has a surprising number of listed buildings.

At the centre of the hamlet is Slackhall Farmhouse. This is a large building dated 1727 constructed from gritstone with a stone roof. It is of two stories with a double gabled front and a recessed doorway between. This house has been listed Grade II since 1951.  This is the original Slack Hall, home of the Lingard family who were Quakers. As non-conformists they were reported in 1682 for not attending church for 21 days. The Quakers held services at Slack Hall and in 1684, all who attended, were fined. The fines were not paid so bailiffs seized goods instead.  Quakers were not permitted to be buried in consecrated ground so a graveyard was established nearby.
In the mid-nineteenth century the old hall became a farmhouse and for a time was licensed as "The Ram". The tenant however, was more interested in farming and would send customers oin their way after one drink.
A large number of farm buildings are adjacent and are from various periods. The oldest is of stone construction with a stone slate roof.

               Slackhall Farmhouse c 1950. Photograph courtesy of Manchester Libraries
 

 The new house, Slacke Hall lies to the south, at the end of a private road.  This was built in 1835. It is described as being of two stories with a three bay front and a central portico. It is built of Ashlar gritstone with a hipped slate roof. 

This was the home of Thomas Slacke, a descendant of the Lingard family. 

                                                                            Slacke Hall

On the opposite side of the crossroads is Chestnut Farmhouse, also Grade II listed. This is a modest house from the Mid 19th century built of gritstone with a stone slate roof.  This was at the entrance to the Chestnut Centre which closed in 2017.  This wildlife park was home to otters, owls, deer etc.

Immediately to the north of the house is a Friends Burial Ground.  Here is a Grade II listed tombstone dated 1671.  This is a gritstone slab inscribed " I R SONNE T R BURIED 17.8 MONTH 1671"
A second tombstone is also listed. The inscription reads " T R Buried 2nd 10th MONTH ANO 1685 and gr DEPARTED THIS LIFE 1712 OF OCTOBER 1735 Agc"

 Next to Chestnut Farmhouse is the Toll Bar Cottage. This was built in about 1830 and for such a modest building is quite decorative.  The listing describes the end window as "3-light chamfered mullion window, pointed heads to lights, flat hoodmould over with return stops".

                  The Toll Cottage c 1950.  Photograph courtesy of Manchester Libraries

Early photographs and maps show that a  row of two or three houses once stood opposite. We don't know when these were demolished.

Nearby is the 17th century Keeper's Cottage.  Although not a listed building, it is a typical 3 bedroomed house of gritstone walls an a stone slate roof. Small agricultural extensions adjoin the building.  This house now serves as a holiday let.  

The lane heading north is called Malcoff Road and soon a watercourse, Hockham Brook is reached. Further downstream this will become the Black Brook.  Even the bridge here is listed.  Ford Hall Bridge dates from the 18th century. There had previously been a ford which gave the nearby house its name.

Ford Hall existed as early as 1222, a half timbered medieval homestead; probably a long low structure. It's known to have been at least partially rebuilt in the early 16th century. The Hall was rebuilt in stone c1580 and extended in 1678. In 1728, the south west wing was rebuilt in an Italian style and in the 19th century a gothic wing and main entrance were added.  

 

 

 The Bagshawe family can be traced back to 1317 and came to own considerable lands in the Peak District. It was William Bagshawe (1598-1669) who bought Ford Hall  during the 1650s. His eldest son, also William (1628-1702) entered the Church, but in 1662 after the restoration of the Monarchy, he was expelled from the vicarage of Glossop for nonconformity and for refusing to accept the Book of Common Prayer. His father allowed him to use Ford Hall for many years as a base for his ministry which earned him the name "The Apostle Of The Peak".  Ford Hall remained in the Bagshawe family until 1957 when it was sold and divided into a number of separate homes.

Opposite Ford Hall are two other listed buildings.
The Garden House is an early 19th century house with some 20th century modifications. The building is Grade II listed for its value as part of a group.
The Coach House is a 19th century gritstone building, part one storey, part two storey with a stone tiled roof.  It has some 20th century modifications.

                                                           The Garden House

                                                               The Coach House

 Three other houses are nearby but are not listed.
Opposite The Coach House is The Bridge House, another 19th century gritstone building with a stone roof.  Cobstones and Ford House are more modern buildings.

Highgate Hall. Hayfield

Highgate Hall is on Highgate Road, about 700 metres South - East of Hayfield. 

 The house  is Grade II listed having been built in the 17th century. Historic England describes it as follows : 

PARISH OF HAYFIELD HIGHGATE ROAD (west side) Highgate Hall II House. C17, altered in C20. Coursed gritstone with large quoins. Gritstone dressings. Stone slate roof. Large external stack, stepped in towards top, to west elevation. Two storeys. Two bay west elevation. Large stack to north. C20 glazed porch to south, covering formerly two-light: recessed and chamfered window and C20 glazed door. Between porch and stack C20 window . To south, former three-light recessed and chamfered window, now with central square section mullion. Both gable walls have C20 windows. Chamfered quoined doorcase with pointed arched lintel to rear. C20 door. 

More recently the garage has been converted to provide additional accommodation and connected to the house by a link block. 

 Highgate Hall was the site of a murder in the 18th century. A Scottish pedlar was a regular visitor and would often be given a night's shelter. It's believed that he was murdered by a servant and friend for his merchandise, a collection of jewellery. The assailants fled the district and were never caught. The pedlar's body was found in a well in the yard and was buried nearby. The pedlar however, was not at rest and "The Thiggate Hall Ghost" was often to be seen. In 1770, his bones were dug up and re-interred in Hayfield Churchyard. The well was sealed and it is said that he will remain at peace as long as it remains undisturbed. 

 This photograph is reproduced courtesy of Manchester Libraries.

The Dickensons of Birch Hall, Manchester

 

, 

By Chris Wilman - 2025 

Image: (ref 4) - Birch Chapel 

Burials in Birch Chapel (demolished 1846) - at side of present-day St James’ Church 

Ancient chapel – Birch family.  

Book: History of the Ancient Chapel of Birch – Google books free read  

Pg155 (Ref 1) 
Birch Chapel the earlier structure was erected, as already intimated, in the reign of Elizabeth. It was of brick covered with grey slates and consisted of a nave, the roof of which at its eastern extremity bore a plain cross and at the west a small octagonal turret or bell cot there was no chancel. A small cottage-like erection with a separate entrance on the south was known as the Dickenson Chapel. The entrance to the main structure itself was in the western gable.  

Internally it was filled with oaken pews supplying accommodation for about three hundred and fifty persons: none of the sittings being free. The pulpit also of oak was situated in the centre of the nave near to the east end. 

 On the 4th of May 1753 a faculty was granted to John Dickenson of Manchester: merchant owner and proprietor of divers messuages or tenements and lands in the township and chapelry empowering him at his own cost to raise the roof of the chapel seven feet and to enlarge the chapel by taking down the wall at the east end and rebuilding it twelve feet beyond, 

Excerpt pg156 

 extending at the same, the north and south walls. 

 In 1803 the chapel being out of repair, substantial alterations were affected by the curate the Rev Rowland Blayney at a cost of about £200, and in 1811 it was further decorated and an organ added towards the expense, of which Mr Dickenson the patron contributed £20. 

 The rapid increase which has taken place in the population of Rusholme since the beginning of the present century having rendered increased church accommodation necessary in 1845 the foundation stone of a new church designed to supersede the older structure was laid  

The present church is situated about twenty yards to the east of site of the old chapel It is an exceedingly beautiful specimen of ecclesiastical architecture built from designs furnished by Mr James Macduff Derick of Oxford The style adopted is that known lancet... 

 

Artware fine art painting of Birch Chapel (Ref 3): 

 Birch Chapel was built by the Birch family in the late 16th century. During the Commonwealth Period it was in the hands of the Presbyterians and was not restored to the Church of England until the ejection of Henry Finch in 1697. Until 1838 it was a chapelry of the ancient parish of Manchester. It was assigned as its District Rusholme and part of Moss Side by Order of Council, 14 September 1838, (London Gazette, 29 March 1839). On 13 May 1845 the foundation stone of a new church was laid and work completed in 1846. The old chapel was demolished, and the new church consecrated on 1 July 1846.   

Map: NLS side by side: only evidence of Birch Chapel & new build replacement St James’ 1846 
 

Where are the burials of all the Dickensons etc. from the chapel? How to find out? It’s no longer a working church; renamed St James’ House.  

 

Before John Dickenson 1 (grandfather) moved to Birch, here’s where they lived before. (Ref 6) 

From the article (Ref 6) 
John Dickenson (ca 1726-1810) who had the house when Prince Charles stayed, (this was the house in which in 1745 Bonny Prince Charlie was quartered) served as Boroughreeve of Manchester in 1749. The Palace Inn, Market Street. 

 In 1738 he was Lord of the Manor of Taxal and purchased four lime kilns there, maintaining a town house in Manchester. He sold the lime into Manchester. At the time the Peak Forest Canal had not been built so the lime had to be carried by horse to the customer. This involved over 85,000 horse loads being transported, carrying around 5,600 tons of lime per annum. He married Sarah Cheetham (1726-1780) of Mellor, and they had one son and two daughters. Sarah Dickenson (d 1836) remained unmarried, Elizabeth Dickenson married a knight of the Order of Malta, Chevalier Giovanni Domenico Palombi in Taxal in 1791, and settled in Naples. 

His son, also John (1757-1842) we met briefly before when he purchased Birch Hall¹. He was born in Taxal and married Mary Hamilton (1756-1816). 

 

 

 

 

References 

1. Booker, J. (1859). A History of the Ancient Chapel of Birch: In Manchester Parish, Including a Sketch of the Township of Rusholme, for the Convenience of which Township the Chapel was Originally Erected: Together with Notices of the More Ancient Local Families, and Particulars Relating to the Descent of Their Estates. United Kingdom: Chetham Society. 

2.  Rusholme Archive: ‘A background to the family names & Birch Hall' : https://rusholmearchive.org/birch-in-rusholme 

3. Artware  - St James’ Church , Birch, Rusholme https://www.artwarefineart.com/gallery/st-james-church-birch-rusholme-manchester 

4. Birch in Rusholme Parishmouse  - https://parishmouse.co.uk/lancashire/birch-in-rusholme-lancashire-family-history-guide/ 

5. Manchester Libraries – 47 images Birch Hall https://images.manchester.gov.uk/collections/?s=birch+hall 

6.Mr Dickenson’s House https://100hallsaroundmanchester.wordpress.com/category/halls/mr-dickensons-house/