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Stalybridge is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. It is eight miles (12.9 km) to the east of the UK's third City of Manchester, and has a total population of 22,568.

Stalybridge lies in the foothills of the Pennines, straddling the River Tame, which, from its source to its confluence with the Mersey, forms part of the ancient boundary between Lancashire and Cheshire. Stalybridge became a centre for cotton spinning during the Industrial Revolution.

Geography

The highest point in the town is the summit of Wild Bank at 1309 ft (399 m). Harridge Pike is the second highest peak at 1296 ft (395 m). At the 2001 census Stalybridge had a population of 22,568. The town borders Ashton-under-Lyne, Dukinfield, Hyde, Mottram in Longdendale, Tintwistle and Mossley.

Civic history

Stalybridge received its charter of incorporation on March 5, 1857 and was granted municipal borough status. The borough, both on the Lancashire and the Cheshire sides of the river, was placed wholly within the administrative county of Cheshire in 1889 under the Local Government Act 1888 and Cheshire was adopted as the postal county for the entire town. The town was twinned in 1955 with Armentières in France. The motto of Stalybridge is Absque Labore Nihil which translates to Nothing Without Labour and the town's colour is sky blue. The municipal borough of Stalybridge was abolished in 1974 and its area was transferred to be combined with that of others districts, to form the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside.

Parliamentary representation

Between the passing of the Second Reform Act in 1867 and general election of 1918, the town was represented in its own right through the Stalybridge Borough constituency. Since the 1918 general election, the town has been represented in Parliament by the member for the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency. The current Member of Parliament is the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, James Purnell.

History

Etymology

The name Stalybridge comes from the old English word "staef" ( a staff or stave) and "leah", a clearing in a wood. The full meaning of "Staly" is therefore "a wood where staves are collected". Staley was the name of the medieval manor. The "bridge" part was added in the 18th century, when the town became an important market crossing point on the River Tame.

Industrial Revolution

In the mid-eighteenth century Stalybridge had a population of just 140. Farming and woollen spinning were the main means subsistence at this time. In 1776 the town's first small water-powered mill for carding and spinning cotton was built at Rassbottom. In 1789 the town's first spinning mill using the principle of Arkwright's Water-Frame was built. By 1793 steam power had been introduced to the Stalybridge cotton industry and by 1803 there were eight cotton mills in Stalybridge containing 76,000 spindles. The Huddersfield Narrow Canal was completed in 1811 and still runs through the town. The Industrial Revolution led to a rapid increase in the town's population in the early part of the nineteenth century. With a view to educating the growing number of workers, on September 7 1825 the Mechanics' Institute was founded in Shepley Street with a reading room in Queen Street. In 1828, the Stalybridge Police and Market Act received royal assent establishing Stalybridge as an independent town with a board of commissioners. On December 30 1831 the Town Hall and Market were officially opened. The Ashton, Stalybridge and Liverpool Junction Railway Company was formed in 1844 and the railway was connected to Stalybridge on October 5 1846. In October, 1862 a meeting was held in the Stalybridge Town Hall which passed a resolution blaming the Confederate States of America and their actions in the American Civil War for the cotton famine in Lancashire. In 1867, the Victoria Bridge on Trinity Street was built.

Regeneration

The canal, which had been culverted in the early 1970s was reinstated in 1999 as part of a two year, multi-million pound refurbishment. This attracted commercial ventures such as riverside cafés and boat trips. The reopening of the canal and the fact that the Tame runs through the town centre resulted in the nickname Little Venice. Stalybridge has in recent years acquired another ironic nickname, Stalyvegas, at first as a reaction to a council traffic management plan which resulted in a large number of traffic lights surrounding the main shopping centre, this nickname became popular after the conversion of premises in the shopping area into clubs and bars, the proliferation of takeaways and the renovation of some of the more traditional pubs. Stalybridge is home to over forty pubs, some of them recommended by CAMRA.

Culture

Music

Stalybridge has an established musical tradition. The Stalybridge Old Band was formed in 1809 and was the first civilian brass band in the world. The band fled from the Peterloo Massacre of 1819 and is still in existence. An annual brass band contest has been held on Whit Friday since at least 1870. Other contests have been held on the same day in the Stalybridge villages of Millbrook, Carrbrook and Heyrod. There is now an established tradition of holding brass band contests on this day in various locations around Staybridge and Mossley and also in the villages of Saddleworth. Bands travel by coach from all over the United Kingdom and sometimes beyond to contest in as many locations as possible on the day. The song It's a Long Way to Tipperary was written in Stalybridge in 1912 after composer Jack Judge was challenged by a friend to write, compose and produce a song in just one night. This was despite the writer having never visited the Irish town. This is now commemorated by a statue outside the Old Market Hall. More recently a live folk music tradition has developed in the town. The most famous folk band to have been founded in Stalybridge was The Fivepenny Piece who sang traditional northern music in the 1970s. In one case, they took In Bowton's Yard, the work of local poet Samuel Laycock, and put it to music.

Literature

Samuel Laycock, born in 1826, was a librarian at the Mechanics' Institute for two years. His poetry presents a vivid impression of mid 19th century, working class life and he drew on his personal experience in the cotton industry. His best-loved poems are 'Bowton's Yard' and 'Bonny Brid' - both written in Stalybridge. Samuel Laycock died in 1893. The children's novelist Beatrix Potter visited Gorse Hall (where a blue plaque can be seen on the wall) many times as a child as it was the home of her maternal grandmother. Gorse Hall itself was the site of a murder in 1909, where local mill owner George Storrs was brutally dispatched. Tim Willocks, author of Bad City Blues, Green River Rising and Bloodstained Kings is from Stalybridge.

Art

During the earlier part of the twentieth century, Stalybridge was artistically captured by the painter L.S. Lowry (noted for his matchstick men and matchstick cats and dogs). Many of his notable paintings were of the people and factories of Stalybridge. Lowry continued painting pictures until his death in 1976. His house is marked with a blue plaque on Stalybridge Road, in Mottram-in-Longdendale and there is also a statue of him, holding his sketch pad, cleverly positioned on a bench near the Stalybridge Road bus stop.

The library contains the Astley Cheetham Art Gallery, which is noted for displaying the works of local artists.

Television and film

Stalybridge has been used for location shoots for various film and television series. The most notable of these was the John Schlesinger film Yanks which featured Richard Gere and was released in 1979. The opening sequence of the film features Stalybridge war memorial on Trinity Street and the US army camp scenes were filmed at Stamford Golf Club in the Carrbrook area of the town. In 1986 the BBC children's TV series Jossy's Giants was filmed in the town. Scenes from Coronation Street, Making Out, Common As Muck and The League Of Gentlemen have also been shot there.

Transport

Stalybridge lies just north of the M67 motorway, which itself is a feeder to the Manchester orbital M60 motorway.

Stalybridge railway station is served by the Huddersfield Line between Manchester Victoria and Huddersfield and by TransPennine Express trains which give it a direct link to Manchester Piccadilly and Leeds. It is also on the Stockport to Stalybridge Line, a line which is notable for its infrequent service, which gains it popularity with trainspotters.

Sport

The football team in Stalybridge is called Stalybridge Celtic. They are one of four FIFA recognised teams to be called Celtic. Usually based in non-league football, they have often been the best team in Tameside. They are presently members of the National Conference - North, in the sixth tier of English football.

There are two main cricket clubs in Stalybridge. Stayley C.C. play in Millbrook and are members of the Saddleworth & District League. Staley St Pauls C.C. play on Cheetham Hill Road on the ground formerly used by the now defunct Stalybridge Cricket Club (despite being within the boundaries of Dukinfield). They are members of the Cheshire League Pyramid.

A snooker league is operated by The Stalybridge & District Sunday Schools Billiards, Snooker & Whist League which has been in existence at least since 1910. The league starts around October each year and runs until May.

Religion

Churches

Church of England

St George's is the parish church on the Lancashire side of the river in the Diocese of Manchester. On the Cheshire side, the parish church of Holy Trinity and Christ Church, Diocese of Chester, is situated in the town centre on Trinity Street, beside the former market hall. The parish churches of St Paul's, Staley and St James', Millbrook are also situated in the Diocese of Chester.

Nonconformist

Stalybridge Congregational Church is to be found in a modern building on Baker Street. Its original building, now demolished, was situated between Melbourne Street and Trinity Street. Stalybridge Methodist Chapel is on High Street.

Roman Catholic

There are two Roman Catholic parishes - St Peter's, Stalybridge and St. Raphael's, Millbrook. Both parishes are situated in the Diocese of Shrewsbury.

Unitarian

The Unitarian Church on Forester Drive was established in 1870 and is part of the East Cheshire Union of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches.

Education

Primary schools

• Gorse Hall Primary School
• Arlies Primary School
• Stalyhill Junior School
• Ridge Hill Primary School and Nursery
• St Peters RC Primary School and Nursery
• St Pauls CofE Primary School

Secondary schools

• Copley High School
• West Hill School
• Trinity Christian School
• All saints catholic college located in Dukinfielkd and serves residents of Stalybdrige, Hyde and Dukinfiled.

Trivia

This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. Please relocate any relevant information into other sections or articles. (May 2007)

• Stalybridge has the pub with the longest name in the United Kingdom, The Old Thirteenth Cheshire Astley Volunteer Rifleman Corps Inn.
• Stalybridge has the pub with the shortest name in the United Kingdom, Q.
• The Buffet Bar was until recently the only licensed bar on a railway station platform.
• On 19 October, 1970 a frightened red deer registered a speed of 42mph on a police radar trap as it charged down Mottram Road.
• The Huddersfield Narrow Canal runs under the legs of an electricity pylon.
• During the writing of The Condition of The Working Class in England, Friedrich Engels formed the opinion that "multitudes of courts, back lanes, and remote nooks arise out of confused way of building... . Add to this the shocking filth, and the repulsive effect of Stalybridge, in spite of its pretty surroundings, may be readily imagined."
• Ada Summers was elected Mayor of Stalybridge in November 1919. In December 1919, the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 came into force, which enabled women for the first time to become magistrates. She was sworn in, becoming the first woman to adjudicate on an English Bench.

Notable residents

• John Aston European Cup Winner with Manchester United 1968
• Josh Morgan of band The Subways
• Peter Kenyon ex Manchester United now: CEO Chelsea FC
• Alex Higgins, snooker player, lived on Old Road, Mottram
• John Lees, winner of the 1957 Mr Universe competition
• Joel Pott, lead singer with the indie band Athlete, who had a UK number one album with Tourist grew up in Stalybridge in a house on Stocks Lane
• Kieran Lee Manchester united player

References

1. Stalybride, The Tameside Guidebook. URL accessed February 20, 2007.
2. "The Borough of Tameside". manchester2002-uk.com. Papillon Graphics. Retrieved 2006-03-24.
3. Bridget Haggerty. "It's a long way to Tipperary". Irish Culture and Customs. Retrieved 2006-03-24.
4. "A Tribute to Beatrix Potter (1866 - 1943)". Tameside MBC. Retrieved 2006-03-24.
5. Jonathan Goodman, Steve Fielding and Ms Edith Brocklehurst. "Murder At Gorse Hall". stereograffiti.com.
6. "Tim Willocks". TW Books. Retrieved 2006-08-23.
7. "Tim Willocks: Land of Pope and Glory". The Independent. August 4, 2006.
8. Howard Jacobson. "The loneliness of LS Lowry - part two". Guardian Unlimited. Guardian. Retrieved 2007-04-03.
9. Mike Newman. "Parliamentary to the Pennines". Retrieved 2007-01-10.
10. "Stalybridge Celtic". Retrieved 2006-03-24.
11. ^ "Facts About Stalybridge". Tameside Council. Retrieved 2006-07-13.
12. "Station Buffet, Stalybridge". Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA). Retrieved 2006-03-24.

External links

• Stalybridge Online
• Stalybridge Weather Centre - Recent weather statistics in this town
• Stalybridge section of Tameside MBC website
• Stalypubs.com - Guide to the town's considerable number of pubs/clubs/restaurants
• Lancashire Dialect Society - Complete text of "Bowton's Yard" poem, by Samuel Laycock
• Tameside Council Galleries Site - Astley Cheetham Art Gallery
• e-tameside.co.uk - Guide to Tameside online

• Articles with trivia sections from May 2007
• Towns in Greater Manchester
• Tameside