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Chinley memories

Here are memories of Chinley and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Chinley or a Chinley photo.

Joan or Lucy Clarke

Hi, I am just wondering if anyone, anyone at all, remembers a lady called Joan or Lucy Clarke, born about 1921? Her mother was called Elsie May Clarke (as far as I know), I don't know Joan's father's full name... I know Joan was close to her dad or it may have been her grandad. I also know that around the late 1930s she become pregnant (still unmarried at the time) and she gave birth to a son who she called John Clarke. I think Joan had moved by then to Hadfield but I'm not too sure. Joan's mother Elsie I believe changed her name to Barber and later died in Ashton in the early 1970s. I have been trying so hard for ages to find someone that knows this lady and who will be able to tell me a little about her life so please if you know any thing my email address is: mariahcaprice@yahoo.co.uk Thank you...

Memory of Thomas Anthony Clarke

We are trying to track down our family and we have records that a Thomas Anthony Clarke lived at Lyndhurst, Buxton Road, Chinley and was a Agricultural Hardware Merchant.

If anyone has any information that would help us trace a long lost Great Grandfather you would not imagine how grateful we would be!

His father was Neville and his mother Florence
Thank you
Louise Clarke( Kent)

Memories of Derbyshire

Fond Memories of Bank Hall

Bank Hall was a school back in the 1970s. The head was a Mr Brennan. It would be lovely to chat to any other lads that were at the school at the time. I've seen a few things in the night, ladies in white and a few dogs from the kennels. I could write abook on this school. I visited Bank Hall some time ago, and it broke my heart, it's falling apart, the present owner has done nothing to help it, I am waiting for the sale sign to go on to it. If anybody would like to know more about Bank Hall School please let me know.

Bank Hall

Hi Carl, yeh mixed memories of Bank Hall, Kevin Brennan, the head, Roger Cubby, Peter Lucas, Alan Ticombe, Gerald Phillips, Leicester Symthe etc who were staff, and the pupils Ray Lynch, Phil Carney, Steve Butler etc etc. Great location and all those trips out to Monsall Dale etc, the youth club in chapel and the lovely local ladies Joanne Hayes, Anne Ashton and many more. I remember the Howarths and a lot of very nice locals, male and female, who became good friends. I know at times some of the Bank Hall lads didn't exactly behave at times and thank the locals for putting up with that. I have been back a few times over the years and taken a walk up to the old Celtic earthworks above Bank Hall and around the area. I hope everyone is well and wish you all health happiness and peace. Thankyou... Tim

Bank Hall School

Bank Hall School 1977 to its close in 1980, I remember the head, Mr Brennan, and his wife living in the house just next to the the main house, also Peter Lucas, Pete Denver, Mr Lowery. There were a few women there at the time, I remember a girl house-mother called Pippa, her mother worked there too. As I remember, the beds were all woodchip and painted red and blue. I remember Mr Barrett, a teacher not to mess with, and rock climbing at the back of the school on the hill. There were quite a few people I have forgotten but the main were my friends, I speak to Phil Ashton, although he has changed his name now to Jones, now and again. I heard from one of the local chaple girls, Tracy Cooper, that Andy Renwick married a local girl but died in the early 1990s. As for my school days, I have some good memories and some not so good, but that was Bank Hall. Does anyone... Read more

Good Friday

Chinley From Eccles Pike c1960
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Seeing this view in all weathers, as year on year we climbed up on Good Friday for an inter-church gathering round a wooden cross "planted" for the Easter weekend.

Hayfield Railway Station

I remember Father Christmas arriving on the steam train at Hayfield station. He then went to the village hall, where lucky children who had the penny or two which it cost, could see him and get a present. I used to wait on the platform with my brother and all the other children.
My brother once told me to come and see the new train at the station which was called a diesel. He was so excited because it didn't have the noise and smell of the steam trains.
In the summer people from Manchester would arrive on the train to go walking around Kinder. We didn't like these intruders!
The station still had gas lamps which the station master would light. There was also a small shed where the driver and guard could rest and top up whatever they had to carry hot drinks. As children we were sometimes allowed to play in there. We did no harm and never damaged... Read more

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