Wilmslow, Bank Square Gardens c.1955

Photo ref: W103007

My 4x great grandfather, Croxton Johnson, was rector of Wilmslow from 1787 to 1813. His father, George Johnson was a wealthy merchant from Manchester who bought him the presentation of the directorship.

I found a reference to the house while researching my ancestors. Without using too many great, great, great etc. He was my grandfather's grandfather !

The mill you refer to in the text was about 100 yards up the road from St. Bartholomews, on the opposite side of the road. It was owned by William Bower (not Bowen), and was the last of several Bower cotton mills in Wilmslow, closing in the late 1840's. William lived in a house next to the church, and his will was certified by, among anothers, Mr. Torkington, then owner of the George and Dragon pub (still standing).

I was evacuated to Chester during World War II and met Romany and his dog Raq on a number of occasions when he visited our school.  He talked to us about the countryside, did beautiful simple charcoal drawings of the creatures he was discussing, told us what to wear to become 'Nature detectives' and even played tunes for us on the piano.  He was a lovely man.