Thursday 19 May 2016

How we lost Martledge, discovered the Four Banks and still miss “Kingy” ....... a new exhibition for the Arts Festival

Now as I often say every place should have a historian, and everyplace should have a festival so its good that we have both.

During the last century and a half a whole shedload of people have put pen to paper and told the story of Chorlton-cum-Hardy.

The earliest drew on the memories of people born as the 18th century ended and who could talk confidently of what our township had been like in the 1760s drawing on the memories of their parents and grandparents.

And they included the lot from the shock of the new as first the Duke’s Canal and later the railway arrived at Stretford to dark deeds, and cruel sports.

And as you would expect along the way we lost a lot, including buildings place names, and a rural way of life.

So with the Chorlton Arts Festival about to burst forth all over again “featuring a quirky and colourful programme of music, comedy, theatre and more" I shall just say that a little bit of our past is there for all to see.

Spread out over three venues from Morrisons, to the Lloyd’s and on to Ken Foster’s  shop on Barlow Moor Road there will be some of Chorlton’s history told in pictures, contemporary paintings and ranging over the lost community of Martledge to our own burial scandal and the hidden delights of “Kingy.”

Added to which for for those who wondered where Kemp’s Corner, and Hardy were situated  we shall tell you with a sideways look into the origins of the “Four Banks" and of dark deeds from West Point to Dog House Farm.

And that is all   I am going to say about the exhibition but as you would expect I will be returning with more later.

Location; Morrisons, The Lloyds and Ken Foster's cycle shop

Artwork; ©  Peter Topping, 2016

Web: www.paintingsfrompictures.co.uk

Facebook: Paintings from Pictures https://www.facebook.com/paintingsfrompictures

*Chorlton Arts Festival, May 20-May 29,  http://www.chorltonartsfestival.com/

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