LYMM HERITAGE CENTRE
... telling LYMM'S STORY
Reg. Charity No 1164961
Talks can be hosted at the Heritage Centre -maximum capacity 38 - or on another organisation's site. Projector supplied but screen (or blank wall) needed when going on site. Typical talk duration 45 minutes to 1 hour. We ask for a fee/donation which is passed on direct to the Heritage Centre charity. Amount by mutual agreement. Contact us by email or phone 07540 096282
TALK TOPICS
ELIZABETH PULMAN - Lymm's forgotten pioneer. Born in an alehouse in Lymm and destined for a lifetime of poverty, cutting fustian, Elizabeth somehow became New Zealand's first female professional photogapher and the trusted friend of the Maori Chiefs. How did she do it? It's a remarkable story which is only now being told in full, with many illustrations.
LITTLE BELGIUM IN LYMM.
When the German army swept into neutral Belgium at the start of World War One, 250,000 refugees fled across the channel to England where they were welcomed by communities across the country. Discover how the Oughtrington Hall settlement came to be funded by Henry Ford. The talk uses a remarkable collection of photographs and letters discovered in the Ford Archive that provide a unique record of everyday life at the Hall.
200 YEARS OF HISTORY IN ONE HOUR
In 1766 or thereabouts the Bridgewater Canal dig reached Lymm. Exactly 200 years later it was the Brazilian football team, including Pele, that created a stir with their arrival in Lymm for the World Cup. There's a lot to pack in .. unique trades, transport and traditions but if you know little about Lymm then this could be for you. It will hopefully get you hooked and wanting more.
ONE MAN'S LIFE IN THE FUSTIAN TRADE
The man is Thomas Gatley, one of thousands who ground out a living as a fustian cutter in Lymm in the Victorian era. Almost all of them are forgotten today. Like so many Thomas was born into poverty and was barely literate. In spite of this he fought hard for thirty years to improve working conditions for cutters and for children in particular. He deserves to be remembered. (There is no known photo of Thomas).
A CUT THROUGH LYMM
There are numerous accounts of how the Bridgewater Canal came into being. The key sites were Worsley, Manchester and Runcorn. Much less has been said about the smaller settlements that happened to be on the route. In this talk we take a closer look at the massive impact of the canal's arrival on Lymm and its inhabitants.
BLIND JIMMY DITCHFIELD - THE LYMM FIDDLER.
James Ditchfield was born in Statham in 1776. At the age of 8 he was blinded as a result of small-pox. Like many others similalry afflicted he turned to music as a means of making a living. In 1828 he set out to walk, alone, to London to apply for a pension for the "indigent blind". Did he make it? Did he get the pension? All will be revealed. The story is based on Jimmy's recently discovered firsthand account.
