Our History Is Being Rewritten | Glossop History

Our History is Being Written - But Do We Have a Chance to Shape It? 

I finally have an opportunity to sit a write through what can only be said as underrepresented times. I have been involved heavily with my other line of work which is assisting with end of life care and bereavement specialist. The world is changing and our social tendencies are changing forever. It might no be obvious from a closed door, or is it. the way we communicate strives of modern technologies, phones, iPads and computers. It is the way we react to other human being when we venture out, for those who seek their government guided walk or exercise. If you know your neighbor or the person you see the Glossop (Northern) way of greeting is an sincere hello and a smile. A resounding reassurance of our fellow neighbor has reignited the community spirit and is changing life forever.

We are reevaluating all aspects of life including, relationships, work, travel and most of all food. Many have taken the opportunity to use local produce, sellers and providers. I hope it will continue long after the storm but its not just that, its how we cook, the ingredients we use, how much and how we store them where the vast adjustments are being made. In the beginning of the outbreak people were hording or panic buying toilet rolls, hand wash and pasta. Along with tins and alcohol (where it was told it would kill the virus along with long lasting food, dried, tins and frozen. Some have gone back to having milk delivered along with bread and companies helping deliver hot meals and addition support to our most vulnerable. It its fantastic to see community groups strategically managing other organisations to help the most in need. The Bureau is doing just that, the headquarters of local operations. It sparks great reminisces of four local gents who I had the pleasure to work with who spoke proudly of being in the Home Guard in Glossop. I they let me document their stories and they were fantastic and I hope to transcribe them to share them with you soon. In addition I will be updating the website as I have been recording mini documentaries for you while you are staying safe at home at will be aired next week.

Some of the other stories they shared were of different training and preparation exercises, call outs and funny mishaps. They have shared some documents with me along with a small box of personal diary's which will take some reading as there is several of them. A document from the evacuation procedures in the town and a permit for a bike is among the items. Glossop was at the epicentre of both world wars because of its vast production power, range of equipment and techniques.

A part of history is repeating itself. The government announced within one of its daily televised updates for manufactures of all kinds to swap to making urgently needed supplies such as asking breweries for alcohol gel and others to make masks, face shields and ventilators. As part of one of my talks and guided tours I share the story of the admiralty walking through the large mills of Glossop and preparing just over 20 different war supplies. There is a fantastic picture in an archive in Cornwall (don't ask me how it got there) of just that. The powers that be stood for a very formal image of the secret war effort in Glossop. Join me on my mini documentaries to see more of this in more detail.

Now we do not hold the power of that but we do still hold the strongest of weapons, our community. So continue to do your bit and Stay at Home. This is our fight, the biggest fight of our generation. I will be continuing to care for our individuals and families that need support more than ever. It was pleasing to see carers from all walks of social care be recognised in tonight's briefing. To all my colleagues, clients, friends who risk their lives for the sake of others, take care and thank you for what you do so well.

On this day at the time of print 11.55pm Captain Tom Moore's 100th Birthday Walk for the NHS
He wanted to raise £1000 for the NHS for is 100th Birthday - Time of print 10.4 Million Great British Pounds had been donated, We as a family have contributed. Well Done Captain!




If you would like to see more see Website: glossoptours.co.uk
Mini Documentations and Tours from April 18th   Be Well Youtube Channel  https://tinyurl.com/u4zefol

Olive and Partington Paper Mills, Glossop

The Hidden Gems of Glossop and the High Peak

A brief look at Olive & Partington Paper Mills, Glossop

Glossop was once famous for producing endless miles of cotton products but it is often overlooked that the town produced some of the finest paper in the world. Its produce was used by some of the world leading brands and companies.

The Turnlee Mill stood on Charlestown Road, Glossop. It was bought by Edward Partington and his business partner William Olive around 1874 from Thomas Hamer Ibbotson. Edward Partington brought his flourishing business from Manchester to Glossop only to develop further. The paper mills at Glossop gradually incorporated several other smaller mills such as Tip Mill and Burymewick Mill in order to try and develop the modern method of paper manufacturing using the sulphite process.

The sulphur was brought by the railway to the goods yard in large barrels along with the vast quantities of logs. These were then loaded, by hand, onto the horse pulled flatbeds and trailers which were replaced later in 1917 by the famous fleet of Tiger tractors. Some locals still remember the huge steam tractors hauling many tons of logs and sulphur from the Railway Station up Victoria Street onto Charlestown Road, towards the Turnlee Mills.

One of the 'Tiger' Tractors (No.3) still remains today having been fully renovated by a group of enthusiasts and currently lives in New Mills and visits many national steam events throughout the year 

Guinness, Cadbury's & Women Magazine are just a few from the extensive list of companies that used the paper produced in Glossop. The mill provided over 1,000 jobs and offered “All the year round vacancies”- a slogan of the bygone era.

Disaster struck on 25^th June 1943 as one of the spherical boiling pans, weighing six tons and spanning twelve feet in diameter, exploded killing four men. There were numerous other injuries including burns from the boiling sulphur solution.  The steam Tiger traction engines were used to clear the debris. The appalling stench of the sulphur gases were reported all over the town.

Very little exists of the Olive and Partington Paper manufacturers at Turnlee Mills as many of the buildings have been demolished. You can still see some of the grand architecture such as the main gate stones and walls that still survive.

Today on the site, there are are a few small businesses flourishing from the ashes of what was one of Glossop’s greatest assets. The rest has recently been demolished to make way for a new housing estate but one corner of the original building has been saved and been converted into apartments. It is yet another gem of Glossop Dale that should never be forgotten.

Matthew Cox

Glossop Tours on Twitter

History of the Dinting Arches

A History of Glossop Railway Line & Beyond..

Part 4 of 6 -  Dinting Arches

The arches have recently under gone major works to maintain, strengthen and preserve the iconic, working structure.

The remarkable structure is part and parcel of the Glossop skyline and has been for over a hundred years. To survive this long it has been modified in several ways and yet still maintains its historic
feel and look.

The viaduct was strengthened with new bearings installed along with repairs to the steel, brickwork and masonry, finished with a new lick of traditional olive green paint.

Dinting Arches originally formed part of “The Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway”. The railway was opened from Manchester to as far as Godley in November 1841. The foundation stone of Best Hill Viaduct (Broadbottom) was laid by John Chapman Esq. on Thursday 17^th February 1842. Then on the 10^th December that same year trains ran from Godley to Broadbottom. It took a further two years to complete the Dinting Viaduct and the first train passed over on August 8^th 1844.

There were originally sixteen arches; five of them were constructed of Baltic timbers each spanning 125 feet. The rest built of stone along with the stone pillars that exist today. The wooden arches stood 121 feet from the river bed.

The original wooden Dinting Arches

A tremendous tragedy took place in the evening of 18^th September 1855 when a train on a journey from Belle Vue stopped on the arches when three passengers stepped out and fell to their deaths.

The wooden arches needed to be strengthened in the 1850s with tie rods but this was not good enough so they were replaced by the wrought iron girders you can see today. Further strengthening took place in 1919 for the requirements after the First World War when heavier goods were imposed. The brick pillars were installed and some of the stone arches were filled in with bricks for added support. The entire works cost over £41,000 some 93 years ago.

The viaduct after 1919

The last major work was carried out in the 1950s in preparation for the electrification. The first electric train passed over in 1954. The recent update cost around  £6.4 million pounds which was part funded and developed by Network Rail, now enabling the viaduct to last for many more years to come.

Matthew Cox

A History of Glossop Railway Line & Beyond...

A History of Glossop, Manchester & The Woodhead Railway Line

Part 2 of 6 - Glossop -"The Link to Foreign Lands"

The Glossop branch was built by the 13^th Duke of Norfolk when the historic Manchester to Sheffield line bypassed the town in 1845. The Duke gave his land and paid all the expenses for the one mile extension from Dinting Vale to Glossop. The initial station was complete with a private waiting room with a fire place and a small room for the station master, porters and other staff. Glossop station was initially for the sole use of the Duke of Norfolk when he resided during the summer months at his manor house, Glossop Hall. 

Glossop Central opened for goods traffic on 9^th June passenger traffic began on 30^th June 1845.

Glossop station provided a direct link to the outside world, as there was only one stage coach that ventured out of the town a week to Manchester and Sheffield before the railway was built. The Duke welcomed new shipments of coal, slate & wood. He saw the potential for growth and commissioned a goods depot and yard adjacent to Glossop Central in 1847. The goods yard was complete with the Lord Howards Lion, which still stands to this day, a reminder the Duke freely gave his land and money.

The railway was responsible for the rapid growth of the town, throughout the late 1800s. Over 50 mills scattered the valley dependant on a variety of shipments such as cotton from America and timber from Scandinavia.  The Duke of Norfolk sold the line and gained double profit to what would become the Great Central Railway.

The station was renamed on 10^th July 1922 as Glossop Central.

Glossop Central expanded the passenger section of the station opening a booking office in 1847 and a waiting room for the 1^st and 2^nd Classes. The station also had refurbishments in 1912 when the iron stanchions were put up that still exist today. As the town began to thrive a second passenger platform was built.

The railway transported local troops during the two world wars which proved to be a great asset as some of the Glossop men were in the first wave of the Dunkirk landings. They also brought evacuees from Lowestoft to safety in Glossop

During the early 1940’s Glossop, along with the rest of the Manchester and Sheffield via Woodhead line, were making preparations for electrification but was halted due to the 2nd World War.  The line was the first all-electric line in Britain with the first electric train arriving in 1954. The station was refurbished to meet the needs of the new trains but resulted in the closer of the waiting rooms.

In the 1980s the goods yard was closed then in 1982  the second platform closed.

In 2002 Friends of Glossop Station (FOGS) were set up and set upon saving and preserving the historic station. They were responsible for new improvements including new skylights reopening and renovation of the waiting rooms and a new booking office in 2011. 

By Matthew Cox

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A History of Glossop Railway Line & Beyond...

A History of Glossop, Manchester & The Woodhead Railway Line

"The One at the End" - Part One of Six

Glossop Railway Station opened on 9th June 1845 and grew to be one of the biggest assets to the town providing an essential link “to the outside world” a direct link to both Manchester and Sheffield. The railway was responsible for the massive Industrial Revolution that took place within the Glossopdale and Longdendale Valley so much so the Duke of Norfolk commissioned a goods yard just a year later.

Glossop Station in the 1950's

At the highest point during the 1800s Glossop had over 15 different industries including cotton, rope and paper. The railway brought endless amounts of raw material into the town such as raw cotton from North America and thousands of logs from Scandinavia.

Glossop Station has been invaluable over the years providing many different services for a variety of different needs. The railway transported local soldiers, some of which were in the first wave of the Dunkirk landings and brought evacuees from Lowestoft during the Second World War. The first Electric train arrived in 1956. There are many other stories to tell including more recent events in 2009 when thirteen passenger carriages arrived at Glossop to take the team and fans of Glossop North End Football Club on a direct route to Wembley for the FA Vase Final.

Part 2 - "A Noble Beginning" I will post next week.

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