The Macclesfield Times and Courier reported in April 1953 that the Town council was discussing the replacement of the old street gas lamps with electric lamp standards – although from personal recollection, such replacement was not completed for a number of years. It was also reported this month that a ward at the West Park Hospital had had to be closed because of a desperate shortage of nurses.
The coronation of Queen Elizabeth took place in June 1953, and whilst the local authorities seemed at a loss on how to celebrate the occasion, a number of local neighbourhoods organised street parties, electrical retailers grasped the opportunity to promote the sale of television sets and two local unnamed schoolboys hitch hiked to London, such was their desire to witness the Coronation Procession in real life.
In June, 18 coaches left Macclesfield bound for the Cheshire Show which, in 1953 was held on the Roodee in Chester. The event had cost £15000 to stage. Later in June, there was a clash of views at the town’s Parks Committee over a proposal to permit the playing of games in the parks on Sunday. The Trades Council lead the yes lobby and Tom Clarke, Vicar of Macclesfield was the voice of the no lobby. It was later agreed to permit the playing of games and the decision provoked a protest meeting held in the Large Sunday School in Roe Street on July 11th.
It would seem that history has a habit of repeating itself. Mr J. Womar of the North Western Road Car Company complained in 1953 that the tax on fuel was “heavy and iniquitous”.
The Macclesfield and Congleton Boy Scouts Association held its annual general meeting in the town Hall. The Mayor Alderman J B Hidderly chaired the meeting. Mr Adam Hope, District Secretary, reported the highest ever membership since the commencement of the movement
To mark his retirement, the Registrar of Macclesfield County Court, Mr F C Blunt, was presented with two armchairs by Judge Raleigh Batt
The worst cloudburst in living memory struck Langley at the end of June – a local stream rose by 12 feet and flooded the village, causing severe damage to the local industries and houses.
During July two local choirs – the JL Riley Choir and the Dormell Singers – represented Macclesfield at the International Eisteddfod at Llangollen.
Domestic gas was still being produced at the Macclesfield Gas Works in Hurdsfield and it was proposed to take an eight inch gas main from Macclesfield to Bollington bringing to an end the need for the Bollington Gas Works that had been part of the Urban District since 1862.
Job opportunities in 1953 were certainly not politically correct by today’s standards: “Manchester City Police. Are you British, over 5ft 8inches tall, between 20 and 30 years of age? Then write to The Chief Constable, Manchester, for particulars of what the police service offers you.”
In 1953, the Kings School undertook a project of extension to accommodate an additional 200 pupils.
During July, the Princess Royal, in her capacity of Commander in Chief of The British Red Cross, visited the Lyme Green Settlement. The settlement comprised of a number of specially built bungalows where injured servicemen who had served in the war could adapt to civilian life as paraplegics
A boat rally on the Macclesfield canal attracted 20000 visitors who learnt of the proposed closure of 800 miles of inland waterways
It was announced in August that a number of Austrian girls were to come to Macclesfield as nurses to help solve the shortage of staff
Looking back at some of the snippets from the newspaper of fifty five years ago, I could make the observation that the more things change, the more they stay the same!
Ian Storer
storerian@aol.com
