STORER’S STORIES
A LOOK AT 1963
Our local newspapers recorded that the closing hours of 1962 had been marked with hurricanes of 80 mph. Property had been damaged with chimney pots being brought down from rooftops, trees had been uprooted and the life of Mr Harold Bailey from Adlington had been claimed when a large tree had fallen on his car.
A V Roe guaranteed the safety of jobs following a statement from the Air Ministry that the Skybolt contract had come to an end
Work on the Waterhouse Mill in Bollington was well advanced – the former Lomas’s cotton mill was being replaced by a 90,000 square foot factory and was to become Kay Brothers Plastics Ltd. In June it was reported that the factory had been damaged by fire
The Moss Rose football ground was one of the few playable pitches in the country –others were either snow bound or frozen solid. The Silkmen beat Mossley 4- 1
It was recorded on January 17th that construction of the Geigy Pharmaceuticals massive new factory at Hurdsfield had been brought to a halt by severe frost. A debate was in full swing about whether boys should wear tight trousers for school and girls wear tight skirts – Cheshire Education Chief Dr GJ Kellet thought not
There was a proposed one shilling and sixpence increase in rent for all Council House tenants.
Macclesfield Borough Treasurer, Jim Grant, became the new president of the National Association of Local Government Officers, replacing Eric Breeze of the Engineers Department
Photographs in the January 24th local paper show the effects of blizzards that had hit the area during the preceding week. All roads into and out of Macclesfield had been blocked by snow, whilst the 4.50pm train from Manchester Piccadilly to Stafford was stuck in a huge snow drift all night – not the wrong type of snow, just too much of it.
On the entertainment scene, El Rio Macclesfield advertised “This Saturday direct from Saturday Club and Thank your Luck Stars, Parlaphone Sensational Hit Recorders – THE BEATLES plus Manchester’s top rockers Wayne Fontana and the Jets.”
By the end of January, many local farms were without a supply of both gas and water as a result of the big freeze.
Mal, the 28 year old bay mare owned by G Bailey of higher Fence Farm had missed just one round in 20 years of drawing a milk float for local doorstep deliveries
February 28th was set as the date when the Ministry of Transport, Cheshire County Council and Macclesfield Borough Council would discuss a ring road and town centre development
“A personal appearance of the one and only Jimmy Savile, star of Radio Luxembourg and Television on Saturday 9th February 1963 at Beresford’s Wine Vaults to introduce cinebox”
Macclesfield choirboy Christopher Porter was one of only 30 boys nationwide chosen by the Royal College of Church Music for a 3 week tour of Canada. Thirteen year old Christopher was a pupil of Broken Cross Secondary School
Thomas Barnes was nominated as the 1963 Mayor whilst the Windsmoor Mill in town had a shortage of staff with machines standing idle. The Heaths Mill on Pickford Street was to close.
Lord Street Sunday School closed after 100 years of service – it is now home of the Macclesfield Amateur Dramatic Society
The Richmond Cabaret Club failed to have its licence renewed after it was found that the lower age limit of 24 for its clients had not been kept
Although having no local stores at the time “Sainsbury’s invite applications from young single women – 18 to 30 – for positions as cashiers or grocery saleswomen or provisions saleswomen in London and the Home Counties. Pay 18 shillings a week”
In March 1963 Harold Wilson, leader of the Labour Party, addressed a public meeting in the Large Sunday School
Fifteen year old Christopher Wood of Ingersley Vale Cottages spotted flames coming from Sherratts dye works. He phoned the fire brigade and although there was some damage, the works were saved from destruction and Christopher was praised for his swift action by director Peter Coisson
A one million pound power station was proposed on the Hurdsfield Industrial Estate as part of the Central Electricity Generating Board Scheme
The Boy Scouts Association was regularly featured in the local newspaper – it was recorded in April that Assistant District Commissioner Adam Hope had been awarded the highest award in the movement, the Silver Wolf
In April 1963 Sunday afternoon bingo sessions were introduced at the Picturedrome in Chestergate
A pictured appeared of my great grandmother Ellen Alice Storer as she celebrated her 102nd birthday. She was reported as still being very active
1963 was the year that Dr Beeching proposed axing a number of rail services – it was suggested locally that people were being brainwashed into thinking that the rail closures were necessary
Arthur Watling was the main agent for Triumph motorbikes at his Buxton Road premises.
It is thought that Moses was the first person to ride a motorbike – it’s recorded in the book of Genesis “Lo, the roar of Moses’ Triumph could be heard throughout the land!”
A very heated debate of the town council had taken place about the proposed erection of a 23 storey block of flats on Knights Brow. The Mayor had threatened to leave the meeting. Eventually the proposal was overturned by 23 votes to 12 and traditional houses were subsequently built
A headline asked “Can you remember your first day at school?” and a picture showed the new starters at Byron Street Primary School
Rapid progress was being made in the construction of the £5½ million ICI works on the new Hurdsfield Industrial Estate
The Macclesfield Branch of The Women’s Voluntary Service celebrated the silver jubilee of its existence
At least one councillor thought that the proposed relief road through the town centre would be like a motorway
Brian Ollier was a photographer with the local newspaper in May 1963. He captured the result of a lorry crashing into Reg Harris’s cycle factory on Beach Lane
Miss Beryl Kay Footman was appointed as new headmistress of the Girl’s High School on Fence Avenue
In 1963 a variety of motorcars could be bought locally – Brook Street Garage sold Saabs, Moss Rose Motors were agents for Jaguar and Standard Triumph, Hydes of Macclesfield sold Austin cars and vans from their new premises in the former cinema on Vincent Street, Locomotors sold high quality used cars, JJ Cookson were agents for Morris, Riley and MG, whilst Simisters were Ford Agents and Frank Cadman sold Morris Cars in Crossall Street
In May 1963, the Mothers’ Union from Bollington St John’s took a trip to the Wedgewood Pottery Works and the vicar of Chelford had his pulpit for a pen at the Cattle Market to lead a Rogation Service. Councillor W W Hill was elected Chairman of Bollington Urban District Council
In June, it was reported that Mr and Mrs W R Wadsworth had generously given 62 acres of woodland at Rushton Spencer to the Macclesfield and Congleton Scouts
By late June, the Commercial Road area of Hurdsfield was being demolished for development
In July Princess Margaret and Lord Snowden were seen leaving Macclesfield en route to Meerbrook where they were to perform the official opening of the Tittesworth Reservoir
In July the chairman of Macclesfield Town Football Club, Mr Charles Hammond, resigned his position following a disagreement over policy and TV presenter David Hamilton was pictured signing autographs at Christchurch Summer Spectacular
August saw the traditional rush bearing service at the Macclesfield Forest chapel and the Macclesfield and District Agricultural Society took over the South Park for its annual Macclesfield Show.
In early September Sheep Dog Trials were held in Sutton – none were found guilty. The New Boddington Arms were opened in Wilmslow. Three women traffic wardens began their duties in Macclesfield – they were Mrs Elizabeth May Clulow, Miss Eileen Twigg and Miss Marie Ralph
The new premises of Macclesfield College of Further Education in Park Lane took its first intake of students
The new centre stretch of the M6 motorway was completed. At 86 miles in length, the M6 was at that time the largest in the country. With 80 bridges and 2 service stations, the opening ceremony was performed at the Knutsford Service Station
