Rochdale is six miles from Middleton, and twelve from Manchester. The town is situated in a valley or dale on the Roche, from whence it derives its name. The river Roche joins the Irwell below Bury. A great part of the town being modern, it is in general well built, and has a handsome appearance. Within the last thirty or forty years, there has been a very great increase in the population of this parish, and its local advantages are also lately much improved by the completion of the New Canal, which connects it with the navigable river Calder on the one side, and the Bridgewater Canal at Manchester on the other; by which it joins a communication with the ports of Liverpool and Hull, and the whole line of inland navigation.

The parish Church stands upon a remarkable eminence, to which you ascend from the lower part of the town, by a flight of 118 steps, with several resting places before you arrive at the top. Rochdale is a vicarage, with nine chapels of ease belonging to it, viz. St. Mary’s in the town, Littleborough, Milnrow, Todmordon, Whitworth, Friermeer, Lydiate, Saddleworth, and Dobcross, most of them under the patronage of the vicar. The vicarage is said to be superior in value to any other living of that description in England. In the Liber Regis of Henry VIII. it is rated as low as III. 4s. 91/2.; at present it is supposed to be worth upwards of one thousand pounds per annum.

It is in the gift of the Archbishop of Canterbury; by whom the tithes are leased for a terra of years.

There are two charity schools in Rochdale: one a Free-Grammar School, founded by Archbishop Parker, the other an English Free-School for thirty boys, endowed by Mrs. Hardman.

The markets, on Mondays and Saturdays, are well supplied with all kinds of provisions.

The bread in common use at Rochdale is oatcake, a species of food which also prevails over a great part of the west riding of Yorkshire, and in many parts of Lancashire, insomuch that a regiment first raised in these districts, was called the Havercake regiment, and recruiting parties for it beat up with an oaten cake on the point of a sword.

The staple manufacture of this place is a branch of the woollen trade; the principal articles of which are baizes, flannels, kerseys, coatings, and cloths, which have been generally sent abroad to Holland, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Russia, and Germany. This manufacture extends eight or ten miles to the north of the town. Hats are manufactured here.

Rochdale is situated under the range of hills called Blackstone Edge, which, for the greatest part of the year, are covered with snow. These mountains, however, produce coal, slate, and free-stone in abundance; and likewise inclose several beautiful vallies, which stretch in various directions, possessing fine streams of water for the use of the machinery of the various manufactories.

The parish of Rochdale measures nine miles from, east to west, and from north to south eleven, and contains more than 60, 000 inhabitants.

There are four townships in the parish: Hundersfield, Spotland, Butter worth, and Castleton, and the land in general, excepting the uncultivated moors, is fertile, and let at very great rents. Lord Byron is lord of the manor, and takes his seat as an English peer, under the title of Baron Byron of Rochdale. At his court-leet, the officers and constables for the civil government of the parish are annually appointed.

In this extensive parish there are the seats of several of the ancient families of the county, and of other gentlemen of large property engaged in commercial concerns. At Whitworth, the celebrated Messrs. John and George Taylor, better known by the name of the Whitworth Doctors, resided. — These rustic artists were chiefly noted for setting broken and dislocated bones, and for the cure of cancerous and other tumours by caustics.

Rochdale may be considered as the centre of the genuine Lancashire dialect; and in this district lies the scene of that noted dialogue, containing the adventures of a Lancashire clown, written by Mr. John Collier, under the signature of Tim Bobbin. This singular person was the son of a clergyman of the established church, and is said to have been born at Warrington. He was put apprentice to a Dutch loom-weaver, but quitted his apprenticeship before he had served two years, and soon after commenced school-master at the village of Milnrow, near Rochdale, where he continued that occupation during the greatest part of his life. At his vacations and leisure hours, he instructed himself in music and drawing, in both of which he soon became so proficient as to be able to teach others. Tim had likewise a turn for poetry, and wrote several pieces of humorous rhyme, besides the above facetious dialogue. His pen, his pencil, and his brush, were seized to supply the deficiency of the scanty income of his school, and with each he shewed marks of genuine humour. His pictures, consisting chiefly of "ugly grinning old fellows, mumbling old women on broomsticks, "&c. &c. were bought with avidity, and ornament the inns of the neighbouring market-towns.

"Mr. Collier died in possession of his mental powers, but little impaired, at near eighty years of age, and his eyes not so much injured as might be expected from such a severe use of them for so long a space of time. His wife died a few years before him, but he left three sons and two daughters behind him. The sons were all attached to the pallet and brush, but in different branches of the mimic art."—

---

ROCHDALE is a municipal, parliamentary and county borough, parish, union town and head of a county court district, in the Middleton division of the county, Middleton petty sessional division, hundred of Salford, rural deanery of Rochdale and archdeaconry and diocese of Manchester. The town is on the river Roach or Roche, from which it derives its name, and has four stations on the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway, the chief of which is on the main line from Manchester to Bradford and Leeds, and is distant from London, via Wakefield, on the Great Northern railway, 218 ½ miles; and, via Manchester, on the London and North Western railway, 199 ½ miles; and by the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway, from Manchester 10 ½ and from Liverpool 41 miles, being also 18 south-east-by-east from Blackburn, 7 east from Bury, 6 north from Oldham, 12 east from Bolton, 28 north-east from St. Helens, 8 south-by-west from Todmorden, 26 north-east from Warrington and 22 east from Wigan.

The parish of Rochdale was anciently divided into four sections-Honorsfeild, or Hundersfield, to the east; Spotland to the west; Castleton to the south-west; and Butterworth to the south-east.

The municipal borough formerly comprised parts of four townships only, namely, Castleton, Spotland, Wardleworth and Wuerdle with Wardle, which, under the “Local Government Act, 1894,” were incorporated with the parish of Rochdale; by the Act 35 & 36 Yic. cap. 149 (1872), the municipal borough was made co-extensive with the parliamentary borough as defined by 31 & 32 Vic. cap. 46, by the addition of a portion of Butterworth township, previously in the parliamentary borough only. Since 1830 several of the streets have been widened and there is a large and spacious market place. The town was incorporated by royal charter, Sept. 9th, 1856, and divided into three wards-namely, Castleton, Spotland and Wardleworth; under a later Act extending the municipal limits, it had ten wards, each returning three councillors: but under a Provisional Order framed in accordance with the provisions of the “Local Government Act, 1888” (51 & 52 Yict. c. 41), nearly the whole of the Urban District of Castleton was by Local Government Board Order No. P. 1,639, dated Nov. 9, 1900, included in the borough of Rochdale, and formed into a new ward called “Castleton Moor.” The Corporation consists of a mayor, eleven aldermen and thirty-three councillors; the borough has a commission of the peace and a police force.

Under the “Local Government Act, 1888,” Rochdale became a” county borough” for certain purposes.

The Gas Works, at the foot of Castle hill, and opened in May, 1824, are the property of the Corporation. There is an abundant supply of good water, from works first established by Act of Parliament in 1809 and acquired by the Corporation in 1866: the reservoirs are at Buckley Wood, Wuerdle, Spring Mill, Whitworth and Todmorden.

The Electric Light Station, in Dane street, also the property of the Corporation, supplies both power and light. An electric tramway from Rochdale to Spotland was opened in 1902, and subsequently extended over the streets served by the Bury, Rochdale and Oldham Steam Tramway Co.

The Rochdale canal (Manchester Ship Canal Co. Bridgewater Canal undertakings), passing from the Duke of Bridgewater’s canal at Manchester to the Calder and Hebble Navigation at Sowerby Bridge, near Halifax, a work commenced in 1786 and completed in 1804, opens a water communication between the eastern and western seas, as well as with the principal seats of trade in the counties of York and Lancaster; and the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company’s lines afford communication with all the trunk lines in the kingdom.

The parish church of St. Chad, approached from the Town Hall square by a flight of 122 steps, stands on high ground overlooking the town and is an edifice of stone in the Perpendicular style, built on the site of a church which existed here in the middle of the 12th century; it was restored in 1857 and in 1885 the chancel was lengthened and restored at a cost of about £10,000, raised by subscriptions; it consists of chancel of six bays, with aisles and clerestory, clerestoried nave of six bays, aisles and an embattled western tower with pinnacles containing 8 bells: the chancel windows, 23 in number, are stained and there are several memorial windows: a handsome iron chancel screen and gates were presented by Col. Clement M, Royds, Raster, 1894: there are 786 sittings, 750 being free: the Lancashire poet, John Collier, better known as “Tim Bobbin,” ob. 1786, is buried in this churchyard. The register dates from the year 1683. The living is a vicarage, neb yearly value £1,274, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Manchester, and held since 1890 by the Yen. James Maurice Wilson D.D. late fellow of St. John’s College. Combridge, rural dean of Rochdale, archdeacon of Manchester and surrogate.

St. Alban’s is an ecclesiastical parish formed May 9, 1856, from that of St. Chad: the church, on West hill, Manchester road, and erected in 1855, at a cost of £4,500, is of stone in the Florid Gothic style, consisting of chancel, nave of four bays, aisles and a fine tower at the west end of the south aisle with an octagonal broach spire and containing 8 bells: the east window and eight others are stained: the chancel is enriched with mosaic and silicate work and frescoes, a marble reredos and malleable iron screen: there are choir stalls of carved oak and an alabaster font and pulpit: the church affords 680 sittings, 340 being free. The register dates from the year 1856. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value (inclusive of pew rents) £400, with residence, in the gift of the vicar of Rochdale, and held since 1893 by the Rev. Herbert Edmonds Assoc, of King’s College, London.

St. Luke’s church, DEEPLISH, consecrated in 1892 as a chapel of ease to the parish church, was in 1895 made an ecclesiastical parish, under the “Rochdale Vicarage Act.” The edifice consists of chancel, erected in 1889, at a cost of £3,000, and nave built about 1897 at a cost of £4,000: there are sittings for 500 persons. Parochial buildings were erected in 1892 at a cost of £2,500. The register dates from 1895. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £300, in the gift of the Bishop of Manchester, and held since 1902 by the Rev. William John Battersby M.A. of St. John’s College, Oxford.

The Catholics have two chapels, one in Ann street, dedicated to St. John, and the other, erected in 1904, in Princess street, to St. Patrick: the Society of Friends have a meeting house in Roach place: there are other places of worship.

The Cemetery, in the Bury road, is under the control of the Corporation, and was opened in 1855; it comprises nearly 33 acres of ground, beautifully laid out, and there are three mortuary chapels for the Established Church, Nonconformists and Catholics respectively.

The Town Hall, erected in 1870—1, at a cost of £166,000, is a building of stone in the Domestic Gothic style of the 14th century, from the designs of Mr. William H. Crosland, architect, and contains a great hall, 90 feet by 56 feet, intended for an Exchange, and over it a large room for public meetings with seats for 1,200 persons, and containing a mural painting by Halliday of the meeting of King John and the Barons at Runnymede: there is also a mayor’s reception room, council chamber, magistrates’ room, sessions court and cells for prisoners, with a suitable set of rooms for the Corporation officials, and rooms for the Borough Police: the School of Art is also conducted here: the tower, destroyed by fire in 1883, was rebuilt in 1887, from designs by Mr. A. Waterhouse R.A. at a cost of over £14,000; it has a spire reaching a height of over 190 feet and contains a dock with chimes.

A bronze statue of the late Right Hon. John Bright P.O., M.P. born at Greenbank, near this town, in 1811, was erected in front of the Town hall in 1891, the work being modelled by Hamo Thornycroft esq. R.A. He was intimately associated with Rochdale as a cotton spinner and by residence, and was one of the leaders of the Anti-Corn Law League (1838), and member of the House of Commons from 1843 to the time of his death in 1889.

A figure of an angel, in white marble, was placed near the park in 1899 by Miss E. Mackinnon, as a memorial to her mother.

The Central Hall, Water street, previous to 1890 a Baptist chapel, is now let for entertainments &c. and will seat 750.

The Free Library, on the Esplanade, erected in 1883—4, at a cost of over £6,000, is a stone building of Elizabethan character, comprising reference and lending departments and spacious reading and committee rooms: the stained windows were presented by James Ogden esq. The reference library contains 16,691 vols, and the lending department 40,767 vols, making a total of 57,358 vols.; the daily issue averages 662 vols. One of the rooms is opened from 6 to 9 p.m. as a boys’ reading room, and since February, 1886, the reference, reading and juvenile rooms have been opened on Sundays; during the year ending March, 1904, 18,325 vols. were consulted. There is a branch library at Castleton containing 2,272 volumes.

The Corporation Art Gallery and Museum, opened in April 1903, is a substantial building of stone in the same style as the library, of which it forms an extension. It already possesses a good permanent collection, principally the gift of R. T. Heape esq. An endowment for the purchase of pictures has been made by James Ogden esq. who gave the sum of £4,600, the interest on which has at the end of ten years from 1901 to be spent on the purchase of works of art of approved merit: the galleries are well lighted with electric light: exhibitions are held in the spring of each year.

Among the literary and musical institutions of the town are the Amateur Orchestral Society, Philharmonic Orchestral Society, Rochdale Public Brass Band, the Borough Police Band and the Rochdale Old Brass Band: there is also a Literary and Scientific Society, Equitable Pioneers Society, Science and Art classes, and other minor Associations, and a branch of the St. John Ambulance Association.

The infirmary and Dispensary, established in 1832, now occupies premises near Redcross street, erected in 1883 by the late Thomas Watson esq, M.P. of Horse Carrs, at a cost of about £10,000, and enlarged in 1896 at a further cost of about £8,000: there are 60 beds: the number of in-patients during 1903 was 610, and of out-patients about 2,379. There are Good Samaritan, benevolent, clothing and other societies for the relief of the poor, besides which a sum of £130, principally derived from the rents of two houses bequeathed by Josiah Gartside in 1712. is distributed yearly in clothing.

The Baths, in Smith street, comprising swimming, slipper and vapour baths, were erected by the Corporation in 1868, at a cost of about £9,600.

The manufactures of this place chiefly consist of coatings, baize, flannels, friezes and woollens, considerable quantities of which are made for the government. There are several cotton spinning mills and a large cotton trade in calicoes and strong goods is carried on, but the woollen fabrics form the staple trade of this town. Here are also several foundries and machine and leather manufactories. The manufacture of carpets is also carried on to some extent. The parish and neighbourhood abound in coal and stone.

The market was anciently held on Wednesday, under a charter granted by Henry III. to Edmund de Lacy in 1241; but in the early part of the reign of George III. the market day was changed to Monday, and is now held on that day for the manufactures of the town and neighbourhood and for the sale of wool, cotton, oil, dye wares and grain, and on Saturday for provisions of all kinds: there is also a daily market well supplied with fish. The Market Hall, the property of a private company, was erected in 1844.

The cattle market is in Manchester road: markets are held on alternate Mondays.

Fairs were formerly held on the first Monday after Twelfth day, the 14th May and 7th November for cattle and horses, and on Whit Tuesday the officers of the manor court formerly went in procession through the town in order to maintain the old charter of the market, but this custom has been discontinued since 1884.

Rochdale is the head quarters of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers, and here is also stationed a detachment of the Duke of Lancaster’s Own imperial Yeomanry.

The Public Park, about 19 acres in extent, near the Town Hall, was purchased by the Corporation from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners: in 1877 a statue was erected in the park to G. L. Ashworth esq. twice mayor of Rochdale, who died in 1873: in 1900 a granite obelisk was erected as a memorial to Edwin Waugh, Oliver Ormerod, Margaret R. Lahee and John Trafford Clegg, four writers of the Lancashire dialect; medallions with inscriptions are placed on each side of the monument: here is also a band-stand, presented by James Duckworth esq. The position being an elevated one, fine views of the surrounding scenery are obtained.

Falinge Park, containing a mansion and 18 ½ acres, was presented to the town in 1903 by Alderman Samuel Turner.

It is evident from the Domesday Survey that Rochdale may claim an antiquity as high, at least, as Saxon times, Castle hill having, not improbably, been the site of a Saxon castle. A portion of the valley below Castle hill is called “Kill Danes,” from the tradition that a vast number of the Danish invaders were slain on this spot, near which, in 1770, some labourers discovered a curiously wrought sword and several pieces of ancient armour.

Blackstone Edge, about 6 miles to the east of the town, is a fine range of hills separating Lancashire from Yorkshire; and about 4 miles distant are the remains of a Roman road, leading over Blackstone Edge and not far from Robin Hood’s Bed: this spot was traditionally one of his haunts, and is a wild country to this day.

Among the antiquities of this neighbourhood may be mentioned the Roman road from Ribchester to Manchester, which runs along the hill sides on the western border of the township.

The quaint old gabled halls of Oakenrod, Chadwick and Wolstenholme still remain; in the reigns of Henry II. and Richard I. Oakenrod was the seat of the Garside family. Chadwick Hall belonged to the Chadwicks in the reign of Edward III. but subsequently and for many centuries they resided at Healey Hall, now the residence of Robert Taylor Heape esq. Foxholes, in Wardleworth, is one of the seats of John Bertie Norreys Entwisle esq.: the present mansion was erected on the site of the old hall by John Markland Entwisle esq. who succeeded to the estates in 1792: the Entwisles are an ancient and distinguished Lancashire family and were formerly seated at Entwisle Hall, in the parish of Bolton: one of the earlier members of this family, Sir Bertine Entwisle, Viscount and Baron of Brybeke, in Normandy, distinguished himself at the battle of Agincourt, Oct. 25, 1415: and in the following reign fell at the battle of St. Albans, May 23, 1455.

Belfield Hall, at present unoccupied, retains an ancient gateway and courtyard.

Roby, in his “Traditions of Lancashire” (1829—31), has given a lasting celebrity to this picturesque and romantic locality; and the beautiful though diminutive falls of the Spodden, Healey dell and the Fairies’ chapel, with its groined roof, smoothed and scooped by the toiling Waters, are still frequented in the summer.

The principal landowners are the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, James Griffith Dearden esq. J.P. who is lord of the manor of Rochdale, the trusteed of the late Edmund Albert Nuttall Royds (d. 1892), Clement Robert Nuttall Beswicke-Royds esq. of Pyke House, Littleborough, Col. Clement Molyneux Royds M.P. and John Bertie Norreys Entwisle esq. Manor courts, under an old charter to the Byron family, are held-a conrt-leet and court-baron at the Wellington hotel once a year at Whitsuntide, and copyhold and customary courts at the manorial offices occasionally as required, James Richard Hartley being steward. The ancient and noble family of Byron were Barons of Rochdale and also lords of the manor and estate of Rochdale for upwards of two centuries; in the year 1823, Lord Byron, the poet, sold the manor and estate of Rochdale to the late James Dearden esq. by whose son and heir, the present James Griffith-Dearden esq. J.P. they are now possessed; the Manor House stands on the northern bank of the Roach opposite the Town Hall; the manorial rights of Rochdale are reputed to extend over upwards of 32,000 statute acres, with the privileges of court-baron and court-leet in all the townships of the parish, excepting such districts as Robert de Lacy gave to the abbots of Whalley.

Parish Clerks:-St. Clement, Spotland, Thomas Lee, 22 Rooley Moor road; St. Peter, Newbold, Charles Chadwick, 38 Stamford street.

Sextons:-St. Chad, Albert Dunnings, 27-a, St. Alban’s street; All Saints’, Hamer, Robert Taylor (apparitor), All Saints’ terrace; Christ Church, Healey, Arthur Bedford, Healey.

The area of the municipal borough is 6,333 of land and 113 of water; rateable value, £383,953; the population in 1881 was 68,865, in 1891 (including Castleton) 76,258, and in 1901 83,114.

The population of the municipal wards in 1901 was:-Castleton East, 10,343; Castleton North, 3,266; Castleton South, 10,164; Castleton West, 9,936; Spotland East, 7,067; Spotland West, 8,163; Wardleworth East, 6,218; Wardleworth South, 8,336; Wardleworth West, 5,718; Wuerdle, 6,913; Castleton Moor, 6,990.

The population of the ecclesiastical parishes in 1901 was:-St. Chad (parish church), 8,401; St. Alban, 7,176; St. James, 8,915; St. Mary the Virgin, 8,711; All Saints, Hamer, 7,269: Christ Church, Healey, 2,242; St. Clement, Spotland, 7,828; St. Edmund, Falinge, 6,075; St. Peter, Newbold, 8,085; St. Mary, Balderstone, 6,483; St. Luke, Deeplish, 4,878.

The area of the parliamentary borough is 4,165 acres; the population in 1901 was 76,124.

The number of electors on the parliamentary register in 1904 was 13,704.

Shawclongh is a considerable village within the borough of Rochdale, with a station on the Manchester and Bacup section of the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway and has cotton spinning and woollen mills. There are two Free Methodist chapels and a Primitive Methodist chapel.

The following are also in the borough:—

Smallbridge (part of), Healey (part of), Sudden and Buersill.

Passmans, three-quarters of a mile distant, gives its name to a small village, where is a cotton mill.

In a bend of the Roach, to the north of Marland, is Tyrones Bed, a woody glen, supposed to have been the retreat of Hugh O’Neill, the rebel Earl of Tyrone, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. A Roman road appears to have traversed this township from the south-west to the north-east, forming a communication between Manchester and Ilkley. Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, was in possession of the manor of Castleton in the reign of Edward II.; on the dissolution of the monasteries the manor of Castleton was granted to the Radcliffes of Langley, and subsequently passed by purchase to the Holts of Stubley. Castleton Hall, which is within the borough of Rochdale, was built by Robert Holt esq. soon after the revolution in 1688; it is now (1904) unoccupied.

MARLAND and TRUB SMITHY are places here. At Marland is the Hospital for infectious Diseases, formerly the Workhouse, purchased for £1,250 by the Corporation of Rochdale in 1886, and reconstructed at an additional cost of £2,000; it contains 84 beds.

ROCHDALE UNION

The general board meets for the transaction of business on the second & fourth thursday in each month at the board room, Union offices, Townhead, Yorkshire street, at 2.30 p.m. Rochdale Union comprises the following places:-Castleton, Littleborough, Milnrow, Norden, Rochdale, Wardle & Whitworth. The area of the union is 32,532 acres; rateable value for 1804, £564,732; the population in 1901 was 120,433.

The Workhouse, at Dearnley, in Wardle township, was erected at a cost of £77,000 & will hold 847 persons; in 1902 two wings of a new infirmary were opened for 172 inmates.

PLACES OF WORSHIP IN THE BOROUGH, with times of Services.

St. Chads (Parish Church), Ven. Archdeacon James Maurice Wilson D.D. vicar; Rev. William Hipwood Mowat M.A. & Rev. Henry Nickson Ross B.A. curates; 8 & 10.30 am, & 2 3.15 & 6.30 p.m.; daily, 8.45 a.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

All Saints’, Hamer, Rev. Henry Davies, vicar; Rev. Frederick Clarke B.A. curate; 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Mon. 10.30 a.m. other days, 8.40 a.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

Christ Church, Healey, Rev. James John Harington Cottle B.A. vicar; 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.

St. Alban’s, Manchester road, Rev. Herbert Edmonds A, K.C.L, vicar; Rev. Hartley Harrison B.A. curate; 8 & 10.30 am, & 6.30 p.m.; daily, 8.30 a.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

St. Clement’s, Spotland bridge, Rev. Thomas James Berated M.A. vicar; Rev. Thomas Joseph Pearce, curate; 8 & 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.

St. Edmund’s, Falinge, Rev. James Botton Phillips M.A. vicar; Rev. William Tye, curate; 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.

St. James’, Wardleworth, Yorkshire street, Rev Arthur William Baxter M.A. vicar; Rev. Arthur Harry Edmund Taylor B, A. curate; 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. & Fri. 8.45 a.m. & 7.30 p.m.

St. Luke’s, Deeplish, Rev. William John Battersby M.A. vicar; Rev. John William Rodgers B.A. curate; 8 & 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; daily, 9 a.m. & 7 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.; sat. 5 p.m.

St. Martin’s, Castleton, Rev. Benjamin Reed M.A. vicar; Rev. John Hutton Clarke M.Sc. curate; 8 & 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.

St. Mary’s, Balderstone, Rev. Arthur David Davies M.A. vicar; Rev. George Stamper Richardson M.A. curate; 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

St. Mary's, Hundersfield, Cheetham street, Rev. Evan Charles Mackenzie M.A. vicar; Rev. John Worrall Rideout, curate; 8 & 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; daily, 9.45 a.m. & 7.15 p.m.

St. Peter’s, Newbold, Rev. Ernest Elliot B.A. vicar; 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.

Church of the Good Shepherd, Entwisle read, Rev. John Robert Leeming, vicar; 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.

Mission Church, Cronkeyshaw; 6 p.m. (served by clergy of St. Mary’s, Hundersfield).

Trinity Presbyterian Church of England, Manchester road, Rev James Fleming Rose M.A.; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.; Wed.7.30 p.m.

Catholic.

St. John’s, Ann street, Very Rev. Dean Henry Chipp & Rev. Wilfred Cahalan; 8, 9.30 & 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; daily, 7.30 & 8.15 a.m.

St. Patrick’s, Princess street; Rev. Richard Campion & Rev. John Thomas Roche, priests; 8, 9.30 & 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; daily, 8 a.m.

St. Gabriel & The Angels, Castleton, Rev. Francis John Nugent; 9 & 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; daily, 8.30 a.m.; Thur. 7.30 p.m.

Baptist

Drake street (The Park), Rev. Albert Law; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.; Thur. 7.30 p.m.

Hope street, Jabez Eddison; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.

Milnrow road, Newbold, Rev. David O. Davies; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

West street, Rev. Thomas Woodhouse; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m. Wed. 7.30 p.m.

Outgate, Edenfield road; 2.30 & 6 p.m.; Tues. 7.30 p.m.

Sion, Milkstone road; 6 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

Congregational

High street (Providence), Rev. Ben White Jackson; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.; Wed. 8 p.m.

Milton Church, Smith street, Rev. Jonathan Evans; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

Castleton, Rev. Harry Golding; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.

Halifax road, Smallbridge, Rev. Anthony Rlppiner; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.; Tues. 7.30 p.m.

Methodist Free Church.

Baille Street Circuit:-Rev. Jabez Percivall, Rev. Charles Hunt & Rev. John Spivey; Rev. J. Swann Withington, supernumerary.

Castlemere Circuit:-Rev. Thomas James Dickinson, Rev. Chiaries B. Johnson, Rev. Archelaus Urwin & Rev. Harold H., Wilson B.A.

Baillie street; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.; Thur. 7 p.m.

Halifax road; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.

Hollows, Shawolough; 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Tues. 7.30 p.m.

Lowerfold, 2.30 & 6 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

Rooley Moor road; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.

William street; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.

Brimrod lane; 10.45 a.m.

Gordon street; 2.30 & 6 p.m.

Heywood road; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.

Castleton; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.

Primitive Methodist.

Rev. William Whitham & Rev. John Henry Johnson, Durham street; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.; turs. 7.30 p.m. Shawelough; 2.30 & 6 p.m.

Smith street; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.: Wed. 7.45 p.m.

Jarvis street; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.

Methodist New Connexion

Molesworth street, Rev. Martin Jas. Birks; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.

Wesleyan Methodist

Castleton (Heywood circuit), Rev. Thoophilus D. Anderson B.A.; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.

Union street (circuit), Rev. Walter Thomas Baker & Rev. Harvey Field; 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Mon. 7.30 p.m.

Healey, Whitworth road (Union Street circuit); 2.30 & 6 p.m.

Silver street (Union Street circuit); 2.30 & 6 p.m.

Greenbank road (Union Street circuit); 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.

Smullbrldge (Unlon Street circuit); 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.

Castlemere (Wealey circuit), Rev. Adam Honn & Rev. J. Dinsdale Banks; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.; Thur. 7.30 p.m.

Lower place (Wesley circuit); 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Tues. 7.30 p.m.

Unitarian

Blackwater street, Rev. Thomas P. Speddlng: 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.; winter, 6.30 p.m.

Other Denominations

Brethren (The), Nuttall street; 10.30 a.m. & 6,30 p.m.: thurs 7.30 p.m.

Chapel for the Destitute, Rope street, Mr. James Matthew, superintendent; 6 p.m.

Holland Street Chapel; 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.

Friends’ Meeting House, Roach place, Townhead; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.

St. Stephen’s, Countess of Huntingdons Connexion, Ball st.; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

Welsh Chapel (Presbyterian), Portland street, Rev. Edward Humphreys; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.; Thur. 7.30 p.m.

Gospel Hall, 16 & 18 Fishwick street; 6.30 p.m.

Salvation Army, Lord street.

SCHOOLS

The Technical School, in Nelson street, opened April, 1893, is a building of red brick & terra-cotta, in the Early Gothic style, & was erected at a total cost of £16,000: of this sum, £7,000 was raised by subscription, the balance being paid out of the rates; the school is managed by the Education Committee of the Town Council; there are over 1,500 individual students; J. E. Holden, sec. to the committee.

Rochdale School of Art, Town hall, opened in 1889, is in connection with South Kensington Department of Science & Art, Sc is conducted by the Corporation as a part of the technical school; there are about 450 students.

Buokley Hall Catholic Orphanage was instituted in 1888, under the direction of the “Brothers of Charity:” the mansion was formerly the residence of the Schofield family, but has been enlarged for 250 orphan & destitute boys & certified as a Poor Law school: there are now (1904) 257 boys, who receive an elementary education & are taught suitable trades: Brother Hugolinus is the superior.

Public Elementary Schools

Baillie street (mixed & half-timers), acquired 1872, altered 1893, for 682 children; average attendance, 546.

Central Higher Grade, Fleece street, erected 1893, for 300 children; average attendance, 290.

Cronkeyshaw (mixed & infants), erected 1879, enlarged 1888, for 426 boys & girls & 280 infants; average attendance, 396 boys & girls & 262 infants.

Penn street (infants), acquired 1873, for 288 infants; average attendance, 245.

Belfield, acquired 1877, for 175 infants; average attendance, 66.

Greenbank (junior mixed Sc infants), acquired 1903, for 340 children; average attendance, 123.

Brimrod (mixed & infants), acquired 1884, for 300 boys & girls & 162 infants; average attendance, 224 boys & girls & 128 infants.

Halifax road (mixed & infants), erected in 1878 & enlarged in 1894 & 1896, for 358 boys & girls & 160 infants; average attendance, 281 boys & girls & 143 infants.

Milkstone (infants), acquired 1873, for 317 infants; average attendance, 226.

Derby street (mixed Sc infants), erected 1882, enlarged 1894, for 447 iboys & girls Sc 265 infants; average attendance, 439 boys & girls Sc 260 infants.

Newbold (mixed & infants), erected in 1886, for 421 boys & girls & 259 infants; average attendance, 378 boys & girls & 194 infants.

Spotland (mixed & infants), erected 1895, for 568 boys Sc girls Sc 398 infants; average attendance, 484 boys & girls & 298 infants.

Catlemere (mixed), erected in 1896, for 440 children; average attendance, 357.

Heybrook (senior mixed, junior mixed & infants), erected in 1900, for 560 senior, average attendance 403; 300 junior, average attendance 230; 260 infants, average attendance 242.

Castleton (mixed & infants), built 1902, for 290 boys & girls Sc 168 infants; average attendance, 183 boys & girls & 69 infants.

Meanwood (mixed & infants), built in 1902, for 310 boys & girls & 210 infants; average attendance, 187 boys & girls & 106 infants.

Parish Church, Lower Tweedale street (mixed & infants), erected in 1894, for 466 boys & girls & 358 infants; average attendance, 351 boys & girls & 240 infants.

Christ Church, Healey (mixed & infants), for 414 children; average attendance, 192.

All Saints’, Hamer (mixed & infants), for 314 boys & girls & 100 infants; average attendance, 302 boys & girls & 90 infants.

St. Alban’s, Drake street (mixed & infants), for 420 boys & girls & 425 infants; average attendance, 244 boys & girls & 212 infants.

St. Clements, Oakenrod (mixed & infants), for 298 children; average attendance, 198.

St. Edmund’s, Townmill brow (mixed & infants), for 277 boys & girls & 130 infants; average attendance, 176 boys & girls & 64 infants.

St. Mary’s, Red Cross street (mixed & infants), for 613 children; average attendance, 482.

St. James’, Townhead (mixed & infants), for 216 children; average attendance, 132.

St. Peter’s, Newbold (mixed & infants), for 463 boys Sc girls & 220 infants; average attendance, 291 boys & girls & 199 infants.

St. Mary’s, Balderstone (mixed & infants), for 625 boys & girls & 236 infants; average attendance, 209 boys & girls & 130 infants.

St. Martin’s, Castleton (mixed & infants); school building acquired in 1883 & enlarged in 1888, at a cost of over £1,000, for 406 children; average attendance, 312.

St. Edward’s, Castleton (mixed ob infants), erected in 1899, at a cost of about £3,000, for 356 children; average attendance, 260.

Catholic.

St. John’s, Ann street (mixed & infants), for 404 boys & girls & 336 infants; average attendance, 247 boys Sc girls & 238 infants.

St. Patrick’s, Watts street (mixed & infants), for 348 boys & girls & 364 infants; average attendance, 262 boys & girls & 216 infants.

St. Gabriel’s, Castleton (mixed), built in 1884, for 219 children; average attendance, 101.

Wesleyan.

Lower place (Trinity) (mixed & infants), for 321 boys & girls & 166 infants; average attendance, 200 boys & girls & 145 infants.