There are some great old recipes in the book together
with many old remedies,
here is a little ditty from
inside the book:
We thank you for your kind favours,
Which, by good cooking become fine flavours.
So please accept our very best wishes,
That you may long enjoy these many dishes.
Here is a Prophecy from the front of the book:
"Since the publication of this Book, no married man
has been heard to say that his mother could cook better
than his wife."
I am so glad that I managed to save this little book
from being thrown away, and if you happen to have
anything old relating to the village of Summerseat, I
would dearly love to be able to show them on this site,
you can Scan the item, and send it to me with an email
by using the
button.
Due to the extra number of workers needed at the mills
in Summerseat, more houses were needed, and in 1885 the many rows of
brick houses were built at Brooksbottoms, the initial rent for these
houses was 4 shillings (20 Pence in todays money), Many of these
were modernised and are still in use today
and you can see photos of these in the Photo gallery’s. Towards the
end of the 1800’s houses were built at Queens Place, and these were
used to house the senior employees from the mill. The Mission was
also built to act as a meeting place for the workers, and in 1917
this building became St Wilfred’s C of E Church, it was extended in
1937 when a separate timber framed weather boarded Sunday School was
added. In 1966 the two buildings were no longer in use, and the
Summerseat Players rented the buildings to put on shows, then in
1972 they purchased the property, by this time it was a small
theatre. The property was eventually sold to a property developer
and after the demolition of the buildings, a lovely row of stone
cottages were built on the site, a photo of these can be seen in the
photo gallery, it is called Hamer Terrace.
Here is the inscription from the Foundation Stone that was laid
in 1937, when the extension was built onto St Wilfred’s C of E
Church, the stone was removed during the demolition of the church,
and was placed in the front garden wall of the cottages that were
built on the site.
|
The Glory of God
This Stone was laid by Walter Pilling J P
Representing
Messrs Joshua Hoyle & Sons. September 15th
1937 |
Most of the householders had to collect water from the
mills or from the wells, there were a few streets that had a water
pump at the end, mains water was not provided until 1911.
Now the first school in Summerseat was the
Brooksbottoms Mixed School, this was built in 1840, it is now a
private house, and is located on Hill Street. In 1847 the school had
95 pupils paying from two and a half pennies to four and half
pennies per week, fees were scaled according to the age of the child
as well as ability of the parents being able to pay.
The original
Brooksbottoms Mixed School
The Summerseat Methodist Primary School opened on the
7th July 1863, Mr John Robinson Kay paid all the costs
for the building of the school, this is still in use as a school
today, it was built next to the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, please
visit the Rowlands Church Page for full details about the Methodist
Chapel in Summerseat. The school did have to close in 1879 due to
measles, whooping cough and cases of scarlet fever, then in 1895
there was diphtheria in Summerseat, as well as measles and typhoid,
the school was fumigated, in those times these diseases were
potential killers, as they did not have the medicines that we have
these days. Even during the early part of the 1900’s there were
further outbreaks of these terrible diseases. The provision of mains
sewers were not provided until 1914.
In 1899 another classroom was added to the school,
Isaac Hoyle the mill owner supplied this in memory of his second
wife, Mary Hamer Hoyle.
John Robinson Kay was an
enormously influential figure both in the church and in the village.
He was born in Burnley in 1805 and came to Summerseat in 1829 with
his father. Together they laid the foundations of a business in the
village, building a mill. In 1834 he married the daughter of Richard
Hamer.
John Robinson Kay died in 1872,
he was buried in the church, and his ornately decorated tomb can
still be seen today, although the church which once surrounded it
has since been taken down. His daughter married Isaac Hoyle and he
carried on the business, with his brother Edward Hoyle, building a
new mill in 1873.
The lighting in Summerseat was supplied by gas from
1884 which was provided by the gas works in the village that was
owned by Hoyle and Hampson, who were the two mill owners. It was not
until 1915 that the gas lamps that had lit the streets were replaced
by electric street lights.
There were many hard times in the village, as due to
fluctuating fortunes of the cotton industry the mills were closed
for many weeks at a time, many of the children became were hungry
and became unfit for work. In 1908 up to 38 children were supplied
for two weeks with a noonday meal of soup and bread or bread and
jam, and hot milk, this happened again in the January of 1913.
The King and Queen were visiting Bury on the 14th
of July 1913, and a special train was laid on to take the school
children from Summerseat to Bury, they all carried a flag to wave
and were also given a keepsake medal (I wonder if any of these
medals survived the years?).
Many families were split up during The First World War
as family members joined up and went away to fight in France, some
unfortunately did not return as they were killed in action. New
families were encouraged to move to Summerseat with the promise of
jobs and housing, people came from Scarborough, Wigan, the Isle of
Man and even Ireland. Similar occurrences happened in the 1940’s as
the Second World War continued, this time European volunteer workers
were placed in the mills and provided with housing.
A major new road into Summerseat from the Tottington
side of the village, namely Newcombe Road was constructed just
before the Second World War, and in 1938 44 council houses were
built at Heath Hill, just off Newcombe Road, (this area can be seen
on the ‘Old Maps Page’), many of these houses were taken by families
who had to move from their own houses in Summerseat due to
demolition.
By the end of 1940, many properties in Summerseat had
been demolished, such as some of the cottages at Higher Summerseat,
together with parts of Kay Street, Irwell Street and Hall Street.
Then in 1961 the cottages next to Peel Hall in Higher
Summerseat were demolished.
It was around 1965 that the cottages named ‘Long Row’
in Railway Street were also demolished, these once housed the Peel’s
pauper apprentices that worked at the early Twist Mill.
The housing area’s in Higher Summerseat were about to
grow, as in the 1960’s the council as well as private developers
were building more houses around the area of Newcombe Road, even
within the last decade many new properties have been built in and
around Higher Summerseat. The Bass lane area was developed around
the mid 1970’s, and now many of the old farm buildings have been
restored and made into lovely living accommodation.
The railway line and station at Summerseat was opened in 1846.
The railway
that ran through Summerseat on its way from Bury to Bacup carried
it’s last passengers in 1972, and over the last few years many of
the old railway buildings, such as the goods sheds, have all but one been
converted into luxury apartments. Although in 1987 the East
Lancashire Railway Company started to run a train service on the
disused line through Summerseat, this has now been extended and runs
from Heywood to Bury, then on to Rawtenstall, stopping at Summerseat
and Ramsbottom, they use the old steam engines and refurbished
railway coaches, as well as running diesel locomotives. (There is a
link to their website in the left panel, please make a visit when
you have finished here). There are also some photos in our Photo
Gallery showing some of these railway buildings, and also some that
show inside the old railway goods shed on Rowlands Road, next to the
station. The inside is original and as it was in the 1800's, there
is even an old wooden hoist which is still in full working order,
click here to see more
information together with some
photos of inside the old railway goods shed.
Some of the large houses that were built by the local
mill owners are still in use today, Summerseat House which was built
for Richard Hamer was in 1912 a convalescent home for girls, and is
now run as a special school for boys and girls. Walmersley House at
the top of Bass Lane was in the early 1990’s, the Robinson Kay Home
for Incurables. Although Peel Hall is the oldest of these
properties, it is still a private residence.
Summerseat House
(More photos in the Photo gallery)
Major refurbishment was carried out on the rows of
brick houses at Brooksbottoms in 1985, and every other row was
demolished to give the newly refurbished homes a garden and more
light.
In the late 1970’s the
Brooksbottoms cotton mill
closed down, and by now there was just the dye works operating in
Summerseat, this meant that now most of the families of Summerseat
had to travel out of the village for work.
In the
February of 1978 the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Rowlands Road, had
to be demolished, due to severe damp, wood rot and lack of funds to
renovate the church, although the congregation continued to meet in
the school hall. It was not until 2005 that a new Church was built
next to the school at Rowlands.
Even after all the changes that have gone on
throughout the village, many of the area’s are very much the same as
they were one hundred years ago, as we still have many rows of the
old well kept cottages, as well as the terraced rows of brick house
that were built for the mill workers, and yes even after all the new
houses were built in the area, there is still plenty of green fields
together with many lovely wooded area’s, even when you travel along
the small lane which leads to Wood Road, you still have to cross the
narrow bridge over the river.
The main difference is, the noises from the old mills
have now disappeared, and it is relatively quite throughout the
village, that is until you hear the sound of the old steam train
travelling along the railway track through Summerseat and passing
over the viaduct which carries it over the River Irwell on its way
to Ramsbottom.
There are two public houses in
the village, and both of these are just across the street from each
other in Higher Summerseat, they are the 'Footballers Inn' and the 'Hamers
Arms' a reminder of Richard Hamer. (Photos in the photo Gallery)
The village of Summerseat is made up of four area's -
1 - Higher Summerseat, on the west side is the older part of the
settlement consisting of a number of small stone terraces, two public
houses and a farm with some of the surviving buildings dating from the
early 18th century. This small group is set within farmland to the east
and south and open space to the north. The area remained rather isolated
until the inter-war years when the building of Newcombe Road improved
the access facilitating new house building which now encloses the
Conservation Area to the west. The setting of this group is much
enhanced by woodland in the grounds of Summerseat House and Peel Hall.
2 - Lower Summerseat lies adjacent to the Irwell to the north and
east and is largely a development of the industrial revolution. The area
consists of small rows of stone terraces surrounded by open scrub and
pasture. The character of the area is again enhanced by the wooded
valleys.
3 - Rowlands lies on the high ground to the east of the East
Lancashire Railway line. This area exhibits a mix of architectural
styles varying from 18th century to the 19th century neo-gothic.
The area also includes some excellent groups of trees notably in the
churchyard and some important public spaces.
4 - Brooksbottoms lies on the River Irwell by the mouth of Gollinrod
Gorge and in contrast reflects the harsher character of the industrial
revolution. The area is very much dominated by the four storey former
Hoyles Mill (now "The Spinnings"), surrounded by small terraces of
workers housing. The Conservation Area includes the railway viaduct and
station which is very much a part of the character of the village and
the Irwell Valley.
Whilst I was transcribing the 1871 census details for Summerseat,
I found that Summerseat actually came under three different
areas, namely -
Walmersley Cum Shuttleworth,
Tottington Lower End,
and
Elton.
Walmersley with Shuttleworth
This township or civil parish, also known as Walmersley cum
Shuttleworth, was in Lancashire.
It was in Bury ecclesiastical parish and in Bury poor law
Union.
In 1872 part of it was included in the area of Bury improvement
commissioners. Under the Divided Parishes Act of 1882 part of
the township was added to Birtle with Bamford township.
In 1883 part of it was included in the area of Ramsbottom Local
Board of Health.
In 1894 part of Birtle with Bamford township was added to its
remaining area.
In 1933 the civil parish was dissolved and its area divided
between Bury Borough and Ramsbottom Urban District
Tottington Lower End
This township or civil parish was in Lancashire. It was in Bury
ecclesiastical parish and in Bury poor law Union.
Emanuel Church, Holcombe, is a handsome edifice, built in 1852
at an expense of £3,000 of which sum £500 was bequeathed by Mrs.
Sanderford, of Bolton, £100 given by the church building
society, and the remainder raised by subscription.
In 1864 Ramsbottom Local Board of Health was established for the
Ramsbottom area in this township and in 1894 this area was
separated to become part of Ramsbottom Urban District.
There were extensive calico printing works in the Tottington
Lower End district.
In 1872 part of the township was included in the area of Bury
improvement commissioners.
In 1894 the remaining area of the township (renamed in 1894
Tottington) became part of Tottington Urban District together
with part of Elton township.
In 1933 part of the Urban District was added to Bury Borough.
In
1974 the Urban District became part of Bury Metropolitan
Borough.
I have just added a new page to the site. It tells the
story of how life was in Summerseat House during the 1930's,
when it was a home for sick children.
Please Click
Here to read this lovely article.
Richard Hamer who is the 3xGreat Grandson of the Richard Hamer
who had many interests in the village of Summerseat, made a short
visit to Summerseat at the end of April 2007.
It was great to meet him, and also a
pleasure to have been able to give him a tour of the village, he
even managed to see inside Summerseat House, Richard was really
grateful to the staff who had made this possible, Summerseat House
was the home of his 3xGreat Grandfather. Richard also enjoyed lunch
in the Hamer's Arms Public House and enjoyed chatting to the Landlord
& Landlady about the history of the area.
Richard lives in the USA, and was in Europe
on his holidays when he decided to make a short visit to see the
area that his ancestors came from. Richard does hope to make another
visit to the area in the future.
We have become very good friends.
Richard Hamer at Hamer Terrace, Summerseat.
You can read more about the Hamer family on the 'Mills of
Summerseat' and the 'About Summerseat' pages of this site. Richard
has supplied me with some lovely pictures and information, and has given me
permission to share these with you all on the Summerseat website,
and I am really grateful to him. I have also added a small family tree of Richard Hamer, who was
born in the mid 1700's.
I am sure that you will find it interesting.
Don't forget to visit the
Rowland's Graveyard Page, as I
have entered some information regarding the old graveyard that is
now closed, I have also placed photos of many of the headstones that
are located in the old graveyard, there are now over 90 photos
listed.
Ramsbottom Library hold the records for Baptism's, Marriages and
Burial's
that were carried out at Rowland's Church.
Discover your ancestors today at Genes Reunited.co.uk
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