THE “PETERLOO MASSACRE” Blessed with good weather, 20 SPAG members visited the site of Manchester’s “Peterloo Massacre” of 16 August 1819. The walking tour started with an explanation of the politics of the time, revealing the British government’s genuine fear of revolution, coinciding with the adverse effects on workers of the Corn Laws and a […]
JOHN RYLANDS LIBRARY, DEANSGATE, MANCHESTER The magnificent neo-gothic John Rylands Library on Deansgate, Manchester, was the venue for a visit by 20 members of SPAG. The library (now officially known as John Rylands Research Institute and Library) is celebrating its 125th anniversary of opening, and had some of its most treasured items on display. […]
Churchyards, Gravestones & Their Hidden Meanings. A talk by Louise Wade I’m a taphophile, are you? That was the question asked by Louise and whilst most of us had no idea, by the end of the talk we could all admit that maybe we were. Taphophile: an individual who has an (abnormal) passion for and […]
Visit to Smithills Hall Over 20 of us met at the Grade I listed Smithills Hall, near Bolton, on a pleasant July day eagerly anticipating a guided tour by one of the Friends of Smithills Hall. Our guide, Steve Brown, did not disappoint. His knowledge of the Hall, the families who lived there and the […]
Origins and Oddities of English Inn Signs The speaker, Michael Astrop, has a seemingly unlimited knowledge of public houses dating from Roman times to the present day. As a member of the English Inn Society, Michael is only too pleased to share his knowledge. He captivates his audience and invites them to conjecture about the […]
