When we moved on to Cocker Hill, Stalybridge many years ago people kept telling us “there used to be a church there” or “The old church fell into the river” etc. I did a little research and found that they were correct, but there had not been just one church though, there had been three, all built in a similar style. The first was built in 1776. It was the first recorded church in Stalybridge and it did fall down shortly after it was built. The next church was demolished around a hundred years later because of structural problems and the last church was demolished in the 1960’s as it was no longer used.
The first Church of St. George, Cocker Hill
I have detailed the history of the three churches below; you might need to get a cup tea though I think this is going to be fairly long post. The history of the churchyard is interesting too, especially the tales of the body snatchers.
Prior to the building of the Cocker Hill Chapel the people had to walk to either Ashton or Mottram to get to church, not too bad in Summer but it must have been a fairly muddy journey in winter. The church officials in Ashton realised that this was a problem and set about looking for a possible site for a church in Stalybridge.
The site of the church was first sold on 5 May 1698 for £1001.2s.0d. The site measured three acres of “Cheshire large measure” and was described in the deed as “a chance close, a parcel of land”. Nothing was made of the land at that time.
On 30th June 1774 Lord Stamford agreed with the church Commissioners to allow the land to be used to be used for a church. Money for the building was raised by public subscription and by various grants and gifts.
The church was consecrated in July 1776 as “Chapel of St. George in Staly Bridge within Ridgehill and Lanes in the parish of Ashtonunderlyne” (Note how Stalybridge was then two words and Ashton Under Lyne was then one.)
The Rev James Wardleworth was appointed as the first vicar in April 1777. The first Baptisms was recorded were held 28 July 1776 and the first burial in the graveyard took place on 16 January 1777.
The next information I can find for the church is a return made by the church to the articles of enquiry of 1778 sent out by the Bishop of Chester. One question asked about the church services. James Wardleworth answered it as follows:- ” My Chapel had ye Misfortune of Tumbling down on Friday 15th May, 1778 and it is uncertain when it will be rebuilt………”
It appears that the church was rebuilt quickly. I can find no record of the date though. The new church looked very similar to the previous one.
The second St Georges Church on Cocker Hil
Rev James Wardleworth resigned 4 October 1790 and was succeeded Rev John Robinson on 1 April 1791.
Rev Robinson resigned 9 October 1795 and was succeeded by Rev John Kenworthy 25 September 1796.
John Kenworthy was the vicar for 11 years until he died 13th August 1806.He was just 34 when he died. He was buried in the Cocker Hill churchyard with his wife and Children. The burial records for his family made sad reading. He had a son william who died March 1815 aged 8, a daughter Ellen who died in December 1815 aged 15. His wife Elizabeth died in March 1818 and his other daughter Sarah died in aged just 19 in February 1819.
Rev John Cape Atty was licenced on 11th April 1807. Cape Atty lived on Cocker Hill, opposite the church. In the returns submitted to the Bishop he describes his house as a substantial stone building, with stable and cow-house on the premises. Also a garden” Cape Atty remained vicar until he died in 1822. His memorial stone remains in the Cocker Hill churchyard.
Rev Isaac Newton France was appointed in 1822. France was previously a curate in Ashton. He was reported as creating sects and divisions throughout the church. Things did not seem to go any better for him in Stalybridge and it was reported that “The Chapel at Cocker Hill under his incumbency was deserted to a great extent”. In the year prior to Newton France’s appointment there were reported to be 450 people in regular attendance.
In 1835 Newton France asked the church’s patron, the Earl of Stamford, to close the existing Chapel, due to its bad repair, and build a new one on a different site. I think he though a bigger newer church would get him a bigger congregation. The Earl agreed and purchased the land on the Hague Stalybridge. The foundation stone was laid for the new church 1st September 1838. The church was completed and consecrated 24 June 1840. The new church was called the church of St George, same name as the Cocker Hill Chapel as it was the intention that it the new church replaced the old one; however this was not the case.
The new church, known locally as “New” St Georges, had a capacity of 1,500 people, but with Newton France in charge the congregation was small and it never reached anything near its intended target. Parish records show that the congregation fell as low as six or seven on a regular basis.
Back at the Cocker Hill chapel, known locally as “Old” St Georges, the people were opposed to the idea of closing the church. They petitioned the Bishop to keep the church open and offered to pay for a new vicar to be found. The Bishop gave them permission to make the church safe and good. They did this and even bought a new organ. On the 29th September 1843 Old St Georges re opened with new vicar Rev William Hall. The old Church went from strength to strength and the congregation increased back to the 450 it had been in Cape Attys time.
Then in November 1844 Newton France announced that he intended to leave New St Georges and take up possession of Old St Georges on 1 January 1846.
I think that this decision was mainly due to pew rents and endowments. Basically Old St Georges was making more money than New St Georges and Newton France wanted a piece of it. Because of the difficulties with Newton France Hall resigned from Old St Georges in July 1846 and also resigned as a vicar which seems a shame as it sounds like he was a pretty good one.
Things then went from bad to worse. The newspaper reports at the time implied that Newton France was only returning to old St Georges for financial reasons. He applied to the Church wardens for the keys to the church in August 1846 but his request “was resolutely refused no matter what the consequences”. Newton France then threatened legal proceedings and was told by the Church Wardens that should he insist on returning to the chapel, the congregation would leave and take their organ with them! The Church remained closed. The local MP Mr Tollmache became involved and put the matter before Parliament for debate.There followed a turbulent year with the Churchwarden’s supporters and Newton France’s supporters regularly breaking into the church, changing the locks and taking control of the church.
Newspaper reports at the time suggested that at certain periods on a Sunday in 1847 there were upwards of 2000 people collected in and around the chapel to see what was going on. The week after there were reported to be 3000-4000 people watching to see what would happen next.
By 1849 the church was reported to be very dilapidated, most of the lower windows were broken and the doorway was smashed beyond repair. There did not seem to be any resolution in sight. In May 1850 Isaac Newton France died. A coroners inquest gave a verdict of “death by natural causes”.
Following the death of Newton France the Bishop of Manchester appointed a new vicar at old St Georges, Rev John Leeson. Leeson had taken over new St Georges after Newton France and had grown and gained the respect of the congregation there. The Bishop hoped that he would help heal the problems in old St Georges.
The Second Old St Georges with surrounding buildings. This photo was taken some time after 1848 when Wakefield Road Baptist Church, the Church on the top left of the picture, was built.
Leeson continued to have many problems with the churchwardens at old St Georges so perhaps all the trouble at old St Georges wasn’t Newton France’s fault. Leeson appeared to deal with them better though and won in the end. John Leeson continued at old St Georges until his death in August 1867. His memorial in the Cocker Hill churchyard is still visible and says; “This Monument was erected by many friends and is sacred to the memory of John Edmund Leeson who for 16 years was incumbent of this church……”.
Rev John B Jelly Dudley was appointed vicar in 1867 and continued for 34 years until his death in 1904. He was described as a “flamboyant figure with a great sense of humour”
In February 1877 it was reported that an “alarming landslip occurred at old St Georges churchyard” part of the churchyard had collapsed down the hill and exposed number of coffins. News of the landslip spread rapidly and hundreds of people lined the Stamford Street Bridge to try to see what had happened.
In 1880 and 1881 church records show that “cracks had begun to appear in the south west corner of the building” The cracks got bigger and on 10th July 1882 the church was officially closed for safety reasons.
In 1886 a contract was drawn up to construct a new church on the same site. The new church was octagonal as the previous ones but the roof and windows were different.
The third “old” St. Georges Church, Cocker Hill
The church was re opened in 1888 and was described by the local paper as “an improvement on the old”
In 1904 old St Georges gained a new vicar; Rev Herbert Hampson. He was well liked and introduced both a dramatic society and an athletic society to the church. He continued as vicar until he died in September 1924. Hampson was succeeded by Rev Frank Augustine Whitehead who was vicar from 1924 to 1937. Whitehead was described as “a great encouragement” and was a supporter of the dramatic society and was the only vicar known to perform in the dramatic productions.
The next vicar was Rev Reginald Hugh Cadman who stayed 7 years and appeared to have a fairly uneventful time at the church.
Cadman was succeeded in 1946 by Rev Charles James Saunders. Tragically Saunders committed suicide two years after taking over the church. Saunders had received the Military Cross for service during the First World War and it was thought that he had suffered from Shell shock. His time at the church was a strange one; not long after he arrived many of the parishioners of the church began to receive defamatory and insulting letters. Though none of the accusations in the letters were true they caused upset in the congregation and the police were called. The police noted that all the letters that had been typed were typed on the vicar’s typewriter and the letter that had been handwritten was in the vicar’s handwriting.
The next vicar was Rev William George McGowan was appointed in 1949. He was a “much loved and admired” vicar but decided to move on after just four years. At that point talk began again of closing old St Georges.
Rev John Penrose was appointed in 1954 and he stayed just three years. The building had fallen into disrepair again and cracks had begun to appear in the North wall. Architects’ reports showed that there were serious problems with the building and that is perhaps one of the reasons why John Penrose left the church.
In 1958 Rev William Radcliffe was appointed vicar and he too stayed just three years.
Third Old St Georges Church in the late 1950s/1960s. Note the cross on the wall which was illuminated at night.
Radcliffe was succeeded in 1962 by the last vicar of old St Georges Rev Micheal Hodge. Hodge remained vicar for five years until the church closure in 1967. Records show over 150 attended the final service in September 1967 and 80 attended the farewell dinner.
A great deal of effort was extended to try to preserve the building. In 1967 the Stalybridge Civic Society were interested in turning the building into a theatre. The Bishop agreed and said the building would be given as a gift to the town on condition that it would be maintained in a dignified manner. Unfortunately nothing came of this and the building was demolished.
Prior to demolition the majority stained glass windows were moved into storage; unfortunately they were later destroyed b a fire. The “Ruth and Naomi” window was moved to Mottram Parish Church. A number of the pews went to Holy Trinity, Bardsley, the Church Bell went to the Church of St Stephen, Astley and the font went to new St Georges in Stalybridge. The wooded reredos were sold to the Ealing FilmStudios along with one or two pews. The reredos was used on the set of the film “Cromwell”
The Cocker Hill churchyard remains today and you can still see the outline of old St Georges and the memorials to Rev Leeson and Rev Cape Atty.
New St Georges continues to be a living church. Website http://www.stg.org.uk/
Sources
Two into On will Go by Paul Denby ISBN 0 9515993 0 5
Looking back at Stalybridge ISBN 0904506150
Burial Records Old St Georges
If you want to know more I can definitely recommend the book “Two into one will go” by Paul Denby ISBN 0 9515993 0 5. The book has the full history of both churches together with a full chapter on the battle between Isaac Newton France and the ChurchWardens. There is also an account of the battle between Isaac Newton France and the Churchwardens in the book “Looking back at Stalybridge” Edited by Alice Lock ISBN 0 9515993 0 5.
Cocker Hill, Stalybridge 
Hi, our lives revolved round Old St Georges Church. I was a choir member, & as such attended church 3 times on Sundays. I was confirmed there. All our family were involved, being also Girl guides, my brothers were in the boys br igade. Our social lives were spent as was education at St Georges school Stalybridge (Stamford St) We had dances at the school, nativity plays, shows etc. Sports Days were held at the top of Ridge Hill. I passed my 11 plus to Grammar School (Hyde) from Old St Georges School. I have lots of memories of the Whit Walks walking behind the banner of Old St Georges. I was married at New St Georges, as was my brother. My sister, brother & brother in law are buried there. By coincidence my sister in law lives in the sheltered accomodation now standing almost on the site of OSG.I now live in Spain, so am now relying on my happy memories of our lives at the Church & school. Hilda Scott (nee Moore)
Thanks for your comments Hilda great to hear from you. It sounds like the Church was the life and soul of the area when you were here. Have you any photos of the church/Whit Walks/sports day you could copy and email or send me? I would love to add them to the this blog. It would add a bit of life and personality to what will otherwise be just be text book history. I live across the road from the old Churchyard and am today looking out at a very grey sky; whilst love my hills I would be tempted to trade you for a sunny Spanish view at the moment. Steph
Hello Hilda.
It’s Harold Moore, your nephew. It was a nice surprise to see your name on this blog. My email is harrymoore@me.com if you want to send me yours. Are you going to Edgar’s funeral at New St Georges? My mother is well.
I have been told that you can still buy “Two into one will go” by Paul Denby from New St Georges Church.
Does anyone remember anything about a ‘home’ of some kind the only details I have are of 1921 census a young girl relative was listed there as an inmate. The census calls it Old St George, Cocken Hill Stalybridge and I cannot find any trace of it or her since.
Any help woulod be appreciated.
Josy Booker
Hi Josy,
I plan to do a full post on “The Home” as and when I can find the time.
Who is it you are interested in?
I believe the home was “An institute for Fallen Women”. Hopefully a place where the inmates were given a helping hand to a life off the streets. Like you I can find no reference to the inmates after their time in the home but so far I have only done a limited search. It may be that they changed their names/emigrated once they finished their time in the home or maybe they went back to the streets and didn’t appear in further census returns. If you find out anything further let me know.
There is a good book about a Home for Fallen Women that Charles Dickens funded (see – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Charles-Dickens-House-Fallen-Women/dp/product-description/0413776433/ref=dp_proddesc_0/280-6624012-8757907?ie=UTF8&n=266239&s=books ) I don’t know if the home in Stalybridge was anything like the one he established but it is useful background reading, and I found it to be interesting and easy to read.
I also enjoyed reading Ruth by Elizabeth Gaskell, that book showed societies attitude to Fallen Women at the time.
The Matron of the home is interesting as when you look her up on previous census returns she is listed as a Bible Women. (see – http://www.infed.org/thinkers/ranyard.htm).
Hope that helps a bit,
Please keep me posted on how you get on with your reasearch. either by emailling cockerhill@hotmail.com or through the blog
All the best
Steph
I believe that the Martha A. Freeman listed in the 1901 census for the “Home”, married James Forsyth in 1910 at Yorkshire West Riding. She dies in 1961.
Thank you for the information. I really apreciate it. Nice to think of a happy ending for Martha, I’d like to look into all the ladies listed in the census and see how they got on. Are you researching your family tree? Is Martha on it?
Regards
Steph
I have a report into “the home” that gives more details into the work they did there. email me if you want a copy. Regards Steph
Hi Josey, Have you tried asking on the forum on the Tameside Family History Website http://www.tamesidefamilyhistory.co.uk/ they are really helpful and you might find somene else researching the same person as you.
Hi Steph
Hope you all are ok, have you seen the annual report on “the home”, if not i can send you a copy.
Best wishes
Jacquie
Hi Jacquie, how are you? sorry for not responding to your comment I have only just seen it. No I haven’t seen a report for the home. I’d be very grateful if you would send/email it. It might inspire me to get on with the blog. I’ll send you an email.
Regards
Steph
I attended Old St. Georges Church, was a Brownie and Girl Guide. Later I was a member of the Dramatic Society and took part in plays and pantomimes, was a Sunday School teacher and, like Hilda, was a member of the Church Choir, attending morning and evening services. I was married at the church in 1953 and my first daughter was christened there in 1955. I left Stalybridge in 1958 and moved to Poole in Dorset, where I still live. I have very fond memories of Old St. Georges, and lots of lovely friends. I always feel sad when I think about the church being demolished. Best wishes to any of my old aquaintances, June Leigh (nee Whiteley).
Hi June, thanks for your comments. Good to hear from you. It sounds like the church was a lot of fun in the past. A number of people have talked about the activities and family occasions they enjoyed there. Have you any photos you could scan and send me? It would be great to see them and put them on here for everyone else to see.
The churchyard looks great today. Its a sunny autumn day and the trees have just turned gold. It is my very favourite time. I’m tempted to take some more photos today.
Thanks again for your comment.
Steph
I have lived at Prospect House, Cocker Hill, for 26 years. The previous owner was Mr Charlesworth.
When I purchased the property I was told that it was previously the vicarage for Old St Georges. I was also told at the time that the vicar took in “fallen women”.
In the cellars there is evidence that they were once living quarters for possible servants. I discovered a bell wire presumably to summon the servants.
Another interesting feature was the fact that the front door was at the rear of the house which led to the church, via a walkway along the top of the steep
wall. I have seen pictures of a 3 house terrace between Prospect House & Old St Georges, There are now garages on the sit of the old terrace.
Another point of interest is the fact that there was an illuminated blue cross on the roof of Old St Georges that was easily visible from the old market ground, which I remember quite vividly in the early sixties.
I would be extremely interested in any verification of the the points I have mentioned.
Denvee Whittaker
Hi Denvee – Great to hear from you. I’d love to find out more about your house.
I know a little about The Home for Fallen Women. I have a copy of one years annual report. I’m not sure of “the homes” location though. The report shows the address was 27 Cocker Hill, however, I don’t think number 27 could house that many people; also the census returns that include the home also include number 27 with different people there so I need to do more digging.
I’ll see if your house is listed separately on the returns and that will give us a clue if it could be yours.
Do you have access to the deeds for you house? That is where I found details of previous owners for mine. I got the details of the previous tenants front the census returns. I can get those for your house if you want them.
As far as I’m aware there was never an official Church of England owned Vicarage for Old St Georges. At one time Rock House was owned by one of the vicars personally and people tell me number 39 was once a Vicarage too.
I have just been given a copy of a photo of Old St Georges with the cross on it. I’ll put it on here soon.
Let me know if you want to come down and look at the report on the home and see the Photos and maps I have have. email me cockerhill@hotmail.com.
Great to hear from you. Steph.
Hi Steph,
Thanks for the prompt reply.
I dug out the deeds which are barely legible not helped by the legal jargon. What has emerged is, a conveyance in 1898 from William Clowes Birch Esq. to Mr Hezekiah Sykes refers to the name of the property as “The Home”.
Also interesting is a conveyance made in 1858 which refers to Cocker Hill as Turnpike Road.
I will have to do more digging, as like yourself, I can’t find any record of it being a vicarage or being owned by a vicar.
I am pleased that you have obtained a picture of the church cross that I referred to. Can’t wait to see it, as all the pictures of the church that I have seen, do not have the illuminated cross.
Happy New Year
Den
Hi Den
Sounds like your house was “The Home” then. Possibly mystery solved. “The home” is listed on the 1891 Census for Cocker Hill and Prospect House isn’t. The home appears to be at the top end of Cocker Hill judging from the addresses that it appears near on the census return i.e number 45, then Cocker Hill House, then “The Home” Then Rock Bank.
Perhaps “The Home” was established at number 27 (renting I think) and moved to your house when it got more occupants. Your next job is to look at your deeds again and find out when it was purchased prior to its sale in 1898 to see if that date ties up too.
Do you want to write me a guest post about your house to put on here with some photos?
I’ll try to put the picture of the Church with its illuminated sign on here next.
Regards Steph
Hi Steph,
Would you be interested in seeing the old deeds. As I’m sure you may be able to piece together some important facts to go some way to understand the history of Cocker Hill.
I would also like some pointers to assist me to write a guest post.
Let me know what you think.
Best regards
Den
That would be great. I’d love to see the deeds. You can have a copy of the annual report from the home. I’ll email you my contact details.
Thanks Steph,
I’ll wait for your details.
Den.
hi I have just seen your blog, about cocker hill, my parents were married at old St George’s church, in 1931, my dads sisters also were married one in 1923 /1926, my grandmother Clara, lived at the no76 cocker hill, at Hill Crest in 1931 when she married George white, from Herod liked your story on the church really interesting history, yours joyce
Hi Joyce, thanks for your comments. Hill Creast looks a lovely house. I’m glad you liked the story of the Church. There is a good book with the full history of the Church in it called “Two into One Will Go” by Paul Denby. There is a copy in the Library and you can buy it from New St Georges Church. I’ve just put up some pictures of the interior of the Church I have been sent. You might like to see those too.
Regards
Stephanie
I am happy to have found this website. My ancestors Hall & Hadfield are buried in old St George Churchyard. My great great grandfather Isaac Hall left Staleybridge to serve with British Army in India 1848. He was transferred from Army to Indian Telegraph Dept and was killed in the Indian Mutiny 1857 in the Chanda area. His name is recorded on the Telegraph Memorial outside the Old Telegraph Office in Delhi. His wife Mary ( Rodgers) went to India with him. They had 3 daughters born out there of whom 2 died ( cholera). Tamar Hall returned to England and married Walter Wilde the brewer for Hardy’s Crown Brewery on Renshaw Street until his retirement and then his son Fred Wilde became brewer. I look forward to visiting the cemetery next year & hope to find Tamar Hall’s grave.
[…] on the blog. Wasn’t that kind? I’ll also add the photos to the relevant posts about the church and churchyard but wanted to get them up now so that regular reader can see them straight […]
Your post on John and Peggy Kershaw was very useful! I could not figure out which John Kershaw to follow. There is a John Kershaw who married Ann Hall who is the sister of Neddy Hall, that you mention, and who ended up in Oldham, and there is the John Kershaw, sexton of Old St. George. The John Kershaw, sexton, is the son of Hugh Kershaw, cotton manufacturer of Stalybridge, and my 4x great grandfather. It’s tragic how many people died during those early 1800’s, but this, by far, is the worst I’ve seen. God bless.
Also, I love the book Bygone Stalybridge, by Samuel Hill!
Have you any idea how cocker hill got its name. My family called Cocker came from the Stockport area iin the late 1800s early 1900’s is there any connection with this surname and the name of the hill?
Peter