Windmill Square - Macclesfield

[Chris in 1066Land]

My ancestors spent more than 250 years in the Cotton & Silk Mills of Macclesfield before moving to other parts of the country (Notts, Staffs, Derby - all sites of Silk Mills)

The family owned the corner shop in Windmill Square for nigh on 100 years, plus we occupied at least 4 of the 12 houses in that square as well as premises in Fountain Street and Mill Street where we had a confectionary shop.

I want to put more flesh on the bones of my ancestors and obtain more photographs or images like the one below (corner shop in Windmill Square) as it seems that most of the propery has now been demolished and redeveloped.

I thank you for your attention

Chris in 1066Land (Hastings)

[peterbennett]

Hi Chris
          Found this photo today. As the crow flies it wouldn't have been more than about 75 yards from Windmill Square.

peterbennett

[Chris in 1066Land]

Hi there Peter

Thanks for the picture, but now you have got me confused.

I thought St Peters Church was at Prestbury and the church at the top of the street near Windmill Square was called St Michaels.

But, it seems my ancestors preferred to use Christchurch which was a bit further away, but still quite close - all the family gravestones inscriptions I have came from the yard of Christchurch.

But I do appreciate the thought Peter and thanks once again.

Chris in 1066Land

[peterbennett]

Hi Chris
           St. Peters Windmill St. was built in 1849 and became a seperate parish about 1898, prior to this the area would come under the mother church of St. Peters Prestbury as were around 20 other townships encircling Macclesfield.
           The main church in Macclesfield centre is St. Michaels,this served only the parishioners in and around  central Macclesfield, and dates back to around 11/12 c.
       In the mid 1700's there was a falling out between some of the towns wealthy mill owners and the stalwarts of St. Michaels it was decided that another church would be built, and so Christ Church was built in 1775 at the expense of Charles Roe, a leading entrepreneur in the town's silk industry. The tower, with its peal of 10 bells was added in 1777. The disproportionate tower height is the result of the founder's insistence that it should appear higher on the Macclesfield skyline than St. Michael's. It has internal galleries, with cast iron supporting columns on three sides of the nave. Most of the original box pews remain. It closed in 1983, but is still maintained by the Churches Conservation Trust.
        The afore mentioned Charles Roe was responsable around 1750 for establishing some copper mining interests in and around the distict. His works for smelting and casting where built just of Windmill Street, hence the names of Brasshouse St. Copper St. Calamine St and Black Road. One area of houses close by ( now demolished ) were always  known to us locals as the smelt houses. If your ancestors were in the Windmill St. area in the late 1700's then Mr Roe as the local benifacter I am sure would have encouraged  them to worship at his church.
        I wil post some photos of Christ Church and Prestbury.
regards

peterbennett  

[peterbennett]

St. Peters Prestbury

[peterbennett]

Christ Church Macclesfield

[peterbennett]

Christ Church Interia

[Chris in 1066Land]

Thanks Peter

That is the church we visited some years ago and did manage to get inside although it was closed at the time.

I was very dissappointed to find all the stones in the yard lieing down, and could not find any from my ancestors, although I know (according to the transcriptions) that there should be some - perhaps they were a couple or more face down - do you know if any were used or transported elsewhere to be used.

This is the transcript of the main stone which we are led to believe was on the edge of the present day carpark:

Macclesfield Christchurch - Monumental Inscriptions.
Grave No 538, Plot C, On edge of Car Park :

Here lies the remains of SAMUEL SWARBROOKE who departed yhis
life Nov 24th 1834 aged 67 years.
Here lie also the remains of BETTY wife of SAMUEL SWARBROOKE who
departed this life June 2nd 1833 aged 64 years.
Here lies the body of JOHN son of SAMUEL and BETTY SWARBROOKE
who died March 23rd 1817 aged 25 years (verse)
Also GEORGE son of the above named SAMUEL and BETTY SWARBROOKE
who departed this life Oct 8th 1845 aged 38 years
Also HARRIET MOSS daughter of JOHN and MARTHA SWARBROOKE who
died Jan 1st 1859 aged 43 years.

and

Macclesfield St Micheal - Monumental Inscription
Stone No 589, Section C, Near Wall and Railings :

Also NANCY SWARBROOKE daughter to the above ANN SWARBROOK who
died Oct 6th 1839 aged 79 years, Also WILLIAM son of JOSEPH and
HANNAH SWARBROOKE and a grandson to the above NANCY SWARBROOKE
who died Jan 5th 1833 aged 20 years.
Also HANNAH SWARBROOKE died Apr 5th 1836 aged 14 years
Also WILLIAM SWARBROOKE died Jan 29th 1837 aged 76 years.
Also ANN SWARBROOK died Aug 31st 1838 aged 21 years.
Also NANCY SWARBROOK who died Aug 5th 1848 aged 68 years.
Also JOSEPH SWARBROOK who departed this life Jan 17th 1850 aged
66 years

Have you any idea where they dissappeared to

Chris in 1066Land

[Sandra Massey]

Hello Chris,

I have just registered with RootsChat tonight.  I cannot for some reason access your photo of Windmill Square, but my grandparents used to live at 7 Dean Street, which was a small cul-de-sac off Windmill Square.  I spent a lot of time there in the 50's and 60's.  I also remember there were two shops, one on the corner and another one on the left as you turned off Windmill Hill just before you entered the square proper.  There was also an 'oatcake' bakery at the top of Dean Street just next to the 'hole in the wall' entrance to the playing field.  I also seem to recall there was some sort of Chapel opposite to the shop on the corner.  I believe all of it is now demolished, although I have not been back for many years as I now live in Chester. 
I hope you have found some of this detail of interest, if not please excuse my nostalgic ramblings.

Best regards
Sandra