"PRESERVING AND
PROMOTING THE HISTORY OF CHADDERTON"
Chadderton, a town of some 33,000 people
lies in the foothills of the Pennines in the south-east of the county
of Lancashire. It is situated on the edge of the Lancashire coalfield,
and is drained by the River Irk and several of its tributaries. The
land is generally undulating, rising from around 90 metres [300 feet]
above sea level in the west to about 140 metres [450 feet] in the east,
although the hilliest parts are in the north where a maximum of 155
metres [509 feet] is reached at Chadderton Heights.
The name Chadderton - ancient alternatives
being Chatterton and Chatherton - is derived from the Celtic 'Cader' or
'Cater' signifying a fortified place in the hills, with the Anglo-Saxon
suffix 'tun' indicating a settlement. After the Norman Conquest the
township formed the south-eastern boundary of the Fee or Estate of
Tottington, with the Barons Montbegon of Hornby Castle, near Lancaster,
and later the Barons Lacy of Clitheroe Castle, as the great overlords.
Under the feudal system Chadderton had its
own local lords, and the Manor of Chadderton and Foxdenton was of
importance at county and national level, providing Lancashire
with six High Sheriffs, and the Isle of Man with a Governor. Other
members of the manorial families resident at Chadderton and Foxdenton
Halls, were to be knighted by various monarchs for services to the
nation ad crown. The most famous people who were descended from the
original manorial family were William Chadderton, Bishop of Chester and
later Lincoln, and Lawrence Chadderton, first Master of Emmanuel
College, Cambridge, and one of the co-translaters of the Authorized
Version of the Bible.
Within the Duchy and County Palatine of
Lancashire, Chadderton formed part of the Hundred of Salford for civil
jurisdiction. In 1873, a Local Board of Health was formed to administer
the growing town and, in 1894, this became an Urban District Council of
eighteen members. For ecclesiastical purposes Chadderton was originally
part of the Parish of Prestwich-cum-Oldham, within the extensive
Diocese of Lichfield. This was later divided to form the Diocese of
Chester, and eventually the Diocese of Manchester.
The
Chadderton Historical Society was founded in May
1975, just twelve months after local government
re-organisation and in the past quarter century has undergone periods of
expansion and consolidation . Our first
meeting place was the historic old school in Healds Green, which
dates from 1789, and it was amid such rural
surroundings that the Society became established on the local
scene.
Eventually
the need to find a more suitable location,closer to the centre of
Chadderton life and more convenient for public
transport, led to the Society approaching Oldham
MBC in 1986, to enquire about the use of Chadderton Central Library for
meetings, displays of material and storage of artefacts. Support and
permission were forthcoming and in May 1987, the Twelfth A.G.M. was the
first meeting to be held at the library.
As the
membership increased, and our archives continued to grow, it became
obvious that premises of our own, where permanent displays of material
could be exhibited, were required in the long term. In 1996, the
Society took its first step towards obtaining suitable premises in
Chadderton Town Centre where a 'Heritage Centre' could
be established. This project has not been without its problems but is
is hoped that in the not to distant future we will see the scheme
become a reality.
Back
in 1991, the Society was re-organised, gained charitable status, and
adopted a constitution. In this document our main objective is stated
to be: "...to promote the advancement of education by developing public
interest in all aspects of local history."
In
furtherance of this objective the Society is empowered to:
a) Undertake original
research into aspects of Chadderton's history;
b) Make
available to the public the results of such research;
c)
Undertake the compilation and organisation of local history material
which shall form the archives of the Society;
d) Undertake the organisation of
displays of
local history material.
e) Carry
out archaeological excavations with guidance from professional bodies;
f)
Provide comment and give advice, when required, on matters appertaining
to the history and heritage of Chadderton;
g) Invite
guest speakers to address members of the Society on subjects of a
historical nature;
h)
Organise visits to places of local and general interest.
The Constitution
