Newsletter May 2012

Newsletter May 2012.
NEWSLETTER MAY 2012.

Dear Member

Starting with an apology for the late arrival of this newsletter – there has been a lot going on. And moving on to an urgent plea for help.

Several members of the current committee wish to retire at the AGM in October, including the Chairman and Treasurer, leaving only four who are willing to continue. All have put in years of service to the society, and it is time for someone else to take over. If the society is to continue, we need new committee members and especially people willing to take on the roles of Chairman and Treasurer.

Without the three main officers – Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary we cannot continue.

Please think about this and, if you could help, or know someone who would do, please let the secretary know before 20th August, otherwise the AGM in October will be the last for Timperley Civic Society.

Have we heard anything about…?
St John’s Church, Thorley Lane – no news. The church is now a Listed Building, with all the restrictions involved with that.

Watling Gate, Leys Road, off Park Road – News at last – that a lease has finally been agreed between Trafford MBC and the Heritage Trust for the Northwest, so we should see some progress with this.
Paul House – Sainsbury’s – Planning application has been made to put four empty shop units into one, bringing forward to the outer edge of the ‘buttresses’ and extending at the rear.
Lots of people attended the consultation day and made their comments about traffic, noise, etc, and Sainsbury’s have taken these into consideration in making the application (But they have some very strange ideas about public transport – do you think the proposed shop would be ‘easily accessible’ from Timperley Metrolink Station?)
They have also applied for a licence to sell alcohol – it says ‘between 6 a.m. and midnight.’

Meetings Report
October’s Quiz night – 34 people there enjoyed a good quiz, and the usual good food.
December’s talk on Fire Safety in the Home could have been cut short as we had the full team of 5 on duty.
The watch commander gave us advice about smoke alarms, and answered questions, while two fire-fighters stayed in the engine outside just in case of a call(We saved them a mince pie each.)
January’s talk about Oscar Wilde was very interesting and a good, lively speaker.
February saw us sailing round the World with the BT Global Yacht Challenge with all the storms and mishaps. Keith Moore brought some of his kit including heavy all-in-one water-proofs – a struggle to get into.
If you get lost or injured around Manchester don’t worry, Oldham Mountain Rescue will get you home – March’s talk was a fascinating story of the rescue volunteers, their training, and innovative methods of accessing awkward places, thoroughly enjoyable.
Our speaker for April spoke about his ‘Left-handed Life’. As a sculptor, he lost his right hand in a car accident. His experiences captured our interest and he was very amusing. (Sorry I missed it, Naomi said he was a ‘hoot’.)
The life of Colonel Charles Newton and his house Watling Gate were the topic for May’s talk by George Cogswell. Both Charles and his father James were civil engineers and specialising in drainage and water supply. Charles was interested in history and based his house on examples from the Arts and Crafts style. He also studied the old local records for Timperley and wrote brief notes (typescript at Trafford Local Studies Library).

Planning Applications

Over the last few months, there have not been as many planning applications coming through, but we have commented on the plans for more football pitches and flood-lighting at Manor Farm on Ridgeway Road (that used to be the Civic Service Sports Club).
Facilities for sport, especially for children, are welcomed – but – we feel this will increase the problem of traffic using Ridgeway Road (especially coaches), and the lighting will be intrusive for neighbours and disturb the wildlife along Brook’s Drive and the fields off Clay Lane.

Recent plans include:
The Grange Sport and Social Club (previously known as the Labour Club) has an application for development for housing on the whole site including the bowling green. [77993/FULL/2012]
Holly Tree Farm, Clay Lane, Timperley – plans have been approved for conversion of the barn to living accommodation. The buildings and paddock were for sale in December on www.frankmarshall.co.uk
Crosby’s on Wood Lane have put in plans for their Old Laundry Nursery, for housing development. They are cramped for space on the site and plan to move out into Cheshire.
On Park Road bridge, a plan for advertising signs by a Turkish restaurant.
RRG Toyota on Manchester Road are applying to demolish the pair of old houses next door and extend their site. [78514/FULL/2012]
The closed Co-op shop (ex-Hanbury’s) has an application by the Co-op to divide it back into two units. (The left-hand part was previously a butcher’s shop.)
Advertising banners on lighting columns – 8 on Stockport Road between the Stonemason’s Arms and the railway bridge and 2 at the start of Thorley Lane.[78489/AA/2012]

Tidbits of News

Timperley pubs were featured in Opening Times – the CAMRA regional magazine for November 2011.
Some of you may have seen the Hale and Altrincham Handbook – you can pick up copies in the library. The November issue No.82 includes a few photos taken at Timperley Country Fair – lots more available for free from their website www.haahandbook.co.uk
Also – try doing an internet search for: Timperley Videos. Lots of interesting stuff there, including footage of the Country Fair.
Did you see ‘Homes Under the Hammer’ on TV in September? – it featured an ex-police house in Timperley; also it’s rumoured that Phil Spencer was seen filming at an estate agents in the village.

The new care home on the Battman’s nursery site on Deansgate Lane had an advert in last week’s paper – so getting near to opening soon.

Orchard plantings
Back in December, Dave Rome (the Green Space man for Trafford) organised for fruit trees to be planted at Timperley Moat site and on Larkhill. Old named varieties of apple and pear trees were planted.
Dave is on the lookout for any remaining old fruit trees in the area. (Some houses have old trees in their gardens left from the farms and big houses that used to be there.)
DNA testing may be able to identify the variety and cuttings can be taken to ensure we don’t lose the old varieties with their individual characteristics.

Closed:
The Village School (Bowden Prep Kindergarten) has been closed since Christmas. Wonder what will be next for the old school?
Ian Moore’s greengrocers closed after Christmas, don’t know what’s happening there.
Rook’s has closed – after nearly 100 years, we’ve finally lost our traditional ironmonger’s shop – completely cleared of all fittings. What next for that corner?

80th Anniversary – Time for a Blue Plaque?

80 years ago Benny Rothman was arrested – as one of the leaders of the ‘Kinder Trespass’, for walking on the moors in the Peak District.
He and his wife lived in Timperley on Crofton Avenue and he died in 2002 aged 90. Benny was a political activist, wrote articles for the Altrincham Guardian and the Timperley Independent and supported protests against development at Davenport Greenn.
He came in his wheelchair to the Public Enquiry about the Trafford UDP when we were fighting against building on all of Aimson Road field.
It’s been suggested we should commemorate Benny formally, in Timperley. Any ideas?

When is Timperley NOT Timperley?
Recent planning applications have shown up that parts of Timperley have gone ‘up market’ and are now considered to be in Hale. Confusion could follow, with people trying to find ‘Hale Country Club and Spa’ on Clay Lane, but not on Clay Lane, Hale. Local Ward boundary changes are to blame. So that now Clay Lane, Timperley, and one side of Ridgway Road are in Hale Barns Ward, and parts of West Timperley are in Broadheath Ward – Very messy.

Timperley Walks
We now have another new Timperley Walks leaflet. Hazel and Naomi tested Timperley Walk no. 6: Railways and Factories: Black Bridge & Skelton Junction.

With No. 5 ‘Bombs and Boggarts’ I think this makes the full set now. We will have them at Timperley Country Fair (or phone for a copy) price 50p each.

Don’t forget Timperley Trekkers walk out on Wednesdays – check posters for dates.

More Timperley news is available from Broomwood Community Association wesite – www.broomwoodvoice.com G-Force website is www.g-force.org.uk

FUTURE EVENTS – Please watch out for the location of events

Sat 8th September 2012 Timperley Country Fair on Larkhill, Thorley Lane 10 – 3.30

Tues 30 October 2012 A.G.M. at Larkhill Centre, Thorley Lane, 7.30 p.m.

Timperley Civic Society web site: www.timperleycivicsociety.org.uk

Have you seen the Messenger’s ‘Timperley District’ page on its website? Have a look and add a comment: http:/www.messengernewspapers.co.uk/news/timperleydistrict/

Please note revised EMAIL ADDRESS. You can now only send us an email via the website www.timperleycivicsociety.org.uk

Hazel Pryor. 0161-980 5464.