Sandbach History Society was started by a group of enthusiasts in the 1970’s. The late Lawrence Massey was the president and the late Dr Randle Bennett was vice president. Meetings have taken place on the first Tuesday of the month from September to May in the Marriott Room at Sandbach Library .
A Keele University adult education local history course ran between 1981 and 1983. The tutor Robert Speake MA encouraged and supported students to carry out research from original and secondary sources. One piece of work undertaken by class members the late Eric Riley and Aileen Thompson was the transcription of the tithe apportionment and marking of field names onto the tithe map.
In the 1990s interest in family history and the desire to find out about the lives of family members resulted in a request for resources to be made available at Sandbach Library so that people did not have to travel to Chester. Sandbach History Society Committee arranged for Cheshire Record Office to provide a reader and films and fiche of the census and parish registers. Copies of maps, plans trade directories and other resource are also available at the library.
The Society has a good relationship with Cheshire Archives and Local Studies and is a member of the Cheshire Local History Association. There is also a close relationship with the Family History Society of Cheshire. Mrs Aileen Thompson, the administrative officer of Sandbach History Society, works closely with both the Cheshire Local History Association and the Family History Society of Cheshire serving on the executive committee of both bodies.
The Society is an informal education provider offering monthly talks and presentations on local history in the context of regional and national history. It supports individuals and groups who are carrying out research. If the Society committee cannot supply the answer, they invariably know someone who can and are able to suggest avenues of research.
Recent talks have included the following :
- The Diary of Ernest Wakefield of Elworth by Edward Hilditch (various talks)
- Bygone Sandbach by Pauline and Stephen Minshull
- Cranage Forge by Jim Sutton
- A Crewe Factory Girl – The Life of Ada Nield Chew by Graham Dodd
- The Middlewich Thirteen by Philip Andrews
- Peover Hall and the Mainwarings by David Young
- A Celebration of Salt by Graham Dodd
- John Whitehurst, an 18th Century Polymath by Ian Doughty
- Apedale Mine in North Staffordshire by Les Mason
- George Latham and the Bradwall Reformatory School by Richard Vickery
New members are always welcome and you will find a link to our programme for 2024-25 on the menu bar. Please download and print the membership form here and send it to the address given.