Desperately Seeking

Desperately Seeking includes a “potted history” on old newspapers in the Upper Calder Valley, in reply to Trisha Blackburn’s query (issue 10).

Early newspapers included “The Plain Speaker, to the Plain People, upon Plain Subjects,” published in Todmorden in 1830. Nothing is known of it except the name.

“Todmorden and Hebden-Bridge Advertiser and General News-letter,” priced one penny and first published in November 1853, laid the foundations for the “Todmorden News.”

Riveting reads in the first issue included a serial, “The Rival Sisters of the Vale of Todmorden,” a letter from “Justice” complaining about the unfairness of local employers and a report of the theft of “the club box, books and papers belonging to the Female Society” at Eastwood Chapel.

The advert of the founder, Richard Chambers, not surprisingly took up a large space: as well as being a printer, bookseller and binder he also sold flutes, violins, violin strings, horse-hair, resin and clarionette reeds, undertook paper hanging, ran a circulating library and was agent for an insurance company. Busy man indeed!

Can you help the following?

Craig Walker
Via e-mail

My great uncle, Jack Holt, had a full military funeral, the procession from Pine Road, Todmorden, to Cloughfoot Church. He fought at Gallipoli in 1915 and died at home shortly after, but that is all I know. Can anyone shed any light?

Pat Kennedy
Coventry

My partner and I recently bought a cottage for our retirement at 162 Bacup Road, Todmorden. It is the end one of six which used to be called “Brass Knobs Row,” we understand. Do any readers know anything about these cottages?

Please note: “Milltown Memories” is unable to undertake research of any kind on behalf of readers. Answers to queries, including e-mails, should include the postal address and phone number.

Read the full story in Milltown Memories, issue 11. If this or other stories stirs a memory, we'd be happy to know - send us your memories and comments.