Shrigley to see weekend of fun for 200th anniversary
A weekend of events is to be held to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the foundation of the former mill village of Shrigley.
The organisers have announced a number of the highlights of a community festival which is taking place from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 August.
The highlight will be a `Back to Shrigley Day‘ for people with a connection to the village from all over the world, returning to the village.
On this day a massive permanent photo wall mural which features more than 100 photographs of life in the village of its tannery and people will be unveiled.
The project has been overseen by Joanne McCrum, and features a short history of the village which was founded in 1824 by John Martin. He built a paternalistic, model village around his linen mill, at the time one of the biggest in Great Britain.
On this day there will be a sports morning for primary school-aged children, organised along the lines of that held in the past by the late Essie Oakes and his village committee.
Families will have the opportunity to plot on a virtual map, dating back to 1966 before the bulldozers moved in, who lived where in the old village.
The stand out event is an appearance by the Swing Time Starlets on the night of Saturday 10 August.
Villagers are being asked to relive the dance hall era of Shrigley’s Martin Hall with this all-professional close harmony, vintage trio as they perform songs from wartime, Holywood’s Golden Age of swing and retro pop.
“We are hoping that the weather is good enough for this to take place in the open air. As there is no longer a hall in the village, we are erecting a marquee on the old Main Street.
“There is free admission for this evening which has been sponsored by Killyleagh Community Shop,” said secretary of Shrigley 200 Chris Hagan.
Chris added: “Another musical evening will see Shrigley-born Ian Singelton perform at Shrigley Sings in a night of nostalgia, plus an evening of bingo in the marquee.
“The organising group has been planning for 13 months and has tried to organise events for all age groups.
“One of the novel events allows young boys and girls to follow in the footsteps of the village’s international footballer Hugh Henry Davey in a competition for Shrigley’s football penalty kings and queens, sponsored by Elvis Kirk skip hire.
The chief purpose of the weekend is to recall the lost village of Main Street, Bank Row and River Row, the mill workers and tannery workers, and there are a number of history-based events.
“There will be two history walking trails of old Shrigley,” added Chris Hagan. “The original village was swept away between 1968 and 1970 and people will be asked on the walking trail how well they know the original village? Where was Bank Row? Pump Loney? and Shrigley National School?
“And a fully revised and updated history of the village, Farewell to Dear Old Shrigley, is to be published to coincide with the anniversary.
“The Shrigley 200 event is being supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.”
“We have drawn together a programme which we believe reflects the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s vision for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future.
“We would like to rekindle Shrigley’s pride in place and its connection to its amazing past.”
The opening commemoration in May recalled the tannery years with an event to honour the Jewish pioneers of the tannery who saved the village in 1939.
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