Shrigley celebrated its 200th birthday in style with the Swingtime Singers and local singer Ian Singleton
A huge birthday party was held in Shrigley recently as it celebrated 200 years since its foundation.
Villagers and former residents celebrated in style with 14 different events.
One of the highlights that will live long in the memory for those who were there was an open air concert in front of the Martin Memorial clock tower, on the old Main Street of the former mill village.
More than 200 people listened to the Swingtime Starlets recreating the era of swing and jive that American soldiers, who were based in the village’s Martin Hall during the Second World War, would have danced to.
The ladies were given a standing ovation at the end.
For more than a year a group has been planning a range of events to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the foundation of the village by John Martin, who established one of the largest linen mills in the British Isles and built a paternalistic village around it in 1824.
The programme of events was supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
CHECK OUT 74 PHOTOS FROM SHRIGLEY 200.
One of the centrepieces of the weekend was the unveiling of a special permanent wall mural, created by Joanne McCrum and featuring more than 100 photos that were loaned by family members who brought them along to a series of workshops and meetings.
The chair of The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Northern Ireland Committee, Mukesh Sharma, travelled to Shrigley to unveil the memory wall on Saturday.
Mr Sharma said he was delighted to be in Shrigley and praised the community spirit on display.
“We are really pleased to be able to support this series of history-based events. Thanks to National Lottery players, residents and those visiting and connected to the village have been able to delve into the heritage of the area with new information boards and a photo mural providing a lasting legacy to the project.”
A huge marquee had to be erected to host events and it was the venue for a temporary exhibition of photos and items with a Shrigley connection which was also a big draw.
It was opened by former councillor Sam Osborne whose family have represented the village for more than 50 years.
A fully revised and updated history of the village, Farewell to Dear Old Shrigley, was launched by the former MP for the village, Baroness Margaret Ritchie. Copies of the book are available from Beth Barrett’s in Killyleagh.
Saturday started with the Shrigley olympics for primary schoolchildren. They raced on the area which once constituted Main Street in the old village. The prizes were presented by Patricia Oakes, whose husband Essie organised the event for many years. Mrs Oakes was presented with the first souvenir copy of the limited edition print of drawings that has been created to mark the 200th anniversary.
CHECK OUT 74 PHOTOS FROM SHRIGLEY 200.
The focus of the afternoon was a `Back to Shrigley Day’ for people with a connection returning to the village from all over the world. A specially created Shrigley 200 selfie frame proved popular.
Sixteen members of one family travelled from Scotland for the event, while one of the Jewish families who helped save Shrigley with its leather tannery, the daughter of Nicola Vermes, travelled to attend from Paris. Matthew Stackpole and his wife Martha, and daughter travelled from the USA.
The winner of a special Belleek pottery prize was Theresa Finlay (nee Woodside) who travelled more than 10,500 miles from Victoria in Australia especially to attend the celebrations. She pipped another woman, Jacquie McCoy, who flew 10,300 miles from New South Wales to return to the Shrigley roots of her grandparents Mary Ann Withers and Robert Clarke.
Families had the opportunity to plot on a memory map, dating back to 1966 before the bulldozers moved in, who lived where in the old village.
The festival also featured entertainment from Shrigley-born Ian Singleton over two nights and concluded with a community event in the marquee on Sunday night, attended by 200 people – appropriate for the 200th year.
CHECK OUT 74 PHOTOS FROM SHRIGLEY 200.
