Marple Website Community Calendar
Updates and Announcements => Main Web Site Updates => Topic started by: admin on December 04, 2017, 11:13:07 AM
-
The new look, mobile friendly Marple Website has gone live for the first time this morning at www.marple.website
It's going to take a while to transition from old to new and as there's almost 20 years of material on the old site it's probably going to take a long while to complete!
I would very much appreciate your thoughts and comments on how it can be improved and what you'd like to see added or moved over first.
Some of the key new features are:
A brand new Community Directory that features local community groups and organisations: http://www.marple.website/community.html
These include:
Children's Groups and Activities (which replaces the old Children's Page) http://www.marple.website/community/childrens-groups-and-activites.html
A section featuring the web site's sponsors: http://www.marple.website/community/sponsors.html
The Pub Guide has been transferred: http://www.marple.website/community/pubs-in-marple.html
I've tried to find all the places you can eat out: http://www.marple.website/community/eating-out-in-marple.html
And eat in with a takeaway too: http://www.marple.website/community/take-aways-in-marple.html
The Virtual Tour of Marple Locks has been upgraded: http://www.marple.website/virtual-tour-of-marple-locks.html
Marple Hall and Samuel Oldknow history sections have been transferred: http://www.marple.website/local-history.html
And much more too......go and have a look!
The black and white artwork at top and bottom of the pages was created by artist Jo Wright. See how many different Marple locations you can spot.
For those of you that use Facebook, you can also now follow The Marple Website there: www.facebook.com/The-Marple-Website (https://www.facebook.com/The-Marple-Website-397072510729322/)
-
Looks good mark! Although I think the title banner needs to be a bit bigger as I thought I'd accidentally gone into a landscapers website! I'd I'd prefer the forum link to be nearer the top.
-
Looks good mark! Although I think the title banner needs to be a bit bigger as I thought I'd accidentally gone into a landscapers website! I'd I'd prefer the forum link to be nearer the top.
Alison
I agree, t's not at all obvious though I suspect it's one of the things that is looked at most
-
Looks good mark! Although I think the title banner needs to be a bit bigger as I thought I'd accidentally gone into a landscapers website! I'd I'd prefer the forum link to be nearer the top.
Do you mean when you view it on a mobile @alison ? It's quite big on a full width screen but shrinks to fit.
Be helpful to know what you're viewing it on.
I'll see what I can do about the forum link - again, that's near the top on a full screen but rearranges further down on smaller devices.
Would it help if it was part of the top menu?
-
On an iPad in portrait. It looks better in landscape. I think it is because the banner adverts are a similar height to the title banner in portrait so they get a bit lost. The adverts go side by side in landscape so the title looks more prominent. Re the forum link its about half way down under the community hub bit. I found it but it initially took a bit of searching as I'm used to it being visible in the top of the home page. Hth Alison
-
On an iPad in portrait. It looks better in landscape. I think it is because the banner adverts are a similar height to the title banner in portrait so they get a bit lost. The adverts go side by side in landscape so the title looks more prominent. Re the forum link its about half way down under the community hub bit. I found it but it initially took a bit of searching as I'm used to it being visible in the top of the home page. Hth Alison
Yes, on an iPad it looks better full size rather than portrait as the banner ads expand to fill the space one above the other. Once you get on a smaller size it looks better again.
I've added the Forum link to the top menu. It is also linked from the "Forum and Notice Board" graphic in the inner right column (which is similar to where it was on the old site).
[attachment deleted by admin]
-
Marple Hall was one of the first subjects covered on the original Marple Website way back in 1998.
On the new site the pages have all been updated including great new images of the hall.
If you've got history homework, this is the place to go! https://www.marple.website/local-history/marple-hall.html
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DRZU4KpWAAAYPY0.jpg)
-
The wonderful Marple's Changing Face by the late Gordon Mills has been moved across to the new web site this afternoon:
https://www.marple.website/local-history/marples-changing-face-by-gordon-mills.html
https://youtu.be/EwkhVPIYQ9s
-
The article about the Marple Hall Sale in 1929 has been moved across to the new site and updated.
It now includes details about the more recently discovered link to Agatha Christie, courtesy of Friends of Marple Station:
https://www.marple.website/local-history/marple-hall/marple-hall-sale.html
(https://visitmarple.co.uk/photos/albums/uploads/new/marplehall/marple-hall-silverware-in-dining-room.jpg)
-
You may have recently seen an article in the Review newspaper about Alan Proctor and his "Recollections of Hawk Green".
Alan's stories have been featured on the old site since 2011 and as a Boxing Day treat they have been migrated from the old site to a single new page with more photos on the new web site:
https://www.marple.website/local-history/recollections-of-hawk-green.html (https://www.marple.website/local-history/recollections-of-hawk-green.html)
(https://visitmarple.co.uk/photos/albums/uploads/new/pride-2012/Marple045.jpg)
-
Can't believe it's nearly 18 years since the Marple Hall shutters were installed in Marple Library!
The old article has been updated and migrated to the new site today:
https://www.marple.website/local-history/marple-hall/marple-hall-shutters.html
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DSCuGEpWkAARbmF.jpg)
-
New Mills, Marple and District Rotary Club News for January 2018 has been published on the new Marple Website: Rotary Club News (https://www.marple.website/rotary-in-marple/13-rotary-club-newsletters/91-rotary-club-news-for-january-2018.html)
(https://www.marple.website/images/christmas-sleigh.jpg)
-
So what is that blue plaque on the Co-Op all about?
Read up on John Bradshawe (https://www.marple.website/local-history/marple-hall/john-bradshawe.html) in this article just migrated to the new Marple Website.
A great one for history homework at Marple Hall!
(https://www.marple.website/images/john-bradshawe-plaque.jpg)
-
New Mills, Marple and District Rotary Club has published its newsletter for February 2018 on the new Marple Website: Rotary Club Newsletter for February (https://www.marple.website/rotary-in-marple/13-rotary-club-newsletters/93-rotary-club-news-for-february-2018.html)
-
This morning a report from Romiley and Marple Lions about the 2017 Santa Dash (https://www.marple.website/community-projects/marple-santa-dash.html) has been published on the new Marple Website.
-
Prompted by a discussion in the pub on Sunday about the Spring Gardens being up for sale, I've migrated the article "An away day to Marple (https://www.marple.website/local-history/an-away-day-to-marple.html)" to the new site. This tale explains how the pub was once the most popular tourist destination in Marple, with even more visitors than Roman Lakes.
-
Memories of Bowden Lane by Selma Fielding (https://www.marple.website/local-history/memories-of-bowden-lane.html) has been migrated to the new Marple Website this morning. Read about how much the lane has changed since the days when Seven Stiles had 7 stiles!
-
New Mills, Marple and District Rotary Club has published its newsletter for March 2018 on the new Marple Website: Rotary Club Newsletter for March (https://www.marple.website/rotary-in-marple/13-rotary-club-newsletters/97-rotary-club-news-for-march-2018.html)
-
New Mills, Marple and District Rotary Club has published its newsletter for April 2018 on the new Marple Website: Rotary Club Newsletter for April (https://www.marple.website/rotary-in-marple/13-rotary-club-newsletters/100-rotary-club-news-for-april-2018.html)
-
New Mills, Marple and District Rotary Club has published its newsletter for May 2018 on the new Marple Website: Rotary Club Newsletter for May (https://www.marple.website/rotary-in-marple/13-rotary-club-newsletters/101-rotary-club-news-for-may-2018.html)
-
Local charity The Macnair Trust has published their annual accounts to November 2017 on their Marple Website Community Page:
https://www.marple.website/community/436-macnair-trust.html
-
New Mills, Marple and District Rotary Club has published its newsletter for June 2018 on the new Marple Website: Rotary Club Newsletter for June (https://www.marple.website/rotary-in-marple/13-rotary-club-newsletters/111-rotary-club-news-for-june-2018.html)
-
A report from Romiley, Marple and District Lions Club about their Centennial Concert for charity Reuben's Retreat has been added to the main site this morning.
https://www.marple.website/community-projects/lions-brass-for-reuben.html
-
New Mills, Marple and District Rotary Club has published its newsletter for August 2018 on the Marple Website: Rotary Club Newsletter for August (https://www.marple.website/rotary-in-marple/13-rotary-club-newsletters/118-rotary-club-news-for-august-2018.html)
-
Memories of Bowden Lane by Selma Fielding (https://www.marple.website/local-history/memories-of-bowden-lane.html) has been migrated to the new Marple Website this morning. Read about how much the lane has changed since the days when Seven Stiles had 7 stiles!
Octogenarian Selma Fielding has lived in Marple all her life. Selma has already shared her Memories of Bowden Lane with the Marple Website several years ago and has now passed on this video shot in 2015 by Arthur Procter for publication on the site. https://www.marple.website/local-history/memories-of-marple.html (https://www.marple.website/local-history/memories-of-marple.html)
https://youtu.be/42w9hHM4SdU (https://youtu.be/42w9hHM4SdU)
-
Sprinting Porter Saved Diesel Train: Marple man in High Lane Drama
Found a link on FB to this story on the old web site about Jim Noble saving a train and though I'd better migrate it across to the new site. The story from the North Cheshire Herald of August 1959 was provided by Jim's son Ray Noble in 2013. Ray, who can be seen as a small child in Memorial Park with his dad in 1941, was a regular contributor to the Marple Website but is sadly no longer with us.
https://www.marple.website/local-history/jim-noble-saves-train.html (https://www.marple.website/local-history/jim-noble-saves-train.html)
(https://visitmarple.co.uk/photos/albums/uploads/new/ray_noble/NOBLEJIMRAYMARPLEPARK1941.jpg)
-
Download the Brabyns Park Discovery Trail
Having recently been reminded of the scarcity of hardcopies, the downloadable version of the Brabyns Park Discovery Trail has now been migrated to the new Marple Website in time for the school holidays:
https://www.marple.website/marple-today/brabyns-park-discovery-trail.html
(https://www.marple.website/images/brabyns-trail-front-cover.jpg)
-
Local charity The Macnair Trust has published their annual accounts to November 2018 on their Marple Website Community Page:
https://www.marple.website/community/436-macnair-trust.html (https://www.marple.website/community/436-macnair-trust.html)
-
Memories of The Albert Schools
A story by Beth Bainbridge of three generations of a Marple family in whose lives The Albert Schools played an integral part has been published on The Marple Website this morning:
https://www.marple.website/local-history/memories-of-albert-schools.html
(https://www.marple.website/images/rose-queen-ceremony.jpg)
-
Memories of Marple with Trixie Gough
This morning the video of local resident Trixie Gough talking to Gordon Mills in 2004 about her memories of Marple has been migrated to the new web site:
https://www.marple.website/local-history/memories-of-trixie-gough.html (https://www.marple.website/local-history/memories-of-trixie-gough.html)
(https://www.marple.website/images/willows/stories/trixie-gough-start.jpg)
-
Memories of Marple with Fred Winterbottom
If you've got an hour to spare on this wet and windy afternoon, why not listen to the video of Fred Winterbottom talking to Gordon Mills about him memories of Marple, which have just been migrated to the new web site:
https://www.marple.website/local-history/memories-of-fred-winterbottom.html (https://www.marple.website/local-history/memories-of-fred-winterbottom.html)
(https://www.marple.website/images/fred-winterbottom-cover.jpg)
-
Memories of Marple with Barbara Hambleton
This morning the video of Barbara Hambleton talking to Gordon Mills in 1996 about her memories of Marple and Marple Bridge has been migrated to the new web site:
https://www.marple.website/local-history/memories-of-barbara-hambleton.html
(https://www.marple.website/images/memories-of-marple.jpg)
-
"THERE'S FROGHALL UP THE CALDON" by DAVID BRINDLEY and JACK TURNBULL
The classic tale of "Froghall up the Caldon" has been migrated to the new web site:
https://www.marple.website/froghall-up-the-caldon.html
Two hilarious accounts of a trip on the narrowboat "ALICE" from Marple to Froghall Junction undertaken by two totally bewildered, bemused beginners in 1989. The first account is The Daily Log written by Cap'n Jack 'Titanic' Turnbull; the second, in verse, by his crew member and cook, David 'Beans Again' Brindley.
(https://www.marple.website/images/joe-dwan-cartoon.jpg)
(https://www.marple.website/images/flogging-froghall.jpg)
-
Memories of Mellor with Tom Oldham
This morning the video of Tom Oldham talking to Gordon Mills and Stanley Knott in 1997 about his memories of Mellor has been migrated to the new web site:
https://www.marple.website/local-history/memories-of-tom-oldham.html (https://www.marple.website/local-history/memories-of-tom-oldham.html)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ERxCPlbXsAAB7cD?format=jpg&name=small)
-
Monty - a Marple Connection
Did you know there was a connection between Field Marshall Montgomery and Marple?
(https://www.marple.website/images/Bernard_Montgomery_1942.jpg)
Audrey Featherstone's article explaining this has been migrated to the new web site this morning.
https://www.marple.website/local-history/monty-a-marple-connection.html
-
Fatal Explosion at the Dolce Vita!
A little artistic licence has been employed for that alarming headline, as the events described here happened many years before the Dolce Vita Italian Restaurant came to occupy its present position on Stockport Road, opposite the entrance to Memorial Park. However, as it easily identifies the location in question for the majority of local people, I hope that readers will forgive the deliberately misleading start to this article, just migrated to the new web site: https://www.marple.website/local-history/fatal-explosion-at-the-dolce-vita.html
(https://www.marple-uk.com/explosion_web.jpg)
(https://www.marple.website/images/explosion1-lge.jpg)
-
Memories of Old Marple by Hannah Robinson
Many people will know Hannah Robinson, who has lived in Marple all her life. She was born on Ellesmere Avenue on the 15th of May 1935, moving to Chadwick Street when she was four and working at Marple Swimming Baths, the Goyt Mill as a 'lady winder' and Strines Printworks.
Hannah's memories of Old Marple, in her own words written in 2015, have been migrated to the main site this morning.
(https://www.marple.website/images/hannah-robinson.jpg)
https://www.marple.website/local-history/memories-of-hannah-robinson.html
-
Woodville Hall - Memories of a Wartime Evacuee
In 2013, 87 year old Vera Liniham wrote of her stay as an evacuee with Mrs Barlow at Woodville Hall in 1939 for the Marple Website.
Today Vera's article has been migrated to the new site:
https://www.marple.website/local-history/memories-of-a-wartime-evacuee.html (https://www.marple.website/local-history/memories-of-a-wartime-evacuee.html)
(https://visitmarple.co.uk/photos/albums/uploads/new/mlhs08/mlhs_woodville-hall-00.jpg)
-
Marple Hall rear entrance door traced to Romiley
Chuffed to get this article nailed while fully complying with isolation restrictions:
Read how the owner of a property in Romiley and The Marple Website confirmed a local legend that the front door of 1 Padden Brook originally came from Marple Hall in the 1960s:
https://www.marple.website/local-history/marple-hall/marple-hall-rear-entrance-door.html (https://www.marple.website/local-history/marple-hall/marple-hall-rear-entrance-door.html)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EVZMq5bXkAARe7k?format=jpg&name=900x900)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EVZMw_ZXgAAP3LN?format=jpg&name=900x900)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EVZM1tiXsAIbuME?format=jpg&name=large)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EVZM4EvXsAAdepw?format=jpg&name=900x900)
-
Marple Website Movie Premier: The Great Fire that destroyed Mellor Mill!
You can now view sensational CGI film of the 1892 fire at Samuel Oldknow's Mill that came to light from the archives of the Mellor Archaeological Trust at the end of April 2020:
Read the full story here: https://www.marple.website/local-history/samuel-oldknow/1892-fire-at-mellor-mill.html
(https://www.marple.website/images/mellor-mill.jpg)
(https://www.marple.website/images/mill-fire-1.jpg)
(https://www.marple.website/images/mill-fire-3.jpg)
A very BIG thank you to Chris Mann at Mannmade Productions, Mellor Archaeological Trust and Take27(Chester) for allowing the film to be premiered on The Marple Website.
-
Local charity The Macnair Trust has published their annual accounts to November 2019 on their Marple Website Community Page:
https://www.marple.website/community/436-macnair-trust.html (https://www.marple.website/community/436-macnair-trust.html)
-
The Last Caretakers of Marple Hall?
I was recently contacted out of the blue by octogenarian Ann Allan, who has shared information that sheds new light on the story and reveals the identity of the gentleman, and his wife, who were probably the last caretaker and housekeeper of Marple Hall.
The story has been added to the main site this morning:
https://www.marple.website/local-history/marple-hall/last-caretakers-of-marple-hall.html
(https://www.marple.website/images/alteria-fred.jpg)
-
Rollins Wood Update
Rollins Wood, the Community Woodland in Marple Bridge has updated their Community page on The Marple Website this morning:
https://www.marple.website/rollinswood
(https://www.marple.website/images/community-pages/rollins-wood1.jpg)
(https://www.marple.website/images/community-pages/rollins-wood2.jpg)
-
Plan Bee Honey Bee Sanctuary to the rescue!
During the Covid-19 Lockdown heatwave in May 2020 the bees living in our Dove Cote in the garden started swarming regularly. At the beginning of July a breakaway group formed on a post near our back door, which was a little too close for comfort. So we contacted Plan Bee Honey Bee Sanctuary and they came to our rescue immediately.
We were so impressed that The Marple Website has become an annual sponsor of our own hive!
Read the full story on the main site: https://www.marple.website/community-projects/plan-bee-sanctuary.html (https://www.marple.website/community-projects/plan-bee-sanctuary.html)
(https://www.marple.website/images/community-pages/dove-cote-bees.jpg)
(https://www.marple.website/images/community-pages/planbee-certificate.jpg)
-
Love the new plaque ordered by Plan Bee Honey Bee Sanctuary for the Marple Website's sponsored hive.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EgU14YwXgAENzNW?format=jpg&name=large)
Read the full story here: https://www.marple.website/community-projects/plan-bee-sanctuary.html
-
Francis Brindley and the Marple Brindleys
This article written by Noel Brindley was migrated from the old site to the new yesterday:
https://www.marple.website/local-history/marple-brindleys.html
(https://www.marple-uk.com/mineral_mill_bleak_house.jpg)
-
Marple Website Movie Premier: Oldknow 200
In 1990 the Marple community celebrated the bicentennial of Samuel Oldknow's Mellor Mill with a 2 week long event. This record was filmed and produced by Tony Sheldon and Denise Ambery. At the time only 25 copies of the VHS video were made, with one copy in Marple Library. So the Marple Website's on-line premier of this wonderful look back at Marple's History is likely to be the first time that many folk have seen it.
(https://www.marple.website/images/oldknow200_1.jpg)
Link to main site: https://www.marple.website/local-history/samuel-oldknow/oldknow-200.html
A special thank you to Tony and Denise for allowing their film to be shared on The Marple Website. Also to Anne Frazer for help preparing the film for publishing on-line.
-
Winners of best dance and performing arts school in the North
A family from Marple have won the title of the Best Dance and Performing Arts School in the North with their family run business, Debut Academy of Performing Arts:
(https://static.wixstatic.com/media/016654_ad57266ec9d1478083433bd33b68cfad~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_981,h_328,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/Screenshot%202020-10-08%20at%2013_11_20.webp)
Read more on the main site: https://www.marple.website/community-projects/debut-dance-academy.html
-
Local charity The Macnair Trust has published their annual accounts to November 2020 on their Marple Website Community Page:
https://www.marple.website/macnairtrust (https://www.marple.website/macnairtrust)
-
Plans to revitalise Brabyns Bike Track are gaining momentum
Many local people will not be aware that there's been a Bike Track in Brabyns Park since 2004.
It looks like this won't be a secret for much longer, as a new group of volunteers are intent on putting the old track back on the map.
Read more on the main site: https://www.marple.website/community-projects/brabyns-bike-track.html
https://youtu.be/sXWmdyrZKhU
-
This week, with the help of Friends of Chadkirk, the old Marple Website article about Chadkirk Chapel and Estate has been updated and migrated to the new web site:
https://www.marple.website/marple-today/chadkirk-chapel.html (https://www.marple.website/marple-today/chadkirk-chapel.html)
The Friends of Chadkirk also now have an entry in the Community Directory:
https://www.marple.website/community/community-groups-in-marple/784-friends-of-chadkirk.html (https://www.marple.website/community/community-groups-in-marple/784-friends-of-chadkirk.html)
(https://www.marple.website/images/chadkirk-chape-focp1.jpg)
-
Local charity The Macnair Trust has published their annual accounts to November 2021 on their Marple Website Community Page:
https://www.marple.website/macnairtrust (https://www.marple.website/macnairtrust)
-
Listen to The Marple Band on BBC Radio 2 in 1996
Every now and then something unusual is donated to Marple Local History Society Archives. Earlier this year former Marple Librarian Margaret Bradbury decided to pass on a cassette tape that she'd had for a very long time. It was a recording made way back in 1996 featuring The Marple Band on Radio 2's Listen to the Band.
You can listen again now with BBC permission on The Marple Website:
https://www.marple.website/local-history/the-marple-band-on-radio-2.html
(https://www.marple.website/images/marple-band-1996.jpg)
-
An unusual artefact comes home to Marple
Every now and then an Internet search comes up trumps for all involved!
In October 2022 Fred Duthy in Sweden was clearing out a box of his grandmother's stuff and found a tiny metal cylinder around 2cm diameter and 5cm long. On it was engraved the following inscription:
Frederick Booth
from
Miss Hudson
on completion of 50 years
of faithful service.
Brabyns 1860 – 1910
Read more on he main site: https://www.marple.website/local-history/50-years-of-faithful-service.html (https://www.marple.website/local-history/50-years-of-faithful-service.html)
(https://www.marple.website/images/frederick-booth-medium.jpg)
-
Thanks to research by Hilary Atkinson and @tonyjones, we now know a little more about the story of Frederick Booth, the gardener who worked and lived on the Brabyns Estate for more than 50 years:
https://www.marple.website/local-history/50-years-of-faithful-service.html (https://www.marple.website/local-history/50-years-of-faithful-service.html)
-
Since 2001 The Marple Website has published an annual Christmas Greeting giving a summary of the web site's news, successes and achievements.
Here's a look-back at 2022: https://www.marple.website/about-this-site/annual-christmas-greetings/2022.html
Merry Christmas to Marple and beyond!
(https://www.marple.website/images/christmas-2022.jpg)
-
Today the 3rd Generation of The Marple Website was launched!
This article on the main site explains more: https://www.marple.website/about-this-site/3rd-generation-marple-website.html
(https://www.marple.website/images/merged-header-logo.jpg)
-
The Macnair Trust has published their annual accounts to November 2022 on their Marple Website Community Page
The Macnair Trust is a local charity created in 1973 by Mrs. Iris Macnair, the widow of Alan Macnair, a prominent member of theMarple community.
The Trust has uploaded their Financial Report to year ending November 2022 to The Marple Website today: https://www.marple.website/macnairtrust (https://www.marple.website/macnairtrust)
(https://www.marple.website/images/community-pages/macnair-logo-very-big.jpg)
-
Since 2001 The Marple Website has published an annual Christmas Greeting giving a summary of the web site's news, successes and achievements.
Here's a look-back at 2023: https://www.marple.website/about-this-site/annual-christmas-greetings/2023.html (https://www.marple.website/about-this-site/annual-christmas-greetings/2023.html)
Merry Christmas to Marple and beyond!
(https://www.marple.website/images/christmas-2023.webp)