The Marple of Christmas Past

Christmases come and Christmases go and, despite complaints that the hype now begins in September, most people still look on the traditional Christmas with fondness. But what exactly is a 'traditional Christmas'? The popular vision of the yuletide is of Santa and his sleigh, carol singing, a tree bedecked with glitter and baubles and pretty snowy scenes of children sledging.

Looking back at newspapers over the decades, however, gives quite another impression of the hopes and fears of Christmas times gone by. Periods when the country was in crisis, through times of great euphoria, each had its mood reflected in the newssheets of the time.

The following are snippets that, I think, give us a glimpse of how the Marple of Christmas past spent some of its festive season.

At the end of the 1800s it was surprising how little of today's obsession with consumerism existed. Occasional adverts for shops selling gifts appeared but the paper mainly aimed it's copy at the house-proud wife and how she could make the home look it's best:

HINTS FOR THE HOME BY BUSY-BEE

To kill Crickets put cucumber peel on the floor near their hiding places at night, this will soon destroy them. It is also destructive to beetles.

POINTS ON SWEEPING
Never sweep dust from one room to another, nor from upstairs to the lower part of the house. Always take it up into a dustpan wherein you have previously placed some tealeaves, which prevent the dust from scattering again and returning to its old haunts. A clean sweeper will burn the contents of a dustpan when she has done sweeping.

Just prior to the outbreak of the Great War life around Marple seemed idyllically tranquil but, ironically, even 90 years ago worries about climate change were being voiced in the media:

Was there ever such a so-called Winter as this? Last week pink campions, buttercups & daisies were growing wild in Kays Wood and about the donkey bridge between Cross Inn and the Rose Hill railway, Marple and at 16 windows, Offerton. On Dec 15th calceolarias were in bloom. Twice last week Mr. James Jinks, proprietor of the Top Lock Boat Building Works, saw the Cuckoo! Saw the Cuckoo flying in Marple in Dec! Whilst incredulously lift your eyebrows sceptically and laugh with scorn at the bare idea as we did and then alter your tune and climb down and feel humbled by your folly as we did after we had got reliable evidence that the statement was true. Mr. Jinks and Mr. George Porter saw a Cuckoo on Monday Dec 8th. And it was seen again on Thurs Dec 11th by Messrs Jinks, Porter, J. B. Barber and William Higginbottam, it was then flying over Top Lock in the direction of All Saints' school. On the previous Sunday mushrooms were found growing.

As we know, the Great War had a devastating effect on the country and Marple was no exception with 141 men being killed, hundreds more suffering from wounds received in action and the families of these victims of 'the war to end all wars' suffering equally, if not more. It took years to return to something like the simplicity of life of the pre-war Marple and it was refreshing to read:

MARPLE AT CHRISTMASTIDE

Not for years have the Marple Shops looked as beautiful and as well stocked with delightful and valuable goods as this Christmastide. Shop windows are replete with good things and pleasant to look upon. The village looks something like it used to appear at Christmas time before the war. We're sure that no one needs to go outside Marple to get what they need in the festive season. On Market St Mr. Thomas C. Street has a great display of boots, shoes etc. which would be very welcome as Christmas presents. Mr. C. T. Livesley shows such specimens of clothes, hats, ties etc. as are dear to boys, youths and men. If you feel melancholy the Christmastide you may go to Hibbert's, Stockport Rd. and get a gramophone and some records and bid dull care be gone. If you want to snap a friend get a Kodak at J. E. Robinsons, Chemist etc. Market St. and if you are not well from eating too much turkey and plum pudding you may get an antidote there. Mr. H. Brownhill F.B.O.A. F.I.O. will rectify eye trouble at his place in Market St. and Mr. Macrill, Dentist, will make your teeth right at 41 Church St. Marple.

And so life in Marple carried on apace and by the mid 1930s people, unaware of what the end of that decade would bring, were happily celebrating their hard won peace. Competitions were very popular in the papers and in the Reporter of December 22nd 1934 under the heading 'Funny Stories and win a prize' we find the following howler:

Got off lightly!

"You say you served in France" said the restaurant manager as he sampled the new cook's first soup. "Yes Sir! Officer's cook for two and a half years and wounded twice". "You're a lucky man, it's a wonder they didn't shoot you dead!!"

The following year they published one of my favourite clips showing, I think, the more genteel and simple side of life in those years:

Suggestions for last minute gifts.

Occasional Tables. I think an occasional table is almost indispensable in a lounge, drawing room or living room. They're so extraordinarily useful, when you're not using them for tea, coffee or supper, you can arrange a lovely bowl of flowers or books or magazines on them, and there's nothing better for making a room looked lived in than books and flowers.

Another thing you'll find most useful at Christmastime is a fireside stool. If you haven't enough chairs to go round at parties, let the younger people use stools or use them as a footstool.

Whether they meant use the young people or the stool for your feet I'm not sure????

With 1939 came another international conflict and stories of a nation preparing itself for the worst. In the 1st December edition we find two conflicting sentiments, firstly the determination to maintain the Christmas spirit in the area:

The evacuees of Ludworth & Mellor are to have their party at the Women's Institute, Marple Bridge on Saturday week and I believe that exciting surprises have been planned. On Boxing Day these children are being entertained at the Jubilee Methodist School Room by the Berry Hudson School of dancing from Stockport. Teachers belonging to the evacuees' schools are also sacrificing their holidays in order to make the children as happy as possible away from home. On Wednesday evacuees from all over the urban district, in the charge of their teachers, will have the opportunity of enjoying a cinema show at the Regent cinema, the management of which has kindly offered reduced charges.

Gas Helmets for Babies

Uneasiness among parents of young children hitherto unprotected against the possible use of poison gas by the enemy should be allayed by the latest news. Protective helmets for babies up to two years of age are at hand and will be distributed in Marple Urban District shortly. Approximately 360 will be required and those undertaking the distribution are being instructed in the use of the appliances, they in turn will instruct parents.

With the war over and a new decade came the return of stability, at least at home. Christmas was once again a time for relaxing and enjoying the company of friends and family, but what, exactly, was a smoking evening?

The same edition shows, perhaps, the more 'traditional' event (at least as I remember it from my childhood) the good old works children's party.

Cheers for Santa at Strines Party.

More than 150 employees children had the time of their young lives last Saturday when a Christmas party was held in Strines Printworks canteen. They had an excellent tea, games, film show, by Mr. Wilson, entertainment by ventriloquist Miss Vivienne Smith and a touch of skiffle and rock n roll music by the youthful Hill brothers. Staff and employees helped in keeping the party at a merry pace. Miss F Rowley was in charge of the games and Mr. Alf Harrop was the pianist. Highlight was the appearance of Santa Claus whose entry was greeted by loud cheers. Standing against an illuminated Christmas tree he handed a gift to each youngster and left similar presents for those unable to attend because of sickness. All the children received chocolates, sweets, an apple, orange, and one of the giant balloons, which had been used to decorate the canteen.

The 1960's brought with it the wider ownership of a device that was to completely change people's habits, not only at Christmas but all through the year – Television!!! How many of you, however, remember the types of programmes the we watched then? Below is the listing for Saturday December 23rd 1966, and not a game show in sight!

Beginning at 9.30a.m.

Welcome Christmas

Opera for children

Church Service

Visit to hospital

Weather

The Lucy Show

The Andy Williams Show

Royal Palaces of Britain

The Queens Message

Visit to Circus

Disney Time

Pantomime –Aladdin

News & Weather

An Appeal

Journey to Bethlehem

Christmas Carols

The Minstrel Show

The Ken Dodd Show

The Commencheros

News & Weather

Dr Findlay's Casebook

11.22p.m. Close

If any of you have interesting Christmas stories you would like to share for possible inclusion in a future article then get in touch with Mark or Peter using our contact us page.

All that remains is, on behalf of The Marple Website, to wish you a Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year, whatever form yours takes. We'll hopefully be back in the New Year to tickle your historical taste buds with more musings on Local History and Heritage with The Marple Website.

Obviously these last paragraphs were written with the belief that our complaints to the paper would be heard. Sadly this has not been the case. Nevertheless, we would still like to hear from anyone with interesting tales to tell about local history and we'll continue to add new features to the web site on a regular basis.