Turn Right at Mottram Roundabout - Episode 28
Tue 7th February 2017 | General | By Stewart Taylor
Episode 27 took us to Prestwich Heys FC and the photo shows a sign over the exit gate.
The quick link asked about a link between this club and a 19th century garden in Cheshire? The link is with the name Heys as the garden referred to is the Grappenhall Heys Walled Garden – Georgian / early Victorian and well worth a visit.
As an aside, the origin of the name Heys is a bit difficult to track down. The modern usage of the singular “Hey” as a form of greeting is perhaps not as “hipster” as many would believe as the origins go way back to at least the 13th century and finds analogues in other languages.
The plural “Heys” is thought to refer to choreographic figures in country dancing. We could well imagine that happening in Prestwich but the singular version as in Abbey Hey is a bit more mysterious.
Our odyssey continues. Students of naval history could well benefit from a study of this town although we are nowhere near the sea. In what is perhaps one of the most enigmatic opening lines, so far, of this series lies part of the recent history of this town.
I could leave it at that and leave you, the reader, to work out the rest but kind-hearted soul that I am I thought I’d add just a few more clues to this reference. For those familiar with submarines, the only two high test peroxide powered submarines ever built by the Royal Navy were launched in the mid 1950s.
The name of one of these vessels is unusual in that the name was only used once for a naval vessel but was also used for a different type of naval establishment. It is this different type of naval establishment – in fact a naval training base which takes its name from the aforementioned submarine – which was located in this town.
Later, this establishment became a displaced persons camp for refugees from Eastern Europe fearing the consequences of a return to their countries of origin which had been forcibly incorporated into the Soviet Union.
The site of this establishment is now an Industrial Estate although a few of the buildings still remain but not much else. Indeed, it is worth noting that we are in considerable danger of losing a lot of fairly recent history not only due to re-development – which is almost inevitable – but also to the passing of time which dulls the memories of the few people who would have remembered establishments such as this and their role in the development of the social fabric of society of today.
In another reference to the military, nearby is located part of BAE Global Combat Systems which is the current owner and operator of a Royal Ordnance Factory which was established in 1940. This site manufactures small arms ammunition for the British Army working to very exacting NATO standards and was significant enough for a spur line from the former LMS (London, Midland and Scottish) railway line to be built to transport raw materials into the site and finished products away to their destinations around the country. There is a significant link between this factory and the football club we are visiting today.
The major developments in this town today are the familiar ones of re-development and expansion of what is a very pleasant town with many amenities. As we have seen with many of our towns, recent developments have focussed on the needs of the commuter as local populations grow beyond the local employment capacity.
This type of development usually includes the building of new houses and provokes the inevitable debates about use of green spaces, increases in traffic movements on already congested roads and infrastructure requirements of an increasing population in, for example, schools and local medical facilities.
Cultural activities form a significant part of what this town has to offer. Included amongst these, since 2009, is the annual music festival held in a local park and many other venues across the town. With over 50 groups and solo artists in the 2016 line-up, and covering many different music genres, this free event is proving to be very popular bringing large numbers of visitors into the town.
There are many opportunities within this town to get involved in sporting activities with football, cricket, tennis and golf well catered for alongside hockey and archery. There is also a 5 mile road race every February which is said to be the biggest in the UK in terms of participation.
The football club we are visiting today were formed in 1968. As with many of our teams, name changes and a period of dormancy feature in their history as do hard times both on and off the field. From local leagues, the club rose to the heights of Step 4 in the National League System following a reorganisation of the non-league pyramid in the middle of the last decade.
Quick link - What links a 2014 film directed by Nick Lyon, a 1996 film directed by Julien Temple and this club?
Turn Right at Mottram Roundabout - Episode 28
Tue 7th February 2017 | General
By Stewart Taylor
Episode 27 took us to Prestwich Heys FC and the photo shows a sign over the exit gate.
The quick link asked about a link between this club and a 19th century garden in Cheshire? The link is with the name Heys as the garden referred to is the Grappenhall Heys Walled Garden – Georgian / early Victorian and well worth a visit.
As an aside, the origin of the name Heys is a bit difficult to track down. The modern usage of the singular “Hey” as a form of greeting is perhaps not as “hipster” as many would believe as the origins go way back to at least the 13th century and finds analogues in other languages.
The plural “Heys” is thought to refer to choreographic figures in country dancing. We could well imagine that happening in Prestwich but the singular version as in Abbey Hey is a bit more mysterious.
Our odyssey continues. Students of naval history could well benefit from a study of this town although we are nowhere near the sea. In what is perhaps one of the most enigmatic opening lines, so far, of this series lies part of the recent history of this town.
I could leave it at that and leave you, the reader, to work out the rest but kind-hearted soul that I am I thought I’d add just a few more clues to this reference. For those familiar with submarines, the only two high test peroxide powered submarines ever built by the Royal Navy were launched in the mid 1950s.
The name of one of these vessels is unusual in that the name was only used once for a naval vessel but was also used for a different type of naval establishment. It is this different type of naval establishment – in fact a naval training base which takes its name from the aforementioned submarine – which was located in this town.
Later, this establishment became a displaced persons camp for refugees from Eastern Europe fearing the consequences of a return to their countries of origin which had been forcibly incorporated into the Soviet Union.
The site of this establishment is now an Industrial Estate although a few of the buildings still remain but not much else. Indeed, it is worth noting that we are in considerable danger of losing a lot of fairly recent history not only due to re-development – which is almost inevitable – but also to the passing of time which dulls the memories of the few people who would have remembered establishments such as this and their role in the development of the social fabric of society of today.
In another reference to the military, nearby is located part of BAE Global Combat Systems which is the current owner and operator of a Royal Ordnance Factory which was established in 1940. This site manufactures small arms ammunition for the British Army working to very exacting NATO standards and was significant enough for a spur line from the former LMS (London, Midland and Scottish) railway line to be built to transport raw materials into the site and finished products away to their destinations around the country. There is a significant link between this factory and the football club we are visiting today.
The major developments in this town today are the familiar ones of re-development and expansion of what is a very pleasant town with many amenities. As we have seen with many of our towns, recent developments have focussed on the needs of the commuter as local populations grow beyond the local employment capacity.
This type of development usually includes the building of new houses and provokes the inevitable debates about use of green spaces, increases in traffic movements on already congested roads and infrastructure requirements of an increasing population in, for example, schools and local medical facilities.
Cultural activities form a significant part of what this town has to offer. Included amongst these, since 2009, is the annual music festival held in a local park and many other venues across the town. With over 50 groups and solo artists in the 2016 line-up, and covering many different music genres, this free event is proving to be very popular bringing large numbers of visitors into the town.
There are many opportunities within this town to get involved in sporting activities with football, cricket, tennis and golf well catered for alongside hockey and archery. There is also a 5 mile road race every February which is said to be the biggest in the UK in terms of participation.
The football club we are visiting today were formed in 1968. As with many of our teams, name changes and a period of dormancy feature in their history as do hard times both on and off the field. From local leagues, the club rose to the heights of Step 4 in the National League System following a reorganisation of the non-league pyramid in the middle of the last decade.
Quick link - What links a 2014 film directed by Nick Lyon, a 1996 film directed by Julien Temple and this club?
