The Phoenix Trust is the lead partner in an exciting new project to bring local history to life.
Using the Trust’s original research and its photographic archive, a series of definitive booklets is being published on North Staffordshire’s architectural heritage and the region’s administrative, socio-economic, industrial, legal and political history.
The first booklet, about St. Saviour’s the historic tin church in The Rookery, will be published later this year.
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A Rowbothams’ bus in The Rookery
Do you come from The Rookery, a former mining village near Kidsgrove?
If you do, can you remember the Wesleyan Chapel in High Street which was demolished in the 1970s?
Can you picture, in your mind’s eye, Rowbothams’ buses which passed through the village as they ran between Spring Bank and Tunstall via Whitehill, Newchapel and Chell? Did you travel on those buses when you went to school or when your parents took you shopping in The Potteries?
Or did you go on a PMT bus which made its way to Tunstall via Kidsgrove and Goldenhill?
The Phoenix Trust’s historical geographer, Betty Cooper, and its chief executive, David Martin, are writing a book about The Rookery and St. Saviour’s the village’s heritage tin church, which the Church of England is going to demolish.
If you spent your childhood in the village or have lived there most of your life, David and Betty should be grateful if you would be willing to share your memories with them.
The village has changed a lot over the years. It no longer has a post office. Robinson’s general store where you could buy anything from a pineapple to a tin of paint has gone too.
If you are from The Rookery, David and Betty would like to know about village life there when you were growing up.
They are interested in all aspects of life in the village and things you could tell them about include:
If you would like to share your memories of The Rookery with Betty and David please email phoenixstaffs@mail.com
They are looking forward to hearing from you.
Photograph – The Phoenix Trust Archive
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David Martin our chief executive and Betty Cooper are writing a history of The Rookery and St. Saviour’s its historic “tin church” which the Church of England is going to demolish.
An historical geographer, Betty, who grew up in The Rookery a village near Kidsgrove was educated at Brownhills High School, Tunstall and Manchester University.
Her family have close links with the church. She played the organ there for over 30 years. Her brother Neil was a churchwarden and her grandfather, master builder Mark Ball, created the font when St. Saviour’s was regenerated in the 1930s.
We are looking for old photographs and postcards of The Rookery and would like to talk to people who:
Grew up in the village, lived or worked there
Have memories of St. Saviour’s and its Harvest Teas,
Attended Sunday School there and took part in Children’s Festivals.
If you can help Betty and David please email phoenixstaffs@mail.com
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St. Saviour’s Church in The Rookery a heritage asset that is going to be demolished
The Church of England is going to demolish St. Saviour’s the historic tin church in The Rookery, near Kidsgrove.
A miners’ church, built by miners for miners, St. Saviour’s helped bring Christianity to an industrial village on the North Staffordshire Coalfield.
One of the oldest tin churches in the world, its unique character and atmosphere was destroyed when the interior, shown in this photograph, was gutted.
When St. Saviour’s is demolished North Staffordshire will lose a major heritage asset.
An asset that could have been used to help create a heritage based tourist industry which would bring millions of pounds into our region and help regenerate it.
Photograph Copyright David Martin – The Phoenix Trust 2011
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The Church of England is planning to demolish St. Saviour’s the historic tin church in The Rookery, a village near Kidsgrove.
Believed to be one of the oldest tin churches in the world, St. Saviour’s was erected by miners at Butt Lane in 1868 and moved to The Rookery in 1879.
Local people want to preserve this unique building and re-erect it on a site in Kidsgrove to create a Kidsgrove Heritage Centre.
If you would like to help Save St. Saviour’s and make it a heritage centre, please come to a meeting being held at Kidsgrove Town Hall on Tuesday, June 26th at 7.30 p.m.
For more details contact Jill Waring email kidsgrovetc@btconnect.com or telephone 01782 782254.
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