Author: rbakewell46

Beginning the Archive: A First Glimpse into the Garnett Documents

The author is meticulously exploring a fragmentary archive of G. Garnett & Sons, a historical worsted manufacturer in Apperley Bridge. Using resources like Grace’s Guide, they are documenting fragile technical drawings and plans from the mill, revealing insights into mid-century engineering and the textile industry’s evolution, while fostering a personal home archive.… Read More Beginning the Archive: A First Glimpse into the Garnett Documents

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It Began With a Message: Investigating the Clockmaker Thomas Ashton

The writer discusses a rare longcase clock by Thomas Ashton, a clockmaker from Macclesfield, notable for its trilingual dial. While no connection is established between Ashton and the later industrial Ashton families, the clock suggests a scholarly commission. The writer invites further information or photographs to enhance understanding of Ashton’s work and its historical context.… Read More It Began With a Message: Investigating the Clockmaker Thomas Ashton

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Desire Lines and the Memory of Movement: Early Footpaths Around Werneth Low

This essay explores the evolution of early footpaths connecting Gee Cross, Godley, and Mottram, highlighting their role as evidence of community interdependence. It emphasises how these pathways, shaped by necessity and collective memory, reflect human behaviour and adaptation to the landscape, revealing deeper patterns of relationship and shared experience.… Read More Desire Lines and the Memory of Movement: Early Footpaths Around Werneth Low

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Talking About FND — Why It’s So Hard and What It Reveals About Awareness

Living with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) challenges individuals, particularly in explaining their fluctuating and unpredictable symptoms. This difficulty, compounded by a fear of not being believed, creates anxiety during assessments. Limited awareness of FND and its complexities perpetuates isolation. Advocating for understanding and visibility is crucial for those affected.… Read More Talking About FND — Why It’s So Hard and What It Reveals About Awareness

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Sustainability Shaped by Bodies, Energy, and Unpredictability

Sustainability is often viewed as consistency in output and routines, assuming reliable capacity. However, for artists with conditions like Functional Neurological Disorder, capacity fluctuates unpredictably. Traditional models neglect factors like fatigue and cognitive fog, failing to acknowledge that these variations are not discipline failures, but part of the natural experience of being human.… Read More Sustainability Shaped by Bodies, Energy, and Unpredictability

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Pennines Textile Belt: A Hidden Industrial Spine

The Pennines, a rugged area in northern England, were pivotal for textile innovation due to water power, skilled artisans, and industrial advancements. This textile belt, encompassing towns like Huddersfield and Manchester, contributed significantly to Britain’s industrial identity while being linked to colonial exploitation. Its legacy inspires contemporary art and heritage work.… Read More Pennines Textile Belt: A Hidden Industrial Spine

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Tithe Maps: What They Are & Why They Matter

Tithe maps, created between 1837 and the mid-1840s, are essential historical records that detail land use and ownership in rural England prior to industrialisation. Accompanied by tithe apportionments, they list specific plots, owners, and their uses, preserving ancient field names and patterns, offering invaluable insights for researchers and historians.… Read More Tithe Maps: What They Are & Why They Matter

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The Manorial Landscape of Gee Cross and Werneth Low

Land, labour, fields, paths, and memory Before the mills, chapels, and terraces transformed the landscape, Gee Cross and Werneth Low belonged to a much older pattern of land organisation: the manorial system. For centuries, this framework shaped how people lived, worked, and interacted with the land. Its traces remain visible today in field boundaries, footpaths,… Read More The Manorial Landscape of Gee Cross and Werneth Low

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