NOSTALGIA: A look back at the news of yesteryear in Buxton and High Peak

Here's a look back at some stories making the headlines 25, 50 and 100 years ago in the Buxton Advertiser & Herald.
From March 1989, a tug-of-war event takes place during a charity sports day at the Palace Hotel in aid of the Buxton Scanner appeal.From March 1989, a tug-of-war event takes place during a charity sports day at the Palace Hotel in aid of the Buxton Scanner appeal.
From March 1989, a tug-of-war event takes place during a charity sports day at the Palace Hotel in aid of the Buxton Scanner appeal.

25 YEARS AGO

A chapter in the education of many local people will come to a close with the demolition of two of Buxton’s landmark schools.

The former Cavendish Grammar and Silverlands Secondary Modern will make way for housing.

“The demolition is all part of the county council’s ongoing need to raise capital resources through selling off surplus land or buildings,” said a county council spokeswoman.

• Tourists are being driven from Buxton because they see the state of the Crescent and believe nothing is being done to repair it - according to Buxton and District Tourist Association.

One member said: “It looks like somebody’s dropped a bomb on it”.

50 YEARS AGO

New jobs - perhaps eventually nearly 100 of them - will be created as the result of the opening last Friday of a £100,000 cotton sheeting plant at JJ Hadfield’s Ltd bleachers and dyers of Forge Bleach Works, Chinley.

With the installation of the new plant and the expansion of making-up facilities for sheets and pillowcases it is inevitable, said a company announcement, “that Forge Bleach Works will, in the future, provide work for a growing labour force.”

• It will be farewell to steam locos in Buxton this weekend, when the last of them chuffs out as the axe falls on the loco sheds and goods yard. Affected are a total of 125 men.

100 YEARS AGO

Very excellent and interesting pictures are being shown weekly at the Hippodrome and at the Picture House, Spring Gardens, the Buxton Herald reports.

These are giving manifest delight to the crowds of soldiers and civilians who nightly throng those places of amusement.

• It is understood that 1,187 meals were supplied last week from the National Kitchen at Fairfield.

The average is well over 200 per day, for every day but Monday, when naturally the numbers decline.

In some places they don’t open the kitchens on Monday, but even on that day over 100 meals are supplied at Fairfield.