Buxton honours town’s weather woman by restoring bench

A vandalised bench dedicated to the ‘Borough Meteorologist’ has been repaired and returned to its rightful place - thanks to a community restoration project.
Michael Hilton, from Buxton Weather Team, and Dave Carlisle, chairman for friends of Buxton Station,  on the bench in front of the Met Office Buxton Slopes Weather Station.Michael Hilton, from Buxton Weather Team, and Dave Carlisle, chairman for friends of Buxton Station,  on the bench in front of the Met Office Buxton Slopes Weather Station.
Michael Hilton, from Buxton Weather Team, and Dave Carlisle, chairman for friends of Buxton Station, on the bench in front of the Met Office Buxton Slopes Weather Station.

Friends of Buxton Station (FoBS) were working on several damaged benches when they found one with the inscription ‘Dedicated to Miss E W Pilkington, the Borough Meteorologist from 1924 to 1962’ and wanted to know more.

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Working with current meteorologist Michael Hilton, who takes readings from the weather station on The Slopes, and a family friend of Miss Pilkington, the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.

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For Edith Pilkington was a weather guru who followed in her father’s footsteps and recorded the weather at the Met Office station on the The Slopes spanning four decades from 1924 to 1962.

Michael said: “The Slopes weather team is delighted to assist in placing the seat next to the weather station she visited every day for so many years.”

The newly-restored bench was installed on Friday and FoBS chairman, Dave Carlisle, said: “We really wanted to get it back into use. Working with Michael and Steve Bradshaw of the Town Team’s Slopes Squad, as well as Oliver Bagshaw from the council, we have turned rotting wood back into a useful bench in an appropriate place with a spectacular view out over the newly restored Pump Room and Crescent and our lovely town.”

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