Based at the Macclesfield Institute in Venables Street, we collect, preserve, research, write and publish history relating to the Macclesfield district.
In 1980, to celebrate the centenary of the local Institute building the original History Group was formed to collate and publish a book about our local history since settlement, “Macclesfield, Reflections Along the Angus”.
Jim Faull, Head of the Geography Department of the Hartley College of Advanced Education, and his students kindly assisted with the project.
Since then, other publications have been, “At Work, The Macclesfield Cheese Factory 1937-1975” by Lesley Shack, ” The Macclesfield Recreation Grounds 1947-2020”, by Brenton Handke, and short run reissue of “The Macclesfield Catholic Picnic 1883 – 1983”, compiled by Betty White and Fr. William Modystack P.P. All these are available at the Macclesfield Post Office.
With limited physical space we have little on permanent display, but we have many images and paper records in storage that we are gradually getting online. A main effort is directed towards adding to our easy access website, answering enquiries from the public, and organising our annual SA History Festival bush dance. Meanwhile some of our members are beavering away at their own pet little/big projects such as professionally conserving (ArtLab) a “found” volume of minutes from the old Macclesfield Council.
The group gets together for a catch-up every Wednesday afternoon, 1-4 pm in the Supper Room at the Institute, but of course much work happens elsewhere.
