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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Lancashire => Topic started by: NathanHead on Tuesday 09 October 12 15:28 BST (UK)
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Does anyone have any stories, details or memories of Walter Mace Shipman B.A, Manchester Solicitor, who resided (among many other manors) at Thelwall Heyes in Grappenhall/Thelwall in the early half of the 20th Century.
after he died, two of his daughters lived there and would hold regular fetes and events for the local community. Flower shows, craft fairs, family fun days, christmas parties etc
I have some information, and photographs, but I was wondering if anybody had any personal experiences or memories?
brief rundown of the three Shipman sisters-
Miss Beatrice Joan Shipman (b. 22nd November 1898 d. 1979) moved to Trafford when she was younger and that’s where she died aged eighty-one. Miss Edith Marian Mace Shipman (b. 1898 d. 19th January 1979) and Miss Brenda Mace Shipman (b. March 1901) remained in the Heys as spinsters into their elderly years, Miss Brenda did marry in 1925 to an older gentleman called Thomas G Hill (b. 1854 d. 1939) but he died eleven years into their wedding. I don't have the year that Miss Brenda died, I can't find it anywhere, I assumed she is the last one to die (in the 80s sometime, according to local story).
ps the attatched pictures are: two photographs of one of the Shipman sisters (Miss Brenda), a picture of Thelwall Heyes during the Great War when it was a temporary medical facility, a picture of one of the flower arranging events at Thelwall Heyes and also a picture of a teddy bear competition at one of the craft fairs at the Heyes.
(http://userdoc.ancestry.com/userdocstore/download.ashx?fileid=1602ab32-6811-4521-9988-03ee429943cb&mac=8CF7417C9B9DC000000PewbMzr3CcU=.boards)
(http://userdoc.ancestry.com/userdocstore/download.ashx?fileid=e9adcb66-8d0f-4d8f-ac4e-afb3292f0c1b&mac=8CF7417C9B9DC000000Ro9k0BXJOmY=.boards)
(http://userdoc.ancestry.com/userdocstore/download.ashx?fileid=24f59232-e37c-4521-b27d-45980c97a8fb&mac=8CF7417C9B9DC000000DJeGAsnYCrc=.boards)
(http://userdoc.ancestry.com/userdocstore/download.ashx?fileid=efbf736f-52df-4b3a-8137-92899d20fae4&mac=8CF7417C9B9DC000000pOBVor7x6m8=.boards)
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Hi
Deaths - Brenda Mace Hill aged 82 born 30.1. 1901
March qtr 1983 Trafford 39 2212
There were children born to the Hill/Shipman marriage but details cannot be posted here as they could still be living
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thanks for that Carole
some of the family are shown as dieing (or having deaths registered) in Trafford, but they were at Thelwall until they died, all of them.
They did have a summer house in lake Windermere as well as a home in Timperley.
How did you find the details of the Shipman/Mace Children? I understand you don't wish to post them publicly, but I would like to know for my own research at least. all the best x
ps . This info you gave does help a great deal, thank you.
but the main reason for my posting was to gather more stories and memories from when the halls were opened up and used to house local fetes and fairs and events.
Aside from the photographs I have, the only other person I've been able to get stories from are my own family!
it would be awesome to get someone else's story and memories of the Shipman sisters and Thelwall Heyes
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Hi, My grandmother and step-grandfather lived in several of the cottages on the Thelwall Heyes Estate and my Gran acted as housekeeper to the two sisters who I knew as Miss Joan and Miss Molly. I was allowed to accompany my Gran whilst she worked at 'the big house' in the school holidays from when I was a little girl until one of the sisters died and the house was sold (1967-1980). I have fond memories of them both and recall lots of features of the house and the way they lived. To a little girl it was very grand - a bit upstairs/downstairs as I was not to speak until spoken to and never to make a noise!The house was beautifully furnished with a faded grandeur about it, large grand piano in the front bay window which looked down the drive, wonderful red carpet on the huge staircase, lots of old grandfather clocks, big old kitchen with a warm aga and grans rocking chair next to it, really cold pantry and really really spooky attic rooms which I never went in alone! Miss Molly was of large build and very jolly whilst Miss Joan was thin and wiry with a sharp tongue but they were both lovely to me. My grandparents and one other lady from another cottage were the only domestic help they had and in the 70's this was ideal but as the sisters got older it became harder for all. My Step-grandfather was born in the local vicinity and had known the family all his life, I do have a suitcase of old photos somewhere of the summer fetes held in the garden as his Mother was a regular competitor and winner! My Gran used to visit the house in the Lakes but I can't quite recall the name but it will be in the paperwork somewhere - was it Cleebarrow? My memories are of warm summer evenings playing in the old school house in the garden, picking the vegetables for the 'old ladies' dinner and collecting the eggs for breakfast, happy memories indeed. :)
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thanks! that is an amazing story
I possibly have photographs of you! I have a few from their events in the tent and also a few group shots with the Shipmans on the steps of the house with a few local children
do you know any of my relatives?
my great grandmother Ada Richards (nee Moulsdale)?
her son Evan Richards? my great uncle Evan lived at the lodge at the entrance to the Heyes until he died a few years ago
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oh by the way
the house in the lakes was called Cleabarrow Hall, I believe
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I think you and I are related by marriage as I am Evan and Beatrice Richards Grand-daughter Gillian. I assume you are Davids Son? I remember your grandmother Joan very well and a little of your grandad Vin (always counting money) and their lovely house with a massive garden! I vaguely remember Evans mother - a tiny little woman who was always giving me lemonade and kept chickens in her garden, your great grandad was an old man when my memories start and didn't move from his chair too much. They were a lovely family, very close which was just as well as they all lived a stones throw from each other all their lives. I think your great grandad had a hard time getting work after WW1 and originally came from Herefordshire (was he a horse man?) and possibly came here to find work, there are still Moulsdale relatives locally or at least there were in 2004. Evan was a staunch Labour supporter and put that down to his Fathers disappointment at not being able to find work after the war and having to leave Herefordshire which was a place he loved. I looked after Evan up until his death and he was full of stories, there are still a few of his friends around who might have better memories than me. Regards
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Well stone me! Haha
Hello Gillian!
We really should exchange emails, I have so much to talk about!
Please use our personal message system to exchange email addresses. This avoids spamming etc.
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Just a thought. Thelwall and Grappenhall are both in Cheshire. Timperley too is in the same county. Not sure what the requirements are but it may be worth contacting that board as well. The same message on two boards can cause confusion I know. Maybe the Moderator can offer advice.
Best wishes
Reiver
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Hi Gillian, it's been a few weeks since I messaged you and I was wondering if you didn't get my message?
It would be great to connect and share stories
hope everything is ok
all the best
Nathan Head
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Nathan. I am a member of the Shipman/Hill family! My grandmother was Brenda and Molly & Joan were my great Aunts!! I recall many happy days with the family and the Aunts and remember the details as outlined in the posts. The house was an absolute glory and still amazes me after all these years. The school room was used by the local WI, of which Molly & Joan were stalwart members. The house remained in the family for some time following the deaths of the Aunts and my grand-parents, Brenda & Thomas Gray Hill lived in Bowdon where I spent many a happy day in my youth and visiting Thelwall Heys whilst I stayed with them. The splendid house in the Lakes was called Cleabarrow and, again there are a multitude of happy memories of wonderful times spent there with family, this house - at least a small part of it - still remains in the family and provides a reminder of a glorious past. If I can be of any further help please do not hesitate to contact me. :)
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hi David, that's brillaint
thanks for posting
I was wondering if you remembered my grandmother or great grandmother or even my great great grandmother maybe?
my great great gran was Emily Moulsdale, maiden name Doodson, she was a big woman who had a walking stick, she worked a lot with the WI there and you may have seen her at some point, I dunno
my great gran was Ada Richards? maiden name Moulsdale? she worked for the sisters before the great war and in the 50s,60s,70s was a close friend and went to visit them for tea and bridge, she was around the same age as the sisters, give or take
her daughter (my gran) was Joan Head, maiden name Richards, born in the 1920s
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Nathan.
Good to hear from you. What exactly is your connection/interest in the family? Having been an 'occasional' visitor only - my immediate family lived, and I was brought up, in Kent following my father's move to the South on my parents' marriage - I cannot recall any specific names of those who visited the 'big house' as there were so many, sorry! Although I probably met them during my wonderful visits to Thelwall Heys!! I recall the egg, veg, flower collections from the wonderful garden and have so many heady, happy memories of the grand old house which seemed so huge to a young 10/11/12 year old. I would really appreciate any pictures of the house or the Aunts you might be able to send or link to for me, as I cannot seem to find any from the family archives. I have managed to trace a lineage for the Shipman/Mace/Long family, through ancestry.com and am happy to share any information from this that you might find useful - whilst, of course, protecting the living members of the family. Please do't hesitate to contact me if I can furnish you with any further information that I may be able to pass on. :)
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aye ive got a few photos, ill scan them soon and show you
my great gran lived and worked there from around 1910 until the 40s when she got married
and my great great grandmother was a member of the WI
i do have a nice collection of pics, i will scan them, there is one that has a young boy on one of the shipman sister's knees, i wonder if it could be yourself? ill show you as soon as i get round to scanning some
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Thanks Nathan.
I've no pics - except those in my head - so anything you can provide would be wonderful! Molly & Joan were fantastic, astute, funny and very wealthy ladies, courtesy of their predecessors and their own strengths, however they never flaunted their wealth and were very 'tweedy', country ladies who seemed to be content with their lot - and why not considering the inheritance they must have enjoyed! Lovely ladies who tried to share their good fortune with the Thelwall and Grappenhall 'set'. I'll never forget Molly's 'beard' and Joan's speed around the garden - Molly could never manage Joan's energy. Sadly' Joan began to lose her mental faculties toward the end and Molly was physically unable to manage, they were a team and Thelwall Heys really ceased to function when they lost their ability to cope - so sad but typical of this situation.
If I can help with any ancestry please do not hesitate to get in touch.
All the best.
David.
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Hi,
I have found this thread via Google, doing a bit of background research for my Mum, who has connections to Thelwall Heys. I realise it is an old thread now, so before I go into the whole family history connections - is anyone who has contributed still following the thread?
Briefly, my Grandmother Mabel was born at the farm at Thelwall Heys in 1922. Her father, Richard Jackson, was the farm bailiff. After he died, his widow Alice, my Grandmother Mabel and her husband, and their baby daughter (my mother) lived at the gate lodge.
Nathan, your grandmother was my grandmother's bridesmaid!
If anyone's still interested I would love to share more. Thankyou :)
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Hi, I'm aware this is a super old post, but I thought it was worth a shot. I'm looking for any historic photos of Thelwall Heys anybody is willing to share? I work for a Historic Building Surveyor and am doing some background research on the house. Thanks!