Biddulph & District Genealogy & Historical Society Biddulph Grange by Kath Walton

The Publications Pages

The Biddulph and District Genealogy and Historical Society

The Transactions Page

All the Society's Transactions are available to buy at Society Meetings and from the staff of Biddulph Library. You can also purchase the books by ordering them by email from the Secretary of the Society. You can order your book(s) by visiting “The Books Sales Page” using the links below.

You can navigate to the other pages in the Publications section by clicking on the links below:

Books Page to view how to purchase BDGHS books

BDGHS Books to view more information about books published by the BDGHS.

Transactions to view more information about BDGHS Transactions.

Associated Books to view more information about our associated publications.

Please note: A full list of all our publications can be downloaded here List of All BDGHS Books

Transactions published by the Society

T01: Transaction 1 of June 1968 includes amongst other articles: The Excavation at Lee Forge, Biddulph 1967 by J.L. Bestwick and Place Names in Biddulph by John Sherratt. (13 Pages).

T02: Transaction 2 of June 1970 includes amongst other articles: Part 1 of Coal Mining in the Biddulph Area up to the end of the C19th by Derek Wheelhouse; The Passenger Services of the North Staffordshire Railway on the Biddulph Valley Branch Line by John Hancock; and, Old Buildings of Biddulph - The White House by Sylvia Tansley. (24 Pages).

T03: Transaction 3 of June 1972 includes amongst other articles: Part 2 of Coal Mining in the Biddulph Area up to the end of the C19th by Derek Wheelhouse; Tramways and Railways in the Biddulph Valley 1800 – 1854 by John Hancock; Biddulph Surnames 1200 – 1600 by John Sherratt; and, A Day at Knypersley Hall from the Staffordshire Advertiser 1853. (37 Pages).

Cost of Transactions: Transactions T01 - T03 cost £2.00 each

T04: Transaction 4 of December 1973 includes amongst other articles: The Biddulph Valley Railway 1854 - 1864 by John Hancock, the Development of Motor Bus Services in the Biddulph and surrounding area by Adrian Lawton; and, An article on Biddulph Hall from the Staffordshire Advertiser 1854. (35 Pages).

T05: Transaction 5 of June 2011 includes amongst other articles: The History of Lea Forge Colour Works by C E Ellerton; Hedge dating in Gillow Heath by Elaine Heathcote, and early rail transport in the Biddulph Valley by Derek Wheelhouse. (47 Pages).

T06: Transaction 6 of February 2012 includes amongst other articles: The History of Astbury Hydraulic Limestone Works by Derek Wheelhouse; exploring the Astbury Hydraulic Limestone Works by Len Kirkham; and A Walk around Mow Cop to Astbury Limestone Works. (56 Pages).

T07: Transaction 7 of December 2012: “From Bradley Green to Massachusetts” by Mr. Enoch Whalley The memories of Mr. Enoch Whalley of Gillow Heath first serialised in the based on the fifteen chapters published in the “Biddulph Chronicle” between the 31st December 1937 and the 14th of April 1938. In 1997 a reprint was published in twenty one parts between the 21st of February 1997 and the 11th of July 1997. This is the first time all the document has been published in a single book. (74 Pages).

T08: Transaction 8 of February 2015 includes amongst other articles: A look at Religion in the Staffordshire Moorlands – including three chapters from The Centenary of Primitive Methodism and notes on the Quakers. It also includes short articles on Local Policing, a local memory, a marriage bond and a walk around Bursley. (39 Pages).

T09: Transaction 9 of April 2015 the ‘Writings of Mr. Harry Page’ A Tribute to a Founder Member of the Biddulph History Society who died on the 6th of January 2015 including trips organised by Mr Harry Page as ‘Excursion Secretary’ of the Biddulph History Society; Extracts from ”Biddulph by the Diggings” and, Extracts from “The Biddulph Players 1950 – 2000”. (53 Pages).

T10: Transaction 10 of April 2015 an ‘Early History of Chatterley Whitfield Colliery’ written by Mr. James Jack in 1935. Converted from Mr. Jack’s hand written notes, this is a personal view of the development of one of the largest local collieries. (35 Pages).

T11: Transaction 11 of June 2015 ‘Early Rail Transport in the Biddulph Valley’ written by Mr. Paul Blurton and based on research by Mr. Derek Wheelhouse. The information has been updated and extended with all photographs in colour. (31 Pages).

T12: Transactions 12 of December 2017 ‘Ada - Love At Jerusalem’ research by Christine Jesson into the book written by Henry Francis Gordon and published in 1895 with references to Biddulph And Knypersley. The original book was found in the collection of the late Mr. Harry Page. (40 pages).

The original story is about a Mr. Wayton of Middulph Grange who takes his daughter, Ada, to Palestine and Egypt. During the visit they meet Captain Beaulite. Ada and Captain Beaulite fall in love. They are married in Middulph Church and spend their honeymoon at Mypersley Hall. The book was written by Henry Francis Gordon and published in 1895

Christine Jesson found this book on her late father’s, Harry Page’s, book shelf. She thinks that when Mr. Page found the book in the 1970s he noticed the dedication to the Goodfellows at Woodhouse Farm and this led him to read the book where he saw that the story involved characters from Middulph, Middulph Moor and Mypersley.

She states: “I think that anyone with an interest in the history of Biddulph will enjoy reading the chapters set in Middulph. So, to make them accessible to a wider audience, I have transcribed excerpts from the book and scanned some pages. The main part of the book which tells the story of Mr Wayton and his daughter, Ada’s, tour of Palestine is also fascinating. There are many photographs, drawings and descriptions of life in 1890’s Palestine which had changed little from biblical times.”

T13: Transactions 13 of December 2018 This book combines two articles ‘A History of the Chatterley Whitfield Railway by William Jack III’ and ‘The Workings of the Locomotives and Trains of Private Firms over the North Staffordshire Railway’ by Mr. J. R. Hollick edited by Mr Roland Machin. (72 pages).

Cost of Transactions: Transactions T04 - T13 cost £4.00

T14: Transactions 14 of March 2020 a book by Adrian Lawton on the “Buses of Biddulph”

Buses and Coaches In and Around Biddulph – the First 100 Years

Part 1: “The development, regulation and nationalisation of bus services” is, in effect, an article researched in early 1973 which was published in Biddulph Historical Society’s Transactions number 4 later that year. Subsequently, a slightly reduced version of the work formed a chapter in the book “Biddulph (By the diggings)” first published in 1980. The opportunity has now been taken to correct two small errors and, where appropriate, to revise some of the text to reflect the passage of time since it was written. Although no additional details have been added nor any removed, several photographs and images of documents which have come to light in the intervening years have been incorporated.

Part 2: “De-nationalisation and de-regulation of bus services” was completed early in 2020. It picks up the story in 1973 and covers the relatively uneventful years leading up to de-regulation together with the far more eventful period since then right up to Spring 2020.

Part 3: “Express coach services and local coach operators” was also completed early in 2020 to include activities involving coaches which are not covered elsewhere.

T15: Transactions 15 of December 2019 is “The Railways of Biddulph” by Mr. John Hancock. The book describes the history of the Biddulph Valley Line with John’s own photographic archive and other contemporary images taken by Jack Wincle when working as a signalman on the line. Transactions No 15 has 96 A4 pages (including black and white & colour photographs)

Cost of Transactions: Transactions T14 - T15 cost £5.00

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Local and Family History for the Biddulph area

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