Life-long resident of Alderley Edge leaves a wealth of local information

by Lisa Reeves

Tuesday 20^th March 2018

Tue 20^th Mar 2018

A life-long resident of Alderley Edge who passed away earlier this year has left behind a wealth of local information which is now on display in the Heritage Centre.

Dorothea Bradbury was born on October 4th 1920 in a flat above the Co-op, which was on the corner of Trafford Road and Heyes Lane.

Her Mother was Madame Rathbone, the piano teacher in Alderley Edge during the 1930 and 1940's, and Dorothea herself taught piano lessons well into the 1990's and was very involved in the Alderley Music Festival, as a competitor and an adjudicator as well as putting her own pupils into the festival.

Dorothea kept many of the programmes from the Alderley Music Festival, dating back to 1920's, along with some of her certificates which have been passed to the Alderley History Group.

Her cousin Allan Windelinckx has also given the group many of Dorothea's papers and photos, which form the basis of the archive for the Alderley History Group and are displayed in the Heritage Centre in St Philip & St James Church.

Mandy Parr, of the Alderley History Group said "Dorothea attended Edge View School, which was in the Union Club on Stevens Street. We have discovered much more information about local life in Alderley , especially during WW2, as Dorothea kept , all sorts of leaflets about fund raising, pageants and rose queens."

Dorothea Bradbury passed away peacefully in Brookview Nursing Home, Alderley Edge on Wednesday 24th January 2018.

Photos: Dorothea's straw boater and reports from Edge View School. Dorothea with head scarf on and some friends. Dorotheas house on Stamford Rd, photo taken in late 1960s.

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Graham Dilliway

Tuesday 20^th March 2018 at 4:57 pm

Very sorry to read of the death of Dorothea Bradbury. I remember Dorothea very well from my days in the Methodist Chapel Sunday School in the 1950's, along with Mrs Pickstock and others. Dorothea was a very kind teacher who would not stand any nonsense, and who helped to build a real feeling of Christian comradeship in the school. I believe I have of a photo of a Sunday School parade that shows Dorothea if there is any interest.

Bob Bracegirdle

Tuesday 20^th March 2018 at 5:32 pm

Photos of Alderley in those times would be if interest.

Mandy Parr

Tuesday 20^th March 2018 at 6:48 pm

Everyone is very welcome to come down to the Heritage Centre at St Philip & St James Church and look at our photos and archives. We are usually there on Wednesday at 2pm.
Or contact me through the website and make another time.
http://www.alderleyhistorygroup.org.uk

Diana Bullock

Tuesday 20^th March 2018 at 6:57 pm

Thank you Mandy, and Lisa, for this article about Dorothea - she was a lovely lady. She was my Sunday School teacher at the Methodist Chapel in the 1950s and attended there for most of her life. Her father was a member of the Royal British Legion in Alderley and I think Dorothea was also. She certainly lived to be a good age and, as mentioned, has left us plenty of memorabilia.

Graham McLelland

Wednesday 21^st March 2018 at 6:03 pm

Miss Bradbury was a great Sunday School teacher along with Mrs Pickstock Sandy Marshall,Ruth Bradbury, Mrs Bracecirdle Frank Read ,Bill James,Such great local people
She was a lovely friendly lady and I remember her parents .