The Watkin Week 2023

7/4/2023

We start next Sunday 16th April at 2pm with a walk from Rose Hill to the Watkin Graves at St Wilfrids. –(Free).
Meet at the railings in front of historic Rose Hill, Bronington Close off Longley Lane, opposite Harper Road, the former Watkin family home. After a short walk in the beautiful woods we’ll go to St Wilfrid’s church, where Absalom and Edward Watkin are buried with a short non-denominational commemoration service at the gravesides.

19th – Station South Heritage Evening, 7pm; ‘Station South’, on the A6, was built by Edward Watkin. The railway closed in 1968 and the building is now a thriving café bar. Illustrated presentation (Free) in side room by Geoff Scargill, chair of The Watkin Society on ‘The Man who built the Station – and More’, followed by a relaxing drink in the bar. Easy parking in Crayfield Road next to Station South.

20th – Northenden Players Theatre Company, 2pm & 7.30pm; (Free) Drama event in the Little Theatre, Church Road, Northenden. Children from local schools, members of The Watkin Society and the Northenden Players will present a specially-written One-Act play about Edward’s creation of the first ‘Parks for the People’ in the hell-hole of industrial Manchester. Refreshments, also free. To book for the Northenden Players event use this link:
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/northenden-players-theatre-club/northenden-theatre-presents-parks-for-people-edward-watkins-legacy/e-gelbpo?fbclid=IwAR0DsXjfVpaaaKeeM6EVFZv0dt-aCrIEnHBUhTJTZdbVAcLQ7HmsYfKfU3c

22nd – Crown Inn Quiz Night, 8pm; (Admission charge) Special Quiz Night (questions not just on the Watkins!) in the Crown Inn, next to St Wilfrid’s Church.

23rd – Open Day at St Wilfrid’s Church. Guided tours of the beautiful building, featuring stained-glass windows commissioned by Edward Watkin, a chance to view the unique church archives and – if you want – to discover some tips on how to do research. Free refreshments.

24th – Illustrated public lecture ‘The Amazing Watkins – Manchester’s Forgotten Stars’, given by the chair of the Watkin Society in the Performance Space of Manchester’s Central Library. Free refreshments.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/612307607537