Issue 101 May 2024

Ramsey Mortuary Chapels Heritage and Archive Centre

By Jane Yardley – Chair, Friends of Ramsey Mortuary Chapels

Ramsey’s Heritage Day, what a great day we had! We didn’t know if any visitors would turn up, as unfortunately we had been closed for so long due to circumstances beyond our control. But we needn't have worried, we were absolutely packed, so much so that in the afternoon it became impossible to keep track of the numbers. It was so lovely to see so many people who have supported us in the past and so many new visitors, many of whom told us that they had recently moved into Ramsey and were amazed that there was so much history in the town.

Our thanks to everyone who came, especially to all of you who brought us books to sell and prizes for our tombola stall, your generosity never fails to amaze us.

New Town Councillor, Lorraine Knight came down to offer her support and to see for herself what goes on at the chapels when we are open, and she seemed pleasantly surprised. Also, my personal thanks to all of our members who turned up to help, what a great bunch they are, especially as they were on their feet all day.

The chapels will now be open on the first Sunday of each month, up to and including October and on Special days in between. We will also be out and about with our stalls at various local events, such as St. Thomas a’ Becket Church Fete on Saturday 1st June. It’s always such a lovely event and well worth coming to, especially if you haven’t been before.

Please see our website and Facebook page for details and there will be posters around the town as well.

We have a notice board at the chapel under the archway, which has been paid for and put up by the Friends. If any of you have an event that you would like to advertise, or details of a lost pet, or even to advertise a small local business, then please feel free to put up a poster. We will take them down for you when they are out of date, but I would ask you to bring your own drawing pins and perhaps something to bang them in with as the board is quite hard!

Our photograph this month is one of several that have been given to us for our archive, of past sports events at Ramsey Abbey Grammar School. When the restoration of the non-conformist chapel is complete and we have more wall space, then we hope to put them all on display for you to enjoy.

Tennis VI 1947

Back row – B. Rosher, H. Garner, P. Rosher

Front row – O. Newton, Miss Radford, J. Shadwell, Mr. Barnes, S. Huggins

A special thank you to everyone who has donated items for us to sell on our stall at Home and Vintage in Bury and although the chapels have been closed, it has given us a source of income to allow us to continue our restoration work and we are very grateful.

We look forward to seeing you all this year.

Please see our official Facebook page, “Ramsey Mortuary Chapels” and our website: - www.ramseymortuarychapels.org.uk for up-to-date information regarding our opening times.

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