The superb Lancashire Dialect Writers' Memorial in Bradfield Park, Rochdale, Greater Manchester has been the unfortunate subject of vandalism in the past, but I was delighted to see it now restored to its former glory. It was designed by Edward Sykes with the portrait medallions in bronze by John Cassidy, whom I've mentioned previously in relation to the former statue of Ben Brierley in Queen's Park.
'BORN ROCHDALE EDWIN WAUGH DIED NEW BRIGHTON
27 JANY 1870 "COME WHOAM TO THI CHILDREN AN ME." 30 APRIL 1850'
'IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF
OUR ROCHDALE WRITERS OF THE
LANCASHIRE DIALECT WHO HAVE PRESERVED
FOR OUR CHILDREN, IN VERSE AND PROSE
THAT WILL NOT DIE, THE STRENGTH
AND TENDERNESS, THE GRAVITY AND
HUMOURS OF THE FOLK OF OUR DAY, IN
THE TONGUE AND TALK OF THE PEOPLE.
THIS MEMORIAL WAS ERECTED A.D. 1900'
'1908 HARVEY KERSHAW M.B.E. 1986
"A MUN WI' T' COMMON TOUCH"
'BORN MILNROW JOHN TRAFFORD DIED BOURNEMOUTH
22ND JANY 1857 CLEGG 18TH MARCH 1895'
'SAY NOWT AGAIN FOLK BEHIND THEIR
BACKS, SUP NOWT STHRONGER NOR WOM
BREWED, AN NOANE TOO MICH O THAT
KEEP LOW THOUGHTS EAUT O THI MIND
BI FILLIN IT WI THINGS BRODE AN HEE
FESTIN THI E'EN ON TH SKY ITS AS YEZZY
TO LOOK UP AS DEAWN, AN IT MAKES
A VAST DIFFERENCE IN A MON.'
'BORN CARLOW MARGARET REBECCA DIED ROCHDALE
IRELAND. 10TH MAY 1831 LAHEE 14TH JUNE 1895'
'WHEN WE LAY DEAUN LIFE'S SHUTTLE AN
STON BEFORE TH GREYT JUDGE HE'LL
WANT TO KNOW WHAT SOOART OF A PIECE
WE'N WOVVEN, AN HOW MONY FLOATS THERE'S
IN IT. HE WINNUT CARE ABEAWT EAWR
HEE SEAUNDIN NAMES AN WORLDLY
POSSESSIONS, HE'LL AX US HOW WE GEET
EM AN WHAT WE DID WI EM.'
'BORN ROCHDALE OLIVER ORMEROD DIED ROCHDALE
21 JUNE 1811 1ST NOVR 1879'
'AW SED AWM O ROCHDE FELLEY
MON UN WE'RE METERLY FAUSE THEERE
AW'LL WARRUNT TE.'
'OLIS LET O MON DOO THAT UTS REETE
UN E'S SARTIN SHURE FUR TO KOOME
EAWT TH UT LAST OV O.'
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John Collier / Tim Bobbin in Rochdale
Ben Brierley in Failsworth and Harpurhey
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