Marple
October-November 1842

When I first started school we met in the upper room of the barn at Chapel House Farm. Now since 1839 we have a new school called All Saints, as is the church. It consists of a long narrow two storey stone building with one large classroom downstairs and the same upstairs. At the side of the downstairs room is a gallery, and a tier of backless seats for the infants. Standard 1 is also on the main floor, both in the same room. There is an inside staircase which leads to the upper room where my classroom is. We actually have just the one big room for five classes, so sometimes it is very noisy. I learned as much as I have because often when I was bored with the lessons for our standard, I listened into the lessons of the more advanced class. My teacher was Mrs. Earnhill, and I liked her very much. Her husband Josiah taught there too.

Shortly after I began my work at Marple Hall, I decided to ask Mrs. Earnhill if our class could learn more about the history of the Civil War, and in particular, the part that our town’s most famous man, John Bradshawe played in it. She said that although she thought it was a good idea, it didn’t really fit within the curriculum which she is required to teach, and she couldn’t see how she could make it fit. But then she suggested that I should do my own special project, including a report which I could then read out to the class which could count for both reading and writing on my assessments.

I decided that I will do it, and when next I go to work tomorrow morning at Marple Hall, I am going to be very bold and ask Mrs. Isherwood if I can use her library for my research. I know it will mean that I have to go there on another occasion. I can’t do it while I am supposed to be working - but perhaps she would be willing to let me do my research sometime on Sunday after church, of course.

Many towns have their own libraries, I know that there are small holding of books in various churches act as libraries for Marple, but it would be good if we could have our own proper one like they do in bigger cities. I know Stockport has one, but when do I have time to go into Stockport? And even with the distance involved, they are not open on Sundays which would be the only day when I could do my research.

For the most part the strikes have abated and most have gone back to work. Some were tempted by a raise in salary; some were frightened of losing their jobs, as it became clear that many employers were going to use the strike as an excuse to lose any extra employment they had.

Mrs. Isherwood agreed to let me use her library on Sunday afternoons between two and four, when she would be busy entertaining guests elsewhere in the house. Their guests on the first Sunday I went there I knew full well, Reverend and Mrs. Fell. It was jokingly said that when the Vicar gave an exceptionally good sermon, he would be invited to Marple Hall for dinner. I was at church this morning and could not see anything remarkable about his sermon, but that not withstanding, here they were.

I spent my two hours wisely in the library, looking at anything I could find with a relevance to the Civil War, making copious notes.

I decided that for my presentation I would make a sort of play. John Bradshawe would be called to answer for his conduct by the members of our class, and each would have a question to ask him. I would play the part of John Bradshawe and supply them with the answers. I couldn’t wait to tell Mrs. Earnhill my plan to see how she would take to it.

Old Eliza told me about another of the ghosts of Marple Hall one day.

“Elizabeth Brabyns is featured in the magnificent oriel window in the drawing room, and also has her portrait on the stairs, sitting with her spaniel beside her. She married Nathaniel Bradshaw Isherwood who died before her. She was the daughter of Mr. Brabyn of Brabyn’s Hall. The story is that when she haunts, she is searching Marple Hall for her wedding ring. I don’t know why but she apparently didn’t like children, possibly because she was childless. Several of the children in the family have seen her but none of the grown ups.”

The library was just off the main hall and was similar in style to the rest of the house. Two long latticed windows had lozenges of stained glass (much like the ones in the church) and also had deep carved window seats and the canopies above were covered with heraldic arms.

I found a book of poems about Cheshire. Remembering how Old Eliza had told me the story of the ghost of Miss Bradshawe I was intrigued to read the poem about it. It was called The Young Cavalier and told the story of love and death at the time of the Civil wars

Later going through other books I found another poem - this time about John Bradshawe, so I copied it to use for my project.

And he who did the doom pronounce
By whom his head should fall
Came back at length a broken man,
To die at Marple Hall.

And in no grave his body lies,
No tablet doth disclose
That in the sepulcher at last.
John Bradshawe found repose.

It made me shudder, but I got on and did some more searching and reading before my two hours were quickly up and I needed to go back home.