Star date: 23rd September 2019

CASTLE IRWELL BOOK WINS FRANK MULLINEUX PRIZE

Rachael Reader's book, Castle Irwell: A Meander Through Time, has won this year's prestigious Frank Mullineux Local History Award, which was presented by Ceremonial Mayor, Charlie McIntyre, at last weekend's Salford Histories Festival.

The Festival which took place in Walkden this year, attracted loads of people viewing around thirty stalls and attending talks.

Full details here...

A book exploring the history of Castle Irwell has won this year's Frank Mullineux Local History Award, from the Eccles and District History Society.

The book, Castle Irwell: A Meander Through Time by Salford University's Rachael Reader, beat off other books and two exhibitions to claim the award which was presented at last weekend's Salford Histories Festival in Walkden by Ceremonial Mayor, Charlie McIntyre..."We need to protect our history" he said "In written or photographic form it is a record for our future..." 

Rachael declared that to win the award was "a huge honour", adding that "putting together the book was really interesting...and I'm so happy that it's received this recognition..."

Meanwhile loads of people attended the Salford Histories Festival which had around thirty stalls, ranging from a display of Walkden and District Tennis League trophies dating from 1922, to book stalls, maps, a model of the Worsley Tugboat, and exhibitions of everything from Salford Link magazines, to the Agecroft Cemetery Chapel Restoration Group to the Save Victoria Theatre campaign and the Irwell Valley Mining Project.

There were talks, a heritage trail of Walkden and also a huge table containing loads of artefacts from old Salford, including irons, clogs, telephones, pop bottles, a bus ticket machine and clippers, and even an on-board manual 'computer' used by the crews of Spitfires and Lancaster bombers during the war to plot raids on Germany.

The items are part of Denise and Domenico's Mobile Museum of Memorabilia, which tours dementia centres, colleges, schools, libraries, public spaces and, particularly, care homes in Salford, to create memories...

"They'll remember something and before you know it you've got their life story...from people who can't remember last week" said Denise "It's memory stimulation. We got some lottery funding but it's run out, yet this has got so popular we can't give up now..."

To donate items or funds to the Mobile Museum of Memorabilia – email the merrytrotter@yahoo.com

For more details of the Frank Mullineux Local History award and how to apply see the Eccles and District History Society website – click here