Rather excitingly, at the end of last month, Ellie Harrison, Countryfile presenter, visited Quarry Bank to film for an episode of the programme, which will air this Sunday (8 March). As it is National Apprentice Week from 9-13 March, she chatted to Quarry Bank’s Clare Brown (Machine Interpretation Supervisor) and discovered what life was like…
Tag: Robert Hyde Greg
Piecing together Robert and Mary’s Romance
Well folks, this is my last ever blog post as I leave Quarry Bank for pastures new, and I have decided to end my tenure as blog creator & editor by returning once more to one of my favourite stories from the archive; the romance of Robert Hyde Greg and Mary Phillips, and I warn…
“Sorrow & succeeded dependence…bind us closely together” – life after Hannah Greg
I’ve been burying myself in the archive in the run up to Christmas and these first few days of 2015, working my way through a wonderful set of letters that have entered the archive on an indefinite loan. The loan includes letters, photos, and post cards belonging to the Greg family, and were in the…
“You have a very good raw material to work upon” – brotherly advice to Robert Hyde Greg
Last year I shared a letter with you from Robert Hyde Greg, expressing his joy to his new fiancée, Mary Philips, that she had accepted his offer of marriage. The archive volunteers later found a letter from his father Samuel Greg, describing his delight for his son, and advising the couple not to worry about…
Children of The Mill by David Hanson
To accompany the second series of The Mill, a book has been released which explores the lives of the apprentices at Quarry Bank, from the beginnings of the apprentice system in the 1790s, to its end in 1847. The book is called Children of The Mill, by David Hanson. Back in July we held a…
The Mill Series 2 – interviews with Kerrie Hayes, Andrew Lee Potts and Matthew McNulty
Have you been enjoying The Mill on Channel 4? Who’s your favourite character at the moment? Whilst they were filming here at Quarry Bank, the National Trust managed to grab some one-on-one time with some of the cast and find out what their thoughts were on their characters and on Series 2. Warning – the…
Accidents at Quarry Bank Mill – The Mill Series 2 Episode 2
In Episode 2 of The Mill we see Jack Howlett nearly reach a horrific end, when his head is almost crushed between the draw frame and the back plate of the spinning mule. Luckily for Jack, his father John Howlett in an act of superhuman strength brings the mule to a stop by grabbing the…
The Mill Series 2 – William Greg
Sunday night saw the introduction of another member of the Greg family in The Mill; William Greg, played by Andrew Lee Potts. In the first episode we learn that William has taken over the running of Quarry Bank Mill, whilst his elder brother, Robert Hyde Greg, is in Manchester acting as an MP to fight…
The Mill Series 2, Episode 1 – The Poor Laws
Series 2 of The Mill has kicked off by exploring of one of the most contentious pieces of legislation of the 19th century; The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, which saw the wide-scale introduction of the infamous workhouse, as we greet a brand new family; the Howletts. Daniel Bate: Robert Greg’s asked the Poor…
The Mill – Series 1 Catch up and a look ahead to Series 2
For those of you living in the UK, you may have spotted a few TV adverts reminding you that you can catch up with Series 1 of The Mill, ahead of Series 2 which is due to air at the end of July. I thought today that I would direct you to a few previous…
The finest picture of Devoted, tender and faithful attachment…
Around this time last year I found myself battling with what I called the “stickiest tape I have ever come across in my life” (and I stand by that statement), whilst installing our ‘Lady of Letters‘ exhibition, to complement the release of David Sekers’ book ‘A Lady of Cotton, Hannah Greg, Mistress of Quarry Bank…
‘The thousands inside all seemed to radiate with joy’ – The Great Exhibition of 1851
We’ve just had all the fun of the fair this May Day, and welcomed back Great British Fun Fair’s brilliant Victorian Swing Boats and Chair-o-planes. Nearly 163 years ago, Robert Hyde Greg enjoyed one of the greatest fairs the country had ever seen; the Great Exhibition of 1851. Whilst cataloguing letters of the Greg…
Quarry Bank Revealed 