Serious Competition for Henley's Regatta
By Nicky Tesco and Dr. Simon Shawdene March 2006
Northendens Regatta could soon be reinstated
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Many of Northenden's residents are aware that our village is not just a highly sought-after Mancunian suburb. It isn't even just a fantastic place to contract e-coli, or get your head mashed in after closing. It's much more than that, and always has been. And one of Northenden's much loved traditions, we can reveal, is about to make a long-overdue reappearance.
Those of you who can read, may have spotted a story in the local press about
the proposed reinstatement of Northenden's Henley Regatta. NORTHENDEN.NET has
been given exclusive access to secret plans by the Committee to reintroduce this
ancient tradition, restoring Northenden's status as the North West's number one
holiday resort and completely transforming the area between the Tatton Arms and
the footbridge at the end of Boat Lane.
Unbelievable though it may seem, Northenden was once a huge attraction for tourists. Local historian Dr. Simon Shawdene writes:
Since the crusades, Northenden has been a legendary attraction for travellers and explorers, playing a major part in the discoveries of new worlds and inspiring the very creation of the British Empire. Northenden is even mentioned in Chapter six of the original Ladybird edition of the King David James Bible (1951). The legacy of our ancient tradition as a breeding ground of explorers and innovators was the Northenden Regatta, which continued until the 1950s. It was an awe-inspiring sight to see hundreds of people on the shores of the river, spellbound by the splendour of tall ships and vast ocean going yachts sweeping majestically up and down the Mersey from the Tatton to the gap in the fence at the end of Cretien Road.
Typical 1920s village scene
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Buoyed by the glory of its famous Regatta, Northenden became a magnet for tourists all over the developed world. Emperors, Kings and even, it is rumoured, some people from Didsbury visited the village to witness the scenes of unbelieveable majesty as the yachts graced the waters of our noble river.
We see here a typical scene from a Regatta of the 1920s, showing the overwhelming splendour of the Northenden Regatta in full swing. NB this picture is copyright © The Simon Shawdene Historical Archive, 1921. All rights reserved.
During the years following the second world war, Northenden was unable to host yachts and tall ships on the river due to the construction of Northenden Bridge. However, large numbers of visitors continued to flock in their droves from overseas to watch boats rowing up and down the mersey from the pub to the M60 flyover.
Throughout the 1960s the tradition of boats sailing up and down the river began to decine, with pastimes such as graffiti, looting and debauchery gradually becoming more popular and overtaking such traditional pursuits. The last boat was removed from the river in 1966, bringing an end to the boating and taking with it Northenden's reputation as a tourist resort.
Now civic leaders, backed by Northenden councillors, are trying to rekindle the glory years of old and believe they have the money and the wherewithal to pull it off.
Mr Ardron said: “I believe this would make us a great tourist attraction again and it would be great if we could get schoolchildren interested in more innocent pastimes like rowing on the river. This is really exciting for Northenden.”
The committee secretary added: “We’re trying to re-establish the riverside resort.”
Boating on the River Mersey started in the 1880s and came to an end in 1966. The boats and boating station on Boat Lane were owned by the Brunt family, who also owned a riverside fairground and wrestling ring on Ford Lane. Nowadays however, wrestling, rowing and fairgrounds would require rigorous safety controls to ensure that the council cannot be held responsible for anything. The finances required to provide the proper legal cover may make some elements of the project unworkable, and may potentially jeopardise important projects such as the Northenden.Net community dig. Our insiders have assured us that this is not going to happen as the dig is an important way for high profile committee members to get in the local paper.
The new regatta is part of a project to improve the area around the Mersey near the weir. Other plans include a linear park between the river and the Tatton Arms pub, a permanent memorial at the site of the Northenden.Net Archaeology Project in the Camperlands car park, huge litter clear-up, and a new footbridge over the Mersey between Northenden and Didsbury.
* plans for conversion of the M60 motorway bridge to an opening bridge to allow the tall ships down to the golf course have met with opposition from fans of the Northenden.Net Archaeological programme, which is due to start again next summer with a renewed attempt to find rubble in the Camperlands car park. It is feared that almost a third of next years “Dig Manchester” publicity budget may be diverted to the bridge conversion work, and to a sub-project to construct a fleet of reproduction renaissance yachts to be based at Northenden. We can however reveal that the Dig Manchester budget is safe and less high-profile moneys (e.g. the Metrolink budget) may be re-allocated instead.
Northenden.Net would like to thank Dr. Simon Shawdene for once again providing, at extremely short notice, a startling insight into the history of the area. Dr Shawdene’s new book “Legends of Suburbia” is available in hardback at all good bookshops from November, priced £14.95.