Dukinfield
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Arms of Dukinfield Borough Council |
Dukinfield is a town in
Cheshire,
England. It lies approximately seven miles to the east of
Manchester.
In the Middle Ages, Dukinfield was listed in the parish of
Stockport under the administration of
Macclesfield.
After the Norman Conquest it became part of two Norman estates and in the twelfth century the presiding family took the name
De Dokenfield.
Industrialisation - particularly the
cotton trade - helped shape the town, but its rapid development destroyed its former pasture and meadow land. Most of the cotton mills have now been demolished or converted to other uses.
There are three major historical characters in Dukinfield's history -
John Astley,
Samuel Robinson and
Daniel Adamson.
Astley, born in
1724 was a coal, iron and cotton industrialist and built Dukinfield Lodge.
Robinson was a
Unitarian, industrialist and scholar who founded the village library in
1833 and was dubbed the "foremost promoter of education in the district" before his death in
1884.
Adamson was a mechanical
engineer who also became the first chairman of the world-renowned
Manchester Ship Canal Company. He died on
13 January 1890.
Dukinfield Cricket Club are members of the Lancashire County League. Their professional for several seasons up to 2005 was Paul Turner and in 2006 they have signed Andrew Gleave to replace him from
Flowery Field Cricket Club, where he had been a leading amateur. Martin "the fiddler" Vidler is the clubs youth coach.
Andrew Gwynne is Dukinfield's Member of Parliament. He was elected in 2005 to represent the
Denton and Reddish constituency, of which the town of Dukinfield is a part.
*
Tony Brooks 1950's
Grand Prix Driver, 5 Formula One victories
*
Norman (Buddy) Oldfield Lancashire & England Cricketer
*
Kathy Staff Born
2 July 1928*
Shirley Stelfox Born
11 April 1941.
*
John Normington Born
28 January 1937.
One of the most popular bands in the area, and probably the borough, is The Adamson Military Band.
At a public meeting held in the autumn of 1888 at the Victoria Hotel, Dukinfield a committee was elected to form a band. With £20 held in trust by Besson & co Ltd (instrument makers) from a previously unsuccessful attempt to form the Astley Victoria Brass Band, instruments were purchased and the 'Astley Victoria Reed Band' was born.
The rehearsal room in the Victoria Hotel, lay within Newton Wood, a village practically founded by Daniel Adamson for employees in his nearby engineering works. A brilliant entrepreneur and 'mastermind' behind the construction of the Manchester Ship Canal, Adamson took a keen interest in the Band. In recognition of his support, in February 1889 it was decided to change the name to 'Adamson Reed Band'. Under this name the band played at the opening of the Manchester Ship Canal in 1892.
Modelling itself on the bands of the services, the Band developed in size, instrumentation and style to such an extent that in 1912 it adopted the title of 'Adamson Military Band'. Having at last established its self the Band was cruelly diminished by losses in the Great War. However, it was rebuilt by bandmaster Sam Arnold and conductor Mr W. Halliwell of Wigan to enter two decades of remarkable success. In 1912 The Open Military Band Contest, for bands from all over the country was inaugurated at Belle Vue, the Adamson Military Band was to dominate the championship until it was suspended with the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. During this period the Band was awarded the First prise on six occasions, and was never placed outside the top five bands.
After the war, the Band rebuilt again under conductors Harold Green and George Irving. More recently, the musical directors have included the late John Golland, a well-known Dukinfield-born composer.
Divorced, by reason of its instrumentation, from the predominating Brass Band network, the Adamson Military Band has continued to preserve its identity, a unique institution with an important place in the history of Dukinfield and the North West. The parent engineering works having closed down, it is now an independent and self-supporting organisation. It has retained the name 'Adamson' in recognition of its benefactor. This enduring link was confirmed when, in Many 1994, the band was privileged to play at the centenary celebrations for the Manchester Ship Canal in the presence of HRH the Princess Royal.
One hundred years after its foundation the Band is mindful of its illustrious past but endeavours to create the best of symphonic wind band music from all eras.
