Vintage display at Heywood Sports Village

Natalie Rhodes (Art and Heritage Assistant-Museum) with the wedding dress detailed above

1 More Image(s) In Gallery

The Rochdale Borough Arts and Heritage Service has installed a new exhibition in a display case within Heywood Sports Village. On the theme of weddings, the display features objects and material from both the Museum and Local Studies Collections.

The highlight of the show is a beautiful cream serge woollen wedding dress that was worn by Edith Alice Hindle on her marriage to Arthur Ellison. The wedding took place on 12 March 1902 at the United Free Methodist Church in Heywood.

The dress was donated to the museum service in 1974 by the daughter of the bride and groom, Edith Hindle.

It undertook conservation treatment a few years later when it was displayed in an exhibition at Touchstones but this is the first time it has been exhibited in Heywood.

Whilst researching the dress the museum team uncovered an image of the bride and groom in their history files showing Edith wearing the dress. This is also part of the display.

Other items include a cream lace Christening gown that was made with the fabric of an old wedding dress due to the shortage of fabric during WWII, a top hat that was sold by Wilds of Rochdale and a small collection of wedding invitations and cards from the past.

The display case has been moved to Heywood Sports Village from Heywood Library and will feature a programme of exhibitions.