Secrets of Didsbury
10am 24 January 2026, 10am Saturday 16 May 2026, 10am Saturday 3 October 2026
From love stories to notorious murderers via whole potato-swallowers and eccentric aldermen, learn about Didsbury’s fascinating story.
There are lots of interesting tales.
One Didsbury landlord was also a part-time keeper of monkeys at Belle Vue Zoo, and used to bring his work home. He had a miniature zoo behind the pub; monkeys, lizards, parrots etc. (one penny admission). He dressed one chimpanzee in school uniform, taught it to ride a tricycle along the pavement ringing the bell and advertising his beer. The story becomes even more interesting and unsavoury when the chimp died.
Then there was eccentric Ralph Raffles. As well as seeing active service in WWII he represented Britain at swimming, running, golf, boxing, water polo, rugby, car-rallying, and sand yachting. Clearly that wasn't enough because he was also a member of the Olympic bobsleigh team. He served as the deputy Lord Lieutenant and then High Sheriff of Greater Manchester, he was boss of the regional St John’s Ambulance and the food reviewer for the Manchester Evening News. Raffles was kicked out of the Territorial Army after bombing his brigadier with flour bombs from a light aircraft at Southport.
There are so many stories involving the great and good of the city and region. I’ll also talk about Shena Simon who with her husband, Ernest, bought Wythenshawe Park for the benefit of Manchester. This pair, Ernest became Lord Mayor, were behind so many important civic improvements. They used their influence to deliver change. For instance, as Lady Mayoress, Shena Simon refused to attend a function at St Mary's Hospital for Women because there were no women on the Board or among the medical staff.
Less worthy perhaps but very funny we even pass the building in which the anarchic 1980s student comedy The Young Ones was conceived. Part of a script will be read. If you have a delicate nature cover your ears.
Meanwhile when one of Didsbury's most famous residents Abraham Moss collected epitaphs from the St James’ Church graveyard he found this tragic one: ‘Eighteen years I was a maid, and fourteen months a wife; seven hours a mother, and then I lost my life.’ And let's consider John Fletcher who died in the early 1600s after a foul during a football game.
This entertaining and fascinating tour takes you from the Didsbury pub up to the Library and the clock tower.
Meet: The Didsbury pub, M20 2SG
Finish: Didsbury Library, M20 2DN
Tickets:
£20 adults
Under 12s free
There are lots of interesting tales.
One Didsbury landlord was also a part-time keeper of monkeys at Belle Vue Zoo, and used to bring his work home. He had a miniature zoo behind the pub; monkeys, lizards, parrots etc. (one penny admission). He dressed one chimpanzee in school uniform, taught it to ride a tricycle along the pavement ringing the bell and advertising his beer. The story becomes even more interesting and unsavoury when the chimp died.
Then there was eccentric Ralph Raffles. As well as seeing active service in WWII he represented Britain at swimming, running, golf, boxing, water polo, rugby, car-rallying, and sand yachting. Clearly that wasn't enough because he was also a member of the Olympic bobsleigh team. He served as the deputy Lord Lieutenant and then High Sheriff of Greater Manchester, he was boss of the regional St John’s Ambulance and the food reviewer for the Manchester Evening News. Raffles was kicked out of the Territorial Army after bombing his brigadier with flour bombs from a light aircraft at Southport.
There are so many stories involving the great and good of the city and region. I’ll also talk about Shena Simon who with her husband, Ernest, bought Wythenshawe Park for the benefit of Manchester. This pair, Ernest became Lord Mayor, were behind so many important civic improvements. They used their influence to deliver change. For instance, as Lady Mayoress, Shena Simon refused to attend a function at St Mary's Hospital for Women because there were no women on the Board or among the medical staff.
Less worthy perhaps but very funny we even pass the building in which the anarchic 1980s student comedy The Young Ones was conceived. Part of a script will be read. If you have a delicate nature cover your ears.
Meanwhile when one of Didsbury's most famous residents Abraham Moss collected epitaphs from the St James’ Church graveyard he found this tragic one: ‘Eighteen years I was a maid, and fourteen months a wife; seven hours a mother, and then I lost my life.’ And let's consider John Fletcher who died in the early 1600s after a foul during a football game.
This entertaining and fascinating tour takes you from the Didsbury pub up to the Library and the clock tower.
Meet: The Didsbury pub, M20 2SG
Finish: Didsbury Library, M20 2DN
Tickets:
£20 adults
Under 12s free