Mossley Heritage

Mossley Heritage Trails

A Horse's Tale — Stop 3

Hannah Visits the Recreation Ground

1919

Hannah was in Mossley Recreation Ground, her cart piled high with buns. Everyone was in a jolly mood and dressed in their finest clothes. The trees were strung with bunting and there were bands playing. Hannah saw the maypole and some lively country dancing to Mossley Band and she heard lots of singing.

Photo of Mossley Maypole Dancers


She watched a tug of war where the Police triumphed over the Gas Works Men in the final. There was sack racing, frog racing and an egg and spoon race. It was Peace Day, and people were celebrating the end of the war.

Hannah was glad the war was over. She remembered in 1914 when she was brought to this same place with all the other horses in Mossley to be sold to fight in the war. It was so busy that the police had to lock the park gates to stop people coming in. Her friend Fred, the Co-op delivery horse was one of the seven horses that were bought by the army for £40 each. Fred had gone to Belgium and he still hadn’t come back. Hannah still missed him.

Thinking about Fred made her very sad but then a small girl came over and fed Hannah a bun. This really cheered her up and she thought perhaps Fred would come back to Mossley one day.


Photo of timber and skip bonfire built in 1930

Mossley Light Festival

Celebrating with light is nothing new in Mossley. For the Peace Day Celebrations the Town Hall was illuminated, Dover flares were lit at Luzley, Quickedge, Noon Sun, and Buckton Castle and a vast bonfire of timber and skips. was built. True to form, it did rain!