Friends of Heaton Hall

Friends of Heaton Hall The Friends of Heaton Hall exist to promote knowledge of this late 18th century neo-classical house. Sir Thomas was created Earl of Wilton in 1801.

Heaton Hall was first built on this site around 1685, but was rebuilt to its present design in the 1770s by Sir Thomas Egerton, 7th Baronet, with James Wyatt as architect. The Orangery was built on to the eastern end of the hall by his grandson, the 2nd Earl of Wilton.

20/06/2026

Well, here we go, it’s Parklife weekend. But it's nothing new because over a hundred years ago local man William Grimshaw, ‘The Gramaphone King’, was doing concerts in Heaton Park to 40,000 people. Michael Portillo visited Heaton Park as part of his 'Great British Railway Journeys' programme on the BBC. Filmed, I think, in Summer 2018, talking to the fantastic Dr Carole O'Reilly, who is on 'The Friends Of Heaton Hall' committee. Here they are talking about William Grimshaw and his concerts in the park.

With the recent celebration of David Attenborough's 100th birthday did you know that there is an Attenborough family con...
19/05/2026

With the recent celebration of David Attenborough's 100th birthday did you know that there is an Attenborough family connection to Heaton Park?
Richard Attenborough was stationed at RAF Heaton Park at the end of 1943.
In his autobiography "Entirely Up to You, Darling" he writes "....My next posting was to Heaton Park near Manchester. There I hung around awaiting a troop flight to Canada where I was supposed to complete my pilot training and become an officer." However this never happened, as Richard was seconded to the RAF film unit, to star in a full length feature called "Journey Together" (1945), a wartime propaganda film.
One of our former members, Jean Sugar, was a WAAF stationed for 4 years at RAF Heaton Park during World War 2. Mrs Sugar recounts the following encounter... ‘’Before I moved into the Hall I worked in No2 Squadron office to the east of the lake as the only WAAF. We were very busy and asked for a volunteer to help. I heard a nice voice outside and thought ‘tall, dark and handsome’ but found a short smiling sandy haired boy. We worked well together but one night I must have been tired and cross and said I was fed up with the state of the office which was in use 24 hours a day and never got properly cleaned. The next morning it was spotless and the floor had been scrubbed. The cadet had stayed in and done it…..it was Richard Attenborough. He had never told us he had been in the film ‘In Which We Serve’. We only learned that from David Tomlinson (think Mary Poppins), the actor, who was also in the squadron’’.

'Storyboards' being put up in the park today (weather permitting) keeping people up to date with the Hall & Orangery.
13/05/2026

'Storyboards' being put up in the park today (weather permitting) keeping people up to date with the Hall & Orangery.

A rather unspectacular but important image of the Hall. Taken in the late 1860's/1870's by the 2nd Earl Of Wiltons Chef...
10/05/2026

A rather unspectacular but important image of the Hall. Taken in the late 1860's/1870's by the 2nd Earl Of Wiltons Chef, Alfred Suzanne, it is the earliest image of Heaton Hall that we know of.

A large group of members of 'The Friends Of Heaton Hall' visited The Victoria Baths on Hathersage Rd yesterday and were ...
22/04/2026

A large group of members of 'The Friends Of Heaton Hall' visited The Victoria Baths on Hathersage Rd yesterday and were given a very informative tour by Gwyneth. Thanks also to Bel and the Cafe staff for making us so welcome....lovely scones! Those with a long memory may recall the baths winning the first prize in the BBC's 'Restoration' programme hosted by Griff Rhys Jones back in 2003.

Say 'Hello' to Terry and Juliette of Brotheridge Chandeliers. They are expertly going through the chandeliers at Heaton...
08/04/2026

Say 'Hello' to Terry and Juliette of Brotheridge Chandeliers. They are expertly going through the chandeliers at Heaton Hall, renewing, replacing, refurbing, as part of the wider project to do all the electrics at the Hall. The image is of the completely refurbished chandelier in the Saloon. Pictures do not do it justice. Although not original to the hall, its scale and beauty fits very nicely. I think we are in good hands with Terry & Juliette.

During World War 2 Heaton Park was used by the RAF as an Air Crew Dispatch Centre. The plaque on the side of the Orange...
14/03/2026

During World War 2 Heaton Park was used by the RAF as an Air Crew Dispatch Centre. The plaque on the side of the Orangery says that 133516 aircrew passed through RAF Heaton Park. Much of their spiritual needs were met by St Margaret’s Church, just by the park wall, and indeed there are over 25 marriages in the church register of RAF personnel giving their address as RAF Heaton Park.

However on 10th July 1944 RAF Heaton Park got its own church with the dedication of St Michael’s Church (Church Of England). This was situated on the lawn in front of the Hall and took the form of a 60ft x 23ft Hertford Hut. For those with a long memory and can remember the old tennis courts and changing hut, that hut was left from the war and was also a Hertford Hut. The first dedication was done by The Bishop Of Middleton, the Rt Rev F W Mowll on the lawns outside. Matters then moved inside the church where The RAF Chaplain In Chief, Air Commodore The Rev J A Jagoe, did the final blessing. At the time he was Chaplain to the King.

27/01/2026

The latest news from Manchester City Council on the work being done to the Hall............

Electrical Rewire Update at Heaton Hall.
Works are progressing well on the electrical rewire and lighting upgrade at Grade I listed Heaton Hall, funded through the Council’s Asset Management Programme. The project will deliver new electrical sockets, refurbished light fittings, upgraded fire and intruder alarm systems, and improved WiFi connectivity throughout the building.
Ahead of the works, a specialist team carefully protected every door, floor, statue, painting and items of furniture to safeguard the Hall’s historic fabric from dust and debris. This painstaking process was completed before Christmas, allowing the removal of old wiring and sockets to begin in January.
Once the new system is installed by this summer, Heaton Hall will be fully modernised while preserving its heritage, and ready to reopen its doors so that visitors can once again experience this magnificent building.

It's out NOW. Local author Martin Gittins has published his new book ‘A History Of Heaton Park And Hall’. It is availa...
18/12/2025

It's out NOW. Local author Martin Gittins has published his new book ‘A History Of Heaton Park And Hall’. It is available to order on the website www.bfpublications.co.uk He has kindly donated one of the books to place in our archive. Over 150 pages, A4 size. Thanks Mr G.

As a long term project we are planning on creating a ‘War Room’ in the hall to display the part played by the hall and w...
29/11/2025

As a long term project we are planning on creating a ‘War Room’ in the hall to display the part played by the hall and wider park in both the 1st and 2nd World Wars. Do you have an ancestor who was in the 16th 17th 18th or 19th Battalions of The Manchester Regiment that trained in Heaton Park at the start of WW1? Do you have an ancestor that passed through RAF Heaton Park in WW2 when it was an Air Crew Despatch Centre? Obviously if you have loads of information and pictures that would be most welcome. If not please supply as much info as you have as we are not averse to doing a little bit of research ourselves. We hope to create individual profiles of some of the people that passed through the park, many never to return home. Please e-mail to [email protected] stating your connection to that person.

Address

Heaton Park
Manchester
M252SW

Telephone

+441617739354

Website

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