Did you know?
Rochdale War Memorial
It was on this spot that hundreds of Rochdale men signed up to serve in the First World War. This war memorial was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and completed in 1922.
The land was once the site of the Manor House, which was used as a recruiting station during the war. The figure lying on the top has his coat draped over him.
Mayoral Lamps
How do you know where the mayor lives? For over 140 years, these lamps were moved each year and installed outside the home of every Rochdale mayor. When the idea was first suggested in 1859, a councillor joked – ‘will they be on wheels?’
Originally gas lamps, they were later converted to electricity and were last lit in 2003. They were restored by the Friends of Rochdale Town Hall in 2016.
Great Hall balcony
The Town Hall balcony is a great place to make yourself seen and heard! Over the years, people have flocked here for big events and to see VIPs visiting the Town Hall. Queen Elizabeth II waved to the crowds from there when she came to Rochdale in 1954.
When Rochdale Football Club were promoted to League One in 2014, they celebrated with fans there too.
Boer War Memorial
This memorial remembers the 42 local people who died in South Africa during the Boer War. Ordinary Rochdalians paid for this tablet and came here to pay their respects in 1907, when it was unveiled
Two nurses, Caroline Fishwick and Agnes Watson, lost their lives. Caroline, known as Sister Theresa, ran a camp hospital in Pietermartizberg. She died of dysentery on Palm Sunday, 1900.
Statue of Gracie Fields
Gracie Fields was a Rochdale icon. She was born just up the road on Molesworth Street in 1898, above her parents’ Fish and Chip shop. By 1937 she had made a deal with Hollywood movie makers for a record-breaking salary.
A singer, comedian, and actress, she visited the Town Hall to sing, receive awards, and mark key events in the town.
Pancake celebration
The world’s largest pancake was cooked up right here! To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Co-operative in 1994, they created the world’s largest pancake, 49ft wide and 1 inch thick. It was 1905 square feet, 53% bigger than the average detached house.
