Our archive holdings are brimming with untold stories, many of them centred around the lives of ordinary men, women, and children. It’s through the preservation of historical documents, family photographs and newspaper reports, we are given the opportunity to explore these individual stories, piecing together narratives of family life and sometimes whole communities.
This story from the archive starts with a single photograph of a woman in uniform.
It appeared amongst local history items transferred over from Tottington Library so was probably handed in to library staff by a member of the public.
The uniform and medals signify that Martha is a member of the St John Ambulance Brigade. This recognition, along with her gentle features immediately puts us at ease: we feel we’re in the presence of someone kind; a caregiver; someone whom we can trust and turn to in times of trouble. The photograph is not dated but appears to be circa 1930s. We have an address so let’s find that address in the 1939 register.
The 1939 register (or National Register as it was known then) was taken on Friday September 29th 1939, shortly after the outbreak of WWII. There were 102 enumerators covering Bury, Ramsbottom and Tottington and one of them would have knocked on the door of No. 4 Hall Street, Walshaw to collect the completed form and issue Martha with an identity card. Once rationing was introduced in January 1940, the register was then used to issue ration books.
The entry in the register informs us that Martha’s occupation is a ‘cook at a feeding centre’. During such a period of unrest and the fear of bombardment, Martha would have provided a vital role in ensuring the community had food and shelter should attacks be made on civilian targets. Newspaper reports from the period will help build a picture of a community at war.
Newspapers Bury Times September 1939
In September 1939, The Bury Times published requests from local government for volunteers for the home front, “there is need for any number of volunteers. There is something for everybody to do”, the Mayor of Bury was quoted to have said in an emergency meeting of the Town Council. A later report announced that Bury and its districts were “far ahead of most places” when it came down to “men and women in unpaid capacities doing necessary work”.
…the home front is almost as important as the front line and, in some areas at any rate, may at any moment become almost as dangerous.
The Bury Times, September 1939
In the same month it was reported that The Ministry of Health were requesting local authorities to establish emergency stations to provide meals and shelter for those made homeless due to enemy action including refugees. Areas considered targets were the larger cities, such as Manchester. As a result, less built-up districts such as Tottington and Ramsbottom accommodated hundreds of evacuated children from the Manchester area.
It’s not hard to imagine that Martha, already a trained volunteer Superintendent for St John Ambulance Brigade, would have been amongst the many welcoming these little evacuees into the community and overseeing their initial care.
By early September 1939, 1600 children were billeted in the Tottington district. They arrived by train at Bolton Street Station, Bury. After collecting emergency rations from the Municipal Technical College in Broad Street they travelled by bus to Hawkshaw and Walshaw or by tramcar to Tottington.
The evacuees arriving in Tottington were taken to Tottington Methodist School (used as a temporary distributing centre). In addition to their food rations, hot drinks and blankets were provided for each evacuee with assistance from the Women’s Voluntary Service. Members of the St John Ambulance Brigade were also on duty at each of the designated centres, including the school. Whether in her role as cook or St John Ambulance Superintendent, there’s a good chance that Martha would have been there, a calm and comforting presence.
From the 1939 register we know that Martha was born in 1872 putting her age at around 67, and that she is single. Travelling back to the 1921 census offers further information on her occupation at that time: she worked as a ‘calico weaver’ at William Holt & Sons, Walshaw. According to a report in The Bury Times at the time of the firm’s closure in 1942, “Holt’s of Walshaw [was] known the world over” for its luxury bedspreads!
Martha died on 16th February 1962 not quite reaching her 90th birthday, her address was still 4 Hall Street. Having been such a dedicated member of the community in Walshaw, no doubt she would have been sadly missed in the village.
I hope this short article shows how we can engage with genealogy on a more meaningful level once we introduce a combination of records. Why not try it with your own family history? – begin with a photograph, a date, build up information with census records. Once you have the basics start to explore local newspapers which help give context and then check relevant archival records: school, parish or business records are just some of the records to research.
Check out our summary of catalogue resources for details on the types of records we hold to help you with your research.
List of local newspapers held on microfilm.
Bury Archives & Local History 
Love this (Martha Bentley) Wendy – Thank you. Steve x
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