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2025 Saturday, August 9th at 11:00 am
Summer Event - Walk to Waugh's Well
Our annual walk, albeit later than its traditional date in July, is taking place again on Saturday, August 9th, 2025.
We shall be revisiting the new tourist board at Fo' Edge Farm, not far from Waugh's Well, that we replaced on the same date last year.
We shall be meeting, as usual, at the junction of Gincroft Lane and Market Street in Edenfield. at 11:00 am.
The walk is around 5 miles long from start to finish.
More details on the Waugh's Well Walk page of the website
You will now find a map of the route on that page, along with an elevation map, accurate distance and height-gained information.
We shall be revisiting the new tourist board at Fo' Edge Farm, not far from Waugh's Well, that we replaced on the same date last year.
We shall be meeting, as usual, at the junction of Gincroft Lane and Market Street in Edenfield. at 11:00 am.
The walk is around 5 miles long from start to finish.
More details on the Waugh's Well Walk page of the website
You will now find a map of the route on that page, along with an elevation map, accurate distance and height-gained information.
2025 May 31st
"Folk Like Us" - Rochdale Town Hall
The Riverside Writers and Friends hosted an event at Rochdale Town Hall for a day celebrating the rich cultural heritage of Lancashire and Rochdale.
The Edwin Waugh Dialect Society were present to talk about the scoiety and its aims to maintain and increase interest in Lancahire dialect and its writing, poetry. and songs.
Over 300 folk attented the event and the various and varied activities were hugely enjoyed by all.
MORE PHOTOS HERE
The Edwin Waugh Dialect Society were present to talk about the scoiety and its aims to maintain and increase interest in Lancahire dialect and its writing, poetry. and songs.
Over 300 folk attented the event and the various and varied activities were hugely enjoyed by all.
MORE PHOTOS HERE
2025 April 8th
New Life Member - Alyson Brailsford
Alyson Brailsford has been secretary of the society for nearly 30 years. Her long service was recognised by our President, Juneand she nominated Alyson Brailsford for life membership. This was ratified at the AGM in April.
2025 February 11th
Another Edwin Waugh letter found
Another letter by Edwin Waugh has been discovered, this time by Mr David Lyons , who has kindly sent a scanned copy for us to share with you. It now appears here on the website.
It was sent by Edwin Waugh to Rev. J.J.Whitehead of Cocky Moor, Ainsworth and tells the reverand of various Lancashire expressions neighbours used to describe an 'old fellow' he knew who was careful with his money!
It was sent by Edwin Waugh to Rev. J.J.Whitehead of Cocky Moor, Ainsworth and tells the reverand of various Lancashire expressions neighbours used to describe an 'old fellow' he knew who was careful with his money!
2025 January 26th
Discovery of a batch of letters from Edwin Waugh to his publisher
The Edwin Wuagh Dialect Society have been pleased to be able to purchase around 50 letters Edwin Waugh wrote to his publisher from 1888 until just a few weeks before before he died in 1890.
They can be found under the Edwin Waugh Menu /Waugh's Letters to his publisher
They can be found under the Edwin Waugh Menu /Waugh's Letters to his publisher
2024 October 2nd
Replacement of the Edwin Waugh Tourist Board at Fo' Edge Farm
The Edwin Waugh Tourist Notice Board at the ruins of Fo' Edge Farm on Scout Moor above Edenfield in Lancashire was in a very poor and damaged condition. Newtons "Bloody Grand Spaces" kindly offered to make a new board in place of the old one as a generous gesture to inform walkers who come to visit the nearby Waugh's Well which was dedicated to Edwin Waugh (The Lancashire 'Burns") in 1866 for his contribution to the literary world in Standard English and Lancashire dialect.
The Edwin Waugh Dialect Society wishes to extend the most hearty thanks to Newtons for their thoughtfulness, effort, time and expense in providing the new board as a lasting and fitting tribute to Edwin Waugh.
VIDEOS OF ITS REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT CAN BE FOUND ON THIS PAGE
The Edwin Waugh Dialect Society wishes to extend the most hearty thanks to Newtons for their thoughtfulness, effort, time and expense in providing the new board as a lasting and fitting tribute to Edwin Waugh.
VIDEOS OF ITS REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT CAN BE FOUND ON THIS PAGE
Special Summer Weekend Gathering
For more details of each event, please go to the end of the 2023-2024 events page
2024 August 3rd 11:00amWaugh's Well Walk to erect a new notice board at
Fo' Edge Farm to replace the dilpidated one. 
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2024 August 4th1:00pm
We first meet for lunch at The Regal Moon, Wetherspoons. 2:30pm Then visit to the dialect Writers' `memorial in Broadfield Park 
3:00pm
A conducted tour of Rochdale Town Hall. 
Join us for as many events as you have time to come
Everyone welcome. |
2024 The Annual Waugh's Birthday Celebration 'Suppering Do'
This took place on Tuesday 12th March 2023
The meat & potato pies and the cheese & onion pies were were much enjoyed by everyone and apple pie and cream rounded off the evening meal nicely.
Cup Winners
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President's Cup
Harry Craven Cup 
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T' Kissin' Shuttle
Won by Linda Rowe for the best performance on the night with her critical poem "Still Lancashire!" defending the County of Lancashire vs Greater Manchester. She was ably accompanied on guitar by her daughter Caroline Williams. Richard Holland Cup
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Winning Entries
`All the winning entries can be found in the Competitions section:
2023 - 24 Trophy Winners
Most everybody else did a 'turn' and entertained us admirably
2023 - 24 Trophy Winners
Most everybody else did a 'turn' and entertained us admirably
Early Waugh's Well photo discovered of opening ceremony in 1866
More photos have been added to the Waugh's Well Galleries, one (likely) to be of the opening ceremony in 1866.
2023 Special Summer Gathering - A New Venture - Sun 6th August 2:30pm
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A new venture - poetry reading and song around the Dialect Writers' Memorial Obelisk in Broadfield Park, Rochdale at 2:30pm on Sunday 6th August.
An inscription you can find on the stone, by John Trafford Clegg, reads "It's as yezzy to look up as deawn, an it makes a vast difference in a mon." If weather and time permits, we will also walk over to St Chad's church where Tim Bobbin's grave lies as a follow up to our May meeting in which Alison Cooper gave a wonderful exposition of his life along with an in depth look at his "Blackbird "poem which was a critical view of the pious approach to Sunday activities in his time. If you wish to extend the day, please do come and join us for lunch at the Regal Moon, Wetherspoons, Rochdale at 1:00pm. |
2023 The Annual Waugh's Birthday Celebration 'Suppering Do' and Trophy Winners
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This took place on Tuesday 14th March 2023
The meat & potato pies and the cheese & onion pies were prepared by Anne Leggett Catering and were much enjoyed by everyone. Betty Lightfoot won the President's Cup. T' Kissin' Shuttle, for the best performance on the night, was jointly won by Tom Byrne for his song, 'The Four-Loom Weaver', and his partner, Aimee, for her clog dancing rendition, to the tune of "She's a Lassie from Lancashire" by Florrie Ford. Most everybody else did a 'turn' and entertained us admirably. |
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