Dear Fellow Cheshire Listers, I know Didsbury isn't in Cheshire but there are so many connections as the county boundary is only a few hundred yards away by the River Mersey that I hope some of you might be interested in the following activities taking place in the period from Monday 24th to Sunday 30th March 2014 as part of the Manchester Histories Festival. Full details are on our publicity handout (dark blue in colour) on the Didsbury Civic Society website http://didsburycivicsociety.org.uk/ but these snippets might tempt you. Monday and Tuesday 24th and 25th - Walk round Old Didsbury starting at 2pm at St James' Church and finishing at the Parsonage, former home of Fletcher Moss, author of books about Cheshire and Shropshire houses and buried in Cheadle, Cheshire. His father came from Meece Hall in Staffordshire. Wednesday 26th - talk at 6.30 for 7pm at The Towers, Wilmslow Road, Didsbury home of Daniel Adamson of Hyde and Stockport and where the papers for the Manchester Ship Canal were signed. Main house built for editor of Manchester Guardian. Former Shirley Institute. Thursday 28th - talk at 6.30 for 7pm at St James' Church about the Watts family of Abney Hall in Cheadle, Heaton Mersey and founders of Kendal Milne. One of the Watts family owned Haslington Hall, Crewe Sunday 30th - view the 13th century St James' Church in Didsbury with many Cheshire connections and wonderful bells. Hope to see some of you there. Kind regards, Diana Cheshire names - Royle (Over, Winsford, Runcorn) Withenshaw Bridges Young (Little Leigh) Dr Diana M. Leitch BSc, PhD, FRSC, Didsbury Parish Historian and Archivist Trustee, Catalyst Science Discovery Centre, Widnes Information Consultant.