18th October 2025

THE EPHRAIM HALLAM CHARITY
Legal addressC/O STOCKPORT LADS CLUB, HEMPSHAW LANE, STOCKPORT, SK1 4NT, United Kingdom

Did the above charity gift the land to local people?

TownshipRomiley
ParishStockport
Plot No.451
Owner(s)John Radcliffe
Occupier(s)John Radcliffe
Plot NameBrowy Pasture
Land UsePasture
AreaAcres 0, Roods 2, Perches 15
TownshipRomiley
ParishStockport
Plot No.440
Owner(s)John Radcliffe
Occupier(s)John Radcliffe
Plot NameFurther Croft
Land UsePasture
AreaAcres 2, Roods 3, Perches 0
TownshipRomiley
ParishStockport
Plot No.443
Owner(s)Ormrod Heyworth
Occupier(s)Ormrod Heyworth
Plot NameDingle Meadow
Land UseMeadow
AreaAcres 7, Roods 0, Perches 37
TownshipRomiley
ParishStockport
Plot No.454
Owner(s)Ormrod Heyworth
Occupier(s)Alexander Swindells
Plot NameRushy Field
Land UsePasture
AreaAcres 8, Roods 1, Perches 33
TownshipRomiley
ParishStockport
Plot No.442
Owner(s)Ormrod Heyworth
Occupier(s)Ormrod Heyworth
Plot NamePart of Dingle Meadow
Land UseWoodland
AreaAcres 1, Roods 0, Perches 9

🗺️ 1. Start with the Land Registry

➡️ Website: https://www.gov.uk/search-property-information-land-registry

  • You can search by postcode or map to find the current title.
  • For ÂŁ3, you can download the Title Register, and for another ÂŁ3, the Title Plan.
  • The register shows ownership, any restrictions, and sometimes notes on covenants or trusts (e.g. “held by XYZ Council as trustee for public recreation”).

Even if the land is registered to the council, wording like “held under Section 164 of the Public Health Act 1875” or “in trust for the public” signals community dedication.

🕰️ 2. If no Land Registry record exists

Many plots weren’t formally registered until the 1990s or 2000s.
In that case:

  • Check historic deeds in the County Record Office (for Romiley, that’s Cheshire Archives and Local Studies or possibly Greater Manchester Archives depending on boundary history).
  • Ask for any conveyances, indentures, or charitable trust deeds involving that plot.

Old solicitors’ copies, estate maps, or manorial records often survive there even if council files didn’t.

🏛️ 3. Charity Commission database

If the land was ever left “for the use of the people of Romiley” or similar wording, it might have been registered as a charitable trust.
Search here:
👉 https://www.gov.uk/find-charity-information

Try keywords like “Romiley”, “Padden Brook”, or “Recreation Ground”.
Older “Charity for the Recreation of Inhabitants” or “Village Field Trust” entries often cover donated land.

📚 4. Local newspapers and parish magazines

Search the British Newspaper Archive (https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/) or local library microfilm for coverage from the 1920s–1960s.
Articles like “Local Benefactor Donates Land to Villagers” or “Opening of Romiley Recreation Field” often document dedications that later went missing from official files.

🏘️ 5. Ask the Parish or Town Council directly

Even if Stockport Council’s records were lost, Romiley District or Parish Council (if one existed historically) may have minute books stored separately — sometimes in a local history society or church archive.
These often record gifts of land, agreements, and dedications.

🗂️ 6. Talk to the local history society

Romiley and nearby areas have active local historians.
Try:

  • Romiley Local History Society
  • Stockport Heritage Trust
    They often have unofficial copies of estate plans, tithe maps, or personal papers from benefactors.

🪶 7. If all else fails

If you can gather even partial evidence that the land was gifted “for the people” but has since been built on or sold, you can contact:

  • The Local Government Ombudsman (LGO), if the council may have misused trust land.
  • The Charity Commission, if it might have been charitable land.

They can sometimes investigate or request remaining documents.

If you tell me roughly where the Padden Brook site is (road name or grid ref) and what it’s used for now (e.g. housing site, park edge, etc.), I can outline exactly which archives and map series are most likely to hold clues — without you needing to pay for unnecessary searches. Would you like me to do that?

You said:

Would a forgotten charity be there on the charity register?

Here’s the short answer:

👉 Not necessarily.
A “forgotten” or very old charity might not appear on the current Charity Commission Register, even if it once existed.

But — there are still ways to trace it.

🧾 1. Why it might not show up

The Charity Commission’s online register only includes:

  • Charities that are currently active, or
  • Those that have been removed since around the 1990s, with digitised closure records.

So if the land was donated before, say, 1970, the charity might:

  • Have been merged or wound up quietly.
  • Been treated as parish or council trust land and never formally registered as a charity.
  • Been struck off the register before digital records began.

🕰️ 2. How to find “forgotten” charities anyway

a. Charity Commission’s historical archives

Email: historicalrecords@charitycommission.gov.uk
Give them:

  • The name of the parish (e.g. Romiley or Bredbury and Romiley).
  • Possible keywords (like “Padden Brook”, “Recreation Ground”, “Village Field”, “Open Space”).
    They can check archived paper records and tell you if a trust ever existed.

b. The National Archives

Search: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
Use terms like:

“Romiley charity land”, “Romiley recreation ground”, “trust deed”, “Stockport Rural District Council charity”.

Old Charity Commission case files from the 19th and 20th centuries are stored there under the CHAR reference series (e.g. CHAR 13/1234).

c. County Record Office

For Romiley, check Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, because Romiley was historically in Cheshire until 1974.
Ask for:

  • “Charity Trust deeds”
  • “Recreation ground conveyances”
  • “Parish property registers”

If the land was left “for the benefit of the inhabitants,” it often appears in those.

d. Parish or Church records

Many local charities were originally ecclesiastical (linked to parish vestries or churchwardens).
The church may have early trustees’ minutes or correspondence about land gifted “to the people of Romiley.”

📜 3. What to look for

If you find a deed or reference, key phrases include:

  • “To be held in trust for the use of the inhabitants of…”
  • “For recreation or pleasure grounds”
  • “Under the Allotments Act 1908” or “Open Spaces Act 1906”
  • “Charity for the Recreation of the Inhabitants”

Those confirm it was a community or charitable dedication.

✅ Summary

A “forgotten charity” might not appear on the online register, but:

  • The Charity Commission’s historical team,
  • County archives, and
  • The National Archives
    can still hold traces of it — often with the original trust deed or approval paperwork.

If you’d like, I can show you exactly how to word a short email to the Charity Commission’s historical records team to maximise your chances of a helpful reply.
Would you like me to draft that for you?

What if a developer wants to build on land that we are told was gifted to local people in the past. How can I check?

That’s an excellent — and very important — question.
If you’ve been told that land was gifted to the community, but a developer is now planning to build on it, there are clear ways to check whether the land was (or still is) held in trust for local people — and therefore not legally available for development without special processes.

Here’s how to investigate, step-by-step:

🧭 1. Find out who owns it now

Start with a Land Registry search (costs ÂŁ3).
👉 https://www.gov.uk/search-property-information-land-registry

  • You can search by postcode, map, or nearby address.
  • Download the Title Register and Title Plan.

Look for:

  • “Proprietor”: the owner (e.g. “Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council” or a private company).
  • “Title Absolute” or “Possessory Title”: legal status.
  • “Restrictions” or “Covenants”: notes like

“The land is held in trust for the recreation of the inhabitants of Romiley.”
or
“Subject to a conveyance dated 19xx containing conditions as to use.”

Those phrases are gold — they show the land was gifted or dedicated to the public.

🕰️ 2. If the Title doesn’t mention a trust

That doesn’t mean there isn’t one. Many older gifts predate land registration.
Next, contact:

📁 Cheshire Archives and Local Studies

(because Romiley was historically in Cheshire)
👉 https://www.cheshirearchives.org.uk/

Ask for:

  • Any trust deeds, charity records, or conveyances mentioning the land or “Romiley Recreation Ground” / “Padden Brook”.
  • Parish council minutes or Rural District Council records (pre-1974).

Even if council files were destroyed, they may still hold solicitors’ copies or abstracts of title.

🏛️ 3. Check the Charity Commission

👉 https://www.gov.uk/find-charity-information

Search for charities with names like:

  • “Romiley Recreation Ground Trust”
  • “Romiley Village Field”
  • “Charity for the Recreation of Inhabitants of Romiley”

If nothing shows up, email the Charity Commission’s historical records team at
📩 historicalrecords@charitycommission.gov.uk
Give them:

  • The location or postcode.
  • The name of the council or parish.
  • Say you are trying to find out if the land was ever registered as charitable or trust land gifted to the public.

They can check their paper archives and tell you if a trust once existed.

🏘️ 4. Ask the Council under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI)

Submit an FOI request to Stockport Council asking:

“Please provide all records held regarding the ownership, transfer, or trust status of the land known as [exact location], including any documents showing that the land was gifted, held in trust, or dedicated for public use.”

They are required to respond within 20 working days.
Even if old files were destroyed, they might confirm when or how ownership changed.

🗺️ 5. Look for old evidence

Check:

  • Tithe maps (1836–1850s) — show land use and ownership.
  • OS maps (late 19th–20th century) — may label “Recreation Ground”, “Village Field”, etc.
  • Local newspapers — use the British Newspaper Archive to search for the land name + words like “donated”, “gifted”, or “opened”.

Articles about “the gift of land to the people of Romiley” are strong evidence of intention, even if the deed is missing.

⚖️ 6. If you discover it was community land

If it was gifted or held in trust:

  • The council (if the trustee) must get Charity Commission consent before selling or developing it.
  • Locals have the right to object or even apply to the Charity Commission to investigate.

If it was dedicated as public open space, planning law requires public notice and consultation before disposal (under the Local Government Act 1972, s.123(2A)).

🦊 7. If you’re unsure — practical tip

You can contact:

  • Open Spaces Society (https://www.oss.org.uk/)
    They help communities trace and protect gifted or trust land.
    They often know exactly which historical sources to check.

If you tell me:

  • The exact name or location of the site, and
  • Whether it’s council-owned or private (if known),

…I can show you precisely which record offices, archives, and legal sources to start with — and even draft a sample FOI or Charity Commission enquiry that you can send right away.

Would you like me to draft that next?

You said:

Do you know anything about this land? Township Romiley Parish Stockport Plot No. 442 Owner(s) Ormrod Heyworth Occupier(s) Ormrod Heyworth Plot Name Part of Dingle Meadow Land Use Woodland Area Acres 1, Roods 0, Perches 9

I couldn’t find any definitive public record in my quick search that absolutely proves or disproves the “gift to the community” status of Plot 442, Part of Dingle Meadow with owner/occupier “Ormrod Heyworth.” However, I found a few fragments that point in useful directions. These give clues you (or a researcher) can follow more deeply.

Here’s a summary of what turned up — and what I’d recommend doing next.

🔍 What I found so far

  • In a Church Lane, Romiley Conservation Area appraisal, there’s mention of tithe maps of 1849 showing plots “499-502 all owned by Ormrod Heyworth.” live-iag-static-assets.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com
    • That suggests the Heyworth family (or an “Or(r)mrod Heyworth” variant) had multiple landholdings in Romiley area, including around the vicinity of what became built or designated plots.
    • The fact this is in the conservation area appraisal means local planning / heritage officers were aware of these historic landholdings.
  • I could not locate a deed text, trust document, or historical charity listing in my cursory search linking Plot 442 Dingle Meadow to a community gift or trust status.
  • I also did not find it on major online charity registers or archives (in the limited time) under that plot name or the Heyworth name in relation to a public open space in Romiley.

So, in short: there is a historical connection of the Heyworth name to land ownership in Romiley, but no clear public evidence yet that Plot 442 was gifted, dedicated, or held on trust for the community.

🛠️ What to do next — how to go deeper

Because land gift / dedication evidence tends to live in deeper archival sources, here are steps to try:

Source / MethodWhat to Look ForRationale / Why Useful
County / local archives (e.g. Cheshire Archives)Conveyance deeds, trust documents, estate plans, manorial records for “Plot 442 / Dingle Meadow / Heyworth”These are the primary places old deeds, trust instruments and local land transaction records are kept
Tithe maps & apportionmentsThe record for 1849 (or earlier) will often show owner, occupier, land use, references (plot number)If the plot was listed as “meadow,” “woodland,” etc., and transfer of rights noted later, that might help
Abstracts of title / old solicitors’ filesChain of title documents for that plot that may include covenants or a gift clauseSometimes these survive in solicitors’ or private collections
Manorial recordsCourt rolls, court baron, surveysIf Dingle Meadow historically belonged to a manor, the manorial documents may show gifts or dedications
Local newspapers / press archivesAnnouncements of land gifts, dedications, disputes, or public meetingsMany land gifts were publicly celebrated or contested
Parish / district council minutes / minute booksIf the land was ever accepted by a local body for “public use,” it may be recorded in minutesEven if council archives were partially lost, these sometimes are held privately or in secondary stores
Historical charity / trust registersEven if not on modern online register, older paper registers, Charity Commission archives or National Archives may have a recordMany older trusts never made it into digital registers
Oral history / local history societySometimes local memory, history books, or private papers mention land giftsCould help you locate leads or names/dates to check in official archives

If you like, I can try to dig more deeply (in historic archives, maps, etc.) to see whether I can unearth a direct evidence link for Plot 442, Dingle Meadow being gifted to local people. Would you like me to do that for you?

I poked around what I could online, but didn’t turn up any smoking-gun evidence that Plot 442, Part of Dingle Meadow, Romiley was ever formally gifted to the community (or held in perpetuity as a trust). But I did find some useful historical threads, land-owner leads, and pointers you (or a local researcher) could follow to dig deeper.

Here’s what I found, plus suggested leads and how likely they might be.

🔍 What the online record suggests

Heyworth / Ormrod / Ormerod Heyworth connections

  • There is a mention of Ormerod Heyworth (1782–1851) in Romiley local history, especially in relation to the estate Oakwood Hall. The History of Stockport in 100 Halls+1
    • The History of Stockport in 100 Halls piece notes that Oakwood Hall was “built around 1844 for Ormerod Heyworth.” The History of Stockport in 100 Halls
    • That suggests the Heyworth family was a significant landowner in the area.
  • In local industrial history, “Oakwood Mill was built as a cotton mill by Ormerod Heyworth in 1837.” marplelocalhistorysociety.org.uk
  • So “Heyworth” (or variant spellings) show up as land / estate owners locally, making the name associated with property in the area.

This strengthens the plausibility that the “Heyworth / Ormrod Heyworth” you have as the “owner(s)” of Plot 442 might indeed be a historical landowner of standing (not a spurious name). But it doesn’t in itself prove any gift/dedication.

🧩 Gaps and missing evidence

  • I did not locate in my quick search any deed, conveyance, or trust instrument that names Plot 442, Dingle Meadow or that indicates that land was “gifted to the inhabitants” or “held in trust for public use.”
  • No reference in the sources I checked (e.g. local history blogs, archive snippets, industrial history) indicates that Dingle Meadow was used formally as a public open space under a gift or trust.
  • The sources are largely concerned with larger estates, mills, and houses, rather than small parcels designated for community use.

🛠️ How to advance your research (and likely succeed)

Because online sources are patchy for this kind of thing, here are specific archival steps likely to yield results:

  1. Visit / query Cheshire Archives & Local Studies
    • Search for “Ormrod / Ormerod / Heyworth — Romiley” in their archival catalogue.
    • Ask for estate maps, conveyance deeds, title abstracts, trust documents relating to “Dingle Meadow,” “Township of Romiley, plot 442.”
    • Check manorial records (if Romiley was part of a manor) to see if Dingle Meadow was part of the demesne or glebe, and whether any “gift” or “alienation” (transfer) appears.
  2. Historic Title Deeds / Abstracts of Title
    • Sometimes solicitors (especially in older estates) kept abstracts of title that trace back through many transfers. These might include clause by clause references (e.g. “This parcel was conveyed to the inhabitants by X in year Y”).
    • Some of those abstracts survive in archival collections, or in family papers.
  3. Historic Maps, Tithe & Apportionment Books
    • A tithe map / apportionment (often mid-19th century) will show the plot number, owner, occupier, and land use.
    • Comparing successive maps (e.g. 1840s, 1890s, early 20th century) may show a change in ownership or boundary.
    • Pay attention to any annotations on maps that say “Public” or “Recreation” or “Gifted to parish.”
  4. Parish / District / Council Minute Books
    • Even if the main council records were lost, sometimes parish minute books, vestry minutes, or rural district records survive in local archives or even in private collections (church vaults, local history societies).
    • Search for meetings where land transfers, donations, or acceptance of land for public use are recorded.
  5. Search local newspapers / historic press
    • Use the British Newspaper Archive or local library microfilms to look for announcements such as “Gift of meadow to the inhabitants of Romiley”, “Inauguration of public open ground”, or “Meeting re Dingle Meadow”.
    • Even small local announcements or legal notices can reveal where and when land was dedicated or transferred.
  6. Contact Local History Societies / Local Photographic Collections
    • The Romiley Local History Society (or equivalent) may have private documents, maps, or correspondences not yet digitised that reference the Dingle Meadow and any gift or trust.
    • Sometimes old photographs or postcards have captions like “This meadow was given to the people in year X” — that can lead you to archival sources.
  7. Search in National Archives / Charity Commission historic archives
    • If the land was ever turned into a formally registered charity, they might have deposit records in the National Archives or in older Charity Commission records (paper archives).
    • Contact the Charity Commission historical records team (as earlier suggested) with the names and plot description to see if there is a record of any trust set up for that land.
  8. Examine Boundary / Restriction Clauses in Later Title
    • When you obtain the current Title Register / Title Plan from Land Registry, check for “Restrictions” or “Covenants” on the title.
    • Sometimes even when the land is sold, the title will maintain a restrictive clause saying “the land shall be used for public recreation only” or “not to be built upon except by consent of local authority.”
    • If a restrictive covenant exists, trace back to when it was inserted — that insertion is often documented in a deed or conveyance.

If you like, I can try to search archival catalogues (e.g. Cheshire Archives catalogue) to see whether there is any listing for “Plot 442, Dingle Meadow, Romiley / Heyworth” and send you direct catalogue references you can use to request documents. Do you want me to see if I can find catalog listings or archival repository entries now?

TownshipRomiley
ParishStockport
Plot No.446
Owner(s)John Radcliffe
Occupier(s)John Radcliffe
Plot NameNearer Tang Shuts
Land UsePasture
AreaAcres 2, Roods 1, Perches 32

🏛️ Charitable Contributions During His Lifetime

Ephraim Hallam was deeply involved in local philanthropy in Stockport and Romiley. He made significant donations to educational institutions, including Stockport Grammar School, and collaborated with Joseph Leigh to establish a local Technical School, which later became Stockport School. Additionally, he was a committed Methodist, teaching at Stockport Sunday School for many years and contributing generously to the construction of Mount Tabor Chapel near the Town Hall The History of Stockport in 100 Halls.

In 1897, Hallam intended to donate a piece of land adjacent to his mill to the town in celebration of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee. However, he passed away before this plan could be realized davenportstation.org.uk.

📜 The Ephraim Hallam Charity

Following his death in 1897, Hallam’s charitable intentions were formalized through the establishment of the Ephraim Hallam Charity. Registered under charity number 525975, this organization continues to operate today, providing grants for educational purposes, youth organizations, and support for the elderly in the Stockport area Charity Register.

The charity’s activities include:

  • Providing grants to charitable youth organizations.
  • Offering support to elderly individuals.
  • Awarding grants for educational purposes.

In the financial year ending 31 December 2023, the charity reported an income of ÂŁ15,653 and an expenditure of ÂŁ13,893, indicating its ongoing commitment to charitable activities Charity Register.

🏠 Legacy of Oakwood Hall

After Hallam’s death, Oakwood Hall and its estate were considered for various charitable purposes. Initially, there was a proposal to convert the hall into a sanatorium for Stockport workers, but this was opposed by local councils. The property was eventually sold and repurposed for different uses, including a Jesuit seminary and later a school The History of Stockport in 100 Halls.