George's Notes
For three-quarters of a century the “Angel”, or to give it its correct title, the Mackinnon Memorial Fountain, was a well-known trysting place for the young people of Rochdale. Described as a drinking fountain for horses, cattle and dogs, it was given to the town in 1899 by Miss Ellen Mackinnon in memory of her mother Augusta, wife of Capt. Mackinnon and sister of John Smith Entwistle. Constructed of white Sicilian marble and standing 15 ft high, the statue was severely damaged during removal for the re-alignment of Manchester Road.
The Presbyterian Church of England, Trinity Church, Manchester Road, was consecrated in 1868 and has for more than a century been a well-loved place of worship, particularly among Rochdale residents having Scottish ancestry. Regrettably, it has been recently [1979] found that there is extensive dry rot in the roof beams and there is grave doubt whether the church can be saved.
George Mainwaring
