REMINISCENCES OF DUKINFIELD FROM 1837
By George Eaton of Atlanta, Georgia, USA

During my research for my regular Yesterdays pages, I came across an account of life in Dukinfield, Cheshire from 1837 to the middle of the century. It was published in the Reporter in four parts between May and June 1900 and was written by George Eaton, by then living in Atlanta, Georgia in the USA. The town was given its Charter of Incorporation in the previous year and this event appears to have prompted George to record his memories.

The Town Clerk, Mr C H BOOTH, reading Dukinfield's Charter of Incorporation from the balcony in front of the District Council Offices, King Street, on 23 September 1899. The present town hall was not completed until the summer of 1901

The writing style can be a little ponderous and confusing at times, but it does provide a useful source of historical information, in particular as a description of the town's geography and of what life was like as a Victorian miner.

How George got to be in America at the time of writing is not clear, although he does appear to have contemporary knowledge of Dukinfield. I have not edited the account, other than to break up the large paragraphs. Below are links to the pages I have split the account into, but first the opening explanation from the Reporter:

A long manuscript has been handed to us by the gentleman in Dukinfield to whom it has been addressed, the writer having desired that the reminiscences contained in it should be published in the Reporter. It was not originally intended for publication. It was merely written as an easy pastime at idle moments when he was in the humour, and given in the form of a letter to his friend. We give the first portion this week, and other parts will follow in due course: —

Exposition Mills, Atlanta, G.A., U.S.A.