North West

The North West Branch was inaugurated in 1978. In the early years, it was centred in Liverpool. In 1984, the centre of activity was moved to Manchester where it has since remained. We currently have 120 members who reside in Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, North Wales and Staffordshire.

A number of additional members, living further afield, have designated us as their second branch. Meetings are held monthly between October and May and, unless otherwise indicated, they will take place on Saturday afternoons (beginning at 2.30 p.m.) at the Emmanuel Church in Didsbury, South Manchester. Our distinguished speakers present illustrated talks on the life and music of Elgar. In addition, we aim to have occasional meetings devoted to other British composers and to live music. Our AGM is held in January and we now often hold a formal presentation either before or after the AGM. Our February meeting is, by tradition, our North West Branch Annual Sunday Luncheon. Advance booking (via the branch) is essential.

Branch Contact 

David L Jones
Willowbrook House
Spath Lane East
Cheadle Hulme
Cheshire
SK8 7NL

Telephone: 0161 439 7176

north.west@elgarsociety.org

Directions to Emmanuel Church, Didsbury

Emmanuel Church is situated at 6 Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury, Manchester M20 6TR

BY CAR:    If using Sat-Nav,  enter   M20 6TR      (From all motorways, follow the signs for Didsbury)

M60 (clockwise) Leave at Junction 5, follow the signs for Manchester city centre (A5103) and then Didsbury/Stockport (A5145)

M60 (anti-clockwise) Leave at Junction 5, take the next immediate exit for Northenden (B5166). Turn right and immediately right again –

taking you back on to the motorway approach (heading towards Manchester). Follow the signs for Manchester city centre (A5103)

Then turn right (at the traffic lights) onto the A5145 signed for Didsbury/Stockport (This is Barlow Moor Road)

M56  At the end of the motorway, continue towards Manchester, on the A5103, then turn right onto the A5145 (This is Barlow Moor Road)

A34 (travelling from the North or South) At Parrs Wood (East Didsbury), turn off at the junction along A5145 signed for Didsbury

CAR PARKING: There is a dedicated car park at Emmanuel Church with space for for twenty cars plus two disabled parking places.

Entrance to the car park is on Barlow Moor Road. There is also unrestricted parking in Pine Road (off Barlow Moor Road – see map above)

BY METROLINK: All stations from Rochdale to East Didsbury (via Manchester City Centre). Alight at the Didsbury Village Station which

is situated approximately 430 meters from the Emmanuel Church (for details of the walking route, see the map above these instructions)

BY TRAIN: (travelling North from Cheshire or South from Manchester Piccadilly), alight at East Didsbury Railway Station –

which is situated just over one mile from the Emmanuel Church. The Church lies close to the centre of Didsbury Village.

From East Didsbury Railway Station, there are frequent buses to Didsbury Village  – the stop for these buses (Nos. 20, 23, 23A 370)

is opposite the entrance to the nearby Tesco Superstore (which is close to the A34 junction and just a short walk from the railway station)

Note: The walking distance from East Didsbury Railway Station to Emmanuel Church is just over one mile

BY BUS:  

From Manchester City Centre, travel south along Wilmslow Road (Frequent buses – Nos. 40.42, 42A, 42B, 45AS, 142)

From Stockport, travel west along Didsbury Road (A5145) (Frequent buses – Nos. 20,23, 23A, 370)

NW Branch Programme 2024-2025

To view or save a copy of the NW Branch Programme 2024-2025 download the relevant pdf file by clicking on the appropriate link below

(note: to close the pdf file after viewing it, use the back arrow on your browser to avoid inadvertently exiting from the website):

Revised ES NWB Programme 2024 – 2025t branch programme designed as a PDF trifold cocument)

Programme for 2024 – 2025

Meetings are held in the Upper Hall at the Emmanuel Church, Didsbury, unless otherwise indicated. For directions and a local road map see instructions above.

Sunday, 15 September 2024, 12.30 for 1.00 p.m. - North West Branch Annual Luncheon - to be held at the Alma Lodge Hotel, 149 Buxton Road, Stockport, SK2 6EL (Please note: advance booking is essential - so please contact our branch secretary for details. The price will be £28.50 per person. Guests are also welcome.
Saturday, 12 October 2024, 2.30 p.m. - Harvey Davies and Sarah Ewins: "Elgar - Live Music" - a welcome return for Harvey and Sarah who have always delighted us with their brilliant performances of the works they introduce. (Please note: This meeting will be held in the Main Emmanuel Church Building, Didsbury)

Saturday, 23 November 2024, 2.30 pm - Andrew Dalton: "Billy Reed - A Musician's Musician" - Andrew will speak about Billy Reed who was a leader of the London Symphony Orchestra and a long-standing and very close friend of Elgar.
Saturday, 14 December 2024, 2.30 p.m. - Andrew Neill: "Pageant of Empire" - Andrew considers the music that Elgar composed for a Pageant as part of the 1924 British Empire Exhibition at Wembley.

Saturday, 11 January 2025, 2.30 p.m. - Paul Hindmarsh: "Discussion on Elgar's Third Symphony" - Paul worked with Anthony Payne on the Elgar Third Symphony project and he will introduce and lead our discussion.
Saturday, 25 January 2025, 2.30 p.m. - North West Branch AGM - This meeting will be held via Zoom. The linkage details will be posted here when available.
Saturday, 08 February 2025. 2.30 p.m. - Arthur Reynolds: "The King and the Troubadour" - Arthur is Chairman of the North American Branch of the Elgar Society and he will talk about Elgar and King Edward Vll.
Saturday, 8 March 2025, 2.30 p.m. - Simon Baggs: "Elgar's Music for Strings" - Simon is a soloist, conductor, author, and an outstanding speaker. He will talk to us about Elgar's life and music.
Saturday, 12 April 2025, 2.30 p.m. - Michael Jameson: "Albert Sammons" - Michael will speak about this master violinist who championed Elgar's Violin Concerto.
Saturday, 10 May 2025, 2.30 p.m. - Tom Higgins "Elgar and his Concert Band Transcribers" - Tom is a distinguished conductor with a large discography. Concert and military bands have brought Elgar's music to new audiences.