Dukinfield

A meeting this afternoon at Dukinfield Town Hall.

It's a lovely building, both inside and out. Currently Tameside's HQ, pending the new Council offices being completed in nearby Ashton where most of the staff are and will be based.

We had to wait a bit for our meeting to start. A Tea Dance was in full swing in one of the big rooms, so the musical backdrop was somewhat surreal.

Outside, in front of the Town Hall, stands a statue of Lieutenant Colonel Robert Duckenfield  of Dukinfield Hall, "a man of great puritan faith", who served under Oliver Cromwell during the English Civil War. He died in 1689, so I guess he had to accommodate himself to the restoration of the monarchy in 1660.

By contrast, entering the building a big poster advertised a Royal Wedding Afternoon Tea in mid May, in the Clock tower dining room. A themed tea with an American twist apparently.