A Brief History of Timperley

Before the industrial revolution, Timperley was a predominantly agricultural settlement. In fact, the name ‘Timperley’ derives from Anglo-Saxon origins of ‘Timber Leah’, meaning “a clearing in the forest”.

The railways came to Timperley in the mid-19th Century. The arrival of the railways threw Timperley into popularity with the middle classes from the centre of Manchester, increasing domestic services at the same time.

Along with the improvement in transport came the development of market gardening in Timperley. It was used to transport market garden produce and commuters into the growing city of Manchester. When the boats came back to Timperley, ‘night soil’ was unloaded and it provided the manure for the farms and market gardens, producing the famous Timperley Early rhubarb.

Many of our clients and Care Professionals will know the real star of Timperley town centre is Frank Sidebottom! A character adopted by Chris Sievey, a comedian and musician in 1984 was an aspiring pop star from Timperley. Sievey, under the guise of Sidebottom, made regular appearances on North-West television, even becoming a reporter for Granada Reports. He would regularly appear on the comedy circuit and even had his own TV show. Frank Sidebottom’s fantastic shed show was first broadcast in 1992. He was a cult figure and would appear on late night music shows alongside top artists.

Sadly, Chris died in 2010 and with him took the story of Frank Sidebottom. In 2013 a statue of Frank Sidebottom was unveiled right in the heart of Timperley village.

Today, Timperley has a population of approximately 11,000 people. It is a sought-after village which is popular with commuters and families alike. That’s no surprise as just seven miles from Manchester, it offers a tranquil and convenient retreat from busy city-life with plenty of local pubs and cafes to enjoy.