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A modern day view of Simister Village can be seen here
Click here for a detailed map of Simister Village area
In the book, "Annals of Prestwich," this interesting article appears:
Simister Lane, Little Heaton
A not inconsiderable portion of this township bears the name of Simister Lane, so called from a Mr. James Simister (or rather Somister for so he was accustomed to spell his name), who settled there about the beginning of the eighteenth century. His connection with Little Heaton commenced with the purchase of a small farm on which he resided. In 1733 "Ann, daughter of James Somister, Yeoman, and Elizabeth his wife, of Little Heaton," was baptised at Prestwich. In 1735 a rate of tenpence in the pound, for the relief of the poor, produced from Mr. Somister's estate the sum of 19s.9 1/2d., thus indicating the annual rateable value of his property in that township to be L23 15s. To this estate as opportunity offered, he subsequently added three other farms, and in 1738 built himself a house more suited to his rising fortunes. In 1756 he was churchwarden for Little Heaton and signalised himself (as a tablet over the south-west door of Prestwich Church informs us) by uniting with his brother wardens in rebuilding the porch and raising the walls of the church. His estate in Little Heaton gradually increased to upwards of fifty-two acres, which was its greatest extent. He died in 1780, and was buried at Prestwich. --------------------------------
The following, St. George's Church and Simister Lane School are from "St. Margaret's, Holyrood, Prestwich, 1849-1926"
St. George's Church on Simister Lane
This church is built on a commanding site (given by the fifth Earl of Wilton) in Simister Lane, 370 feet above sea level, 1 1/4 miles from St. Margaret's Church; it is the only Church in the diocese of Manchester begun and completed during the Great European War.
The walls are rubble stone, two feet thick, faced on the outside with Fletcher Bank stone neatly pointed; the ashlar dressings outside and inside are of pink Darley Dale stone.
The roof is very strongly constructed with trussed rafters two feet apart, leaving a barred vaulted ceiling of cypress underneath, relieved with moulded ribs at intervals; the roof is boarded on the top, then covered with damp-proof sheeting on which are laid green Tilberthwaite slates. ... Over the alter is a rose window.
Simister Lane School
In 1850 the second Earl and Countess of Wilton built what was then described as "a commodious School calculated to hold 150 children"; it consisted of one room (two-thirds of its present size); a classroom was added in 1855 reckoned at the time to hold 80 children; in 1872 the Porch was added and the floors were boarded; in 1883 the big room was enlarged westwards and hot-water pipes installed at a cost of L200; in 1894 new offices were built, costing L157; the whole of the alterations were done at the expense of the Earl of Wilton.
Boys' Playground, 230 square yards; Girls' and Infants' 164 square yards. In 1926 the Number on the Books was 79. Average Attendance 63.4. Accommodation 111.
Following from "History of the Prestwich Pubs."
Across from the present Farmers Arms pub once stood the "Simister Lane Working Men's Club," a popular place with the local men until just before the Second World War.
Other Tidbits ---
(The following from "History and Traditions of Prestwich")
The people of Simister possess most grateful recollections of the Countess, Lady Margaret. They have much pride in telling us, their friends who never knew her, what a good angel in the parish she was. She combined dignity with sweet lowliness, and beautiful adaptation to the poorest. When she turned out for her visits, she drove in a carriage drawn by four cream-coloured horses, ridden by postillions. In that carriage there were gifts stowed away for the poor who needed them, and these were given with so much grace as to be doubly valuable. Carts of coal were continually going about the township as her messengers to the needy families. And when October came, and the flag was run up on the top of the "Temple," lines of poor people could be seen coming up from Simister Lane, Rooden Lane, and other directions, for soup, which was given with a liberal hand.
... In the fifties, two of our groups of cottages, Simister and its neighbour Bow Lee, were silk weaving villages, wholly given up to that industry, and were as prosperous as any that could be named in the north of England. To the visitor is was most interesting in walking down the main road to hear the sound of the treadles of the looms, each one of which seemed to say---
Tickety, tickety, tack,
We're working for the bagman's pack,
Tickety, tickety, tack.
The people were very well paid, and they enjoyed life. On Saturday mornings it was a pleasant sight to see the villagers setting out with their woven silk to Manchester. They carried it in white linen bags, over the back and chest. In the course of time, the trade receded from here, as it is at the present time receding from certain other places. At Prestwich this industry has ceased for a long time.
... Amongst the picturesque features of "the good old times" was the pack of harriers in full chase of the hare, accompanied by gentlemen in red coats and others. During the season the start was usually made from the village Simister, when everybody, at the sound of the horn and the baying of the dogs, was astir. The course of the quarry was often devious, when those on foot made a short cut in the probable direction. On such occasions it was difficult for the schoolmaster, Mr. Wroe, to keep the school together. Not unfrequently their expected prey eluded them, and escaped. At other times the cry, "Tally ho!" rang through the air.
Simister -- To the north of the Polefield estates is Simister Lane, with small cottages on either side. It is called after a Mr. James Simister, or rather Somister; he spelt his name in this way. He settled here at the commencement of the 18th century.
As for the name Simister, the earliest recorded spelling as "Simister" was in 1609 with a recorded record of Margaret Simister in Lincoln, England.
Simister Village Post OfficeDigging For Your Roots
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(Article has been edited to include news about the Simister name only)
......When I was young my unusual surname was taken for granted, but one day a friend suggested that the name Simister was derived from Seamster -- a maker of garments. That roused my interest enough to discover more and the results of a search surprised me.
In olden days a "summaster" was a chamberlain, or clerk of expenses, who kept the account books, and was perhaps the forerunner of the present day accountant. Some early Simisters I found were called Somester, which is not far from Summaster.
Then again, a summister was one who summarised long verbal reports, and wrote them down concisely.
Whatever the origin of Simister as a name, it has existed since 1200, for in P. H. Reaney's Dictionary of British Surnames is mentioned a Peter le Semester in 1275.
This could be translated as Peter, the Summaster. It seems doubtful if I shall ever be really sure whether the original Simister was a seamster or a scribbler, but it made me think about my origin.
Then I remembered that as a child I had lived a few miles from Simister, the village near Prestwich, and I decided to find out more:
Although I lived in Manchester when younger, I now live a long way from there, and so have been able to manage only a brief visit. What I saw then aroused my interest more, and I discovered the origin of the village's name.
It was originally Little Heaton, a part of Sir John Egerton's large estate (which included the present Heaton Park) and only after a certain James Somester had lived there for nearly 60 years, and left his imprint on it was it gradually called Simister.
James was there from 1722 until he died in 1780.
During James Somester's residence there the main lane became known as Simister Lane (he bought various acreages from time to time) and I suspect that the two old cottages that are now the village Post Office and shop were known to James.
They are nearly 300 years old, and were certainly in existence during his period, but whether or not he owned them is hard to say. I am now making efforts to see the deeds -- for they should go back to that time -- and shall pass on any information I get.
.......... If you need guidance on any special problem write to W. Simister, c/o Manchester Evening News, 164 Deansgate, Manchester M60 2RD. Always enclose a SAE.
DATE NAME LOCATION
1566 Jane Semester, Cheshire
1590 Anne Symester, Lancashire
1609 Margaret Simister, Lincoln, England
1612 Ellin Semister, Lanchasire
1613 Frances Cemester, London
1615 Michaelus Semister Cornwall
1616 Matheus Semister, Cornwall
1617 George Simister, Cheshire
1617 Edwardus Semester, Cornwall
1633 William Sammister, Lincoln
1643 Alice Simister, Lancashire
1643 Martha Simister, Lancashire
1646 Susan Semister, Stafford
1650 Thomas Simister, Lancashire
1651 Thomas Simister, Lancashire
1655 Elizabeth Semester, Cornwall
1658 Timothy Simister, Lancashire
1658 Titus Simister, Lancashire
1664 Theophilus Simister, Lancashire
1670 John Semester, Cheshire
1676 Humfrey Simester, Shewsbury, Shropshire
1677 Thomas Simister, Cheshire
1679 Rondell Simester, Shewsbury, Shropshire
1680 Esther Simister, Cheshire
1683 Elizabeth Simister, Cheshire
1683 John Simister, Cheshire
1688 John Simister, Cheshire
1694 Thomas Simister, Lancashire
1694 Joshua Simister, Lancashire
1694 Hannah Simister, London
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Modified January 1, 2004