A FILM about the creation of Jodrell Bank features during a week of events celebrating a century of further education in Crewe.

Manchester Metropolitan University’s Cheshire campus on Crewe Green Road ismarking a hundred years of colleges in the town, with a series of film screenings and musical performances between September 10-14.

Rare footage of the world-famous radio telescope, whose creator, Sir Bernard Lovell, sadly died on Monday, features in a film about Cheshire’s history, to be aired by the North West Film Archive.

Alongside a celluloid history of Crewe, associate lecturer Paul Rogers will unveil his sound installation, The Media Machine, which uses junk and broken instruments, combined with modern technology, to create music.

Elsewhere, student Adam Shilton will premier his new piece of brass band music, based on his experiences as a soldier in Iraq.

The piece will be performed by the highly-acclaimed Co-op Funeralcare Brass Band.

There will also be a host of public lectures and theatre performances during the week.

For more information about the events, visit www.cheshire.mmu.ac.uk/centenary

 

HISTORY

MMU Cheshire is the latest incarnation in the history of major educational establishments in Crewe, stretching back to 1912 when Crewe College of Education first opened its doors.

The college was protected during the Second World War as a hospital for war casualties.

In 1942 it became one of the first in the country to run an approved course for nursery teachers’ education.

In 1947 another teacher training college opened in Cheshire – the Alsager College of Education. The location also played an important role in Second World War, having housed 1,000 female munitions workers from a nearby factory.

Both colleges were amalgamated in 1974 as the Crewe and Alsager College of Higher Education.

In 1992, MMU adopted the Crewe college, becoming the third largest university in the country.

The faculty was officially rebranded as MMU Cheshire in August 2003.