Rochdale Town Hall’s old courtroom opens for public tours for the first time

Wednesday, 17 September 2025 13:51

By David Murphy

A piece of Rochdale’s past is being revealed as the town hall’s former courtroom opens to visitors, uncovering stories of crime, punishment and community history.

Rochdale Town Hall’s historic courtroom is opening for public tours for the first time, giving visitors a chance to step back into an era when petty criminals and repeat offenders faced justice beneath its ornate ceiling.

The Grade I listed chamber, now used for council meetings, once served as a magistrates’ court from 1872 until the early 1980s. Offences ranging from pick pocketing to larceny, and even stealing pigeons, were dealt with there.

Research led by historian Ruth Darling, alongside town hall volunteers, has pieced together case files of people who appeared in the dock. Among them was Rebecca Pike, known locally as ‘Big Becca’, who first appeared in 1886 accused of being “an incorrigible rogue” and was later arrested multiple times for drunkenness and threats of violence. Another case involved teenager Joseph Fish, sentenced to 14 days in a reformatory after stealing four pigeons.

Visitors will also learn about the figures who enforced law and order. Chief Constable Samuel Stephens, for instance, was central to a clean-up operation in an area of Rochdale town centre then known as ‘The Gank’, which was once home to more than 150 brothels and over 100 beer houses.

Councillor Sue Smith, Rochdale Borough Council’s cabinet member for communities and cooperation, said:

“More than a year after Rochdale Town Hall reopened following its restoration, our staff and volunteers are still uncovering secrets. These courtroom tours give visitors an insight into the history of Rochdale and its people. This was a space that revealed another side of life, away from the grandeur of the rest of the building.”

The tours form part of Heritage Open Days, a national programme that sees historic sites opened for free each September. Although the sessions at the courtroom, held from 19–21 September, are already fully booked, monthly tours will begin in October. Information will be made available at rochdaletownhall.co.uk/events.

Heritage Open Days activities across the borough also include a behind-the-scenes look at the Touchstones redevelopment and guided walks along the Middleton Heritage Trail.

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