	1835 to 1837
	Churchyard Wall During the next few years a stone wall quarried from Carr Brow, and erected at a cost of £200, replaced the post and wire fence that had originally encircled the churchyard. Interior Development With the passing of time the inside of the chapel gained the atmosphere of a place of prayer. The main physical features of the interior improvements were the installation of an organ and a ring of bells. These were provided by the beneficence of the brothers Richard and Thomas Orford, whose main interests were with Disley church and its Sunday school. Between 1835-37 Disley church was enlarged at the expense of the Orford brothers and a new organ installed. The First Organ The old organ built by Burcher and Fleetwood in 1822 for St. Georges Church, Liverpool, was given to Norbury. The cost of £6-15s-8d for fixing up the organ in the west gallery was raised by local subscriptions. With the organ came a remarkable man, blind Thomas Green; among other things he composed his own epitaph which was presented as a funeral card at the time of his death in January 1888 (see below). Of Thomas Green, the story is told that during the hour-long sermons, he and the verger were in the habit of slinking away for some refreshment, much to Mr Worsley's annoyance. One Sunday, the clergyman decided to teach them a sharp lesson by bringing the service to an abrupt close, locking up the church and departing with the key. One is left to imagine the consternation of the culprits, who on their return found their outdoor clothes and Thomas Green's mid-day lunch all too securely locked away inside the church.	The First Heating System When the organ was 'opened' on Sunday 24th April 1836 the occasion was taken to launch an appeal to defray the expenses for heating the building for 'much inconvenience has been experienced during the past two very cold winters by the lack of it'. This addition was undoubtedly most welcome, for in the September of that year, when Mr Walker presented his bill 'for fixing up hot water apparatus', the amount had already been over subscribed by £19. Hazel Grove It was on the 26th of that same September that the celebrations started to "annihilate the name of Bullock Smithy and to restore the proper name of Hazelgrove". Among those who took part in the grand procession through the village on that fine autumn day, were the Norbury Sunday scholars, with their blue rosettes, "The girls looking remarkably neat in their white caps with blue ribbons." The First Bells When the bells were replaced at Disley church the Orford brothers offered the old ring of six to Norbury on condition that they would raise the £60 which it would cost to have them hung in the tower. Thomas Mears, a well known bell founder of London, who was in charge of the installation at Disley, also supervised the work at Norbury. At the same time the 5th bell was recast. On the 13th August 1837 they rang out for the first time, "much to the delight and admiration of the inhabitants of Norbury and Hazelgrove."

	Norbury Parish Church, London Road, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire. Telephone: 0161-483 6325. Registered Charity 1130910

1835 to 1837

Churchyard Wall

During the next few years a stone wall quarried from Carr Brow, and erected at a cost of £200, replaced the post and wire fence that had originally encircled the churchyard.

Interior Development

With the passing of time the inside of the chapel gained the atmosphere of a place of prayer. The main physical features of the interior improvements were the installation of an organ and a ring of bells. These were provided by the beneficence of the brothers Richard and Thomas Orford, whose main interests were with Disley church and its Sunday school. Between 1835-37 Disley church was enlarged at the expense of the Orford brothers and a new organ installed.

The First Organ

The old organ built by Burcher and Fleetwood in 1822 for St. Georges Church, Liverpool, was given to Norbury. The cost of £6-15s-8d for fixing up the organ in the west gallery was raised by local subscriptions.

With the organ came a remarkable man, blind Thomas Green; among other things he composed his own epitaph which was presented as a funeral card at the time of his death in January 1888 (see below).

Of Thomas Green, the story is told that during the hour-long sermons, he and the verger were in the habit of slinking away for some refreshment, much to Mr Worsley's annoyance. One Sunday, the clergyman decided to teach them a sharp lesson by bringing the service to an abrupt close, locking up the church and departing with the key. One is left to imagine the consternation of the culprits, who on their return found their outdoor clothes and Thomas Green's mid-day lunch all too securely locked away inside the church.

The First Heating System

When the organ was 'opened' on Sunday 24th April 1836 the occasion was taken to launch an appeal to defray the expenses for heating the building for 'much inconvenience has been experienced during the past two very cold winters by the lack of it'.

This addition was undoubtedly most welcome, for in the September of that year, when Mr Walker presented his bill 'for fixing up hot water apparatus', the amount had already been over subscribed by £19.

Hazel Grove

It was on the 26th of that same September that the celebrations started to "annihilate the name of Bullock Smithy and to restore the proper name of Hazelgrove".

Among those who took part in the grand procession through the village on that fine autumn day, were the Norbury Sunday scholars, with their blue rosettes, "The girls looking remarkably neat in their white caps with blue ribbons."

The First Bells

When the bells were replaced at Disley church the Orford brothers offered the old ring of six to Norbury on condition that they would raise the £60 which it would cost to have them hung in the tower.

Thomas Mears, a well known bell founder of London, who was in charge of the installation at Disley, also supervised the work at Norbury. At the same time the 5th bell was recast. On the 13th August 1837 they rang out for the first time, "much to the delight and admiration of the inhabitants of Norbury and Hazelgrove."