son Richard Pepper Arden was appointed as Lord Chief Justice of England with the title Lord Alvanley at the end of the 18th century. The Ardens had two local residences. Their town house was Underbank Hall, a fine half-timbered mansion (now the National Westminster Bank) and Harden Hall which once commanded a moated in Reddish. Nicholson The Nicholsons were a very numerous, though not a powerful family, who in the 16th century lived in the Reddish district. Their names occur frequently in the early Parish Registers which were first begun in 1584. Their main home was Wood Hall, Sandy Lane. The family originated in Cumberland (Cumbria) and, after a century or two at Reddish, the main branch moved on to become landowners in Essex, but left behind numerous relatives. William Nicholson, born probably in 1561 was a former Master of the School. He attend Caius College, Cambridge in June 1581, then changed to Jesus College, where he took his B.A. in 1585 and M.A. in 1588. No-one can say when he was appointed Master of Stockport Grammar School because the records of the Goldsmiths’ Company are missing from 1579 to 1592, but it is likely to be 1587, after the death of Francis Low. He died in office and was buried at Stockport in September 1597. He was a man of substance, his will showing connections with other county families. He left money to pay for an “Usher” or assistant in the School as well as dictionaries and other books, which would of course be valuable in those days. Vernon The Vernon family belong to a wealthy, prolific and widespread English family with 11th-century origins in Vernon, France. William de Vernon arrived in England at the time of the Norman conquest and was granted lands in the County Palatine of Chester under the patronage of Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester. His son Richard was created a medieval Baron and settled at Shipbrook, near Northwich, Cheshire. Branches of the family flourished and its influence spread beyond Cheshire over the following centuries, partly as a result of judicious inter marriage. They were large benefactors of the School around the time of its founding, and out of the four houses, have the longest historic association with Stockport Grammar School. Warren The Warren Family were both rich and powerful being Lords of the Manor of Stockport from the time of Sir John de