In 1975, kidnapping victim Lesley Whittle was kept in Bathpool Park, south of Kidsgrove, in an air ventilation shaft from a disused coal mine.
Donald Neilson, the killer known as the "Black Panther," was later convicted of murdering her after repeated delays in getting the ransom.
The town used to house the English Electric site on West Avenue, Nelson Industrial Estate.
GE closed the Kidsgrove site in 2016[1] and the last remaining original building has since been demolished, leaving only the recently erected warehouse which is now under use of another company.
[6] Kidsgrove is situated in North West Staffordshire on the Cheshire border and is part of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme.
The Wards of Kidsgrove & Ravenscliffe, Butt Lane & Talke and Newchapel & Mow Cop are in the Stoke-on-Trent North Parliamentary Constituency represented by Jonathan Gullis and whilst parts of Mow Cop currently sit within Staffordshire Moorlands Parliamentary Constituency, whose M.P.
Originally meeting in the Masonic Hall and Institute in the town, the group now gets together at the Red Bull, Church Lawton.
During November RCK hold a bonfire night and fireworks at Clough Hall Park and during December they can be seen on the streets of Kidsgrove with their Santa float, collecting for local good causes.
In April 2012 RCK were also announced as the Rotary International in Britain and Ireland winners of the Club Online Presence Award.
This was the first time the award has been presented and recognises the achievements the group have made through their website and a variety of social media avenues in the year.