The Cottages In Kingston Hollow

OUR TOWN

                                      REMEMBERING HYDE

                        THE COTTAGES IN KINGSTON HOLLOW

By Jeffrey Stafford

Two of the most interesting cottages in Hyde until they were condemned in 1939 were number 167 and 169, Manchester Road. Known variously since the early nineteenth century as Wilson Brook or Kingston Hollow Cottages, for over a century they were the residence of the Smith family. No use could be found for them after they were condemned and for forty years the two cottages remained nothing more than a rat infested pigeon roost.

     The last two occupants of the cottages, which stood back from Manchester Road down a narrow pathway, were two sisters, Sarah Wood and Hannah Green. Their story, which is one that had been handed down by word of mouth from one generation of the family to the next, goes back to the time when the two cottages in Kingston Hollow overlooked a wide stretch of green fields and Stafford’s Nurseries.

        To this pleasant rural idyll about the year 1819 came Daniel Smith, a fifty five year old mechanic from Offerton, brought by John Sidebotham, the owner of Kingston Mill, to look after the new power looms which had been introduced in the mill. As an engineer, Daniel moved into one of the cottages in Kingston Hollow near the mill, besides Wilson Brook, with his wife Harriot and his son, William. Daniel and his family travelled to Hyde on horse back, the only means of transport possible, a striking contrast to the present day when cars and buses past within a few yards of where Kingston cottages once stood.

      Daniel Wood lived to the ripe old age of 87 and sired six further children, four boys and two girls: James 1821, Hannah 1824, John 1826, Jane 1829, Thomas 1832, and Edwin 1841.

      William, Daniel’s eldest son, followed his father’s occupation as a mechanic in the mill, and he and his father in their spare time built a working model of a power loom. Later, William emigrated to America and after his death left a vast amount of money with which his son, Daniel, set himself up in business in Denton as a hat manufacturer with Abraham Cooke.

      John Smith, who died in 1916, worked in the dressing room at Kingston Mill. A confirmed bachelor, he lived all his live in Kingston Hollow with his sister Jane. A keen gardener he cleared and cultivated all the land attached to both cottages. Jane and Hannah, the two daughters of Daniel Smith, both worked at Kingston Mill. Jane was 76 when she died in 1905.  Hannah married John Barlow in 1852. She died in Denton in 1905 aged 81.

     James Smith opened a grocers shop at 206-208 Manchester Road, and as it was the only shop in the area it did excellent business. It is said that the shops takings frequently amounted to over three hundred pounds a week. James also became a churchwarden at St.Lawrence’s, Denton. He died in 1906. Edwin, who died in 1916, was a joiner, and Thomas, who was gifted with a fine voice, which never broke, became a well known singer. He moved from the choir at St. George’s Church, Hyde, to Manchester Cathedral, and then to the Chapel Royal, Windsor, with which choir he was associated with until his death at New Windsor in 1910.

       On Tuesday, December 18^th, 1888, a concert organised by Thomas Smith, who was described as the principal alto, Chapel Royal Windsor, was held at the Mechanics Institute, Hyde. Among the other artist who took part in the Grand Ballad Concert as it was called, were Miss Lizzie Dawson, Miss Louisa Bowmont principal contralto St.Peter’s, Manchester, Mr.Charles Warren Manchester Concerts, Mr.John J.Lewis principal tenor, Hyde Chapel, Mr.William Oldham of Hyde Philharmonic Society, Mr.Hesketh Meade Manchester Concerts, and Mr. J.H. Greenwood, organist of All Saints’, Manchester.

     Returning to Sarah Wood and Hannah Green. It was after the death of John Smith in 1916, that they both went to live in Kingston Hollow. They were the grand-daughter’s of Hannah Wood, who had married John Barlow at Cheadle St.Mary’s in 1852, and so for well over a century, the same family had been associated with the cottages in Kingston Hollow.

(Not To Be Copied Without Permission)

What a honour to be able to share this with our readers, thank you Jeffrey.
We have another one of Jeffrey's writings to show. Keep a look out for that one as it is a cracker!

Family Pictures

We had a nice email the other day from Joyce Jones, who told us how much she enjoys our site, especially the photos. Joyce’s brother Neil Howarth has donated photo's and memories in the past,  so Joyce has kindly followed suit and sent in the two pictures below. 

Joyce and her brothers Ian and Brian near the Cenotaph on Werneth Lowe, with their mum.  1955

Whit-Sunday gathering for Hyde Chapel, meeting outside Enfield  Street Infant school. Joyce thinks the year is circa 1962, going by the car and the colour of the bus stop I think Dave stands a good chance of coming a bit nearer to the date... I'm for later on this one. 

Thank you Joyce for sending these in... it's a pleasure seeing such pictures being sent in... I've always liked looking at 'family pictures' and the one where you are all on The Low is such a nice picture, and I'm sure I remember that bench or one's like it. 

Update

Joyce as been back in touch and as amended the date of the bottom picture to 1970, the 1960 date was a mistake.... the young lad under the flowers who is holding the banner is Philip, Joyce' youngest brother.. he was born in 1962 and was eight when this picture was taken... thank you for the update Joyce.  

Some more lovely May Queens.

Leigh Street Infants May Queen 1926.
Dorothy Higginbottom is the May Queen.



Sadie Marsden.
Flowery Field May Queen. Date unknown.

Demolition of the "Seven Sisters"

2001 saw the demolition of 7 Multi-Storey 1960’s Tower blocks in Hattersley which were affectionately known as the "Seven Sisters".

Two blocks, Sandybank Court and Chapman Court were demolished using a highreach excavator.



Due to the location of Fields Court, situated near the main line Railway station and adjacent residential properties the tower block was demolished using the "floor by floor deconstruction method" so as to reduce any risks.



On Sunday 22nd April 2001 the remaining four tower blocks (Underwood, Honiton, Hattersley and Waterside Courts) were demolished using explosives.

Postcard from...

Newtown Street...or Newton street to us Hydonians !
Date unknown.



You can just make out Flowery Field Church and one of the Chimneys from Ashtons Brothers in the distance .

Pickwick Papers, Leigh Street style.

A review of "Pickwick Papers" by Leigh Street Girls School.
Circa mid 1970's.

Werneth Low Horse Races

Shortly after the coronation of Queen Victoria an attempt was made to establish an annual race meeting on Werneth Low, and a racecourse was formed in the field opposite the Hare & Hounds Inn on the summit of the Low. The first races being held on Hyde Wakes in 1838. The races extended over three days, and over 6000 people were present on the first day. Traditions and some of the older end of the population spoke of famous contests on the low of no less famous jockeys and the winning of local derbys. Mr Robert Higham gives an account of the races in his book "Stella" which is founded on local life.The "racecourse" says the writer "was situated in a field a short distance from the Hare & Hounds and was very unlevel for races, indeed dangerous, as more than one horse met with its death and the rider with serious injury in going down a steep decline. The horse which won the first race belonged to Marlors of Newton. The course was ringed with stalls, booths and rows of bookmakers with the usual paraphernalia for a race meeting. The prizes ranged from 30 guineas to 10 guineas and there were handsome cups to be won. The course was changed several times, and was fixed finally in the large field fringing the high road, and stretching down to Werneth Hall farm in Cowlishaw Brow.It was intended to make the races a permanent institution, but the great cash incurred and the comparatively small amount of public support, added to the difficulty of reaching the top of the low, either by "Shanks pony" or by conveyance, brought the scheme to an end after a few years. The last races run on the Low were on September 9th, 10th & 11th 1850. It was then decided to abandon the races.

  The Above account of the races is from Tom Middletons History of Hyde & The Annals of Hyde. The 1875 OS map shows part of one of the race tracks just below the Hare & Hounds. The race card for 1850 for what was then known as the Hyde & Compstall Races.

Post Card View.. (but from where)

We've been contacted by Ben Mckenzie who would like information on the postcard below.

Ben say's that the postcard was sent from Hyde in 190? - last digit is not clear. In the top left hand corner is written Godley Val? - difficult to read the letters. It was addressed to Elizabeth Howard Taylor and the writer asked if she recognized anyone in the photograph.

Left Side Of Card



Right Side Of Card

Any background information would be most welcome.

John Shepley Clock

This post is by
Keith Hampson
 

I have now received my Shepley clock back all nicely cleaned and in good working order and you will see it is a fine illustration of John Shepleys work.

The dial is only 9in square which is rare for a longcase clock and usually indicates early work.The dial centre is very finely engraved with all over floral pattern reminiscent of the lantern clock made in the second half of the 17^th century.The hand which is typical of the period has the addition of a brass tip which could be a nice later feature.

The engraving is very professional and looking at the later clock owned by Peter Wattenburg it was almost certainly done by a specialist.

The dial is signed Johannes Shepley, Hyde in abbreviated form.

The most important feature is the posted type movement e.g. horizontal plates with vertical corner posts similar to the earliest domestic clock in Britain, the lantern clock which is rarely found in the North West. It was thought that most clockmakers in this area first made clocks with vertical plates and horizontal pillars which had been the norm in London for at least 20 years by the time Shepley was making clocks in the late 17^th century.

The lantern type movement is very much the order of the day but an unusual feature is the extended pillars which form legs below the lower plate similar to a lantern clock and again an early feature.John was keen to show his skill by beautifully filing the hammer spring although it would not normally be seen in a longcase clock. The bell and large hammer would ensure the chime could be heard in Yorkshire!

John Shepley clocks are often compared with those of the Whittaker brothers, James and Samuel of Middleton. The elder brother James was slightly earlier than Shepley and I believe one lantern clock by him does exist. All longcase clocks are thought to be of the plated form and I do have a longcase by Samuel. Little is known of his early life in Hyde  but it is thought that Shepley could have been apprenticed to James Whittaker before starting his business in Hyde.

To discover this clock was very exciting and it could in fact be the first clock made by John Shepley.

I spent the first eighteen years of my life in Dukinfield but I have many connections with Hyde. Sadly I did not make Hyde Grammer School for my secondary education. The first clockmaker in Dukinfield was John Taylor who could be slightly later than Shepley but his surviving clocks are scarce. When John Shepley moved to Stockport his market was much greater. I would be most interested if anyone knows of a John Taylor clock.

Thank you Keith for sharing your clock with us... it's a beauty and it is an honour to be able show it here... I hope information on a John Taylor clock is forth coming... 

The Werneth Pub

Two shots of the Werneth Pub on Stockport Road.
Sadly, this pub is up for sale yet again. I hope it doesn't go the way that so many pubs in Hyde have over the years and close its doors...


The flood of 1906


Winter 2011