HYDE CHESHIRE

Harry Rutherford's
Festival of Britain Mural




Wednesday 4 August 2010

Thomas Street - (disappeared streets 2)


Thomas Street was in three sections : Mount Street to Union Street then Union Street to Beeley Street and Beeley Street to Platt Street.




A 1897 map showing where Thomas Street once stood.



This is the top section of Thomas Street, at the junction with Mount Street.



Thomas Street Working Men's Institute.(Middle section)

On the middle section stood The Working Men's Institute - Hyde was one of the first places to build a public institute to the Chartist cause .It was opened in September 1838, and sermons were preached in the morning and afternoon by the Reverend Joseph Raynor Stephens. This later became St Thomas's School. This building saw action a second time when it was used as a headquarter for 'A' Company of the 36th Cheshire Regiment of the Home Guard in the last war.

Why this building wasn't preserved is anyone's guess. I believe that there should be a sign on Union street where the Working Men's Institute once stood commemorating this building so that the Chartist connection with this part of Hyde is never forgotten. Chartist House now stands on the Mount Street - Union Street section of Thomas Street



The bottom part of Thomas street still stands, technically although it isn't road signed anymore.. It's the road leading into the multi-storey car park from Union Street. It used to run past the side of the gymnasium belonging to Hyde Lads Club. Both Club and Multi Story Car Park are now gone. 

3 comments:

Tom said...

I remember part of this street being ready to be pulled down.. I know that at the side of the lads club the area was very dark... it was really rundown in parts.. as was parts of Union Street. Hyde Town Planners of the 60s/70s have a lot to answer for at times... At time it feels as if Hyde as had it's heart and soul ripped from it.. but Hyde for all it's faults will always be only as good as the people who live and care about the place.. ONWARD!

Anonymous said...

Hello,
I was in the entrance lobby of the block of flats called Chartist House this week.
They have a plaque on their wall which commemorates St Thomas Hall, the birthplace of the Chartist movement, which has a note under it saying it was removed from that building when it was demolished.
Paul

Tom said...

Could you send in a picture, to hydonian@gmail.com please.. and thank you for informing me.
Tom