HYDE CHESHIRE

Harry Rutherford's
Festival of Britain Mural




Monday 21 February 2011

View from Field Street


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Here is an interesting photo of St Stephen´s chuch in Flowery Field sent in by Rowan Hardman. It must have been taken around 1910 around  Field Street  Flowery Field. The old man is a relative of Rowan's, she says this is perhaps her great great great grandad. The markings on the church roof are very distinctive as is the shape of the steeple. This area where the chap stands would be where the school yard and car park for Hyde Technology is now.  THANK YOU Again for sharing this great picture of man and church.


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Another great photo from Dave, this one he took last year and he has still managed the 'perfect' shot... ha!  cheers Dave.

8 comments:

Hydonian said...

What a great old photo!
I heard rumours that St Stephens was going to be demolished to extend Hyde Tech.....I hope this isn't true!

Dave Williams said...

Very interesting - it looks as if it's the opposite side of Field Street to the houses that remain there, and I think you're right about the school car park. I'm emailing you a photo I took of St Stephen's about 12 months ago from Field Street poking my camera above the wall of the car park. Nancy - I've not heard about St Stephen's being demolished, but there's a lot of building work going on at present, and there's a lot of waste land between the school and the church.

Tom said...

I have heard the church was under threat of closure, more to do with a lack of congregation, (please feel free to correct me on this) and running costs. The school dose seem to be having some work done and I did notice a massive crane working nearby that area. Maybe we should get a post done on this church soon... so if anyone reading as any information please send it in. I also believe it as one of Tamesides 'Blue Plaques'.. but cannot recall why at the moment... I'll check that out.

rowan said...

From what I can tell St Stephens is a listed building. I think it was built around 1890 so when the photo was taken of my ggg grandad(?) it was quite new. How times change. Only 120 years ago they needed more churches! From other pics I have seen all the windows are bricked up on the far side. Who knows what´s going to happen to it. I think the man was called James Dobson, a shoemaker from Scotland. His boots certainly have a shine to them!

Tom said...

Hi Rowan
Thank you for putting a name to this fine looking chap... and yes his boots do have a good shine indeed..
I had a check and St. Stephens was granted Grade 11 listed building status in 1986.. and the Blue Plaque I mentioned is for Arthur Herbert Procter (1890-1973) who was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery in WW1. He was Vicar of St. Stephen's Church from 1933 - 1944.

Dave Williams said...

I took a photo of the blue plaque at the same time as that of the church - email on the way.

Dave Williams said...

Just been looking at other photos I took of St Stephen's and it doesn't look as if the windows on the school side of the church are bricked up. They seem to have wire-mesh screens fixed to them in an effort to prevent breakages/break-ins. There's what appears to be waste land between the church and school with no lighting, and it's very secluded.

Gerald (Ackworth born) said...

I did a post about this in November 2008 and there is a lovely 2001 photo on Ian Rhodes site.