HYDE CHESHIRE

Harry Rutherford's
Festival of Britain Mural




Thursday 10 March 2011

Disappeared shops - Alfred Beames George Street

This photo shows Alfred Beames shop which stood on George Street for a time. ( I think this photo shows the George Street shop) It was a DIY shop , selling wood cut to order amongst other things....the B&Q of its day.  This disappeared when  the area was demolished to make way for the motorway. Also note the hairdressers - one of many that used to operate in Hyde. I think it was called "Gina's" but not 100% sure.

Photobucket

Thanks to Nick Clarke for this wonderfully evocative photo - one he took for his O'level photography exam , no less :)

10 comments:

Dave Williams said...

The car's a Vauxhall Viva, which was introduced about the time I took my driving test in 1965. There's a no-entry sign to the left of the picture which looks as if it's saying that part of George Street was one-way. Was this so, or was perhaps the whole of George Street one-way at the time the photo was taken?

Tom said...

I remember the police used Viva's.. not sure about the one way Dave.. well spotted.

Ex Hydeonian said...

Jeez, had forgotten about Alfred Beames...Dad used to get wood and DIY stuff from there now and then. We used to joke that you could get wooden beams from Alfred Beames. We had a really out there sense of humour in those days!

Would this be the place that had a sawmill at the back? I used to go there now and then for sawdust for my rabbits cage.....the blokes let me help myself under the saws. Probably an occupational health and safety issue now! Seem to recall it was near the bus station prior to the good old M57...but am not 100% sure if this is the place.

Beames is one of those many Hyde shops whose name you knew instantly, like Byles, Proctors, Ollerenshaws, Harrisons Office Supplies, Harrisons Newsagent, and Henry V Hird. Plus a hundred more that I can't remember! Hetts fishing tackle perhaps, or Hollinghursts or Brookes hardware etc etc..

I used to service those type of Vauxhall Viva when I worked for the gas board, they had the van version when I started in 1977, though they were being phased out by North West Gas at the time. I seem to recall they were the HA series. Really basic vehicle, no ABS or cruise control I seem to recall. Funnily enough though, we managed without them!

Ex Hydeonian said...

Oops...M67, not 57. Been a while since I was last in Hyde! Also, hello and welcome to Dave Williams....love your work and really enjoy your photos.

JohnT said...

Wasn't George Street made one way for the buses coming up to the bus station?

Tom said...

I also went there to get sawdust... as for the one way I have tried recalling it but can't... I will ask others when I get the chance.

Dave Williams said...

Ex Hydeonian - thanks for your kind comments. If you have nostalgic memories of the pubs in Hyde have a look at the photos on Google Earth - I think I've got one there for each of the pubs in Hyde that is currently in business!

Kevin said...

The small shop in-between Beames and the hairdressers was Sammy's chip shop with its delightful old fashioned cafe at the back, complete with magnificent black-leaded range.His wife cooked and served tasty, wholesome meals at reasonable prices.
Out of sight on the opposite corner was Harold Clarke's second-hand shop which was a fascinating treasure trove of both new and antique furniture, pictures,bric a brac etc.

Tom said...

Thanks for the information and memories Kevin..

Ian Walker said...

I used to work at Alfred Beames during school holidays back in the late 1950's. My Father worked for John Whittaker who was the Manager but at another business John Whittaker owned in Ashton.

I believe Alfred Beames was owned at the time by a Manchester firm, Bloomer Holt who also had large sawmills in Ancoats and Ashton.

The Whittaker's owned a dog, a Boxer that had an account at the local Bakers as he would bring meat pies into the shop and bury them in the sawdust.