HYDE CHESHIRE

Harry Rutherford's
Festival of Britain Mural




Wednesday 28 July 2010

Brownsons Tower.

Brownsons was a clothiers that was situated on the corner of Clarendon Street and Hamnett Street near to Hyde Market. It was started originally by Thomas Brownson and was run by the Brownson Family who had stores in other towns in the area namely Ashton under Lyne and Stalybridge. This was a store that catered for the whole family having a mens ,ladies and juvenile section.

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It was a very distinctive store owing to the fact that it had a tower.
This building was later used by Woolworths Ltd and presently is occupied by a Poundstretcher store.
1910
This 1910 shot shows Brownsons with the sunblinds down. The view is looking down Clarendon place towards the Queens Hotel.
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This scene shows the view across the market place in the 1920's.

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Thomas Brownson Esq. BA was a JP who had dealings with the Mechanics institute in Hyde . He lived at "Burnside" which was situated near Gower Hey Woods .

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Mrs Brownson ,his wife, laid one of the foundation stones at Zion Congregational Sunday school in 1898.

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A paper cutting showing an advertisement for Brownsons store in Old Square ,Ashton under Lyne.

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"Brownsons Tower" Circa 1965 . Woolworth was occupying it by then.

4 comments:

Tom said...

Not known for my romanic nature... ha! but this is where me and Jane shared our first kiss.... that was over 24 years ago now... we now converse mainly by pop up messages on the PC... me on one side of the room... Jane on the other... ha!.. Still going strong I'm happy to say...
Back to the posting... it is a stunning looking building when alls said and done, and though Woolworths shuting down was sad it was good to see the shop up and running again and not left with the shutters down...
I wonder if anyone as any receipts or other adverts from Brownsons.. stuff like that would be nice addition to the posts.

Manchester Lass, Now and Then said...

My first Saturday job was working in Woolworths on the Haberdashery stall:) Eh happy days...
Ha ha Tom that's sounds like DH and I only we are sat at the same table, me on my laptop and DH on his♥♥

I cannot thank Nancy and Tom enough for starting this fantastic site. I am learning so much! It brings back so many wonderful memories. You are both doing such a remarkable job:)

Gerald (Ackworth born) said...

Love the 1960s photo.

Tom said...

Linda.
Thank you for that... we are both very happy to be involved in this venture and it gets more enjoyable each day.
Gerald.
Tha is a good picture... I remember the road being a lot busier than that. Crossing by the White Lion was not for the faint hearted at one time...
I like the policemen walking across the Market.. Hyde had it's own police force, which became part of the Cheshire Constabulary and was eventually swallowed up into Greater Manchester Police... Hyde had it's own Chief Constable as well.. but thats for another post I think ...;o)