HYDE CHESHIRE

Harry Rutherford's
Festival of Britain Mural




Tuesday 10 August 2010

Charles Street.( Disappeared streets 3)

Photobucket Charles Street was located at the bottom of Market Street, where the bus station now stands. If stories are true then it was one of Hydes roughest slum areas .People didn't like to venture through it in daylight never mind at night. Many a tale has been told about the fights that used to occur on there after a boozy saturday night out. Also stories of heroism. One in particular was concerning a man who was described as a "wastrel and a drunk", who was known to regularly beat his wife after too much alcohol. But despite his ways, he was the only one who went to help a little girl one night who had stood too close to the fire and set her nightdress alight. She ran into the Road screaming ,on fire. Everyone stood there frozen to the spot not knowing what to do except this man who was passing by on his way out. He took his overcoat off and smothered the little girl in it ,thus putting out the fire and saving her life. A true hero indeed!

charles st

charles street
A photo showing the closeness of the street despite the immense poverty.

7 comments:

Tom said...

I'd forgot about this... I heard my mum talking about this street many times... my grandparents on my dads side lived on Mary Street, and on my mums side on Hamnett Street at one time... Was this street apart of the area known as Donnybrook?

Hydonian said...

Yes, that's right,Tom. I'm not quite sure which streets were actually known as Donnybrook...I'll ask my dad!

linda said...

Thank you again, this is amazing. I lived on George St, between a butchers & hairdressers (if my memory serves me right)from around the age of 3 to 8 in the 60s. I also remember a pub being across the road, I think it was called the Star. I have no pictures of Hyde & no longer live in the area, therefore this really helps bring back the memories

Tom said...

Hello Linda..
Glad to be of service.. we will try to get a few pictures of George Street posted sometime soon. I hope we can come across the shops and your old house... keep calling back..

Anonymous said...

Hi linda i lived there im the 50s 60s we may know each other

Lee McDermott said...

Hello fellow Hydonians,

My great grandparents lived at 37 Charles Street, where also my grandfather was born. I don't suppose anybody remembers or has any information about John & Mary McDermott or Thomas McDermott at 37 Charles Street around 22nd October 1916. I do know that Thomas moved to 125 Victoria Street, Hyde sometime later. He was there on 29 September 1939 according to the 1939 Register. Also John & Mary lived at Hallbottom Place sometime prior to 22nd October 1916. Any help would be very gratefully appreciated.

Regards, Lee McDermott

Tom said...

Hi Lee
I will put this request on our facebook page.. it might throw up some information for you... If it dose I will add it here for you.
If you use facebook the page is here

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1656493624566035/?ref=hovercard