HYDE CHESHIRE

Harry Rutherford's
Festival of Britain Mural




Wednesday 30 June 2010

Sawyer Brow, Newton 1829

On Sunday, 19th July. 1829. 39 year old John Woodhouse, of Sawyer Brow raped his 10 year old daughter..., He was described by newspapers of the time as "a most determined looking wretch, with a saturnine countenance, with long black hair combed down on his forehead." The child, Maria Woodhouse, was not quite 11 years old, and she is described as a pretty child. The trial took place at the Chester Assizes, on Friday September 4th, 1829. The prisoner was found guilty, and sentenced to death.

Photobucket


Woodhouse was executed on Saturday, September 27th, 1829. along with a man named John Henshall, who was only 20 years old. Henshall had "broken the game laws," or in other words had been poaching, and it was proved that he had procured powder and shot for his companions one of whom shot at and missed a game-keeper. In reporting the executions the newspapers say that the hanging of Henshall was a disgrace to the country, but all alike state that there was no commiseration for the rapist Woodhouse.


Photobucket


After the execution the bodies were taken away by the relatives, which was customary at that time if relatives desired. In a report by the Stockport Advertiser it stated; "The wretch Woodhouse, who was hung on Saturday last, was conveyed in a cart from Chester to Newton Moor, his last place of residence, on Saturday last," ... it then went on to announce that his relatives had been exhibiting him to the curious for a small charge of 2 pennies, and had made considerable sum from doing so.

Photobucket


Thomas Middleton author of many local history books including The Annals Of Hyde, and A History Of Hyde And Its Neighbourhood wrote the following....

" Towards the close of the nineteenth century I came across old people who well remembered the case. One old lady said that: Woodhouse's body was bought back to Newton by his wife, who sat upon the coffin as it lay in the cart. The old lady I spoke to, was a girl of 14 years at the time, and was one of those who paid to see the body which was laid out on a large table in the front room, the charge being two-pence each person. The old lady stated that she well remembered seeing the black ring around the dead mans neck where the hangman's rope had left its mark."

Photobucket


It is said that the body remained at the family home until the smell was to much and the local authorities got involved and threatened action. Woodhouse's decaying body was eventually buried at Mottram, and the funeral party adjourned to a local inn after interment, and there spent some hours drinking.... It is said that whilst walking back to Newton they were passed by a man, a body-snatcher, who had the body hidden in sacking on a donkeys back, and was taking it to sell to a well known local surgeon who bought such things. After the Woodhouse family left the house in Sawyer Brow, it was said to be haunted, and was empty for years.... All the houses have now gone from Sawyer Brow apart from the top corner plot where the van is parked... the story is still told to children to this day by some but is greatly changed.... kids still dare each other to camp out on the fields where the house once stood..

Tuesday 29 June 2010

Borough Arcade & the Old Supermarket

cinema

The Old Supermarket or Quality Save as it is now known started life as a cinema or picture house as they were so named ,called The Hippodrome. It was one of many picture houses in Hyde.It was built on the site of Longmeadow Mill.

Old supermarket

As it looks today.

Photobucket

The view from the Market Place (Norfolk Street side) showing the UCP cafe on the corner of Hamnett street and the Supermarket in the left background. Note the old wooden stalls.

shops
The old Supermarket sign still proudly displayed.

shops
In the book 'A History Of Hyde' by Thomas Middleton is states the following ;
"Stansfields Hippodrome was originally commenced in a large room of an old mill abutting Clarendon Street, in which Mr. Wilbraham Stansfield, the proprietor, for several years presented varied programmes of Drama, Opera, Musicals, Comedy, Variety and Pictures. The present handsome building was opened on Wakes Saturday, 1914, by Alderman Kenny, a former Mayor of Hyde. Since then, its success has been such, that the building has been largely extended, and it is now one of the best equipped theatres in the district."

borough arcade
Borough Arcade at the side of the old Supermarket.

market st

The bottom part of Market Street showing Borough Arcade to the far right. Dean and Noble electrical shop on the corner.

supermarket and white lion

Showing the view from Market place with The Old Supermarket in the background and the White Lion to the right. This is before "Curleys" fruit shop was erected.

old supermarket

You can still make out the old "Supermarket" sign on the front if you look carefully.

Photobucket
How it would looked with the neon lit up

White Terrace, Apethorn Lane

Photobucket
I believe one of these was used for a school for the mill workers children at one time, but I'm not sure if it was for Apethorn Mill, or Gibralter Mill that was next to the river.
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
O.S. Map 1897
.
Photobucket
White Terrace and the Coloured Cottages on Apethorn Lane are in view here.

Monday 28 June 2010

Coloured Houses, Apethorn Lane

I remember the gas lamps around this area

Photobucket
Nice to see most of the chimney's are still here
Photobucket
I remember these being very run down and dilapidated
Photobucket
I am glad these survived..
Photobucket

Saturday 26 June 2010

SHMD Transport

Photobucket


Tram On Stockport Road Outside The Lamb Inn

Photobucket

Tram On Stockport Road, At Garrards


1932 saw the first double-decker bus making an appearance in around Hyde when a Thornycroft petrol-engined demonstrator was on loan.


Photobucket

Thornycroft Daring

This was replaced by a ' Thornycroft Daring' with Gardner 6LW diesel engine towards the end of the year. The diesel engined bus made a good impression and 5 more were ordered for 1933.

Photobucket

A nice mixture of tram and buses at Hyde Market
...
.

The following photo shows a Charabanc. This wasn't an SHMD vehicle but I thought it might be nice to show other transport vehicles to compare them. This was taken outside the Red Lion in Hyde. It was a Charabanc day outing!

Photobucket

Thursday 24 June 2010

Tram Depot

Lewis Street

Photobucket
In 1897, Alderman John Norman, Mayor of Stalybridge, first proposed a joint tramways and electricity scheme, but it was another two years before progress on that was made. Hyde and Dukinfield had already applied to build a tramway between the their towns, then in September 1899 they were invited to join with Ashton, Stalybridge and Mossley in a joint undertaking. Although Ashton Corporation was willing to be involved in a joint tramway scheme they were not willing to participate in a joint electricity scheme and consequently withdrew. In October 1899 the four towns had reached a formal agreement and the Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley and Dukinfield Tramways and Electricity Board was formed.
Photobucket

The tramway was not an immediate success, with the Board incurring heavy losses in the first few years, which had to be met by a precept on the rates. By 1908 annual losses were over £10,000, which necessitated stringent economies. Reductions in car mileage were achieved by discontinuing some services, including the Hyde to Roaches, and the Hyde to Acres Lane sections. The service from Stalybridge Town Hall to Ashton was discontinued, the Ashton to Mottram service, which almost duplicated it, being extended to serve the Town Hall when necessary.

Photobucket
In 1927 an express bus service was introduced between Hyde and Albert Square, Manchester along with additional routes serving Dukinfield, Audenshaw, Gee Cross and a further express service between Stalybridge Station and the Central Station in Manchester. Nine new Thornycroft single-deck buses were delivered this year, along with another eighteen in 1928. On the 12th January 1928 trams were withdrawn from the Hyde to Ashton route and replaced by motorbuses. Just over seven months later, in August, trams on the routes from Ashton to Acres Lane and to Dukinfield were replaced by motorbuses and the decline of the tramway system had begun
Photobucket
In 1931 a decision to finally abandon the tramway services was taken, many of the tramway routes already having being superseded by motorbuses, although it was to be sometime in the future before final abandonment was possible. By 1935 there were only twenty tramcars operating and the Board was seriously contemplating replacing the remaining trams with trolleybuses. Indeed the Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley & Dukinfield Transport and Electricity Board Act of 1936 actually authorised the operation of trolleybuses along tramway routes. Despite this, the Board never operated trolleybuses.
If you like stuff like this GMT have a great transport museum, follow the link below

Wednesday 23 June 2010

Duke Of Sussex,

The Duke



What a stunning frontage it had once.



Corner of Ashton Road & Victoria Street


What a shame it as lost the chimney stacks.. they make a great feature to any building and help lining up shots later.

Shame it shows no signs of that frontage of it today


Ashton Road, the Duke is at the top of the hill.
Same view today looks very different.

The Astoria Bingo Hall

buildings bingo

The Astoria Bingo Hall is a very familiar sight in Hyde. It seems to have been there forever but sadly the "To Let" sign may mean it's days as a Bingo hall are numbered. It started life as a picture house called "La Scala". One of the many cinemas that Hyde enjoyed. It's sad that there isn't even one working cinema left in Hyde now.


places,buildings

bingo

This was during the last bus station revamp .Before they built the new modern bus station building.

Bingo


This photo shows the Astoria before the heart was ripped out of Hyde - when the motorway came through - See the old Bus station and George Street to the left. The Astoria has changed very little indeed! Still the same colour, too!

Photobucket

This map is from before the bus station was built. It's taken from an Ordnanace Survey Map of 1897... Center of map shows George Street/Clarendon Street.. what a differance then.

Monday 21 June 2010

Shaw Hall Talbot Road, Newton

King Bill, Bearing Shop and Post Office

Shawhall Post Office

Hyde Chapel

Hyde Chapel



Hyde Chapel in more genteel times.


The history of Hyde Chapel goes back to before 1708, when the congregation built the first Christian place of worship in Hyde. A new church replaced the former building in 1846. This second chapel is still in use today, its high steeple, a noted landmark, is also a Grade II, listed building. Beatrix Potter's mother and aunt were both married at Hyde Chapel.
(Thanks to Hyde Chapel webpage)


churches

Churches

Hyde Chapel on 5th January 2010 , the day of the big snow!!


Hyde Chapel


Hyde Chapel

When I walked around Hyde Chapel Graveyard today I found this quaint little Grave ornament - 3 woods from the game ,Crown Green Bowls. Mr Henry Dodd ,whose grave they adorned, must have been a keen Crown Green Bowler! They even have his initials on them!

Gee Cross Stocks


Stocks GX

Next ,I had a look at the village stocks - I wouldn't have liked to have been in these!