Not much Known about this shot. Think it was probably something to do with a exhibition/event that was held at Newton Bank Printworks in the 1960's whose theme was Africa..
The Elephants are walking past Hepworths which was on the corner of Clarendon Street and Market Place. Strawberry Gardens fruit shop is there now.
Any information on this gratefully received :)
11 comments:
The only time I remember Elephants in Tameside was when Billy Smarts Circus was on in King Georges Playing Fields in Ashton. I know when the circus was over they walked (as in your photo) to Stalybridge station. I don't know where they walked when they arrived
I do hope we can find something out about this. I am sure I woke up by the fountain seeing 'pink elephants' flying above the White Lion once.... but that was a Boddingtons induced dream. ha!
50 years ago [blimey, seems like a million] I worked at the Calico Printers [handblock printing] and later at Ashton Bros.
They made cloth prints for Africa I seem to recall. All I think about now are the cockroaches [they liked the warm and humid atmosphere.
What has become of the area?
It is that long since I visited Hyde, thanks for the memories
Thank you for commenting... I happy it as bought happy memories back to you... The print works is still there... and a small part of Ashton Brothers still stands... feel free to contact us if you would like to see a certain area now and we will try to get you some pictures sorted... our email here is hydonian@gmail.com we get many requests and are happy to help where we can...
I worked in the warehouse at Newton Bank in the summer of 1959. The lower part of the site was where they produced batik prints (pronounced the Northern way, no fancy batique stuff here) They had quality control posters around the site saying "Batiks are your bread and butter". The staff liked this and used to order Batik butties in the canteen. Other parts of the site produced non-batik prints and there was an area devoted to hand-blocking. This was reckoned to be skilled work. After many of the prints had been produced they were then run through a steam machine called a stenter or stentor which gave them a finish. Most of the prints were destined for West Africa. I particularly remember a print called Vandyke Bars which was a vivid yellow and blue chevron affair. The prints were refered to as one/two/three colour, but the ground colour was disregarded. Newton Bank also handled prints produced at other CPA factories and a lot of the production was sent out to their works at Levenshulme. The latter works also processed the copper rollers that were used in printing.
Kind regards
Roger Brian
Hello and welcome Roger..
I might find a suitable picture and make your comment into a new post... thank you for the information.
my Dad designed and produced the "float" in your photo .............. I think for the wakes.. but He is still alive and well if you want to check!!
Hi Jan
thank you for commenting on this post.. if you dad as any pictures or memories he'd like to say we'd love to see them.
I lived in the Calico print works on Commercial Street from 1952 to 1963, my dad was working there and we had a works flat. All my brothers and sisters went to St John's Godley junior; my brother went to Greenfield secondary while my elder sister went to the local grammar school for girls. Living in Hyde in the CPA works was something that stayed with me even when I ended up working at Kings College London and UCL. I would not swap those memories for anything.
We used to play with the copper rollers near the rag house. My dad Wilfred Durr used to give us what for whenever he caught us rolling these huge copper rollers along the floor. Health and safety would go berserk today. Another favourite hide out was with Joe in the fire hole stoking the boilers. Stephen Durr.
Stephen, I knew your dad Wilf quite well,he was the foreman in the Crompton Printing Department, when I was the deputy colourist. He left quite uunexpectedly, and I believe you went to Worksop, but I may be wrong.
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