In the long gone days of the 17th century, opposite the end of Apethorn Lane was a small group of cottages known as Gerrards Fold. The Ashton family farmed here before they embarked on the cotton trade in the district. Towards the end of the 19th century the old fold was converted into a large Elizabethan style house known as "The Gerrards"
The above picture is supplied by Paul Taylor... I remember this building but can't recall just when it was pulled down... can you?
Vaguely remember it coming down. It was next door to a house where friends of my Mum and Dad lived. I couldn't put a date on the demolition though !
ReplyDeleteThey've got 3-storey town houses there now, of course, in a development called The Gerrards, and then there's the expensive looking houses in Gerrards Hollow on the opposite corner of Apethorn Lane to Smith Knight Fay. There's also Gerrards Gardens on the right-hand side of Stockport Road going up towards The Grapes.
ReplyDeleteThank for the information Dave... was this house once owned by Stuart Hall? I seem to remember him living in that area at one time.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking that the demolition was around 2000?
ReplyDeleteI must go and have a walk and take a photo or two as I'm sure they have a date stone built into the "new" properties !
i recall sneaking through a bush to have a look at it just before it was knocked down because id always liked the big building on the end. i was about 9 or 10 at the time so it must have been around 1998-2001 x
ReplyDeleteI used to live at The Gerrards, Stuart Hall wanted to buy it but my dad had already shaken on the sale, plus was a good judge of character:-). I sneaked back to look around just before it was knocked down.......so sad, beautiful house and so much history....Gladstone stayed there too. Plus a ghost :-).
ReplyDeleteI'm tracing my family tree. from a will I have obtained, it seems that James Bradley, lived at Gerrards (Gee Cross) sometime around 1905. He lived there (as far as I can work out) with his sister Ann and her husband Alfred Hewitt. They had a son called Arthur Hewitt, who lived with them. I can't find any information anywhere about James.
ReplyDeleteCan anyone assist please?