HYDE CHESHIRE

Harry Rutherford's
Festival of Britain Mural




Saturday 31 December 2011

Enfield Street Class 2 1971/72


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Another Up Date this one from Stephen Woolley

Adrian Sherratt, Karen Sudbury, Christine Holland, Deborah Rowlandson, Sharon MoirĂ©, Stuart Valentine, Harry Clarke, Christine Sowter, Helen Booth, Tracey Wylde, Miss Meredith, (Teacher). Michael Hawker, Paul Hawker, Gary Coleman, Lyndon Boot, Stephen Shard, Stuart Eaves, David Roberts, Andrew Marshall, Nicola Bowker, Kathryn Marsden, Martina Abyanca, Simon Stewart, Jennifer Goldthorpe, Jacqueline Booth, Karen Conner, Bev Sowter, Susan Smith.
Cheers Stephen

Friday 30 December 2011

The Wheatsheaf

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Joshua Cheetham Booth outside The Wheatsheaf on Manchester Road

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We have been very lucky to get some pictures donated by Fred Booth.. Fred's ancestors have farmed and lived in these parts for hundreds of years. Apart from the Booths, his relations include the Cheethams and the Bagshaws... I'll show many more of Fred's pictures in the New Year.. these will include water-colours paintings of Cheethams Fold Farm, Gee Cross, Booths Taxi's, Booths Cafe (Hyde Cafe) Zion Sunday School, Enfield Street, The Lamb Inn and much more.   

Thursday 29 December 2011

Cheethams Farm (Holly Farm) Demolition (disappeared farms)

We recently got sent a couple of photos from Martin Taylor with this description...

"I have been meaning to find these photos for you for a little while and got the motivation to scan them in this afternoon.
The bottom photograph is of the Rising Moon pub taken from Cheetham’s wood. The date on the back of the photograph says January 1977. Those fields are covered with houses now.
The top one is earlier, if my recollection is correct, but not much because I didn’t own a camera and I was not often trusted with my father’s!. Taken from my bedroom on Talbot Rd., the scene is the demolition of Cheetham’s farm at the bottom of Matley Lane. You can see Shaw Hall Avenue in the background.

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Thanks Martin, great photos !

Updated with a scan from an old A to Z belonging to Dave.

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Here's a scan of the bottom end of Matley Lane which shows the farm named as Holly Farm right opposite Shaw Hall Lane... Dave notice that on Cartwright Street the map shows a Cheetham Street...  so the name was known in this area. On the corner of Muslin Street (Talbot Road) and Matley Lane where the Bay Horse Pub is now it mentions a Well... Ian as left a comment about a row of terraced houses that around there called 'Well Row' and that his mum grew up there. I'm sure this row was built by the mill owners of Shaw Hall Mill which was opposite and a tad further back from the road.

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The picture above shows the 'Sports Ground' at Newton Hurst which shows up on Dave's old A to Z map... top right can be seen the chimney of Shaw Hall Mill a tallish gable can be made out just right of the centre top of the picture... this building looks to be the same as the one in the first picture sent in by Martin. 

Wednesday 28 December 2011

Whit Walks 1950's

Here is a rather splendid photograph of the Whit walks circa mid to late 1950's.
They are walking past the cottages next to Pole Bank.
Don't the children all look smart !

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The cottages as they look today.

Thanks to John T for this great photo!
Keep them coming.

Tuesday 27 December 2011

Apple Street view

Here is a lovely shot of Apple Street /Cock Brow.

I'm always rather tired by the time I get to the top - the views are stunning once you make it though
Apparently, Apple Street is the longest Street in Hyde - not sure how true this is as I've never measured it personally ! I haven't got a tape measure long enough :)

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Another great photo by Stephen Burton - Many Thanks !

Monday 26 December 2011

Hodge Fold, Hattersley

A postcard of Hodge Fold in Hattersley.
What a lovely tranquil picture !

Incidentally, I always thought that this area was classed as Broadbottom.
Maybe the boundaries changed over the years?

Sunday 25 December 2011

Saturday 24 December 2011

Merry Christmas

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Merry Christmas One And All
Tom, Nancy, Dave, Paul

...

Friday 23 December 2011

Hyde Park View

Picture and Words By Duncan Nield

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Some thoughts to go with the pictures

The bandstand provided the focal point (and perhaps still does) for the Whit Walks through Hyde. This was particularly big business in the 60’s. All the local churches, youth groups and fraternities would process through Hyde with their various banners, flags, insignia and regalia on a Sunday afternoon and congregate in the park for  hymns accompanied by a brass band. For my part ( Duncan Nield) I marched with my Sunday school from Zion’s in Gee Cross. Which is when I first met one of the blog founders Nancy Morris. Other young uns in our class were Jane Morris, Martin and Pip Wilson, Philip Park and Iain Broadhead.

The bandstand looks better now than I remember but still retains its original grandeur.

The playpark has changed a lot. It used to have a mini steam train that you could ride on back and forth. But the current playground has far more things to do on it than the old swings, slide and umbrella.

The picture of the footpath that drops off in the centre, was where many of us used to emerge from Hyde Grammar in the early 70s when fiddling time off from PE. The Path drops down into a valley that was part of the school cross country run and up the other side was the school buildings, tennis courts, football and cricket pitches. (The tennis courts and football pitch are now a police station). There were various strategic ‘gaps’ in the school fence and during PE, we would take in in turns for couple to bunk off as two missing from the ranks of 30 or so was never noticed, and head for the refreshments hall to buy Mambos and Jubblys and feed the rabbits ( now where the stone arrangement is in one of the pictures).

My Gran (Margaret ‘Peggy’ Nield) used to own a greengrocers in Hyde which was located on a shopping street that disappeared when they dug the trench for the M67 to go through. She lived on Shelly Grove off Lodge Lane and my younger sister and I spent many weekends with her up there. She always saved loads of carrots, cauliflowers and cabbages that were past there best to take us to the park to feed the rabbits.

Credit to the park keeper – great job, all looking good !
Duncan Nield

Thursday 22 December 2011

Hyde Festival Theatre Pictures.

The Festival Theatre in Hyde is home to several amateur groups in the area whose combined efforts mean that in one season there can be as many as eleven or twelve productions ranging from drama to musicals, from dance to pantomime.
It is the only live theatre venue in Hyde.

Hyde Festival Theatre


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If anyone has any stories to share about the Theatre please send them to us - We'll be happy to hear (and share) them :)

Wednesday 21 December 2011

St. Georges Post Card

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I can't recall seeing this post card view of St. Georges before.

Tuesday 20 December 2011

Roy Hood - Disappeared shops

Todays photographs show Roy Hoods Greengrocers shop which used to stand on Stockport Road in Gee Cross. 

The photos were taken by Nick Clarke in 1982.

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Are you being served?
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Outside the shop.
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 Lovely fresh carrots !
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As the building looks today, courtesy of Google maps.

Many Thanks, Nick , keep them coming - all very much appreciated ! :)

Monday 19 December 2011

The Railway Hotel

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The Railway Hotel on Simpson street was named for its close proximity to Hyde Central railway station. The pub closed down in the 1980's and is now a workshop.
Picture and description  by Paul Taylor

Thank's to Paul for the picture and information, I spent many a Sunday night in the vault of this pub playing on the pinball machine with Chris Douglas, Dave Harrison, and Pete Hambleton. I recall it changed hands at least twice in the 1980's... Alf Beeley took it on, along with the Royal Albert.. and I'm sure it was Alf that changed the name to The 10 Houses.. it was while under this name that live bands would play here.. that was until it was bought to the councils notice a music licence had not been granted for the place. After Alf left a Transvestite took over the pub.. that had to be 85/86. The pub did well for a time as the landlord was a bit of a curiosity.. I don't think Hyde had seen the likes of him running a pub before... the nearest we had was 'Aunty Eric' selling his dolls and such like on the market. I think it was mid 87 when the doors of the pub shut for the last time and Hyde lost another pub. I was running the Royal Albert at the time it shut and some of it's dinner time customers came over to the Albert.

Sunday 18 December 2011

Brookbank House, Castle Folly

Brookbank house is situated on Mottram Rd, Godley and is now a day nursery owned by the Treetops Nursery group. The house was built by Joseph Hibbert, the sixth of fourteen children of Randal Hibbert, who was born in 1769. The Hibbert family of Godley played an important part in the history of Hyde and it's neighborhood, figuring amongst the pioneers of the cotton industry, and probably no local family had supplied more leaders in various branches of public life.
The castle folly was probably built around the mid part of the 19th century, the reason for building it is unknown.

The following article is from the North Cheshire Herald around 1996



As mentioned the house is now owned by Treetops Nurseries. In researching this blog I contacted their head office in an attempt to take a modern photo of the castle folly, but was turned down even though I am CRB covered. They said they had no objections to the blog, but stressed they did not want anyone asking for permission to look at or take photos of the folly. Tom fortunately came up with a modern photo from the back of the site, near to Godley Brook. Thanks for that Tom.




I believe it was built with stone from Hibbert old bone works.  

Saturday 17 December 2011

St Georges Netball Team

The following was sent in by JohnT.
It is of the school netball team from St Georges Junior School, year 1951/52.

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Why did all the headmasters of the day look the same?

Thanks John, much appreciated.

Friday 16 December 2011

A very sad day.

 I think we all knew it was inevitable that this day was coming and that Tameside Council had no intentions of saving it, but at least we tried. :(

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Painting of the soon to be demolished chapel by John Morris

Thursday 15 December 2011

The Hyde Club

This building stands on Bowling Green Street.
It is, as the street name suggests, a crown bowling club.
 
If anyone has any knowledge of this club and its history, please get in touch !

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The club shown on a 1910 map.

Hyde Photographic Society also meet here on a Monday.
This Society was founded in 1954 by a group of keen photographers, to promote photography in the Hyde area.

Wednesday 14 December 2011

S.H.M.D.

In October 1899 the Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley and Dukinfield Tramways and Electricity Board was formed. We have covered this before and that post can be found from the 'Label' section on the right hand side of the page, under S.H.M.D.

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Knott Lane
Dave took the two pictures in this post and said I've never noticed this before. It seems to be an electricity sub-station, and it appears to have originally been built to service the tramway system.

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This got me thinking about how many of these S.H.M.D. sub stations are still about around Hyde... or anything else that bares the initials. If you know of anything let us know please... or any information or memories of S.H.M.D.

Tuesday 13 December 2011

The Norfolk Arms Disaster 1st April 1829

This photo has a bit of the Norfolk Arms Pub on it to the far top right.
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The pub has such historical importance to the town that I can't believe that we haven't come across a photo of the pub in its entirety yet.
The Hyde Cafe is also shown in the photo

The Blue Plaque located on the former site of The Norfolk Arms, Hyde was unveiled in March 2001 in memory of those who died in "May's Downfall".

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From Tameside website


Throughout the reign of George IV, the depression in the cotton trade continued and produced the circumstances which led to one of the most appalling disasters of our industrial history - the event known as "May's Downfall".

In the summer of 1828, the cotton trade was in such a bad state that the masters announced a reduction of wages. The reduction was firmly opposed by the operatives and a great strike commenced which rapidly spread throughout the district. At Stockport the struggle was extremely bitter, neither side showing any desire to give way. In Hyde a better spirit prevailed and soon the mills in Hyde were all working full-time. However, the harmony did not continue. The operatives of Hyde were contributing each week from their wages towards the support of the people who were out on strike in Stockport, as a result of which their employers issued a notice on 24th March 1829 that the manufacturers, whose mills were working, intended to reduced their wages by 10 per cent every 14 days until the Stockport hands returned to work.

The Fateful Day

To discuss the threat, a meeting of operatives was held in The Norfolk Arms on 1st April 1829. In its day The Norfolk Arms was the principal hotel in the area and said to be the oldest commercial hotel. The room in which the meeting took place was fifteen yards long and seven yards wide. It was only expected to hold approximately 300 people, but there were nearer 700 present when the accident occurred.
Map of The Norfolk Arms 

John Dawson, one of Hyde's principal operative orators, was the chairman and was seated in a large chair belonging to a lodge of Oddfellows, placed near the middle of one of the side walls of the room. A man named Tobias Wood then began to speak, insisting on the working classes having a fair remuneration for their work. He had just cried out "It is bread we want and bread we must have," when an awkward crush took place, caused by new arrivals trying to crowd into the room. The chairman was appealing for order when part of the floor gave way and numbers of the audience fell into the gaping gulf which appeared. The weight of the people who fell with the floor broke through the floor of the rooms beneath and the unfortunate victims crashed into the cellar, amongst beer barrels and stillages, heaped one upon another in a distorted state. The portion of the floor which collapsed was only six yards square and the fact that over 200 persons were precipitated down the hole is evidence of the extreme closeness with which the occupants of the room were packed. Many who were standing upon the unbroken part of the floor were actually propelled into the gulf by the thrust of the living mass around them. The chairman narrowly escaped; barely more than a foot of sound flooring separated his chair from the edge of the hole. Seven young women were seated on a bench fastened to the wall and when the floor gave way they found their feet and legs suspended over the gulf, but they managed to hold on to the seat until they were rescued.
The scene in the cellar was dreadful - 29 persons were killed and many injured. When the cellar was searched, after all the bodies had been extricated, over 120 hats and 50 bonnets, shawls and cloaks were found.

The Verdict

The verdict at the inquest was "Accidental Death", but the belief for many years, persistently held by a large number of operatives, was that the disaster was the result of foul play. There is, however, no doubt that the jury's conclusions were correct.

The Casualties

The names and ages of those killed were:
  • Anne Adams (13)
  • William Bartley (22)
  • Richard Boam (27)
  • Robert Broadbent (21)
  • Betty Bromiley (21)
  • Alice Brown (19)
  • Joseph Cartledge (23)
  • Daniel Clough (17)
  • William Crooks (21)
  • Maria Heys (23)
  • John Hill (19)
  • Joseph Higham (19)
  • Thomas Howarth (21)
  • Eliza Howarth (22)
  • John Hunt (26)
  • Edward Morton (20)
  • George Newson (21)
  • Mary North (21)
  • Anne Penny (16)
  • Levi Rowbotham (60)
  • Ellen Shelmerdine (25)
  • Sarah Slater (11)
  • Anne Stead (23)
  • Deborah Swindells (19)
  • Thomas Swindells (22)
  • Heny Stafford (24)
  • Levi Thomas (24)
  • Joseph Ward (23)
  • James Williamson (25)
(There are minor discrepancies with regards to several of the dead according to different sources)

The Aftermath

On Sunday 12th April 1829, the Reverend James Brooks, minister of Hyde Chapel, preached a funeral sermon to a crowd of over 6,000 people in a field off Kingston Brow. Following the disaster, a relief fund was started for the benefit of the sufferers. The amount raised was£703 16s. 10d.
The disaster was known as "May's Downfall" because a Mr. John May was the landlord of The Norfolk Arms at the time.

The Norfolk Arms closed in 1960 for the redevelopment of the market centre and the licence was transferred to a new public house on Knott Lane called the Apethorn.

Thanks to Paul H for the photograph and Tameside for the history behind it. 
Very much appreciated.



Another tantalising view of of The Norfolk Arms

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Picture supplied by Fred Booth 

Monday 12 December 2011

Whit Walks 1966

These two rather fabulous photos were lent to us by David.
They show the Whit Walks in 1966 and were taken at the bottom of Market Street just below Union Street. The houses are long gone but the shops still remain, albeit different business's now.

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Savilles was a cobblers and the shop next door was a newsagents ,so I'm told.

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Todays view courtesy of Google maps.

Many Thanks, David. Much appreciated ! :)