Hyde Bus Station 1969

 Photograph by kind permission of Claire.

Hyde Bus Station 1969, Showing buses in the livery of S.H.M.D. 

Marching Together.

I haven't got any information on this photo other than it appears to be of a Whit Walk in the late 1960's - early 1970's.
It shows a band marching past Hyde Town Hall but I have no idea who the band is.

Any info gratefully received.

Hyde Festival Orchestra

The Hyde Festival Orchestra was founded in 1954.

They were very popular and played many, many concerts all over the area but especially at Hyde Town Hall. The concerts used to be packed to capacity. 
My mum was associated with them for around 50 years and I have some very happy memories of the concerts.

Interestingly, on this programme pictured below, the solo violinist was Michael Davis who eventually played with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He also led many of the main London orchestras and was for a number of years principal violinist with the BBC Symphony Orchestra !!

Happily, I can report that the orchestra is still in existence today albeit on a smaller scale. :)

Days long gone.

The following photo was given to us by Mike Thelwell.

The photo was taken circa 1959 and I believe it was taken on Shepley Street/John Shepley Street in Hyde.

Christmas Party Photo

The following was sent to us by David Hamilton.

Over to David....

!I wonder if this Christmas party photo is of interest to you.

As well as my mother, brother, myself and Dorothy Edwards, there are four of my cousins on the photo.
It is worth noting that the six children named are all 2nd cousins of Tom.
I would say that the picture was taken in 1960, and has Proctor's stamp on the reverse, but I have no idea where it was taken, other than somewhere in Hyde. 
It may have been in a central location, as we were from Newton, the Wigleys were from Dowson Road, and the Ovens's lived in Kingston Gardens".

 In the 1960's Dorothy Edwards had a shop on Victoria Street, more or less opposite Sawyer Brow. Later on she had a flower shop at the top of Bennett Street, just a few doors down from the Cheshire Cheese. 

Dorothy Edwards

Hilda (my late mother)

Adrian (my younger brother)

Myself

Katherine Ovens

Dorothy Ovens

Alan Wigley

Michael Wigley

Many Thanks, David ! :)

Newspaper Item 1967

Whilst looking through some old family photos and newspaper cuttings I came upon this...

 Then I found this one....

The unfortunate youth was my dearly departed cousin, Ian.

I'm sure the person who reported him meant well but it caused a lot of trouble at the time.

 

How times ( and attitudes) have changed.

Memories of Greenfield Street School

Hello ex-Greeny-ites,

I have put together a list of teachers and pupils in my class in 1959.  
A big part of a lifetime ago...
Bill Lancashire, who previously made some comments, helped with some of the names.

 

The teachers over our 4 year period were as follows....

---BIRCH---BRODERICK--HARTLEY---HALLSWORTH---HORROCKS---JONES---FENTON---HOUSE---MELLOR---WAINWRIGHT---WHITTAKER---AND A LADY WE CANT REMEMBER WHO WE HAD FOR RELIGIOUS INDOCTRINATION. I had the feeling Brodders was keen on her !!

Classmates were as follows....

 ----ATKINSON---BALL---BUCKLEY---BELL---BOWKER---(MYSELF) MAX COLLINS---CROMPTON---COOPER---DEELEY ---DEWSNAP---DUFFY---EDWARDS---ELISS---FARRELL---FARQHUAR---FRY---HADLEY---BILL LANCASHIRE---LEWIS---MORRIS---NASH---NEEDHAM---ROBOTTOM---SCHOFIELD---SMITH---STONE---THOROGOOD---TINKER---TOON--- WILSON. ---PROCTOR---GARSIDE.

Those who no longer with us include RUSSELL COOPER---BRIAN LEWIS-- -BILLY MORRIS --- PAUL FARQHUAR.

Russell was crazy about Chemistry.. He had a fantastic lab at home. He was always mucking about creating explosives and nearly blew his mother up !!.
Billy Morris I remember having a bad time after getting a dart in his eye.
Paul I remember as being a bit withdrawn.
I can't remember Brian Lewis Unfortunately.


Several remarks have been made about the amount of floggings by some of the teachers . All I know is I am sure I was flogged more than anyone else in the class. Some memories are still very vivid .
I got the pump off Birchy one day and as I went back to my desk he farted.. This was probably due to getting over excited whilst flogging . He tried to cover it up by saying that Max Collins had done a trump when he had the pump too Which I replied "No Sir, it was you" Which got me six more but this time he didn't fart.. :)

I took a heap of Love Heart sweets into Beaky Mellors class once. Most of them got crunched up all over the lab floor. The next lesson was Tech Drawing and there was a rapid appearance by Beaky in the classroom. ..He wanted whoever had made the mess or he would flog the whole class . So, John Nash and me stood up and got six of the best.  It was the hardest I have ever been caned and couldn't hold a pencil afterwards.
I never had any swastikas on my arse from Houseys pump though..   It was christened James size 11 !!

Another memory was with Peter Toon and myself  being stopped from bringing in conkers to school and selling them  They made too much mess in the playground apparently..
If anyone knows the whereabouts of Peter Toon, please contact the blog as I would like to know.

Whatever we got in corporal punishment I think was balanced by the fact that without any doubt the majority were very good teachers.

Some of you must have some recollections of Greeny. get them posted before we become no more than history - Time is getting short !!

 

I bumped into Baz Wainwright about seven years after leaving school and apparently he was of the opinion that we were an outstanding class.. My thanks to you, Brodders if you are still with us for what I was given by you regarding English.. Bill seems to have the same feelings for this too..

So, I'm hoping that a few others might post remarks - Who knows, maybe sometime in the future a few of us might have a pint together - The one with the most wrinkles pays ;)  !!
It'll probably be me. .

Bye for now.

Regards,
Max Collins

(Corrections to any of this invited).

Many thanks, Max, for taking the time and trouble to send these great memories in to us. :)

St Mary's Rose Queen.

The following was sent in by David Hamilton.
Over to David....

"Here are some photos of St. Mary's Rose Queen 1961/62, when I was Crown Bearer. The Rose Queen that year was Joan Keighley, daughter of Councillor John Keighley, who lived next to my Grandparents on St. Mary's Road. John Keighley was also at some point, Mayor of Hyde. Joan emigrated to South Africa, and passed away some years ago. I can't name any of the others, I wonder if any of your readers can ?.

At the end of the year I was presented with a copy of the New Testament by the vicar, E. Billington."




Incoming and outgoing Rose Queen

 
Incoming and retiring Rose Queen in church

 
Me in church with New Testament

 
Me in church with one of the Attendants


New Testament. 

 
New Testament presented by E. Billington

 
Rose Queen 1 - Serious work !

 
Rose Queen 2

Many Thanks David.
Excellent, as usual :)  

Arranging a Class Reunion ?

Below is an appeal from Marlese Savage (Klein) who wonders whether a school classmates reunion is possible.....

"We left school 50 years ago in 1963 which should be enough reason to meet up again.   Is there anyone out there who could try to arrange a meeting from our class?

  

 My name is Marlese Savage (Klein) I went to Flowery Field Secondary School in Hyde from 1959 to 1963.   I've Lived in Germany since 1968 and my only contact to our class was Lesley Turner (Morton) who died over 10 years ago and John Howarth who lives in the USA.

I enclose a photograph of our class taken just before Christmas 1962.  I am the one with the cross on.I will be in Hyde from 14-18 th April, incase any one is interested please contact me by my Email address 
w-klein2@unitybox.de  we could meet and arrange something for the late summer."

Marlese Savage (Klein)

Memories of the Unity Inn by Ken Smith

I have just been catching up on recent postings and came across the one about the closure of the Unity Inn in Hyde.

That establishment holds countless memories for my wife, Wynne, and I as it was Wynne’s mother, Jennie Cooper, who took over the license in 1960. We had just returned from Singapore where I had been serving with the RAF to be given the news of the move. Jennie had been the extremely successful licensee of the Grapes Hotel in Gee Cross for several years but family circumstances had forced her to move on. Stationed at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, some of our leaves were spent at the Unity, which became somewhat cramped as we now had our two children, Duncan and Debbie with us.

We left the RAF in 1966 and settled initially in Denton and as the children grew older and attended school Wynne began to work part-time for her mother, which was the start of an extremely successful partnership.

During this era pubs offered very little in the way of food – meat pies, crisps and nuts were about all that was on offer. Jenny was a very astute landlady and on Monday evenings, when the pub was quiet, she would put free food on the bar. It was simple fare – a bowl of cut-up tripe, simple sandwiches, potato pie, or black peas and cowheel, but it brought in the punters! Some of the ‘regulars’, who worked locally, suggested that if such food was available  they would be only too glad to partake of it along with their lunchtime pint and so, a whole new episode in the life of the Unity began.

Wynne was, and still is an excellent cook and began serving simple, freshly prepared food at lunchtimes. Everything she served was cooked from fresh produce including all the roasts and, as the menu increased, so did the lunchtime clientele, which now included many local businessmen, solicitors and doctors alongside the engineering workers from Adamson’s and the like. The kitchen at the Unity was tiny and ill-equipped and how she managed to produce such outstanding food, all of it to order, I will never know. Eventually, the pub was heaving at lunchtimes and, although there was no evening catering, many of the customers made The Unity their favourite evening ‘watering hole’. It also became very popular with the members of the local amateur dramatic societies who used it as their base when there was a production at the Festival Theatre. Over the following years, The Unity enjoyed considerable success which, undoubtedly, was in great part due to Wynne’s efforts, ability and dedication.

Jennie retired in 1988 when The Unity was taken over by Bill McDermott for whom Wynne carried on working. The character of the pub changed considerably under the stewardship of Bill and his partner Alma. Out went the organ, which had been played by Charlie Perrin on most evenings and which made the pub more attractive to older customers but lunchtimes continued as before.

The photograph of Jennie and Wynne in the bar of the Unity may remind some of your readers of whom I have been writing.

 

Thank you so much for sending in your great memories, Ken.

Much appreciated ! :)

Union Street Church Football Team.

 The following was sent to us by Alan Bell in regards to our appeal for Union Street Church's exhibition.

Over to Alan....

"I read with interest about Union St. church celebrating its 200th year. You asked for any information or photographs about the football club there. The attachment is a picture of the 1960-61 football team after we had won the cup in the picture. The final was played on Hyde United's ground and Union St. won 3-2. My name is Alan Bell and I am 3rd from left on the back row.Can anybody help me by filling in the rest of the names all I can remember is John Holt on the back row and I think it is Arthur Chesworth Holding the cup.
Yours Alan Bell."


Many Thanks for this, Alan ! 
Much appreciated :)

Joel Lane Methodist Church Flower Queen

Janet Wardley very kindly sent us the following photographs...
They all look very pretty :)

"Here are a few pictures of Joel Lane Methodist Church Flower Queen Gee Cross  in the late 60s"

 

 




Many Thanks, Janet.
Much appreciated :)

Hyde Central Station

  Todays post is an email with accompanying pictures from Graham Sharp.

Over to Graham,....    

"Here are some old photos of Hyde station that some of your readers might have an interest in. I worked at Hyde Central from 1950 until 1952 when I did my National Service. Working there was a very interesting experience for a young lad!
        What was the original Hyde Station on Great Norbury Street , it was built in 1862 it was expanded in later years and was renamed Hyde Central in 1951. The original building is to the left on the second photo and housed all the usual offices and the Station Masters house, the newer addition is the taller building in the centre and the entrance hall with the roof lights. This part was the main entrance and   booking office.Everything was gas lit until I left in 1952 and probably for a long time afterwards. The goods office was further up Great Norbury Street in the old coal yard.
        I think that the first photo is very interesting and is from August 1960 and shows a crowd of people waiting for one of the several Wakes trains. If I remember correctly, there was a Friday night train to    Liverpool and the ferry to the Isle of Man and Saturday "specials" to Blackpool and North Wales... perhaps some of your readers might recognise themselves!!"

 

 

 



As always, much appreciated!
Thank you, Graham :) 

Various 1960's Snaps.

Hyde Park flower beds circa 1966. Look how beautiful the flower displays were !
Note Hyde Town Hall and St Georges Church in the background.


Whit Walk Band circa 1968


Whit Walk. Market Street Parade circa 1968
Williams Deacon's Bank  and Greenwoods Menswear in the background .
Sadly Greenwoods is no longer open and the bank is now the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Williams Deacon's Bank is now part of the Royal bank of Scotland.It was acquired in 1930 and had a large network of branches in the north-west of England. In 1970 it was integrated with Glyn,Mills and Co.and the The National Bank (which were part of the same group) to form Williams and Glyn's Bank

 William Deacon's Bank

 Greenwoods Menswear Ltd is a clothing retailer with a strong reputation for customer service and celebrated its 150th anniversary last year. The Company which has its Head Office in Bradford West Yorkshire, opened its first shop in 1860 in Bradford City Centre selling hats to the wool Barons of Yorkshire.

Thanks to Wikipedia for the above information.

1968 Adverts

 All adverts as seen in the 1968 Green Guide.


Is this the same address that housed Mayfair Chemist from the 1970's onwards ?


Another Newton Street Disappeared shop !


Disappeared Business.


 
Originally established in Hyde in 1961... now operating as Bennetts Staff Bureau Recruitment Agency. 

 
Disappeared Business.

Postcard from home...

Todays post is short and sweet...

It is a postcard of the crossroads at the top of Joel Lane and Werneth Low Road. Circa 1960's.



Who remembers the old shop ?

Whit Walks in Newton

 Here are a couple of photos taken in the early 1960's.
They show the Whit walkers walking up Bennett Street in Newton.


Bennett Street with Copeland Street in the background.


"Posh" car. Possibly the Mayors?

Adverts from 1964

Below are some adverts taken from the 1964 Edition of the  

"Hyde and District Street Guide and Directory"
 

I wonder if any of them are still in existence?