Tram Depot

Lewis Street

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.

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.

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 On the 12th January 1928 trams were withdrawn from the Hyde to Ashton route and replaced by motorbuses.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

In 1931 a decision to finally abandon the tramway services was taken, many of the tramway routes already having being superseded by motorbuses, although it was to be sometime in the future before final abandonment was possible.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

Greater Manchester Transport Museum

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

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.

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

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!

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.

Shaw Hall Talbot Road, Newton

King Bill, Bearing Shop and Post Office

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)

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

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!

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

Newton Moor Conservative Club, Ashton Road

This club seems to be doing OK, and at weekends seems to still pull in the punters. It as been a while since I was here... but remember that the drinks were cheap and the 'turn' they had on was very good. I hope clubs such as these carry on for a very long time no matter what affiliation they are. Hyde as it's fair share of political clubs and we will try to get pictures of them all.

Ashton Road, Newton

Cenotaph in Black & White

http://www.hwmt.co.uk/index.html

LEST WE FORGET.

Talbot Road, Newton

Changing Views

The bus stop is outside Heng Seng's Chip shop...
.

This is the same shop that is now Heng Seng Chippy, notice there's no junction at the corner of Talbot Road/Hallbottom Street... and no sign of the Hallbottom Gate Pub. I think the old pub was either further back or had been pulled down. No sign also of the factory's or the housing at Harbour Farm estate on the oppersite side. I'll show the houses on the left further down.

Heng Seng at the far end of these stone built terrace

The road is very different now, gone are these setts and gas lamps... it is nice to see the crown top chimney's which are very much in keeping with this style of house .. It is a shame but it seems that most have been removed see the picure above this one... apart from a stack or two at the far end.

The windows on the gable end help to tie the pictures together nicely. as dose the stone walling which is to be seen fronting many of the houses on Talbot Road.

The trees make a big differance here.... the chimney stacks seem to be gone on the far two houses.. but at least the bay windows have survived. Seems most of the older houses that were built on what used to be known as Muslin Street are still to be seen on what is now known as Talbot Road... I must find out when the name changed.

Hydes Co-operative Society.

The origins of the Co-operative Movement date back to the start of the 19th century and the ideals of the Welsh industrialist Robert Owen. He developed a model factory complex at New Lanark which included a store which sold at cost prices.

In 1838, Owen lectured in Hyde where co-op stores known as union or Brighton shops were already in existence. Hyde, Mottram and Mossley had opened in 1830, followed by Broadbottom in 1831 and Ashton in 1838.(Thanks to TMBC website)

Surplus money from the non-profit making businesses was distributed among the members of the co-operative and they were encouraged to save by leaving their dividend in the businesses as shares on which interest would be paid.

Hyde's Greenfield Street store in centre of photo..

Hyde’s own Co-operative Society was established in 1862 as a result of the Cotton Famine caused by the US Civil War. At the time, out of 51,600 people in the Hyde, Staley and Longdendale district, only 3,782 were in full-time employment.

The people of Hyde found the trip to the Dukinfield stores too long so, in local parlance, they decided not to wait for the Co-op but to fetch it. The new society quickly expanded and the Corner of Queen Street and Market Street, Hyde branches were opened on Market Street, Stockport Road, Commercial Street, Furnace Street and Queen Street.

Alongside these there were stables, a laundry, warehouses, an abattoir, houses and even a farm. By 1912, yearly trade was valued at £87,000 and membership had increased to 3,700.

A prestige store was opened at the corner of Greenfield Street and Market Street in the 1930s but it is now run by Wilkinsons.

Queen Street Cooperative society in the 1930's.
The building hasn't changed much over the years!

A great view of the "Co-op" from the mid 1970's taken from the bottom of Dowson Road.
Thanks to my very good friend, Nick, for this great photo!

Nancy I'll add these to above here of the busy Dowson Road junction, I've seen these before somewhere but was sent them by an old Hydonian from Sweden who really enjoys the blog.

Ashton Brothers Demolition

Last days of Ashton Brothers

Talbot Road / Ashton Road Co-Op

Built as a 3 Story Building

Dropped down to 2 Story's

Now just the 1 Story

When you think just how many Co-ops there were in and around Hyde.... it must have been an important part of everyones daily life.

My mum used to say this a lot...

"

If she fell off the Co-op roof, she’d land in the Divvy "

The origins of the Co-operative Movement date back to the start of the 19th century and the ideals of the Welsh industrialist Robert Owen. He developed a model factory complex at New Lanark which included a store which sold at cost prices.

In 1838, Owen lectured in HYDE where co-op stores known as union or Brighton shops were already in existence. Hyde, Mottram and Mossley had opened in 1830, followed by Broadbottom in 1831 and Ashton in 1838. (Thanks to TMBC website)