The Mechanics Institute

The following was very kindly sent to us by Susan in response to a question we had the other day regarding the Mechanics Institute.

Many Thanks Susan ! :)

Joseph Adamsons

Here is a nice old photo showing one of Joseph Adamsons trucks.

I don't know anything about cars or vehicles so I can't date it- sorry.

Hopefully, Dave will be able to help us !

Joseph Adamsons was, at one time, known all over the world for their engineering skills and products. Boiler making was just one of their products.

An old Advert

More memories of Hyde by Roger Chadwick.(part 3)

MEMORIES OF GROWING UP IN HYDE  1945 -1950 (3)

Just before the railway bridge over Brookfield Lane, there was, at that time, a narrow cinder path running parallel with the embankment that led to Godley Station. In those early post war years, this was a busy junction with a complete set of “Midland Region” buildings.  The main line, formerly The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway, provided passengers with a stopping suburban service from Manchester to Hadfield and Glossop and an express service form Manchester to Sheffield, Parkeston Quay and London Marylebone along the old Great Central line to the Capital. 

But to catch these express trains you had to go to Guide Bridge!   

The other line was the old Cheshire Lines Committee and a purely goods line, mainly for coal trains from the Yorkshire coalfield to Fiddlers Ferry Power station.  Occasional excursion trains might stop at Godley for signal checks.  There was no passenger service.  Godley had marshalling yards, a turntable and two signal boxes.

Godley Junction was a good train spotting place.  Express passenger trains headed by Thompson B1 4-6-0 engines called “Springbok” or “Gazelle” or named after directors of the old pre nationalised LNER railway, would thunder through Godley, all the buildings shaking as they did so.  Once a day at about 8.55p.m. there would an express “fish” from Grimsby, leaving its powerful aroma as it sped through.  The twice hourly suburban trains to Glossop were hauled mainly by C14 Gorton Tank Engines and very sprightly they were too!  Many nights, coming home from school, I would wait for 5.18 “Godley Flyer” from Manchester London Road, an antiquated formation of two coaches, an engine and a lead coach from which the driver operated the train.  I would use this train  because it was  very fast  with its first stop at Godley some 20  minutes after leaving the city.  Many hours were spent taking engine numbers, especially the Robinson Gorton “O4” 2-8-0 goods engines that ferried coal and empties to and from Manchester and the Yorkshire coalfield.  The express trains were mainly composed of what are now known as “Gresley Teak” coaches and very fine they looked as we wistfully imagined travelling on them.  Some had restaurant cars, especially the London trains.

When I was not playing at The Oaklands, I was on that station.  I came to know the stationmaster very well as he was a Lay Reader at Godley Church where I was a choirboy.  Reginald Walter Bellaers  was a tall man and looked very fine in his gold braided uniform which he wore from time to time.  He had come from a post at Northenden and was the last of the old railwaymen.  In his retirement he was ordained and became Perpetual Curate of St Mary Broadbottom.  I visited him until his death – a lovely man in every way.

 

In the early ‘50’s, the rot set in.  All the station buildings were demolished and a hideous and uncomfortable bus shelter replaced the waiting rooms.  A temporary prefabricated office outside the curtilage of the station was all that was left.  We could see that the Cheshire Lines business was on the wane.   The main line was axed beyond Hadfield but there were to be some benefits.    A smart electric 30 minute train service replaced the old steamers and eventually a new station was built adjoining Godley Arches at the A57 trunk road.   The old Godley Junction station was never very busy as it was too far for people to walk up that long drag from the main road.   In the early 50’s we would be seen carrying heavy cases en route for Bournemouth every August because Gran had a privilege ticket and travelled free!!  Grandad was a railwayman and this perhaps explains a lot about me because from childhood, railways have fascinated me.

Going back to that  friendly engine crew of my second article -  the driver would prime his boiler when we were messing about and we were covered in soot and water: the smoke and steam and paraffin oil was  a pure delight – until we got home and mother had other ideas!!!

Thanks to Joe for the photos and of course Roger for the great account !

More "Now and Then"

Susan Jaleel has very kindly sent us some more "now and then" shots
Postcards and information below !



This is a strange postcard and the original looks as though it has been hand-coloured.  I wish I could date ,it but, alas, there is nothing on the card to give a clue.  I'm fascinated by the guy standing at the pavement edge outside the Clarendon.  He could be a policeman with his tall hat! The Mechanics institute was a great landmark, also. The sheer size of it made it unmissable !



Same spot in 2007 - taken on a Sunday morning and the shops are open!



This card of Stockport Road, taken from near the junction with Rowan Street and looking towards Zion [although you can't see it] is dated 1907, but I think it's very easily recognised even today.  When I was young there were still shops there on the right - Mr Dain's paint shop, who also sold lamp oil, McGowan's paper shop and then I think there was a wool shop just beyond them, although in the mid-50s Roy and Lil Kerfoot opened a very small grocery business in there.  Then there was Griffiths shop on the corner of Knight Street.



Same spot in 2007.

We can't thank you enough for sharing all your great postcards and information with us !
Keep them coming, Susan. They are very much appreciated by the Blog Readers !

Buses and Trams Galore !!

Below is a selection of bus and Tram photos and postcards sent to us by Susan Jaleel.
Underneath are the descriptions !!



The No.4 on its return to Hyde from Mossley.  It's just crossing Bennett Street bridge, where Flowery Field Station is now.

 

The No.15 bus [SHMD] leaving Hamnett Street for Shaw Hall via Victoria Street.  How lovely to get just a little peep of the late, lamented UCP on the left hand corner of the street.



The No.19 tram stopped at the market.  There was some query about who ran the 19 recently on the Blog, but it isnt easy to pick out the livery on a black and white photo!  Also on the same posting, someone asked about the attractive building which stood where Natwest/Boots is now.  It was the District Bank and on this shot of the tram it's possible to see a bit more of that building.



Tram climbing the Gerrards towards the Grapes.  Someone has written on the reverse of the postcard "Stockport car in SHMD territory [Hyde]", whatever that means!

 

 Tram at the bottom of the Gerrards.  Just see how clearly the chapel spire can be seen without the trees of today.

 

These trams waiting at the market are from a "scenes of yesteryear" modern card, entitled "Memories of Stockport".  The date is given as 1938, and the caption is Trams wait to leave for Manchester, Edgeley and Gee Cross.  The Norfolk Arms is clear to see in the left background and, of course, the roof of the Midland Bank.

Many, many thanks, Susan.
You are doing a sterling job supplying us with great photographs and information !

Now & Then

Here is a pair of  "Now and Then" photos sent to us by Susan Jaleel.
As you can see, not a great deal has changed over the years !


Broomstair then.
Scanned postcard taken at Broomstair Bridge when it was the county boundary [pre-1974].  The larger of the two signs on the left at the bridge said "Municipal Borough of Hyde, Cheshire" and the smaller one just beyond said "Cheshire", and as far as I'm concerned that's where Hyde still is!  I love the delivery boy and his bike and the EWS [emergency water supply] sign can still be clearly seen on the stone of the bridge.  I would date this picture around 1959-60 I think.




Broomstair in 2007
Same spot but taken in 2007.  Notice that the Tameside sign has been sited across the road.

Many Thanks, Susan.
Much appreciated.

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 GROWING UP IN HYDE: 1945 -1950 part 2

Here is part 2, as promised, from Roger Chadwick.

MEMORIES OF GROWING UP IN HYDE: 1945 -1950 (2)

"Just past Glen Wood House on Mottram Road is a drive leading to Oaklands Hall. There, at around 6-7 years of age I met another “Roger”, whose parents, Wilf and Margaret Hirst were the then stewards of The Oaklands Masonic Hall. Roger became my “buddie” for the next 8 years – we were both “only ones” – regarded in those days as spoilt brats because we did not have to share anything with brothers and sisters. But “only ones” were common enough in a time of war: and we weren’t spoilt! Seeing the pictures of Oaklands in the 1960’s on the Hyde Blog, (remarkably little changed from The Oaklands that I knew), brought memories flooding back. We climbed up the drainpipe near the front door so that we could look in at the Masonic Practice Room from a safe distance. We rifled the empty beer bottles, slid down the rails of that magnificent staircase, marvelled at the size of the Dining Room and the large fires made ready in the room to the right of the front door. We toured the upstairs and made ourselves familiar with every nook and cranny of the place. Saturday nights found us in the kitchen enjoying “scallops” (battered slices of potato) fried by Roger’s Dad over the open grate! Roger kept rabbits in the “stable” quarters and these we bred and sold for 2/6d a time to the local kids.

Masonic nights were important occasions. We would wait by the rear door for Ibbotson’s Van to come with the hot dinners and some nights we managed to get fed or at least scrape the plates coming back from the tables when the waitresses weren’t looking. We peeped with awe at all the local gentlemen in the large hall but never got in their way or interfered with their business. That was strictly forbidden. Roger’s Dad could box and showed us clever moves when he wasn’t rolling fags. Roger’s Mum had a superb “Sun” ladies bike and I learnt to ride on it

We went wild in the woods and paths around the Hall. We built dens, scrambled up trees, had mock battles with other lads who played with us. Is Geoff Warner still around? In high summer, Wilf Hirst would scythe the lawns around the building – not much car parking in the ‘50’s. The we would stook and make hay and mess about in hay dens with flies and midges and God knows what else. Suffice it to say, I was at The Oaklands from dawn ‘till dusk and then suffered a good scrubbing down before bed.

In later years, Oaklands Hall imprinted itself upon me in a strange way. Reading Jane Austen and Bronte novels, I would see the characters in the various rooms of The Hall. Oaklands was the “stage set”, if you see what I mean – for the imagination to run riot!

Beyond The Oaklands was a large bungalow set in a huge garden on the banks of a little stream. The house then belonged to a Mr Wilde but we never spoke to him. We imagined him to be a German spy and would crawl and mess about well hidden in his beautiful garden, collected hundreds of beautifully painted “hairy marys”(caterpillars) from the abundant nasturtium plants.

Exploration forays up Brookfold Lane brought us to the Cheshire Lines Railway Bridge and scrambles up the cinder embankment to beg a ride on a C14 Tank engine which would be simmering away at the outer home signal. The friendly engine driver usually told us to b----- off and the equally friendly fireman sometimes lobbed a lump of coal at us. But could you blame them with two filthy urchins pestering them on their well earned break.

That’s another chapter."

Many Thanks Roger !

Excellent stuff ! 

Westwood Farm part 2

THE SECRET OF MACCLESFIELD FOREST

 

 

The New Inn Circa 1910



 

  Thanks again to David Hamilton for the second part of the story. :)

Westwood Farm part 1.

The following information post was sent to us by David Hamilton.
Much of it I was unaware of so a special thank you from me :)

Over to David....

I have been reading with interest the post by Rodger V Chadwick (22-3-2013), and the post about Tommy Sowter (27-3-2013), with the references to the V1 explosion at Westwood Farm, and the German bomber coming down near St Mary's.
The V1 was a winged pilotless aircraft carrying a warhead,powered by a pulse jet engine. This weapon was normally launched from a ramp by catapult, but the 31  V1's that landed in the North of England , aimed at Manchester early on Christmas eve 1944 were air launched over the north sea to give extra range.

The article about Westwood Farm, and the map of V1 impacts, are taken from the book "Flying Bombs Over The Pennines" (1988) by Peter J.C. Smith.
The pictures of Westwood Farm before and after, appear both in this publication and also "Air Launched Doodlebugs, The Forgotten Campaign"(2006) by the same author.



Westwood Farm Before



Westwood Farm After.

 I have also included a photo that I took a few years ago of the V1 crater on Midhope Moor.  This weapon was part of the same attack, and fell short of the target area.

 


The crater, numbered 24 on the map, is 15 metres in diameter
The Westwood Farm V1 is numbered 6 on the map.

 



My grandparents lived on St Mary's Road, and I can remember them telling me about a German plane coming down in fields behind the church. The area was quite accessible and so the wreckage would have been easy to clear.  This, and the fact that intelligence officers would go over every inch of an enemy aircraft, meant that the clear up would have been thorough. I think that the area has been built over now.
If the aircraft was attacked by a Hurricane, it would most likely have been from Cranage (Byley).

I hope that some of this is of interest to you.

Thanks so much , David.
Great post indeed !

Easter Wishes.

WE WOULD LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE A VERY 

HAPPY EASTER !!

LADIES FROM CANTEEN AT REDFERN`S

The following photo was sent to us via email from Alan and Barbara Tomlinson.

"Here is a photo taken on the top of Redfern`s rubber work`s roof circa 1948/49. It shows the canteen staff and in the background you can see what used to be Slack Mill and, of course, the chimney ".




"On the back row from left to right. Margaret Smith (PEG) Mary Tomlinson, Mrs Crosby    ..?..    front row  ..?..  ..?.. Dorothy Standing. We hope someone can fill the rest in.

What a nice bunch of ladies and what good meals they made."   

Many thanks, Barbara and Alan.
Much appreciated ! :)   

                                                

Harry Rutherford

Last week Beryl and I went to Tameside's Central Art Gallery in Ashton to see the Harry Rutherford Exhibition which runs from 28 February to 8 June 2013 (though why it's in Ashton and not Hyde I don't know).

One of the paintings there, from a private collection, is of the old Bricklayers Arms on Reynold Street in Hyde.

As you may be able to make out from the name-tag on the bottom left, however, it's shown as being in Ashton. The young lady curator told me that a couple of people had already pointed out the error, so it may well by now have been corrected.

Unknown Pantomime

Here is a great photo sent in by Graham Sharp.

It shows an unknown Leigh Street School Pantomime or Play in 1948 or 1949.

I think it could possibly be Dick Turpin looking at the Highwayman.
Maybe one of our readers is on the photo that can remember what it was and let us know?



Thanks Graham !
Much appreciated. :)

Greenfield Street Mural for sale.

Here is an unusual item that is for sale on ebay at present.
It's a mural which I can only assume was hung in Greenfield Street Secondary School.
It's a bit pricey for me but a one-off nontheless.

I have included the link at the bottom if anyone wants to look at it.
Wasn't DJ Robinson one of the teachers at Greenfield Street?



 

THIS IS A 8FT X 4FT OIL ON BOARD MURAL DEPICTING GREENFIELD ST  SCHOOL, HYDE CHESHIRE C1965/70 BASED ON THE FOOTBALL AND THE LOCO !IT DEPICTS THE SCHOOL, THE LOCALS OF HYDE AND THE LOCAL ARCHITECTURE - BEEN IN THE CELLAR OF A LOCAL VICTORIAN VILLA FOR 20 YRS OR SO  .ALL QUESTIONS ANSWERED HONESTLY AND TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, NEEDS A BIT OF TLC TO SAY THE LEAST BUT A HUGE PIECE OF LOCAL HISTORY NONTHELESS !!!!!!!!!ARTISTS D.J ROBINSON, A BRAITHWAITE AND ANOTHER.

ebay description and link

June 3rd 1953 Street Party

Here is a great photo and description from Trish...
The children look like they are having a lot of fun !!

 I have come across this photo,and dad had written on the back "June 3rd 1953 Street Party" Although the party was not actually held in the street, but at the Union Street Church schoolroom. I can actually remember this photo being taken, I am on the 2nd row, 2nd from the left Patricia Garbett with my friend Jennifer Booth (Booths Taxi's) Jenny is looking round at the big lads stood at the back, she did have two older brothers John & Geoffrey though not sure they are there! My younger brother John is just in front of me. The streets included in the party were Brooks Ave, Coronation Ave, Auburn Ave & King George Rd Hyde (where Jenny & I lived).




Thumbnail for a larger view

 List of people I can remember on photo:- Back row lads standing, I can only recall Richard Green on the right. 3rd row from left:-   ?,  ?, Rhona,  Michael Green ( it helps that hes dressed just like his brother!) ?,  Philip,  Brian Swann, Michael Barber, ?,  ?, 2nd row:- Jenny Booth, me, Patricia Garbett ?,  ?,  Stuart Bowers, Granville Bradbury( Granville lived next door to us on King George Rd and let us have his old Beano & Dandy comics) lady unknown, Janet & Ian Carter. Front row:- my brother John Garbett, Jill Barber, can't remember the rest at the moment!

Many thanks, Trish !! :)

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 ! :)

New Book

This is the cover of a book I bought last Thursday, written by Lee Brown and published by Amberley Publishing of Stroud, Gloucestershire. The three earlier books of archive photographs of Hyde in the Local History Series which I have were also published in Stroud, but by two different publishing firms. The latest book is different to the earlier ones in that the author has not confined himself to archive photographs but has used his own camera to show current views as a comparison. I bought my copy of the book from KBz News in the Mall, but it's also available at Bill Harrison's on Market Street and no doubt at other newsagents too. I've only had a quick look at it so far, but I can recommend it to anyone with an interest in old Hyde.

More Trams

Here are a couple of postcards showing the Trams at 

Hyde Market Place.

ROGER V. CHADWICK Memories of Hyde part 1

Below are some memories of Roger Chadwick who very kindly sent them in to the blog. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as we did !!

MEMORIES OF GROWING UP IN HYDE: 1939 – 1945 

Born in May 1939, I grew up at 247 Mottram Road. Formerly the servants quarters of the adjacent property then known as “The Hollies”, it was a large and interesting house for a child – with cellars and an attic, the back room replete with six “servants” bells only one of which was in use being the front door bell which would clank and swing every time it was “pulled” from the front door! The kitchen was situate down two huge steps and had a black leaded grate and a hot fire! There was a washhouse, a coal house down the yard and a pleasant garden overlooking Gee’s Brook and the allotments sloping up the hill to a view of the old Godley Vicarage, Godley School and the tower of St John Baptist poking through the houses. We had a ginnel in a tunnel from the back door to the front pavement and the iron railings had not yet been taken down for the war effort. Just over the garden wall you could see the crenellated “castle” now called Brookbank Folly and three enormous trees. Brookbank House then belonged to Dr Grau who had a surgery in one of the front rooms of the house. He and his family could often be seen pottering around his huge garden.

Early memories of life at “247” was an earth tremor in 1944 , which shook the house for a moment: the distant glow of Manchester on fire during the blitz and the terrifying noise of a V1/2 Flying Bomb over the house as we hastened down to the cellar for safety. With all the fields and woods around, that bomb fatefully exploded on the farm buildings only a mile to the east of our house and very near to the The New Inn at Matley.

SHMD trams hurtled past our house across the cobbles and every fifteen minutes, the local “Joint Board” and North Western buses bound for Mottram and Glossop. This was the then infamously busy A57 trunk road with endless processions of traffic and the tar boiler was perpetually on duty with a man pouring liquid pitch between the setts and throwing to us little boys small globules of the stuff to sniff!!

Towards the end of the war a convoy passed through and stopped on our road. Soldiers got off the vehicles and lay across the pavements waiting for the order to move. Some of the women came out with beans on toast for the men, regardless of their own shortages. We cycled up and down our tricycles talking to them. The noise, smell and smoke of the diesel coming from the tanks was a memory for life.

The view from “247” across Mottram Road at that time was of the land belonging to the Ashbrook family. They lived in the end terrace house and at the end of the garden adjoining was their large shop which opened and closed a few times during my childhood. The shop afforded some shelter from the rain while waiting at our Glen Wood bus stop for buses into Hyde. By the side of the shop was Green Lane, from where, by way of the back of Ashbrooke’s garage, we could collect frog spawn from the water from the side of the bomb craters in the field above.

I was allowed across this road if I used common sense and being an only child looking for things to do, would often, with permission, saunter up Green Lane towards the railway bridge and Dove Holes Farm. The land was rough, boggy in parts, with reed beds, cotton grass and May flowers in the spring. Lying in the grass and looking up to the blue skies, I could often hear skylarks. Green Lane marked the end of the town and the start of the country and I loved it. Werneth Low seemed a long way away and would be an adventure later on.

The Bridge that leads from Green Lane. 

The Iron Bridge

Dad was an unknown figure for he had been at war from my birth until I was nearly 6. He was “demobbed” in 1945 and came home in a smart suit. The war was over. A new chapter was opening.

ROGER V. CHADWICK

Many thanks, Roger !! :)