Castle Street Revisited

Carrying on from yesterdays post with this picture sent in by David,  I've taken the liberty of showing a few snippets from the original.

The road the lady in the picture is walking up is Sheffield Road, I never realised Sheffield Road actually starts opposite the Railway Pub where the paper shop is on Commercial Brow.

Looks like a BSA motorbike, any thoughts on it anybody.

Castle Street View

Thank you to Chris for today's post.

I believe the photo was taken around the 1960's from Castle Street  on the approach to Newton Station. In the foreground we see the roofs of the houses on Bottom Street, the old chimney of North's Tannery Mill, and just visible behind the chimney is Bottom Row.

I personally love this part of Hyde, or 'Lost Hyde' as I like to call it, as this severed part of Sheffield Road, which is visible in the photo, is relatively untouched, and it's cobbles remain untarmac'd and quite well preserved for it's full length.

Request For Our Help

We get many emails asking for help like this but normally we don't have the time to do much more than point folk to Tameside Archive Centre... This one however came at just the right time where it found me stuck in the house as I was not up to getting out. I thought I'd give this one a go and see what we can come up with. Here's the request.

     "My Gran grew up in and around Hyde. Originally called 'Nessie' Turner she married a Rupert Lawler and lived in Hyde. I believe there is a 1901 entry in the census which finds her living in the big house by Captain Clark's Bridge. My mum told me that they had lived (in the 30's,40's,50's?) opposite the cricket ground on Werneth Low. Her name was Margaret Lawler and she had a brother Peter and sister Barbara. Apparently I was conceived behind the cricket pavilion in August 1953! and was born in Hyde Hospital. Mum, Gran and I moved down to Worthing in 1956 when Gran retired from her teaching post at St George's School. I visited the area once with Mum in about 1959 but don't remember anything about it other than the densely packed streets.

As my son is now considering Manchester University, I brought him up for a tour of it and after we came to try to retrace my roots. I found Captain Clark's bridge but couldn't really see much of the house as it was obscured by trees and bushes. We came up to Werneth Low (which, incidentally, was the name of my Gran's bungalow in Worthing) and visited the cricket ground. A kind gentleman, who I believe works there, showed me into the new pavilion but couldn't locate a photo of the original one.

I have just spent several hours going backwards through your fascinating blog and have arrived at November 2011.

Does anyone have any recollections or pictures of Mrs Lawler/Turner as a teacher at St George's?

Does anyone remember Margaret ( my Mum), Peter or Barbara Lawler or their father Rupert?

Could it be that they lived in one of the cottages at the top of Werneth Low?

Does anyone have any photos of the old cricket pavilion?

Are there any photos of St. George's classes from the 40's when Mum was there?

Mum said she went to a Convent school, was it in or near Hyde? Does anyone have any information about it?

I started reading your blog imagining I would be here for a few minutes, that was five hours ago! Thank you for starting to fill in some gaps in my family history.

Thank you Mike"

I think it is safe to say the convent school is Harrytown in Romiley, hopefully we have readers who recall the family.. I do hope we can help with this.

Talbot Road, Victoria Street And Lodge Lane Junction

Another aerial view this time showing Lodge Lane bottom/middle, to the left is Bagshaw St, Coming in from the middle left is Talbot Rd, and top/right is Victoria St. 

 

Close up of the junction showing the familiar frontage of Newton Mill and across in the trees is Bradley House.

The road is Talbot Road with Bluebell Reservoir to the left, and another unnamed reservoir to the right. On the 1887 map the area is marked as Ham Hill, the road that is there now is Hamel Street. Top right is Holland Rd and Manor Rd, I can just make out my house. 

 

Bottom/left is Clarence St showing the newly built homes on the right, the large row of stone cottages to the left are shown as Chapel Row on the 1887 map.  Garden Street is on the left and the center of the picture is what is know as Garden Street Playing fields, At the end of Garden St is a pathway across the field from left to right...that was known as Sawyer Brow. It comes out onto Victoria Street. From that end of the brow comes another road, which was called Forest Street, the area to the right of this road is marked as Dolls-ith-hole. The factory on the right of Victoria St could be Newton Iron Works, Mechanical Engineering. I'd be interested to know if that's correct. To the right of the factory was an area called Strawberryhill. which lives on as a name plaque on the two house across Victoria Road seen below.

The wall plaque says Strawberry Hill 1857

Around Newton Mill,

Following on from yesterdays picture I have manage to enlarge a few sections which caught my eye and hopefully will be of interest to others.

On this section can be seen Ashton Rd, The bottom end of  Garden Street and the playing fields. The corner houses of Garden St are scaffolded out as the upper brickwork is being finished off,  the window frames are all in and what look like the roof trusses are across the road ready to go up. Garden St, Clarence St. and the bottom of Mill St are also to be seen. Daisyfield Methodist Church on Ashton Road is surrounded by Newton Mill

What were the building on Ashton Road bottom / middle across from the playing fields? The road off to the left is shown as Cundy St. on a 1910 map.

Further up Ashton Rd, first side road on the left is Irene Avenue, next left Lodge Lane, and across Lodge St. Part of Bagshaw St. can be seen centre left. Surrounded by trees and just off Lodge St. is a property that shows up as Bradley House on a 1887 map. It's nice to see that trees still exist around there.  Carry on along Ashton Rd and on the right is a 3 story building, which is the Co-op on Ashton Road /Talbot Road junction. The bottom of Talbot Rd sure looks different.

The road cutting this picture in half is Talbot Road, bottom left is mostly the roofing of Newton Mill, the bottom middle and right shows Newton Moor Cotton Mill. Between the 2 mills runs Lodge st where you can make out the corner  where The Butty Bar now sells bacon butties and pies. Follow the street up to it's junction with Talbot Road. Across the road and over to the top left  Harbour Farm.  The Reservoir  is no more, but the walled section on Talbot Rd is still there. There's a tree in front of the reservoir which is still there and on the left of the tree is a bench,  I'm glad to say there's still is one on that spot. The cluster of houses top right are on Oakfield Rd.

Further up Talbot Rd and the row of houses opposite Oakfield Rd are known as Quality Row, to the right of them is the junction of Talbot Rd and Hallbottom St, The road across is Acresfield Road,  Where the road forms a diamond shape is where Acresfield Rd,  crosses St Marys Rd and eventually turns into Bradley Green Road. Work as not yet started on the Bradley Green Road housing, and the bottom of St Marys is yet to be built on. Also no sign of Bluebell Close.   

Newton Mill and Ashton Road

Taken in 1935, and showing a part of old Hyde in all it's working class glory.... I trust this picture will be deemed suitable by all. Anyone who would like to point out certain buildings please feel free to do so.

Signal Box

Newton Station Signal Box

Stockport and Ashton Workhouse Records For 1881

I've been doing a spot of family research of late, and had cause to look at the 1881 Census Records of the local Workhouses Stockport and Ashton  . 

I came across a possible ancestor in the Ashton-Under-Lyne Workhouse.. Fanny Wigley aged 30 and unmarried. She is down as being a Lunatic… I know one or two reading this will think she’s not the only one in the Wigley family. I didn't come across a Wigley in Stockport Workhouse but found an interesting article concerning Hyde.

   The newly formed Stockport Union continued to use an existing parish workhouse, while a new building was being erected 1841-2. Very soon after it opened it’s doors there was a widespread manufacturing slump which led to demonstrations and riots in many local towns… including Hyde. In August 1842, Stockport's workhouse was the attacked by a mob of unemployed workers.

One such account of the riot is below

  "There are upwards of 20,000 persons out of employment in this place, who have no resources but those of plunder and beggary. On Saturday fourteen of those who took a conspicuous part in the riot and breaking open of the workhouse were committed to the nest Chester assizes for trial. The deluded men will have to remain six months in prison before their cases can be heard. Meetings continue to take place on the Waterloo-road, which are attended by many thousand persons. They are addressed by Doyle, Ellis, and other agitators. In their speeches yesterday they stated that the Tories, the Church, and the bishops, had caused the present state of things, and advised them to go round to all the shopkeepers to solicit alms. On Thursday morning a large body of rioters from Hyde invaded Stockport, and succeeded in turning out the people employed in the mills, hat-manufacturers, print-works, &c. They were afterwards reinforced by large bodies from the neighbourhood, and held a meeting of very formidable appearance. Owing, however, to the presence of the Altrincham, Dunham Massey, Tabley, and Stockport troops of the Cheshire Yeomanry, the peace was fortunately preserved".

   "The more remarkable features of the proceedings in Stockport were the extortion of money from mill-owners as well as shopkeepers, and an attack on the New Union Workhouse, Shaw-heath, where the mob forced an entrance, and immediately commenced to help themselves to bread and money. No fewer than 672 seven pound loaves were taken away, and about £7 in copper. Information of this was conveyed to the authorities, and they hastened to the spot with the constables, yeomanry, and infantry, and captured about forty of the rioters, several of whom, however, were subsequently rescued. This occurred on Wednesday, and Thursday was spent in speechifying, parading Stockport, and planning future movements. On Friday morning the great body of the Stockport rioters departed for Macclesfield. All business at Stockport and the neighbourhood is effectually stopped.”

If you have never checked them out do so… what an interesting site it is..

http://www.workhouses.org.uk/

Charge of the Hyde Brigade

Charge of the Hyde Brigade

HYDE v. DENTON

 PLAYED AT WALKER FOLD, HYDE

1887.

HALF-A-FIELD, Half-a-field,

Half-a-field onward,

Into the Denton goal

Our forwards they thundered,

Stormed at with shot and shell,

*Lowe bravely fought and well,

But down went his citadel,

And *Denton folks wondered.

Wondered how it was done,

Wondered to see the fun,

Wondered whom Bunyan

Had thrown o'er his head;

Didn't they rave and rant,

'Twas their beloved *Plant,

Into the mud thus sent,

As though he were dead

.

Hark ! how they yell and scream,

Little did Denton dream

That our respected team,

Would conquer them so !

Now all their gas has gone,

And ready brass they've none,

A dollar, alas ! not one

Of them can show.

Hark ! to that deafening roar

Proclaiming the fight is o'er !

And likewise the fact that four

Goals have been got.

Denton have lost the day,

And as they wend their way

Homewards, they seem to say

Sad is our lot.

Now they are put to rout,

And as they face about,

Twenty-six none they shout,

Poor Dentonians.

Do not your fingers flirt,

For with your Sunday shirt

Hyde has wiped out the dirt

Rubbed in by Prestonians.

Pity poor Denton's plight,

Oh ! what a mournful sight

As they went home that night,

Vanquished Dentonians.

Honour the Hyde Brigade,

Honour the win they've made,

When will their glory fade?

Noble Hydonians !

*Lowe and Plant were Denton players,

Bunyan was the Hyde Goalkeeper.

Hyde start their second season in the Conference League away to Forest Green Rovers this weekend... Good Luck to all involved.

Just for the ones who like their United's a nice shade of Red ;O)  

The day the mist came

I'm being a bit self indulgent today and showing some pictures I took a while back when Hyde was covered in mist, and all that could been seen was Werneth Low which looked like an island in the sea.

The pictures were taken from Harrop Edge,

ASTORIA

Another building in Hyde left empty.. with little sign of it opening in the near future. I recently read that the multistory car park is to be demolished. The area has been earmarked for sometime as a place suitable for retail development.. I wonder just what Tameside Council have planned for the town in the long term. Without a full scale attack on T.M.B.C. I wonder what you would like to see done to improve our town.  

Gleams Of Sunshine

James Leigh

I have been scanning my old tatty copy of Gleams OF Sunshine by James Leigh,alas it is on its last legs so before the pages start falling out I have decided to scan it all. I will then do what I can to make it last that bit longer.

I thought I'd show you the list of subscribers all of which pledged their support to get the book published. I found the list with names and addresses most interesting. Hopefully you might spot a familiar name or address.

If you don't have a copy of this book you can download a copy or read it on line here

http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/james-leigh/gleams-of-sunshine-and-other-poems-ala/1-gleams-of-sunshine-and-other-poems-ala.shtml

Lowry's Night Club

Lowry's Night Club, this place was buzzing in the 80s, as was most of the pubs in Hyde at that time. It was owned by Alan and Carol Greenwood. The both put their own touches to the club and it bobbed along very nicely with a good mixture of ages visiting the place. Monday night was mostly 60s music and there was always a great turn out. The age group was older and wiser than the weekend crowd, but it did have it's share of trouble with couples falling out over who was looking at who.
Thursday night was really the start of the weekend, not as many in compared with Friday and Saturday but still a good number of people. I'd say this was a very unpredictable crowd on Thursday... mostly males more bothered about a drink than chatting up girls. This was the night it could really kick off.. and it was a night the doormen earned their money.

John Kinnard, Tom Wigley, Dave Brinsley, Huey Travis.

Friday and Saturday... the evenings kicked off with a under 18s bisco. 7-9... a great set of kids turned up and the place was theirs for 2 hours. After that in was open again at 10 until 2 in the morning... These were fun nights for sure... I have many memories from here, some unprintable ha!. The club had a bad reputation for fights breaking out and for having a sticky floor... I'll agree the floor was a tad sticky with the amount of drinks spilt on it.. and no matter how many times it was shampooed it still felt sticky. The fights at the weekend were mostly scuffles between one group of lads and another.. nothing too bad really.
It was the place to go , there were queues at the door most weekends and mostly it was a friendly place where people went to enjoy themselves. I worked there for 4, sometimes 5 nights a week for around 5 years and thoroughly enjoy my time there...   If you went there or just heard about the place I'd like to read your comments, and please send in any picture of the place, inside or out.

Thank You To Karl For Todays Picture

Godley Hall Inn Drawing

This is from the book  'OLD GODLEY' by Thomas Middleton.. I can't make out the artist so can't give them credit.. It got me thinking of the artist that Hyde as produced.. More so the drawings and paintings of our Town.. If you have any or copies of any can you send a picture of them in to our email address. I think it would make a neat addition to the blog.

All the best to you all

Tom

Town Hall Reflection

Hi everyone,
Tom here posting for a day or two whilst Nancy sorts a few things out with her P.C. Today's picture was taken quite by chance... I was taking a picture of the statue on top of the building opposite Barclays bank when I noticed this reflection. Couldn't resist it... I hope you like it. 

Hyde Drinking Fountain

A photo of the drinking fountain that used to stand on Hyde Market and now resides in Hyde Park



Anyone know when it was moved to the park ?