The old bus station -

Interesting shot of the old bus station pre M67 motorway! I remember the old bus shelters being very draughty on a winters day! No seats or doors - makes todays bus station look like comparative luxury ! Notice the Astoria Bingo Hall peeping over the shelter to the right hand side.

Hamnett Street /St Pauls connection

Whilst doing some research into St Pauls Church origins I discovered that it was started in an upstairs room in Solomon Wagstaffe’s Ironworks on Hamnett Street in 1848. This whetted my appetite to find out where on Hamnett Street the firm was.

I am relatively sure , given the help of tithe maps and street maps of that time, that the room was above what is now the Abbey Bank building. The date on the side is relative to when St Pauls started and also to where buildings were situated in 1848.
If anyone has any information that would help to (dis) prove this research then we would be happy to show it!

Situation of buildings on Hamnett Street in the tithe maps of 1836-51
 (Hamnett Street is sometimes spelt Hamnet Street on old publications.)

The Beginnings of St Pauls Church Part 1

The following information was taken from "The History of the Parish of St Paul's Catholic Church Hyde" by B. Marshall MA: BA (theol);MIEE
The full account can be found here and a fabulous , informative read it is, too.

http://www.marshallfamily.net/fam/dadsbook.pdf


In June 1848, a place of Catholic Worship was established in Hyde by Father John Quealy, in a room above Solomon Wagstaffe’s Ironworks in Hamnett St. Father Quealy was the assistant priest at St Mary’s Dukinfield and he celebrated the first Mass in Hyde before 200 people.



The first full-time parish priest appointed to the new St Paul’s parish was Father John Reah from Mulberry St. As there was no living accommodation at the Mission in Hamnett St, Hyde, he lived at Furnace St, Dukinfield.

The group of Catholic families who went to St Paul’s were almost entirely
Irish and lived in the most undesirable parts of Hyde town and Newton. They were usually desperately poor, and often illiterate. The Hamnett St Chapel must have provided a great haven for the homesick immigrants even though it was probably sparsely furnished for it gave them a sense of belonging.
In 1852, Mr Ashton, owner of the Newton Banks Print Works gave Father John Reah a plot of land off Newton St in Newton Moor, to build a Catholic church, which was a testament to Father Reah’s hard work and dedication within the Parish.. Unfortunately he was replaced as the priest before any money was raised for the actual building of the church.

Cinema Adverts

I remember adverts such as these from my younger days.... ;o) the one that sticks in my mind was the one for Lowry's nightclub... it showed people saying they went there at the weekend... it was the place to be seen. What made me laugh was that it was filmed in London..... and as it was being filmed those red London Buses   would go by.  The other one was the No 6 cigarettes adverts.. "People are changing to No 6"..  I'm sure others must have memories of these adverts.

Thanks to "caretakerste" for this great video!
Much Appreciated.

Elephants in Hyde

Not much Known about this shot. Think it was probably something to do with a exhibition/event that was held at Newton Bank Printworks in the 1960's whose theme was Africa..
The Elephants are walking past Hepworths which was on the corner of Clarendon Street and Market Place. Strawberry Gardens fruit shop is there now.



Any information on this gratefully received :)

Class 3A Flowery Field Secondary School.(October 1946)

Back Row. Jean Shaylor. Marjory Prest. Ethel Burdikin. Bertha Cooper. Marlene Hunt. Jean Thackwell. Dorothy Cash. Joan Bowden. Joan Yates.

Middle Row. Maureen Harrison.Barbara Wood. Joyce Rhodes.Shirley Whittle.Joan Whyatt. Brenda Pennor. Doreen Pollitt. Florence Hodgekiss. Margaret Groom. Margaret Sykes. June Gregory. Headmaster  R.C.Williams.

Front Row. Joyce Birchall. Mary Cooper. Margaret Roberts. Inez Barlow Mary Walker. Miss Agnes Horne Joyce Higgins. Doreen Heys. Renee Barber. Alwyn Hurst. Alice Taylor.

Just before Christmas we were contacted by Roy and Jean Barnett from Australia who have been enjoying reading the blog... and sent this message and photo.  

I am in contact with one of your contributors here in Australia (Henry Smith) who enabled me to find your Blog. As a native of Hyde with many happy memories it is a pleasure to add to your wonderful collection of photos and information to be preserved and in safe keeping to the beneficial  my home town. Well Done!        Jean Barnett(nee Thackwell)

Roy and Jean also sent another couple of pictures and we will show them again soon.  Thank you both.

Floodmark

I couldn't help but notice something on this photo of the Floodmark that is on the site of Gibraltar Mill, that Dave very kindly took for us recently.

If you look closely to the right hand side of the floodmark it looks like a figure of a woman sitting there spinning - A ghost of Gibraltar Mill perhaps? Spinning long after the mill ceased to be?

What do you think? Can anyone else see her?



Dave has zoomed in here to try to highlight her.

Reminiscences in the life of Joshua Bradley part 2

Joshua Bradley work origins.



Joshua Bradley learned his trade in the small premises that were at the rear of the Farm House where he lived on Pudding Lane. This was run by Joseph Walker who kept the business going after his Brother Daniel had left to run the day school near Newton Bank Print Works. All work was done by hand - The machinery consisted of a small spinning jenny and a few frames which were used for winding the manufactured thread into bobbins and balls which were then ready for sale.
Joshua started his learning as a pin winder and ball maker at the early age of seven years old. He started working the first week for no wages but was so quick at mastering the work that before weekend had arrived his name was placed on the wages sheet. His first wage was fourpence which ,whilst was a small amount , filled him with pride as he took it home to his mother.



After six months Joshua moved on from the Pudding Lane Manufacturers to the Ashton Brothers Cotton Mill in Newton. This required him to walk three miles each way per day which was no mean feat for a child of eight years old.
There were no restrictions in those days regulating the hours of Cotton Mills so Joshua would commence work at 5:30am and finish at 8pm. After mastering his new job his mother decided that he should take lodgings in Newton so he would be nearer to his work. His wages were now 4s 6d per week.

Hyde Park Gates

Park Road Entrance

Lodge Lane entrance

Throstle Bank Mill

Thomas Ashton Jnr earned particular note for his conduct during the Cotton Famine (1861-1865), he kept his mills running despite the high cost of cotton.  He had his workers build the above mill at Throstle Bank, thus keeping his workers in employment. The mill was also constructed of bricks made by his workforce, at a brick yard of Old Road... somewhere across from where The White Hart was. 

I used to work here in the late 70s, first in the card room and then in the lift taking work from one floor to the next.... it wasn't a bad job but had it's ups and downs.... ha!

This above bridge was known as Bowler's Bridge.... I'd be interested to know the origins of that. The bridge was the one replaced in the mid 1970s when the M67 was built. I remember this part of the canal being full of shuttles and bobbins... I wish now I'd picked a few up and kept them. 

Zion Congregational Church

Zion Congregational Church

I love the woman with the shawl on the corner of Peel Street. I also like the fancy ironwork that used to adorn the front wall of the church - this was ,I assume , removed and collected for the war effort.
I wonder what the horse and cart was delivering?

Photo is thought to be circa 1900.

The Weir on the River Tame.

The Weir on the River Tame.


Constructed by John Sidebottom to help power Gibraltar Mill which was built in 1794). The spare ground on the right of the picture was formerly occupied by the mill which was demolished in the 1960's. Note the flood marker on the right.

The Sidebottoms were perhaps Hyde's second industrial family after the Ashtons.
They also owned Hyde and Haughton collieries and Kingston Mill.


The Weir

The Great local flood was in 1799. During it's height the River Tame increased by several yards. At Hyde Corn Mill the Millers were busy for many days and nights using long poles to try to divert the trees and logs that had been uprooted by the sheer mass of water and washed downstream. They had to do this to prevent them doing serious damage to the Mill itself. Crops were ruined and damage was done to a wide area and caused inconvenience for months after due to many local bridges being destroyed.


Here's the Flood Mark in detail.

Thanks to John Hopwood for the photo - very much appreciated :)






The two pictures above are from Dave Williams our resident photographer... Dave went on to say

These are the photos I took today of the marker by the weir. I notice from the photo on page 33 of the booklet 'Hyde Cotton Mills' that it doesn't seem to be the same marker. The one in the booklet looks much bigger, there's a 'th' after 'Aug 17' and the line indicating the water level is underneath the date. Were there two markers, was it redone at some stage, or is the photo in the booklet a fake? Another thought-provoking post!

Once again thanks for the pictures and input Dave... I seem to recall the marker being rebuilt.... and the fencing added... I can't be 100% on this but I have an idea it was knocked down by so called 'joy riders'. I'm sure a car was dumped in the river around here.

Here's the Flood Mark on the old mill itself... and on this one it is as Dave said... there's a 'th' after Aug 17. As I look at this picture now I remember the noise of the weir.. it must have rebounded from the mill... it was very loud. 

Looking up Stockport Road

Looking up Stockport Road from outside the Ring o Bells pub.

Notice the Zion Church in the background on the left. Hidden away ,just lower, is the Clarkes Arms (just visible by the sign above the shops)! The Bakers Shop eventually became Worthingtons Hardware Shop!
Looks like it was a busy community judging by all the shops . There are only 3 there now - A chip shop ,a barbers shop and a sweetshop - the rest are houses now!



A fantastic comparison shot here from Dave Williams..

Reminiscences in the life of Joshua Bradley part 1

Taken from "Reminiscences in the life of Joshua Bradley" by James Bradley

Magic Tree (2)

We have been asked for directions to Hyde's Magic Tree that we featured the other day... well we have done better than that... our very capable resident photographer Dave Williams went back down there and took more pictures for use which show the way to find the tree. So it's over to Dave........

I thought the easiest way to tell you where the tree is would be to go down there and take a series of photos, so I did that this morning... You go down Apethorn Lane and over the canal bridge .

then down the steps and the path towards the river...

Go through the gate...... 

and by the side of the river....

and where the path coming across the bridge from Gibraltar Lane crosses that path, go straight ahead ...

follow the man with the dog!..... Go up the rise and past the bench on the left......

then follow the path till you see a small signpost on the left telling you about the lime trees......

The 'magic tree' is just ahead of you on the right.... 

You will see that the tree still has a good display of leaves .

......

Thanks you again Dave for coming to the rescue..... this walk would be great to start the New Year off.... and on that subject I'd like to wish all our friends and fellow Hydonians far and wide... and one or two we have adopted as honorary Hydoniana as well.... a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

Nancy & Dunc

Tom & Jane

Band Stand Hyde Park

The Bandstand. Late C19. Copper roof on cast iron columns and brick base. Octagonal canopy on columns placed at eachcorner. Base has ashlar dressings. Elaborate pierced castiron arches span between the enriched columns which have crocket capitals. Similar pierced eaves brackets. Dome-shaped roof with decorative crown and weather-vane.

(Taken from http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-212480-band-stand-hyde
- with thanks.)



"The bandstand was officially opened in May 1922 and is now Grade II listed on the national “List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest”.

The bandstand was originally surrounded by moveable glass partitions and played host to bands such as the Household Cavalry, Black Watch and local colliery bands. During the 1930’s the bandstand hosted two concerts every Sunday. It is now used on special events during the summer months.
(Thanks to Tameside Local History Forum)
http://www.tamesidehistoryforum.org.uk/geecross.htm

We are showing these today in the hope they will jog your memories of times spent in Hyde Park... We have been trying to find pictures of the paddling pool, and the small train which one could ride on... if you have any pictures you'd like to share on Hyde Park please send them in, and of course your memories are always welcome in the comments section or by email... 

Thanks to Jack Morris for the most recent photograph - Much appreciated!

The Magic Tree

Holm Oak

Dave Williams sent this in for us all...   

This time of the year, and particularly when the weather's like it's been just recently always takes me back some 20 years or so to when our 2 boys were still young. There was a column in the Reporter one week about the 'Magic Tree' in Gower Hey Wood just the other side of the canal from Gee Cross Mill. The tree is an evergreen variety of the oak and as such is in leaf throughout the year - I remember taking the lads down to have a look at it. I've been down today to have another look and although it looks a little the worse for wear in this cold weather there are still leaves on the branches. It's not easy to get a good photo of it, but I've attached what I managed to take, and also a couple of others I took on my walk. You'll see that some people obviously thought the ice on the canal was thick enough to walk on, and luckily they were right!

Thank you Dave, I had this tree pointed out to me along with others when a very young boy by my dad, we were more than likely out collecting Holly to decorate the house. The above tree is a Holm Oak, also known as the Holly Oak.. Not far from this tree is a beautiful Variegated Holly which my dad always hoped was well in berry.

 



Dave mentioned about folk walking on the ice..... I cringe now looking back at all the times my friends and I did this... we even rode our bikes on it, and how we'd laugh if someone fell in...we'd then head for the woods to light a fire and dry off before going home.

I've added the old postcard which we've shown before, as a comparison to Dave's shot of Captain Clarkes Bridge.....  thanks again Dave for these great pictures..;0)

That Grand Old Hill of Werneth Low.

That grand old hill of Werneth Low

Of all the places I have seen , there is not one more fair
Than good old "Wer-neth Low", in fact it is beyond compare.
Its grand to stand on top and gaze on all the country round,
There is no fairer spot on all this earth that can be found.

Chorus
 Come for a blow, on the grand old hill of  "Werneth Low";
You will want to take it easy for it is so bright and breezy;
For miles around there's country to be found;
It's grand you know to have a blow
on good old "Werneth Low".




Chorus (repeat)

And on a moonlight night when there is such a peace profound
the moon shines out in glory, stars are twinkling ,oh so bright
and in delighted wonder , you say
"what a perfect sight".


Chorus (repeat)



It's grand in Spring and Summer when the fields are fresh and green,
and in the Autumn times such wonderous beauties I have seen;
It's even nice in Winter when the snow is on the ground.
On good old "Werneth Low" there's always beauties to be found.


Chorus (repeat)




Words and Music by E.A. Oldham