Blenkinsops Farm

On Wednesday I posted a few of my own pictures taken around Matley,  Barry Lewis who now lives in Australia remembers this area from his youth and left a comment on the post. Barry as been a great source of information and has supplied us with many pictures since this blog was in it's infancy, we are very grateful for his continued support. Barry sent the pictures in which inspired today's post.

Barry remembers this as being called  Blenkinsops Farm, I thought I could just had a cutting from an old map and the post would be sorted, but somehow one thing led to another and the post grew.

If you look on the 1840 Tithe Map below at the plots 284, 285,and 286 buildings are clearly marked, and interestingly on Plot 286 is a Pottery.

Below Plot 286 Information

James Ollerenshaw is shown as owner and occupier of land known as Taylor Field and the Pottery Buildings

Below Plot 285 Information
James Ollerenshaw is shown as owner and occupier of 2 houses and 3 gardens



Below Plot 284 Information
James Ollerenshaw is shown as owner and occupier of house,garden and lane

I have not been able to find any information about the Pottery, so if you can add anything that would be great. It seems that James Ollerenshaw had a number of plots in that area, Plot 295 is called Clay Field which made me wonder if this was where the potter got his Clay from. The use of this field in 1840 at the time James Ollerenshaw owned it was used as a pasture. I noticed on Plot 286 where the pottery is shown that is was called Taylor Field and was being used as a meadow. I don't know if James Ollerenshaw was the Potter, or if maybe someone called Taylor who the field is named after.  

The above Ordnance Survey map of 1910 now shows a building called Pothouses, and the farm is shown as Matley Lane Farm. The Rising Moon now appears but it was not on the 1875 map, but there was a well there then.

I think the building on the right is now called Pot House Cottage, but as for the farm building I'm not sure. As can be seen above it is now an Equestrian Centre. If you own either of these properties and would like to add to this post please get in touch. 

I'm going to have a Virtual Pint  now with Barry as a way of thanking him for today's post, I think we will use the old pub as the prices will be more suitable for our pockets.

Updated

01/10/2013

We have been contacted by Arthur Heywood the Gr. Gr. Grandson of the above mentioned Pot-Maker James Ollerenshaw, Arthur as sent in two scans and has this to say:

"Regarding your article about James Ollerenshaw, he was my great great Grand father, I enclose a copy of the 1841 Census with his brother`s on as pot Makers, and the 1851 Census which is damaged but shows his name, and farmer and as you can see the address as Pot Houses."

Thank you Arthur

Ollerenshaws Farm.

Here is a postcard supplied by Werneth Low.
It shows Ollerenshaws Farm which stands on Werneth Low Road over to the Greave side..
I'm not sure if the present name is still the same.





Present day photo


Map showing its location. The farm is top right.

Many Thanks to Werneth Low for the loan of the postcard :)

MEMORIES OF GROWING UP IN HYDE by Roger Chadwick

1945 – 1950  Part 4

Halfway down Station Road Godley there is a tunnel under the line which in my young days led through the back of Wall’s Ice Cream factories.   On the back road towards Godley Hill War Memorial you came to the pie factory.   The smell of pies cooking and the view through the window of all the operatives preparing the pies would have me slavering like a dog!    My mother worked there briefly but never came home with samples!   Some of my contemporaries had holiday jobs at “Walls” but I remember Unilever as a mean company towards its employees and their rates of pay were not good. I found other more lucrative work!

Those were the days when one could pick and choose – even for temporary jobs.

Godley Hill, with its old Inn and cottages was a quaint and interesting place.    In one such I had a friend whose mother ran the Ice Cream Kiosk at the foot of Godley Hall Road.   The War Memorial was our last stop on the Whit Friday Church Procession and I see from the Blog that it is still there. 

 

Godley War Memorial

There was another track from the “tunnel” which led to Godley Golf Club where both my parents were members. Both were active “athletes” and excelled at golf and other sports.     Although I learn to swing a club and play reasonably well for my age, sport was something that my parents did not pass on to me.    I preferred to follow the wisdom of Winston Churchill who is reputed to have said, “When I feel like sport, I lie down until the feeling wears off”.   But the Golf Club was an interesting ramshackle affair until it was re-built and the source of veal sandwiches, pork pies, home made scones and tea after matches.  I became friendly with the Professional, Alan Brown, who let me share hair raising rides with him on the old jeep as he mowed the fairways and the Greens.  The 9 hole course was really an assault course with no need for artificial hazards – the terrain provided that – like the similar course on Werneth Low.  Sand bunkers were for the flat lands!   I cannot imagine what it looks like now because the Club closed in the early sixties to make way fore the Hattersley Overspill.

Our milk was delivered by horse and cart from Osborne’s Farm at the back of Godley Reservoir.  This farm had the lovely name “Tetlow Fold” (“tetla fowt”) and was quite an old construction, 16^th century in parts,  with the farmhouse, a second home, the byres and the shippon constructed in the form of a square with a cobbled yard.  The kitchen always smelt of milk for that was near to the cooling room.  Hay barns and cattle stands gave that lovely sweet aroma that one associates with the rural setting.    There was a “copper” in one of the barns where we would sit and eat freshly boiled pig potatoes with hard margarine.  Harvest time saw us stooking and riding the hay cart back to the barns.    Mrs Osborne’s mother was a Highland lady with the lovely old surname of “Christiansen” so there must have been Nordic roots in the family.  She was famous for her soda scones which I love to this day!   I would accompany Farmer Osborne and/or his strapping son, Ian, on some Saturday mornings with the milk deliveries around Godley, Hoviley, Cheapside and Mottram Road.    I learnt about jills and quarts and pints as the appropriate steel measuring implements would brings the milk out of the cool churn and into the waiting  milk jugs of the folks standing around.   The approach of the milk float (and indeed the Co-op Horse) would have gardeners ready with shovels, gambling that the rich brown horse muck might fall at their doors!  

Nowt was wasted then!

Tetlow Fold

I became a choirboy after my sixth birthday.  Under the tutelage of Fred Whyatt, the head chorister, I learnt how to pronounce the Latin tags of the canticles and “point” the psalms.  Discipline was strict and a clout at the base of the neck from a Psalter was standard practice if we misbehaved.  Fred was a lovely kind “older brother” to me and I recognised him immediately some years ago in a “You Tube video” of Hyde Grammar School, where he is seen playing football.     I gather he returned to the school as the PE Teacher.       Godley Church was big for the size of the village but was well attended and it was the scene of the ministry of Canon Samuel May who was Vicar of the parish for over thirty years.    He had a huge influence on young men, had a wonderful preaching style and a powerful delivery and was full of fun.  I have an abiding memory of standing at the Lych Gate in 1947 for the Armistice Day Remembrance, watching the villagers standing silently, some of them weeping profusely, as 1100.a.m. struck, the Last Post and Reveille was played and the Fire Station siren went off and all the mill chimney hooters of the town blared a Remembrance Day sound I shall never forget.  

But choirboys are not little angels and that topic starts the next chapter.

Happy Days!

 

   

The Lych Gate at St Johns, Godley.

Thanks to Carls Cam for the photos and Roger for another great account !!

Much appreciated ! 

Low Top Farm Information needed.

 The following email was sent to us by Geoff &  Merrilyn Reeves from Queensland, Australia. ....

"In the course of Examining out family history, we often came across the Area known as  Werneth Low and my wife remembers her grandmother speaking fondly of it as she was growing up in Tasmania.

On my wife’s side of the family, it is well established that her grandmother Ethel Maud Widdowson and Joshua Hadfield moved from Hyde to Launceston Tasmania Australia

Phyllis Hadfield (her mother) came with them as a 3 year old, about 1912

Merrilyn’s  grand father Joshua Hadfield married Ethel Maud Widdowson in August 4^th 1907 the Ceremony that took place at St Pauls Church Werneth.

We tried to find the church back when we visited in 2000 but failed, so adjourned to the magnificent old pub at the top of the hill with the great view and gave up.!

The question we have is:  the address provided on the marriage certificate where they lived is Low Top Farm Werneth

We do not know why but we think this farm property, if that is what it is,  was owned by a Thomas Widdowson, who may be Ethel Maud’s Father

Can any one assist in providing information about either the Farm or the two family’s

Much appreciated for any assistance".

 
Map showing Low Top Farm 1875


Map from 1910


Aerial view of Low Top Farm circa 1970's

 
Modern map showing Low Top Farm


Map showing the site of St Pauls Gee Cross 1870's

St Pauls became Holy Trinity Church after part of the township of Werneth was transferred to the district of Gee Cross. Is this the church you mean ? See links below for more information.

St Pauls Werneth  Holy Trinity Gee Cross

Many Thanks, Geoff and Merrilyn. I hope we can find out a little more information  for you through the blog :)

Apethorn Farmhouse

Here is an email we received from Dave Barlow.

Very informative piece and great shot of the farmhouse !

 

"Hi Hydonians, 

 

Decent picture attached of Apethorn Farmhouse taken in the early 80's by Karl Barlow. I don't know when and don't know why but some time after this the roof tiles disappeared and of course as many of you are aware the roof is now covered in plastic sheeting to protect this 15th Century cruck framed farmhouse.

 

Did a bit of research regarding the buildings current situation and got these interesting facts off  site 'English Heritage at risk register 2012-North West'

 

DESIGNATION    Listed Building Grade II*   ( Grade I and Grade II* are particularly important buildings of outstanding interest, together they amount to 8% of all Listed Buildings.  The remaining 92% are off special interest and are listed Grade II--Pole Bank Hall is one of these by the way)

 

CONDITION        Poor   (conditions in Register range are  Very bad--Poor--Fair--Good)

 

OCCUPANCY      Vacant

 

PRIORITY             D    (slow decay,solution agreed but not yet implemented)

 

OWNER TYPE      Private--  Planning and Listed Building consents granted for residential conversion, but difficulties relating to ownership have not been resolved and the scheme has not been implemented.

 

Lets hope things are looking up for this rare and important building "

 Thumbnail for larger view !


I do hope this important building is saved !

Many thanks to Dave and Karl ! :)

Ash Tree and Birches Farms

Ash Tree and Birches Farms are situated on a small road between Werneth Low Road and Lord Derby Road. On the easterly side is Ash Tree farm whilst that on the west side is Birches Farm. Birch Farm was originally known as "Lousy Thorn". In the 1830's, Samuel Taylor was the farmer at "Lousy Thorn". He was an important witness at the trial of the murderers of Thomas Ashton, for he saw them pass across his fields on the way to commit the crime. his son William was also a witness at the trial being the man who discovered the murdered victim.
William Taylor's daughter married the Rev Julius Benn, and became the mother of Sir John Williams Benn, MP and the grandmother of the Rt Hon Capt J. Wedgewood Benn MP, Secretary of State for India 1929-31. (probably relatives of the Anthony Wedgewood Benn MP).
The farms probably date back to the 1700's, if anyone has any further info please let us know.




Ash Tree & Birches Farms around 1910




Tithe map from around 1850






Modern view

Apethorn Lane Farm

We have shown this farm before and I'm sure it will feature again, today picture is from our  regular contributor Aiden Prince.

This farm originally 15th century, but with external walls and other features of the 17th to 19th century. It  Cruck-Framed with brick and squared rubble walls and a graduated stone slate roof.

A cruck or crook frame is a curved timber, one of a pair, which supports the roof of a building, used particularly in England. This type of timber-framing consists of long, generally bent, timber beams that lean inwards and form the ridge of the roof. These posts are then generally secured by a horizontal beam which then forms an "A" shape. Several of these "crooks" are constructed on the ground and then lifted into position. They are then joined together by either solid walls or cross beams which aid in preventing racking (the action of each individual frame going out of square with the rest of the frame, and thus risking collapse).

Thanks for the picture Aiden

Mystery Farm ..

We were recently sent this photo by Marjorie who also sent this short email with it. 
Over to Marjorie...

"This was given to me some time ago by an elderly relative who said it was Wyken (or could it be Wicken?) Farm on Werneth Low, the home of the Wilkinson family who are standing outside.  They were distant relatives of my mother. Does anyone know where this is, or was"?



I do hope someone can shed some light on this.

Many Thanks, Marjorie :)

UPDATE


David Hamilton sent us the following maps which show that Wicken is still standing today ! It is at the bottom of the map just slightly to the right of the centre. David also tells us that it is currently on the market for £595.000 !!   Wicken
Many Thanks, David :) Much appreciated !

Old Isaac's or Cloughfold Farm

Clough Fold Farm

Old Isaac's

On the Cheshire Tithe map of 1836-51 the area is shown as 'Old Isaac's', alas I've not been able to find out any more about the name or if a man called Isaac once lived there.. the date stone below might hold the answer. The area was owned by  Thomas Howard according to the plot details, but the farm was occupied by a Betty Clough, maybe this is when the farm became came known as Clough Fold Farm.

Whilst looking at the Tithe map I checked out some of the plot names which I found interesting.

 Old Isaac’s, 14 Perches. Described as a Garden

Ben Meadow, 1 acre 2 rods and 37 perches. Described as a Meadow

Ben Croft, 25 perches. Described as a Orchard

Cow Lane Field, 4 acre’s 3 rods 31 perches.Described as a Pasture

Butty Meadow, 1 acre’s 2rod’s 10 perches. Described as a Meadow

The Ordnance Survey map of 1910 now shows the area named as Cloughfold Farm.  My dad and my grandfather before him had a series of allotments on land belonging to Cloughfold farm. Eventually this land and more like it was sold for development. I have very fond memories of how the allotments looked and the comradeship of the men who worked them.. Dads had it's own well which was well used by all the allotments until a standpipe was made available.

    

The map now shows a modern view of the area and the development of housing, The 'Clough' name still lives on in the road Clough Fold Road.. and the farm is still standing in the same place but was rebuilt in 1905 after a fire.

The date stone shows this building dates back to 1717, and was indeed rebuilt in 1905... what is interesting is the initials I. A. Could this be the Old Isaac's initials, and if so could the A be for Ashton.... The Ashton's have farmed in Werneth and Gerrards and hereabouts for donkeys years.. and if it was the Ashton's maybe the plots named Ben Meadow and Ben Croft are named after an Ashton also, as Benjamin was a family name that shows up in future generations.

I am more than pleased to be able to show this post today as I thought the farm building had been demolished around the time Clough Fold Road was built. I have to thank our Dave for the pictures and for bringing back so many memories of happy times spent in this area in the early 1960s. Cheer Dave

Owen Fields Farm

 Owen Fields Farm stood on the site of Hyde FC's ground, Ewen Fields.

It is mentioned in the History of Hyde as thus ....

"A short distance from the Lumn was Kenyons Farm and further along the road to Mottram was Bankey Fields' Farm , near the site of the Bankfield Inn. Owen (Ewen) Fields Farm stood between Mottram New Road and Walker Fold.

I have no knowledge why Owen Fields was changed to Ewen Fields when Hyde FC was formed - if indeed this is when it changed !




Tithe Maps 1836-51


circa 1875


Recent map

The owner of the land that the farm stood on was the Rev.I.N. France as Incumbent of Stayley Bridge Chapel according to the tithe maps of 1836-51.

Peggy Oldham was the occupier at this time.

Brookfold Farm

Thanks to John W. for this postcard showing Brookfold Farm Godley, I know little of this farm or the family/families who worked it... any information would be much appreciated.

Updated Picture from

Dave Williams
12/07/2011

 

Farming In Godley

I bought a number of postcards and photo's from off Ebay a while back and this one had Farm Worker Godley Hyde on the back. Seeing as we have done a few posts from this area I wonder if anyone can throw some light on this.

Spout House Farm

Before the construction of Dowson Road in the early 1920's and the subsequent housing development which occured along Knott Lane , the land to the west of Hyde Chapel was attached to Spout House Farm.


Tithe Map 1836-51

In 1712 the building was occupied By Robert Ashton. Later tenants included Joseph Redfern in 1816 who was a shopkeeper and Amy Redfern in 1850 ,a Corn dealer.

It seems ,according to the baptism register at Hyde Gee Cross Unitarian Chapel, that Blind Jack of Knarsborough's first daughter Tabitha, who had married a Cheshire cotton manufacturer, lived at Spout House farm. This is also confirmed by the Werneth Land Tax records.
(Grateful thanks to Gay J Oliver for her invaluble information on "Blind Jack of Knaresborough")

(John Metcalfe 1717-1810, otherwise known as Blind Jack of Knaresborough was a famous road building pioneer, pre-dating Telford and Macadam.)....but that's another blog :)


Photo Courtesy G J Oliver.

This building is still in existence and is located between Enfield Street and Tatton Street,Gee Cross