Bennett Street Memories

We recently received these charming pictures from David Hamilton showing himself and his brother outside the house they lived in in Newton. What a pair of cheeky chappies !

Over to David.....

"We lived at 138 Bennett Street, I've enclosed some photos of myself and my younger brother taken there in the mid 60's.

It is on the corner of Bredbury Street, it was only 25 metres from our gate to the school gate at Flowery Field !

I found a photo of the same location, taken in 2012, on Daniel Demain's Flickr site".

 







In the same row as 75 Bennett Street, about half way along, I remember there used to be a sweet shop, and at the far end, next to the railway bridge, was a hardware shop called Braddocks, if I remember rightly.
I've just been looking on Google maps. and it's still there. It doesn't look to have changed in the last 40 plus years !
 

Braddocks today


It still has the pink paraffin stickers in the window !

Many thanks to David for sharing and also to Daniel Demain for his Flickr photo. :)

Newton Lodge

 

Hyde Park, which opened in 1904, was originally the grounds of Newton Lodge, home of Col. CJ Ashton who paid to build St Stephen's Church, Bennett Street. It was given to the town by his daughters, following his death.

The lodge was demolished in 1937. Two years later it was replaced by Bayley Hall which was funded by Sir John Bayley.



Thanks to Tameside.gov for the information

View of St Stephens, Newton.

A postcard showing the now defunct St Stephens Church on Lower Bennett Street in Newton. The account below was written by Thomas Middleton in 1889 in the Annals of Hyde.

St Stephens Church for Sale, Bennett Street

A sad day indeed. 
Surplus to requirements, apparently.

Kindly sent to us by David Topping.

Many Thanks, David.

St Stephens Church Lads Brigade 1953

 Another photo from Tony Downend showing the "Prefabs" in Newton.
This time it's a view of Whit Walks of St Stephens Church Lads Brigade, turning right from Carter into Dow Street in 1953. The "Prefabs" can be seen in the background.


St Stephens Whit Walks 1953


Comparative view 2011

Tony wrote this...

"The double deck houses were known (locally at least) as the  "steel houses". The "prefabs" came in kits, as name implies, and were single deck and those on Dow and Carter Streets were built in 1947. 

The 'steel houses'  were built at  much the same time, if not just a tad later, around the corner in Bushifield Close from the once prefabs of Dow and Carter Street.  

The refurb of the  "steel houses" was undertaken during this last year or so. 

 Hope this helps shed just a little light on Newton's  past."    

 Much appreciated as always, Tony :)

St Stephens Church

With the recent sad news of the closure of St Stephens Church we received this photo of the Altar in the church.



"Here is a Picture of the Altar at St Stephens Church in Hyde
Loaned to me by my brother Jeff and his son Mathew. Thanks, David Stafford".



I really hope that this fine church survives demolition. It is a Grade II listed building so there is a glimmer of hope.

Thanks to David Stafford & Mike Berrell for the great photographs.
Much appreciated as always !

Last service at St Stephens Church.

 Last weekend saw the last service and subsequent closure of St Stephens Church in Flowery Field.
Here is an article that was given out at that service explaining the sad news and their move up to St Mary's.
It's always so sad to see the closure of a church.