St Mary's Church Choir July 1910

I came across this Photographic Postcard on Ebay last week.. not a picture I've seen before. Shows what a hundred years can do to people's attitude. Church going is not as important to a person or a community as it once was. There must be many congregations in Hyde that could not muster 50 people in the congregation, never mind attached to the choir. St Mary's is still going where others have closed and gone for good, St Stephen's on Bennett St is awaiting demolition and it's sad to see the vandalism that has occurred.. and which is still going on. 

I look at the chaps on this picture below and wonder how many were lost to the  WW I and WW II. If you have information about anyone on this image that looks back in our towns history please let me know and if you'd like I will add it here so all can see.

Tommy Sowter's loaf - A Wartime tale of Newton

This was a post from 2013, I'm using it again today as it came up in conversation today when I was asked if I'd ever found out anymore about it. I hadn't which is a shame but by showing it again today it might jog a memory of two.. hope so!

We just had to post this great local story from Newton in the war years, sent in by Jacqueline and Colin Ridgway !!

"Reading Roger V Chapman’s interesting memories of his boyhood in Hyde during WW2 reminded us of an aftermath of a Bombing Raid in Newton. The large ICI works in Talbot Road which produced leather-cloth known as “Rexine” in peacetime, was switched to Munitions during WW2. As a result it became a target for the Luftwaffe, and Bombers regularly flew over Hyde on raids. They would locate the Reservoir near the Werneth Pub in Gee Cross then aim for the Reservoir at Godley which put them on the Flight Path to the ICI Works.

The factory walls were heavily camouflaged as was the roof and must have been difficult for the German aircrews to spot from the air, although several “drops” of incendiary bombs had fallen on the works and hit houses opposite the Clarence Hotel on Talbot Road.

On one such raid a German bomber was hit by a Hurricane plane, possibly from RAF Calveley, and flew in over Newton very low and on fire. It came down in the fields behind St. Mary’s Church and the crew luckily escaped. My Husband Colin Ridgway and his friends (all very young), were playing football nearby and saw the Germans run into the wood near Saville’s Farm.

The boys ran home to get their toy guns in order to capture the airmen and on the way to the wood they were met by a friend Tommy Sowter who had been queuing at the bread shop for his Mother’s ration and had a loaf of bread in a bag, he joined them and they went into the wood only to be confronted by the Germans! Toy guns not being a Sitha, bravery soon evaporated and the boys fled, but not before a German had pinched Tommy’s loaf off him.

Er' Sithe, wurs ma bleedin loaf

In the flight the boys ran into Constable Jackson and the Newton “Dads Army” who were on their way to search for the downed Airmen. The boys told them where the Germans were and ran back home and safety. The airmen were soon apprehended and marched off down Talbot Road. A large crowd of Mothers had assembled near the Post office and as the column passed by much hissing and catcalling took place; by the women against the Germans as their husbands were away fighting in the war. However, one mother was more concerned in giving her errant son Tommy a “good hiding” for letting the Germans steal their loaf. Nothing for Tea tonight!!

Many Thanks for sending this in to us, Jacqueline and Colin !

It's always great hearing such stories. :)

George and Dragon 1953

Thanks once again to 'Tony Downend' for these pictures his father took many moons ago. 

They are from 1953, taken in the George and Dragon, Bennet Street, Newton. They show the Landlord, Albert Cropper, and his Landlady Alison, with a few of the then regulars and the 'Card School'. Fantastic pictures capturing the era perfectly.

I imagine the brass hand pumps would shine like gold. 

Beautiful bit of woodwork on the bar surround. 

Notice the meat pies on the bar covered with a tea towel..

Shiny classes polished to perfection

Would love to put names to these chaps.

Few prices from 1953 & 2015

British sirloin beef (without the bone) £0. 2s.11d = £3.75

British beef brisket (with bone) £0.1s. 6d = £1.93 

• Mutton leg (British) £0. 3s 1d = £3.32
• Pork, leg (foot off), Home killed £0. 3s 1d = £3.32
• Ham, cooked and sliced £0. 6s 2d = £8.25
• Bacon, streaky £0. 2s 6d = £ 2.79
• Fresh cod cuts £0 1s 6d = £ 1.71
• White loaf unwrapped £0. 0s  3d = £0.32
• Loose tea (125g) £0. 0. 7d = £0.75
  Sugar granulated £0. 0. 7d = £0.75
• Pint of milk £0. 0. 3d = £0.32
• Butter £0. 0. 9d = £0.96
• Cheddar cheese £0. 2s. 0d = £2.57
• Margarine £0. 0. 8d = £0.86
• Lard £0. 0s 9d = £0.96
• Eggs (size 4) £0. 2s 4d = £3.00
• Potatoes £0. 0s 2d = £0.21
• Green cabbage £0. 0s 3d = £0.32
• Onions £0. 0s 4d = £0.43
• Eating apples £0. 0s 11d = £1.18
• Oranges £0. 0s 9d = £0.96
• Cocoa £0. 3s 9d = £4.18
• Pint of beer £0. 0. 9d = £0.96
• Coal (50kg) £0. 2s 3d = £2.89
• Electricity (per KWH) £0. 0. 1d = £0.11
• Gas per therm £0. 0s 8d = £0.86
• Soap (per lb) £0 0s 10p = £1.07
• 20 cigarettes £0 0s 18d = £1.93

Goodier House, Victoria Street, Newton

At last....The Goodiers.

This post is for Barry Lewis

Imperial Chemical Industries Factory at Newton, Hyde, 1946 (ICI)

I have decided to spoil you again today with a glut of fantastic aerial views from Britain From Above. I make no apologies  for the amount of pictures as I wanted to show them all at once and not to have split them.

Above we see the ICI works on Talbot Road... to the left is Cartwright Street leading up to join Talbot Rd. To the left of the junction is the The Clarence pub, and St Mary's church beyond.

Similar view as before, but St Mary's is more defined. The fields behind look stunning, those fields are now either built on, or where Dukinfield golf club is. The hill to the right is still holding on as pasture for horses.

On the above view The Bay Horse Pub, can be seen right of centre bottom, we can see Victoria Street going off to the left and being joined by Cartwright Street. Talbot Road cuts through from the right to top left. St Mary's road can also be mad out.

The junction of Talbot Rd, and Cartwright St, bottom left. Shawhall and fields beyond at the top of the picture. The housing centre-left-top is Shawhall Avenue.

To the left we see Cartwright Street, centre bottom Newton Hurst and the sports fields. Victoria Road looks narrow and more of a country lane, again we can make out the Bay Horse.

ICI before the main gates were added across from the Bay Horse, seems the main way in back then was just after the bend on Talbot Road.., Newton Hurst, top left. Hyde Gas Works can be made out centre top. 

Bottom left, St Mary's church, bottom centre, Talbot Road Junction with what was Schofield Street where the post office is now.

St Mary's centre left...



Bay Horse bottom right.

The bottom of this picture is all housing now, Hillary Road, Everest Road, Mallory Road and Charlton Avenue are just some of the roads that are there now.  The first houses are at Newton Hurst, above is Cartwright Street going off to the right. The next lot of houses are running down Talbot Road, with the start of Bradley Green Road to to right. The last houses running across the top of the picture are on St. Marys Road, Notice St Marys stops at Acresfield Road... No Harbour Farm Estate at this time.Centre top right I can make out Holland Road, and where I live on Manor Road, with the soon to be built on field between. Top centre left Blue Bell Close as not been built, it's still the reservoir.  

Bottom Left, Talbot Road with the Clarance Hotel on the left. Follow Talbot Road round and we see the houses on Shawhall Avenue again but now we can also make out Matley Lane snaking it's way towards Harrop Edge, and Hobson Moor, part way up is the Rising Moon.

Bottom left, was where ICI had their social club .... and top left is Godley Reservoir. That area would look very different now with all the housing and of course the M67.   

All the above pictures were taken on the 18th April 1946 

Signal Box

Newton Station Signal Box

Junction Inn revisited

The following was sent to us by Judith Hunt.

Over to Judith...

"I was interested in the photo of the Junction Inn, but I knew it was not the right picture.  I attach a photo taken around 1984." 

"My great grandmother Mary Ann Helliwell had a shop at 148 Ashton Road which remained in the family for some years.  I know she was living in the shop in 1918 when her son was killed  at war. I also know that her daughter Edith kept the shop,  she had a daughter called Jean. Then  for a while my parents took over,  then my mothers  brother took it over for a short time before coming to Australia. I would say around late forties the shop ceased or was taken over. I know the 1984 photo shows the original shop as part of the hotel now. I would be interested to know if anyone does have earlier photo’s of the Junction with the shop alongside."

If anyone can help, please send the photo to us where we can,in turn, send it on to Judith  :)

Many Thanks for sharing, Judith !

The Junction Inn

The Junction Inn was situated at 150 Ashton Road in Newton. 
It was opened  in 1857 and was named after the new rail link at Hyde Junction which was run from the main Manchester to Sheffield route .

At the rear of the Junction there used to be a small factory making hats and many of the workers would call in for much needed refreshments.




EDIT:
After much detective work by many people it appears that the postcard is of The Junction Inn which stood on the corner of New Mills Road and Chapel Road, Hayfield and NOT the one on Ashton Road as stated on the back. It was demolished about 1934/5. 
This piece of information comes from David Stafford.

Many Thanks, David :)

Postcards.

 Here is a collection of Hyde related postcards through the years.


Flowery Field Unitarian Church


Hyde Cemetery


Looking towards Hyde from St Annes Road Denton


Bennett Street Newton

Christmas Party Photo

The following was sent to us by David Hamilton.

Over to David....

!I wonder if this Christmas party photo is of interest to you.

As well as my mother, brother, myself and Dorothy Edwards, there are four of my cousins on the photo.
It is worth noting that the six children named are all 2nd cousins of Tom.
I would say that the picture was taken in 1960, and has Proctor's stamp on the reverse, but I have no idea where it was taken, other than somewhere in Hyde. 
It may have been in a central location, as we were from Newton, the Wigleys were from Dowson Road, and the Ovens's lived in Kingston Gardens".

 In the 1960's Dorothy Edwards had a shop on Victoria Street, more or less opposite Sawyer Brow. Later on she had a flower shop at the top of Bennett Street, just a few doors down from the Cheshire Cheese. 

Dorothy Edwards

Hilda (my late mother)

Adrian (my younger brother)

Myself

Katherine Ovens

Dorothy Ovens

Alan Wigley

Michael Wigley

Many Thanks, David ! :)

Memories from Hallbottom Street

 By David Hamilton

I've attached some photos of my early years in Hallbottom Street.

We lived at number 37, long before the houses were built on the other side of the road. In fact our front window overlooked Dad's allotment where he kept poultry, and there was a small part of the reservoir fenced off for his ducks.
Also from our house we could see Newton Mill, and I always knew when it was getting near Christmas when the tree went up on the office roof with lights on it.
 
There were several other youngsters in the street, all around the same age, always someone to play out with !
We used to play on the allotment, and also on the tip, (can you imagine that now !) At the bottom of the street, I think that it hassince been grassed over and turned into a recreational area.

I went to St. Mary's Sunday School on Garden Street, and just behind that, number 45 Clarence Street was Marshall's shop. I was always going there on an errand for somebody or other.

Happy days !





At  front door with Grandma

 
Back Yard 

 
 Back Garden - Whitsun !

 
Backyard Sherriff and Deputy

 
Feeding dad's poultry 

 
Picnic at no.33 

 
There wasn't much traffic then. 



37, Hallbottom St


45 Clarence St - formerly Marshall's shop

Great photos and happy memories, David !
Many thanks :)