Hyde Town Hall Xmas 1998

This is a composite picture from 1998.

A Happy Christmas to all our readers.

Canal Warehouse

This picture by Frank Bennett and reproduced here with his permission, first appeared on the Images of England site.

Photographed in August 1999, this Canal warehouse on the north side of Manchester Road is a Grade II listed building now used as offices.

1828 on datestone in gable. English garden wall bond brick, stone dressings and slate roof. 5 x 3 bays with 2 storeys at front 3 at rear. 3-storey loading bay (now glazed) to rear with round canopy and winch. Each floor has 4 window with round brick arches, C20 casements and stone sills. Shaped eaves gutter brackets, coped gables and small corner piers.

Canal elevation which is again 3 storeys, has a similar loading bay, a total of 6 windows as above and a datestone in gable. The loading bay to the front has been bricked in and has a total of 4 windows as above to either side of it. Timber beam floors on cast iron columns.

It is one of Hyde's few remaining canal warehouses.

Haughton Green Equitable Cooperative Society Ltd

This picture of a Haughton Green Equitable Cooperative Society Ltd anniversary plate was sent to us by Fred Anderson who tells us that the old coop was opposite the "tommy todd".

His family lived in Gibraltar Lane before moving to Gee Cross, and finally left the area in 1967.

Hyde Colliery Explosion 1889

An explosion just after 9am on Friday 18th January 1889, at the Hyde Lane Coal pit, the shaft of which was situated between the canal bridge and Alfred street. The owners of the pit were Mr. J.W. Sidebotham, M.P. for the Hyde Division, and his brother, Mr. J. Nasmyth Sidebotham. The explosion took place at some distance from the shaft in what was known as the "Two Foot Level" The depth of the shaft was 270 yards, and from the bottom of the shaft there was a decline of 1,400 yards, very steep indeed, the inclination being 'one in two.' Then there was a level about 300 yards long leading almost under Haughton Green. The disaster was confined to this level, and of the men who were working in it 23 were killed and few escaped without injury. A rescue band was immediately organised, and by evening the mine had been cleared of all the victims, whose names were as follows

Killed

1. Frederick Howles, 17. 1 Ann Street, off Manchester Road.
2. Arthur Wildgoose, 15. 116 Hyde Lane Hyde. This lad probably met his death by having his head dashed against the wall.
3. Thomas Davis, 46. 6 Norbury Street Hyde. Left a wife and six children. Davis was found with his shirt wrapped round his head, as if to avoid suffocation by fire damp whilst trying to escape.
4. James Broadbent, 19. 6 Charles Street Hyde.
5. Frank Ashton, 15. 10 Queen Street Hyde.
6. Henry Slater 43. of Cheapside Hyde. Left a wife and large family.
7. Henry Slater, son of above.
8. George Harry Wild 19. 15 Syddall Street Hyde. His brother, John William Wild was among the injured.
9. Emmanual Bailey 50. Formerly of Waterloo Ashton. Left a large family.
10. Joseph Fish 24. 2 High Street Stockport Road Hyde
11. William Haslam 20. 24 Read Street Hyde.
12. James Hall 65. 7 Nelson Street Hyde. Several Children.
13. James Bradley 20 of Haughton Green.
14. William Cattrall — known as Cattrall Platt 63. Lived Read Street Hyde
15. Thomas Shaw 35. Kingston Brow Hyde. Left a widow and 3 children
16. John Bailey 57. Edna Street Hyde. Left Wife and 3 children.
17. Samuel Watson 24. 18 Cotton Street Hyde
18. Joseph Wilde 31. Married of Hyde.
19. Joseph Gee 34. Married of 54 Fountain Street Godley.
20. William Slate 36. Of Whites Court Water Street Hyde. Left a large family.
21. Thomas Gee 27. 110 Manchester Road Hyde. Son of Wm. Gee. Was married.
22. John Ridgeway 19. 4 Norbury Street Hyde.
23. Peter Gee 27. Married with several children.

Injured

1. John W Wild 21. 15 Syddall Street Hyde
2. John Davis of Newton.
3. Tom Brown of Kingston Brow.
4. Etchells of Knott Fold Hyde — a boy
5. William Gee High Street Stockport Road Hyde. This man lost a son and two nephews in the explosion.

Dr. G W Sidebotham and Dr. Griffiths, accompanied the rescue party, and both afterward gave graphic accounts of the scene below. Having walked three-quarters of a mile to where the first five bodies were found, they had to halt at a door which was closed until the fire damp could be got away through the ventilating galleries. In the words of Dr. Griffiths:

The air war terribly close owing to 50 men being seated there, the lack of ventilation and the remains of the after damp. When the door was opened, we went through and came to six or seven bodies, and the pathos of the sight was greatly increased when it became evident how strenuously several of the men had tried to escape before death came upon them. The body of one lad was in a bad state. He had been blown down with such force that there was a great fissure at the back of his head. Another of the dead had a cap before his face; he had most likely been trying to protect himself from the after damp. Others of the corpses had closed, clenched hands held before their faces.

On Saturday, January 19th, the Mayor Hyde, Alderman Peter Green. J.P. presided over a meeting of ratepayers in the Town Hall, and it was decided to open a Relief Fund. Public meetings were held in other towns for the same object. Mr. J.W. Sidebotham and Mr. Nasmyth Sidebotham gave £500, and other members of the family increased the amount to £850. Ultimately a sum of £6,907 8 shillings and 2 pence was raised.

A photograph of the blue plaque erected near the site can be found on Hyde DP.

Theatre Royal Videos

BBC Northwest News Report



A video tour



More information on Hyde DP

Bennett Street War Memorial

This picture by Frank Bennett and reproduced here with his permission, first appeared on the Images of England site.

The photograph of the War Memorial on Bennett Street dates from August 1999.

Stone with iron railings. Tall square-shaped shaft with cross motifs at the top and carved panels at the bottom. Stands on a square base which bears the inscription

"In affectionate memory of the men of Newton who gave their lives for their country and the cause of liberty 1914-1919".

and rolls of honour.

The railings have decorative top and bottom rails and spikes along the top.

Gee Cross Mill

This photograph of the Peak Forest Canal with Gee Cross Mill in the background is by Peter Stockdale. It was published on Photo Archives of the Peak Forest Canal and is reshown here with permission.

Staff of Cockshoots Garage

This photograph, taken circa 1967, was sent to us by Ian Swindells.

It shows some of the staff of Cockshoots Garage, Dowson Road.

On the left is car-cleaner Ethel; 3rd from left is Tommy Rowbotham; 5th from left is Billy Rushton. The guy sitting down on the right is Roy Ives, whose son Steve raced motorbikes. Ian's dad is Bill Swindells who was Roy Ive's apprentice and drove the Moggy 1000 van.

Cockshoots Garage later became Lex and later still Bells.

The car showroom was demolished in 2006 and retirement apartments built on the site.

Manchester Road Canal Bridge

This picture by Frank Bennett and reproduced here with his permission, first appeared on the Images of England site.

The August 2000 picture shows the roving bridge and road bridge taking Manchester Road over the Peak Forest Canal.

It was built in 1804 but widened on both sides in the C19 and C20. Snecked, rock-faced and hammer-dressed stone, brick, cast iron and concrete. The original elliptical-arch tunnel which is grooved for stop planks was widened to the north in the mid-C19 with a truncated elliptical keystone arch which is now partly obscured by the C20 footpath bridge. The south was widened later in C19 in brick and is separated from the tow-path bridge by two pipelines. The tow-path bridge has a spiral walkway, panelled cast iron parapet walls and a flat stone slab deck.

Interest stems from the bridge's evolutionary development. Another roving bridge on the canal is Captain Clarke's Bridge

St George's 150th Anniversary Plate

This plate was produced as part of the celebrations marking the 150th Anniversary of St George's Church.

Market Street c.1905

This picture of Market Street dates from around 1905.

Gibraltar Mill & Gibraltar Row

Gibraltar Mill lay by the River Tame between Apethorn and Haughton Dale. It was demolished in the 1960s.


This row of houses has also long since gone.

Church Brow Gardens

Church Brow is just below Wood End Street and this photograph (c.1910) shows the allotments in the valley of Gower Hey Brook.

There are still allotments today alongside Wood End Street, but the valley is now much more thickly wooded and below Gower Road is an estate of new houses.

Edwardian Ladies

A group of Edwardian ladies outside the White Lion.

Grapes Hotel

This picture of the Grapes Hotel in Gee Cross is c.1910.

It looks very different in 2007.

Neither picture helps me answer the query I recently received from Eric Downs who writes

An argument has ensued about the gents at the front of the Grapes Hotel. There is a photo in the pub taken when it was owned by Bells I think at the turn of the 20th century before it received a face lift by Robinsons. In the photo the gents is attached to the pub but my memory going back to 1930s puts the gents as a separate structure closer to the pavement at start of Wych Fold and adjacent to Booths well. Can you confirm this? Do you have a photo of the front of the Grapes around that time. The gents was certainly there 1949-50

I haven't the faintest idea but maybe someone else knows.

Apethorn Mill Explosion

This picture shows the result of a boiler explosion at Apethorn Mill, known later in its life as Gee Cross Mill. One of the boilers was blown right across the canal, smashed part of the wall down and broke the bottom of the gable end of the old house/shop. The boiler ended up lying in the passage that led the mill workers from the canal towpath to the bridge that crosses the River Tame by Gibraltar Mill which was demolished in the 1960s.

You can see what the path is like now on Hyde DP

Hearse House

This picture by Frank Bennett and reproduced here with his permission, first appeared on the Images of England site.

Photograph taken August 1999.

Hearse house next to St. George's Church on Wood End Lane is a Grade II listed building. 1841 on keystone. Hammer-dressed stone with ashlar dressings and slate roof. Gable facing road and having large double doors within a Tudor-arched surround with chamfered rustication and a skull and cross bones keystone. Coped gables and eaves bands.

These days it seems to be used for storage. This Eagle Lectern was found there before being put on display at the recent Heritage Open Day.

Brownson Clothiers

One prominent feature of Hyde Market Place is this dome. In 1910 it belonged to Brownson Clothiers.

Now it adorns Woolworths.

The pole at the top has obviously been foreshortened and with no tramwires to interfere has become a home for pigeons.

White Lion: Atlas Brewery Ales

The White Lion stands at the corner of Market Place and Clarendon Street.

This picture dates from around 1910.

The pediment and the sign proclaiming Atlas Brewery Ales are long gone and now there are owls on the roof.

See how it looks in 2007 on Hyde Daily Photo.

Gee Cross Motors

This picture was sent to us by Lizzy.

She wrote

The man who used to own Gee Cross Motors only ever had two coaches and he was called Mr Utley. He used to live in the cottagey type house on School Lane by the triangle bit and he used to keep the coaches in a yard that was sort of behind the house but you had to get to it from Rowbotham Street. The livery was green and yellow; this was the bigger one, the other one had only about 20 seats.

He made a lot of money at Hyde Wakes Week when the coaches would all be lined up outside the Queen Addy to take the workers away. His was the only company who had a private hire license for Hyde, and the Joint Board (SHMD) could not use their buses and so they had to loan them to him and advertise that they were on loan to GX Motors. There used to be about 20-30 coaches lined up to take people on holiday; you wouldn't think that there were that many folks in GX in those days.

Dowson Road

This picture (date unknown; click to enhance) shows Dowson Road at its junction with Stockport Road.

So far as I know, Dowson Road was built in the 30s to bypass Gee Cross. The bus appears to be Stockport bound.

Stockport road comes in from the right and sweeps round with the tramlines towards Gee Cross. There is a clear view of Hyde Chapel and a group of men are sitting on a bench by the corner.

Compare with this a recent photograph shown on Hyde Daily Photo.

Cart & Tram

This picture (circa 1910) is of the Market Place in the area that is now pedestrianised.

Hyde Chapel

This picture by Frank Bennett and reproduced here with his permission, first appeared on the Images of England site.

This photograph of Hyde Chapel is from May 2000.

Built in 1846-8, designed by Bowman and Crowther. Snecked stone with slate roof. Nave with clerestory, aisles and west tower and chancel with vestry. In plan and style similar in nearly every way to a parish church. Weathered plinth, sill band, coped gables and cross finials. 6-bay nave and aisles and 2-bay chancel have weathered buttresses (angled at corners) and 2-light windows in each bay with geometrical tracery and hoodmoulds. Porch in bay 2. Paired lancet clerestory windows. 4-stage tower has angled weathered buttresses, octagonal stair turret, 3-light west window, paired 2-light belfry openings and a broach spire with lucarnes. Interior: nave arcade has clustered columns with moulded bases and capitals. Hammer-beam roof with braced purlins. Carved timber pulpit, font cover, and west organ. Stone altar table on columns with foliated capitals all with rich stencilled decoration. Memorial plaque to Lord Ashton of Hyde. A fine example of its type; said to be the first Noncomformist copy of a building for the Established Church.

Hyde Chapel has featured several times on Hyde DP

• 10th April 2006
• 10th December 2006
• 25th July 2007
• 5th August 2007

Theatre Royal Open Days

There is a new website now for Hyde Theatre Royal Onward, the company set up to save this historic theatre for the town.

The theatre will open on the 7th & 8th September 2007 as part of the Heritage Open Days.

Photographs from the 2006 Open Day can be found at http://www.geraldengland.co.uk/gx/royal.htm

Apethorne Farmhouse

This picture by Frank Bennett and reproduced here with his permission, first appeared on the Images of England site.

This was taken in May 2000 and shows the farmhouse on Apethorne Lane.

Originally 15th century but with external walls and other features of the C17 to C19. Cruck-framed with brick and squared rubble walls and a graduated stone slate roof. Originally a 4-bay cruck-framed open-hall house (probably a long-house) but with a floor inserted in the C17 and other alterations during conversion to cottages.

The elevation consists of a small gabled wing in bay 1, and a second bay both of which are in stone. The other 3 bays are in brick and have 3 doors relating to their use as a shippon. One ridge chimney. The east elevation, again with 3 bays in brick and the remainder in stone has 3 dormer windows rising from the eaves, one of them gabled. The gable onto the road has one ground floor window and a sash window above.

It is an important example of an early house-type few of which remain in Greater Manchester.

near the Dye Works

This old street taken approx 50 years ago lay to the East of the town, near the Dye Works which is now home to ABC Wax.

The houses were demolished by the 1970s and the ground covered by the M67 Motorway.

About the only thing still standing is the factory chimney. It would have been dirtier then and not carrying mobile-phone relay masts!

Hyde Town Hall 1907

This 1907 picture of Hyde Town Hall appeared on Old Wom Tigley's Wiggers World blog together with a poem by Joshua Bradley about the opening of Hyde Town Hall Clock and Bells, October 18th 1884.

Today's post at Hyde Daily Photo shows how the Town Hall looks one hundred years later.

Old Hyde

Old Hyde is a companion blog to Hyde Daily Photo.

As its name implies, it will feature non-contemporary material, old photographs, prints &c.

Anyone who has material suitable for inclusion here is cordially invited to contact us. There are contact details on my personal website included in the links on the side-bar.