Hyde Mill 2009

I posted a photograph of Hyde Mill back on August 2006 and, a year later, a close-up of the tower.

Hyde Mill, designed by the architect Sidney Scott, was completed in 1906. The site had been acquired by The Hyde Spinning Co Ltd from the trustees of CJ Ashton at a rent of £10 per annum, with free water rights. The Mill was four storeys in height and 47 bays in length and was faced with bright red brick with an Italianate water tower at its south western corner. When the mill was fully furnished with all the machinery it contained 116,532 mule spindles.

Hyde Mill closed in 1958 with 250 jobs being lost. It was sold to J. A. Pattrieouoex, manufacturers of Senior Service cigarettes. The Gallagher group purchased the mill for £110,000 in 1959 from the Hyde Spinning Company. The Mill continued to be used as a cigarette factory for over 40 years with considerable extensions being carried out. In 1999 the factory was closed by Gallaghers as production was transferred to Northern Ireland.

The current owners are the Findell Education group of companies. They have built new offices which can seen in the background of the photograph. The old mill is now likely to be demolished in due course.

Riders on the TransPennine Trail

As I was walking along the TransPennine Trail recently, a couple of horse riders approached me.


Having passed, they galloped away ...


... leaving this evidence.

Old House on Manchester Road

This old house on Manchester Road looks as though it was once some sort of shop.

Although I don't know anything about it, I do know a man who knows a man who should know, but ...

Old & New on Greenfield Street

The top story of the old Hyde Equitable Co-operative Store is much the same as it has always been, but the Wilkinson store that now occupies the building has a new display along the ground floor.

New too are the trees in their containers - there are similar trees on the opposite side by the Town Hall.

How different it was three years ago when the store belonged to KwikSave and there were temporary bus-stops during the re-construction of Hyde Bus Station.

Inside the Spiral

Our friend Babooshka has a mission to show us 100 aspects of Ramsay Swing Bridge and I think she is currently up to #19.

Well I don't plan anything quite like that but any object is always worth looking at from many different angles.

Today's shot of the spiral ramp to the footbridge over the M67 is taken from inside the spiral.

The last view I showed you in April was from the bottom of the ramp with the footbridge over the top. Now the bottom slope is on the left and the footbridge itself is actually behind us.

Crown & Cushion

The Crown & Cushion is on Victoria Road, Newton.

Sorry but I'm not a drinker so can't tell you what it is like inside and neither do I know the origin of the name.

End of the Line at Apethorn Lane

Continue along the TransPennine Trail from Knott Fold and after a while you reach Apethorn Lane. Railings prevent you walking any further as just round the bend is where the old Godley to Apethorn railway joins the existing line from Manchester via Hyde Central to Woodley and beyond.


Like the good reporter I am, I stuck my lens through a gap in the railings to show you the line of the track ahead.

I'll be back here again but meanwhile for more about this end of Apethorn Lane visit Wigger's World.

Latter-Day Saints at Kingston

On Manchester Road, Kingston, as the road levels out near Broomstairs Bridge, stands the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints.

In the background are 19th century houses in Kingston Grove. The M67 motorway lies behind in an area where in the 1920s you'd have found Lover's Alley.

Halfway Up The Low

This is the slope leading up to Werneth Low from the top of Green Lane. It was taken a few months ago which is why the trees are bare of leaves. We are heading here towards Hanging Bank.


Halfway up I stopped and looked back over Greenside.

See the view from the top.

I didn't climb any higher but followed the contour line as far as the spring daffodils.

Mister Magic

This post originally showed a photo of a local magician. Although taken quite legally and with verbal permission I have since been informed that the artist's agent now owns his image and I will be sued if I do not remove it. I can't be doing with the hassle so have removed it - it's his loss not mine.

Looking through Automasters

One more photograph from my walk along the Peak Forest Canal some weeks ago.

After I'd rounded the canal bends I discovered the gate to the old Automaster's site was ajar, affording a view across to the preserved Manchester Road warehouse.

Unlike Automasters these 1828 built buildings are Grade II listed.

Visit Old Hyde for a look inside the factory in 2005 when it was still operational.

Ducks Round the Bend

Another photograph from the day I saw the heron on the canal.

I also saw these ducks in the stretch by the end of Canal Street opposite where I saw the fishermen last year.

Springtime on the Peak Forest Canal

Remember my photo of the heron on the canal?

Three more photographs taken that same morning over the next three days.

The first is around the bend from where I saw the heron.

Beyond Green Lane Bridge

Last week I showed you over Green Lane Bridge, having previously shown you under the bridge. My correspondent Old Wom Tigley said he'd driven over the bridge recently and found it bumpy and muddy. And he wasn't wrong!


He tells me also that this field is where lapwings can sometimes be seen. I expect the tree will have grown a few leaves since this photograph was taken.

This is the bottom end of Green Lane which leads up to Mottram Old Road and Werneth Low. In the opposite direction it has been mostly obliterated by the St Pauls Hill housing estate.

Bluebells on Crook Street

Outside the Central Methodist Church on Crook Street the bluebells are blooming.

Looking Down on Newton Station

Today we are looking down on the Manchester to Glossop railway line from just above Newton for Hyde station.

In the background is the tower of St John the Baptist at Godley.

T. & E. R 1847

It is amazing what you see when you look up.

I've walked down Hamnett Street so many times but only recently did I notice this plaque.

I thought of posting this alone and asking if anyone knew where it was and who on earth were T & E.R, but decided it would be far too difficult a question.


Today the building is home to the Abbey.

Knott Fold Bridge

Another bridge crossing the former Godley to Apethorn railway line, now part of the TransPennine Trail.

A footbridge only, it links Knott Fold with Cheetham Fold; seen here looking West towards Apethorn.


This is a closer view of the brickwork from the other direction.

Hatton Health and Fitness

The old NTA printworks on the corner of Market Street and Queen Street has now been converted into a gymnasium.

Brainchild of boxer Ricky Hatton, a few more finishing touches have been added to the building since this photograph was taken.

A membership recruitment drive has been going on in Clarendon Mall for the last few weeks and the club was officially opened on Monday.

Personally I'm not a fan of boxing, but if you are, you'll find his official website here.

Wellington Hotel

The Wellington Hotel on Manchester Road is another boarded up pub with an uncertain future.

Over Green Lane Bridge

Last week I showed you Green Lane Bridge.

This is the approach from St Pauls Hill Road.

I'll show you the other side next week.

Werneth Low West

I had to stretch through an open window and use a long lens to get these views.

Just appearing on the right is the steeple of Hyde Chapel. On the horizon you can see the distinctive Ash Trees near the triangle at Cowlishaw Road and on the left is the Hare & Hounds.


Panning further left, we can just see the tower of Holy Trinity as Higham Lane sweeps up to Four Lane Ends.

Established 1830

Back in July 2006 when I posted a photograph of this off-licence on Market Street you could see that it was originally the offices of the Mutual Life Philanthropic Assurance Collecting Society.

Alas, the stone facade has been removed. All that is left is a piece at the side reading "Est. 1830". A few days after I took this photograph, scaffolding was in place and it seems some work has been done to the roof. I don't think the old facade will be replaced.

The business of the "Hyde Philanthropic" was taken over many years ago by the "Manchester Oddfellows".

Tom O'Connor in Hyde

Tom O'Connor, the "clean comedian" as he is known, was in Hyde last week to "officially" open Enfield Court, the retirement apartments on Dowson Road.

Heron on the Peak Forest Canal

As promised yesterday, two pictures of the Peak Forest Canal.

It was a pleasantly mild spring morning and I saw a heron fly across the canal from the animal shelter at the end of Raglan Street.


I stopped and took a couple of photographs from some distance away before walking towards it. The heron ignored me for a while and I took two more from a little closer. As I got to about fifty feet away it took off and flew around the bend.

Adamson Wharf

As promised yesterday, a photo of the Peak Forest Canal.

Another two tomorrow!

Path by Provident Mill

A footpath leads from Alexandra Street down by the side of Provident Mill (a furniture warehouse) to these steps, below which lies the Peak Forest Canal.

I'll show some canal photographs tomorrow and the day after and few more at a later date.

Green Lane Bridge

Green Lane bridge over the line of the former Godley to Apethorn railway line has a double arch.

Now that the line is part of the Trans Pennine Trail and National Cycle Route 62 walkers and cyclists use the larger arch whilst horse-riders use the other.


A closer look at the brickwork shows that the two arches vary slightly in construction which suggests the smaller arch was a later addition, possibly to accomodate a passing rail.

Church View

What would you expect to see if you were standing in Church View?

Exactly - this is the rear of St George's Church.

The netball court belongs to the nearby school.

Theatre Royal Charity Stall

Most Saturdays there is a charity stall on Hyde Market.

The other week it was manned by members of the Theatre Royal Onward Trust.

For pictures of the theatre see my own Theatre Royal Gallery and for information about the Trust visit the Hyde Theatre Royal Onward website.

Hanging Bank

This area of Werneth Low is known as Hanging Bank and you can see why.

I took this in March and as I made my way back along its edge came upon several clumbs of daffodils.