ABC WednesdayH is for Hyde Lads Club

This memorial is all that is left of Hyde Lad's Club, opened in 1930 by Prince Henry, third son of George V.

It is a rebuild of the memorial which was "knocked down" in February.

The Club was on Beeley Street - see photos on Hyde Cheshire.

According to Thomas Middleton's History of Hyde (1932)

The Hyde's Lads' Club is one of the most novel social ventures of the day, and has excited interest throughout the country. It was founded by Mr. J.W.A. Danby, Chief Constable Of Hyde, and was opened on October 5th, 1928 in a room in the Town hall. As the membership rose to 316 in the first three weeks, the club was removed to the Wesleyan School on Water Street, where it continued to flourish. Then Mr. Danby acquired the Old Police Buildings and site in Beeley Street; the building was transformed; games rooms, library, reading-room and small lecture rooms were adapted from existing rooms; a large assembly room was made out of the old court room, and a billiards room was arranged beneath it. A large hall and gymnasium was erected on part of the site; and when completed the premises provided for every phase of work associated with such a club.

The new buildings were opened by H.R.H. Prince Henry, Duke Of Gloucester, K.G., on February 6th, 1930, and were inspected by the Home Secretary, the Right Honrable, J.R. Clynes, M.P. in 1931. The club has received the warm commendation of some of the leading social reformers of the day. The main purpose of the Club is the prevention of juvenile crime, and to rescue those who are criminally inclined by bringing them into contact with clean-living boys, and transferring their inclinations into a more healthy channel. The principal features of the Club are games, physical training and gymnastics, classes in First Aid, Library, Dramatic Society, and other educational agencies, and each Sunday evening a short service is held. The boys are in the hands of fully qualified instuctors, whose services are voluntary. The Chief Constable's hope was that the Club may be looked upon as a place where boys may spend their spare time away from the streets, and improve themselves physically, religiously, and morally.

The notice above the name-slab mentions nothing about the good Mr. Danby but reads

TO COMMEMORATE HIS HONOUR JUDGE THOMAS HUGHES AUTHOR OF "TOM BROWN'S SCHOOLDAYS" WHO USED THIS BUILDING AS COUNTY COURT JUDGE DURING THE YEARS 1882-1896

In the earlier 1990s it was demolished to make way for a car park - see photos of the demolition on Hyde Cheshire.

For more H posts visit ABC Wednesday

The New Scout Hut

Back in 2007 I reported on the campaign to Save our Scout Group after the 3rd Gee Cross Scout hut was destroyed by storms.

The building work on the new hut is being spread over two phases. The first has been completed giving them a hall, kitchen. toilets and upper storey storage.

The second phase of building will provide a larger hall and bigger kitchen.

More information can be found on their new website.

Two further pictures can be seen on Hyde DP Xtra.

The Lad's Rubble

This is all that is left of Hyde Lad's Club. Opened in 1930 by Prince Henry, third son of George V.

The Club was on Beeley Street - see photos on Hyde Cheshire.

In the earlier 1990s it was demolished to make way for a car park - see photos of the demolition on Hyde Cheshire.

All that was left was a memorial stone - see our post from September 2007 to see it, together with an account of its history.

Sometime on Tuesday night the memorial was reduced to rubble. Accident, vandalism, weather decay or what is not known.

I was told by two council workers whom I saw yesterday that although the plaque has been cracked the rubble is going to be taken away for restoration and should be back in place sometime next week.

A Glimpse of the Theatre Royal

It is a little difficult to get a full frontal shot of Hyde's Theatre Royal.

Here is just a glimpse of this Grade II listed building through the trees at the edge of Asda's car park.

Friday (10th) and Saturday (11th September 2010) are Heritage Open Days. Last year the doors were closed but I've been informed that the theatre will be open this year on Friday & Saturday between 10am and 3pm. Whilst it will only be possible to have access to the ground floor of the auditorium this year due to Health & Safety reasons, it will give you a rare chance to glimpse inside the wonderful Theatre and see why the Theatre Royal Onward Trust are so passionate about saving it!

My photographs of the inside from the 2006-2008 open days can be seen at http://www.geraldengland.co.uk/gx/royal.htm.

For the full history of the theatre and the fight to save it, visit the Theatre Royal Onward Trust website.

Photographs taken this Friday morning can be found on Hyde DP Xtra.

Back Lane Working Men's Club

Situated on Wilson Street off Walker Lane, the club is affiliated to the Club and Institute Union.

Its history dates back to at least 1904 and it is still going strong.

Village Green Well 2010

[click on image to see it full size]
The CDPB theme today is Bright Colours so I thought this would be the right day to show you the 2010 Village Green Well. The display was made using flowers and other organic ingredients as part of the 2010 Gee Cross Well Dressing celebrations.

This year Girlguiding UK celebrates 100 years of Guiding. The girls who turned up at the 1909 Crystal Palace rally called themselves Girl Scouts but Baden Powell decided that Girl Guides would be a better name for these pioneering young women. Today there are ten million girls and women involved in the movement worldwide.

Other 2010 displays include ones by:

• Gee Cross WI at Booth's Well
• Alder Community High School outside Hyde Chapel
• 3rd Gee Cross Scouts at Barons Road Well

More information about the Well Dressings can be found at Gee Cross Well Dressing 2006

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants in the CDPB theme.

Friends of Sam Redfern Green

Another shot from this year's Gee Cross Fete.

The Friends of Sam Redfern Green, a group of parents who met through local mums and tots groups, aim to create a play-area on the Green.

The green was originally the site of the Queen Adelaide reservoir, which was built, in the late 1860s. See Old Hyde. The reservoir was well used by the community until the middle of the 20th century, older residents recall children swimming in it and picnics being taken there. The site was also home to angling clubs.

In the mid 1980s, local Rotarian George Wagstaff thought the area would be better used as a Green for the village of Gee Cross. Talks took place with Tameside MBC and EEC grants were obtained for drainage and sewerage though no money for embellishments. The Rotary Club of Hyde offered the use of some money left to them out of the estate of the late Samuel Redfern. The council approached the Countryside Commission who matched the money pound for pound. In exchange for their monies the Rotary Club entered into a covenant whereby they could use the Green one day a year for the annual fete.

You can see an extensive collection of my photographs from the fete at Gee Cross Fete 2010.

4th Hyde Scouts

The scout hut for 4th Hyde St George's is on Albert Road.

According to the group's website, it was founded in May 1927 and the present group H.Q. was built in the 1950s. In 2006 new secure boundaries were put in place and new footpaths and driveways laid.

You can see a closeup of their logo on Hyde DP Xtra.

Women's Institute at the Fete

One of the interesting stalls in the marquee at Gee Cross Fete was the one belonging to the local WI.

More photos at Gee Cross Fete 2009.

Bowling Green Street

When I posted a picture of a bowling green in October as part of a quiz, several people correctly guessed it was in Hyde Park, but one correspondent suggested it was "the last remaining bowling green in Hyde. Funnily enough, this is on Bowling Green Street."

I had to look it up on the A-Z but located it and some weeks ago I had a walk up there.


I cannot show you the actual green as it is behind the clubhouse which was securely locked up.

Bus Stop on Stockport Road

I reported recently on the Bus Stop to Go in favour of a zebra crossing.

Someone asked for a wider view and here it is. Across the road is Gee Cross Social Club on the corner of King Edward Avenue.

Someone else commented on the paucity of buses stopping here.

Monday to Friday the 206 stops here twice, shortly after 6 and 6.30pm on its way back from Manchester. (In the morning it travels to Manchester just after 7 and 7.30am).

The 304 stops here on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays just after 10am and 12.30pm en route to Marple.

The 346 is a half-hourly service from around 6.30am to 5.30pm Mondays to Saturdays. Additionally there are four buses, numbered 346 but run by a different company, in the evening (including on Sundays), one per hour from 8pm to 11pm.

The yellow notice has since disappeared. Whether this means the idea has been shelved or just that the time for consultation is over, I don't know.

Gee Cross Art Group 2008

As in previous years, the Gee Cross Art Group held an exhibition in the Methodist Church on the day of Gee Cross Fete.

One of the paintings here was seen in a previous display shown here. Can you spot which one and the difference between then and now? Answer will be revealed a week today.

Scout Hut now gone

I reported earlier that the scout hut on Hill Street was about to be demolished to make way for a new one.

Yesterday on my way back from Gee Cross Fete I walked up Hill Street and took this picture of the now cleared site.

Hill Street Scout Hut

This is Hill Street where 3rd Gee Cross Scouts have their hut. Last year I featured their plight following the storm damage and the Save Our Scout Group campaign.

It seems they are now in a position to start the re-building by demolishing the existing building and preparing the site for the new build.

Reynold Street

Looking down Reynold Street. The new apartments are behind us on the left.

The tall building on the left is the Conservative Club and the pub on the right-hand corner is the Last Orders Inn.

Karate Kids

These children are part of a group that were demonstating Freestyle Karate in the Clarendon Mall last Saturday.

They are certainly a lively, friendly, fit bunch of individuals. Their certified blackbelt instructor, Stuart Tomlinson of Evade Martial Arts also teaches kickboxing for adults.

Yew Tree Singers

The last Saturday before Christmas was busy as always. Carol singing in the Clarendon Shopping Centre was led this year by the Yew Tree Singers from Dukinfield.

Hyde Lads Club

This photograph by guest photographer Frank Bennett shows all that is left of Hyde Lads Club on Beeley Street. The club was demolished and Beeley Street lost to create a car park.

According to Thomas Middleton's History of Hyde (1932)

The Hyde's Lads' Club is one of the most novel social ventures of the day, and has excited interest throughout the country. It was founded by Mr. J.W.A. Danby, Chief Constable Of Hyde, and was opened on October 5th, 1928 in a room in the Town hall. As the membership rose to 316 in the first three weeks, the club was removed to the Wesleyan School on Water Street, where it continued to flourish. Then Mr. Danby acquired the Old Police Buildings and site in Beeley Street; the building was transformed; games rooms, library, reading-room and small lecture rooms were adapted from existing rooms; a large assembly room was made out of the old court room, and a billiards room was arranged beneath it. A large hall and gymnasium was erected on part of the site; and when completed the premises provided for every phase of work associated with such a club.

The new buildings were opened by H.R.H. Prince Henry, Duke Of Gloucester, K.G., on February 6th, 1930, and were inspected by the Home Secretary, the Right Honrable, J.R. Clynes, M.P. in 1931. The club has received the warm commendation of some of the leading social reformers of the day. The main purpose of the Club is the prevention of juvenile crime, and to rescue those who are criminally inclined by bringing them into contact with clean-living boys, and transferring their inclinations into a more healthy channel. The principal features of the Club are games, physical training and gymnastics, classes in First Aid, Library, Dramatic Society, and other educational agencies, and each Sunday evening a short service is held. The boys are in the hands of fully qualified instuctors, whose services are voluntary. The Chief Constable's hope was that the Club may be looked upon as a place where boys may spend their spare time away from the streets, and improve themselves physically, religiously, and morally.

The notice above the name-slab mentions nothing about the good Mr. Danby but reads

TO COMMEMORATE HIS HONOUR JUDGE THOMAS HUGHES AUTHOR OF "TOM BROWN'S SCHOOLDAYS" WHO USED THIS BUILDING AS COUNTY COURT JUDGE DURING THE YEARS 1882-1896

Path to Gower Hey Wood

When I posted the Village Green Well 2007, Elizabeth said

I was in the Brownies and Guides at 1st Gee Cross and the guider for several years at 2nd Gee Cross - we had a little hut on Silverhill Road, which I believe is still there - picture one day possibly Gerald?

Well first I had to find Silverhill Road but my A-Z yielded the answer. What I discovered there was a row of wooden garages. The end was a double and might have been big enough for use by the brownies but there was nothing to indicate that and I didn't feel like photographing them.

Just round the corner though, I found this delightful footpath that leads down to Gower Hey Wood.

Baron Road Well

I've already posted pictures of Booths Well and the Village Green Well this year.

Baron Road Well is the responsibility of 3rd Gee Cross Scouts, who in this centenary year of the scouting movement are locally fighting for funds to replace their storm-damaged hut.