Clock Tower on Stockport Road

Janet Howie sent me this old photograph of houses and a clock tower on Stockport Road, Gee Cross.

I'm informed that these once stood on the site now occupied by the Smith Knight Fay car dealership at the top of Apethorn Road.

You can see the current day photo on Hyde Daily Photo.

The Tomb of Thomas Beeley

I was recently sent this old photograph of the Beeley Tomb by Shane Sawyer who now lives in Australia.

I wasn't sure where it was but the building on the left in the background looked very much like Hyde Hospital so I surmised it was located in Hyde Cemetery. Houses have been built on Grange Road South in the meantime so the view across to the old hospital would be blocked now.

I found the tomb in Hyde Cemetery. It sits alone from the rest of the graves just North of the chapel.

The railings are now covered in vegetation precluding any view beyond.


On this old photograph only the following part of the inscription is visible

In loving memory of Thomas Beeley of Polebank Hall, Hyde who died June 5th 1908 in the 75th year of his age. Also of Elizabeth ...

Now the inscription on the Southern side is so worn as to be barely readable. However the Northern side is still visible and reads

In loving memory of Elsbeth Jessie, daughter of T.C & L.A. Beeley of Bowlacre, Gee Cross. Born March 31st 1901, Died August 16th 1901. Also of the above named Thomas Carter Beeley born October 10th 1869, died June 9th 1909.

Alongside the tomb now is a smaller gravestone in loving memory of Jane Slater of Brookfield, Woodend Lane, Hyde who died April 4th 1926 in her 57th year.

Other short-lived daughters of Thomas Beeley are buried at St. George's.

For the contemporary photographs visit Hyde Daily Photo and Hyde DP Xtra.

Inside Hallbottom Gate Inn 1990

Last week I brought you some photographs taken by Alan Young of the Dukinfield Arms 1990.

A guitarist with the classic rock band, Par Avion from Charleston, WV, he came over in June 1990, together with Tim Thompson (manager & bass guitarist), Brian Young (drummer), Tena Hall (vocalist and now his wife) and Dennis Loudermilk (sound technician). They stayed with Harry Anderson the landlord of the Dukinfield Arms, and performed gigs there, at the Hallbottom Gate Inn in Newton and somewhere called Richmond's (?).


These photographs are from their gigs at the Hallbottom Gate Inn. It looks as though their music was extremely well recieved.


I wonder what has happened to the juke-box pictured here and that fireplace. One thing that you won't see inside a pub these days are those huge heavy ash-trays since smoking in pubs was banned a few years ago.

I was intending to get up and photograph the pub as it is now before posting these photographs but I understand it has recently closed and is due to be demolished. For information and other photos of the outside of the inn see Tom and Nancy's new blog Hyde Cheshire

Some of Tom Wigley's photographs of the Hallbottom Gate Inn can be found on Hyde DP Xtra.

Church Brow Gardens (repost)

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

There were still allotments there in 2007 alongside Woodend Street, but the valley is now much more thickly wooded and below Gower Road is an estate of new houses.

When this was first posted, Tom Wigley wrote in the comments

where this picture was taken from, later had allotments on them as well. My father had his allotment here. There was a farm here called Fawleys Farm. I spent many a day in my childhood feeding chickens and rabbits that dad kept there. He was also into Pigeon Racing and was Secretary and Treasurer of Hyde Homing Society and Gee Cross Homing Society. When these allotments were pulled down and the land used for housing he moved over to Church Brew, it was the biggest Pigeon Loft on there, and I think it still stands. It is on the bank of St Georges Church. He shared that with George Higgingbotton and Stefen Zeaman.

The 2010 view of this area can be seen on Hyde Daily Photo.

Dukinfield Arms 1990

These pictures of the Dukinfield Arms were sent to me by Alan Young.

A guitarist with the classic rock band, Par Avion from Charleston, WV, he came over in June 1990, together with Tim Thompson (manager & bass guitarist), Brian Young (drummer), Tena Hall (vocalist and now his wife) and Dennis Loudermilk (sound technician). They stayed with Harry Anderson the landlord of the Dukinfield Arms, and performed gigs there, at the Hallbottom Gate Inn in Newton and somewhere called Richmond's (?).


Shortly after they left, Harry moved out having sold the pub. It is now a convenience store as you can seen on Hyde Daily Photo.

VE Day 8th May 1945

seftonwallet has posted another film by George Wain on YouTube.

This one is of VE Day 8th May 1945, filmed in his back garden on Dowson Road, Hyde.

George was his art master at Hyde Grammar School.

Note the Union Flag on the egg, at the end of the film.

Gee X Mill 1984

A photograph of the Peak Forest Canal taken by Janet Howie, Easter 1984.

Gee X Mill in the background has since been demolished and replaced by a modern residence with lawns down to the canal.

See how it looks now on sithenah.

For weekend reflections around the world visit Newton Area Photo.