Carrfield Mill

This old postcard shows the junction of Newton Street and Dukinfield Road circa 1920.

The tram in the foreground is one that was operated by SHMDJT - Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley and Dukinfield Joint Tramways from the 1900s until the 1930s.

Behind the old tram is the Ashton Brothers' mill complex: Carrfield Mill, Bayleyfield Mill and Balaclava Mill. The latter two mills mere demolished in 2008.

Carrfield Mill was founded by the Ashton Brothers, Samuel, Thomas, James and John. Erected in 1817, Carrfield Mill was intended as a combined spinning and weaving mill from the start and 200 powerlooms weavers were being employed there in 1819. The partnership known as Samuel Ashton & Brothers was dissolved in 1821 when Samuel left and the remaining three brothers traded as T.J. & J. Ashton. In September 1823 this partnership too was dissolved, John and James forming another partnership with Robert Ashton, a younger brother, at Newton Moor Mill and Greencroft Mill. This left Thomas Ashton in sole control of the Carrfield Mill site.

Originally known for manufacturing Zorbit terry nappies, it became the home of "Christy Towels". The brand was founded in 1851. Christy is the world's oldest towel manufacturer and is the UK's leading towel brand. Christy invented the first loom to mechanically weave what remains today the basis of the modern towel and is the exclusive supplier of the towels to the world famous Wimbledon Tennis Championship. The 1 billion USD Welspun Group acquired an 85% interest in Christy for a business valuation of GBP 15.6 m, in July 2006. In 2008 they closed the dyehouse and making-up departments at Hyde and transferred the machinery to a specially designed site at Welspun's Anjar facility in India.

Their UK HQ and sales office remained at Carrfield Mill until 2012 when they took over 12,000 sq ft of offices and showroom facilities at Orbit Developments' Park Square complex in Cheadle.

The last remaining mill was demolished in 2013 although the office building wasn't finally raised to the ground until 2015. The 7 acre industrial and office development site is now for sale.

See how Newton Street looks now on Hyde Xtra and take a peek at the demolished mill site on Hyde Daily Photo.

Comfort Corner, 1948

I recently heard from Bill Bevan who now lives in Nebraska USA, who wrote

I have a photo of my dad on his bike at the corner of Market street/ Manchester road / Newton street about 1948 showing Garbetts shop and an old number 19 double decker. It hung on my dad's living room wall from the eary 60s until his death in 1987 then on mine and we brought it with us when we moved to Nebraska. He always claimed the man on the bike was him on his way home from work at E Lowerys whose yard was under the arches at Hyde station. He was their lorry driver up to his retirement and I can just about remember him driving their steam shovel as well. I remember the old SHMD trams, the tramshed used to be roughly where Morrisons store is on Mottram Rd. Some of the trams had wooden slatted seats the backs of which reversed when the tram changed direction and were bloody uncomfortable if you were a kid in short trousers. They only ran as far as Godly Arches bacause they couldn't make the grade up to Mottram, there were also buses from there to Glossop which usualy needed the radiator refiiling at the horse trough just before what is now the eastern end of the M67.

See Hyde Daily Photo for a view from about the same spot now.

For Our World Tuesday.

Alfred Woolley in his Shop Doorway

Denys Meakin sent me this photograph of his wife's great grandfather, Alfred Woolley, sitting outside his grocery store at 284 Stockport Rd, Gee Cross, around 1900.


This second photograph is probably ten to twenty years later and shows the premises on the corner of Knott Lane. Denys' wife lived next door at 286 Stockport Road until their marriage in 1959.

With two-foot-thick walls, it dates back to around 1750 and was one of the earliest buildings in Gee Cross. At one time, it was apparently a pub, The Beeston Castle.

In the forties and fifties, the shop was Johnny Graham's barber shop.


This third photograph is © Denys Meakin and taken in 2003. Compare it with my own photograph from 2008.

Today the CDPB theme is Doorways: Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

Slack Mills

Looking down Stockport Road from Gee Cross into Hyde about 100 years ago.

Taken from near the crossroads with Osborne Road and Peel Street, the scene is dominated by Slack Mills. The site was taken over early in the 1900s by James North whose firm patented the PVC glove in 1947.

I recently posted a 1993 view of the factory from Werneth Low.

The mill was demolished in 1998 and the only monument is the restored James North Clock.

See how the view from the same vantage point looks today on Hyde Daily Photo.

Before there was a Woolworths

About a hundred years ago there was no Woolworths in Hyde Market Place. Instead there was Brownson's Clothiers.

I don't know when Woolworths moved in but now it seems they may well be on their way out.

Horse, Cart and Tram on Market Street

Another Edwardian picture of Market Street, this time featuring a horse, cart and tram.

West Side of Market Street

This picture of the West side of Market Street compliments the picture of the East side posted last week.

That is the same tram at the bottom of the street.

On this side is the Church Inn which in recent years has changed its name to Tylers. At present it is closed as are the Globe and Flannagans (previously Moulders).

Two Trams and a Bus

I'm guessing that this dates from the late 20s or early 30s.

Tramlines at Gee Cross

This picture probably dates from the 1920s.

The tramlines here go down Stockport Road towards Hyde. The road going straight on is Mottram Old Road.

All that is left now at the junction is the old signpost minus an arm and minus the lamp on top. The houses behind have gone leaving a grassy embankment.

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.

Cart & Tram

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