Back on Upper Chorlton Road and the mystery of Whalley House

Now sometimes you get locked into a quest which you know is trivial and so it is with today’s story, because I am still on Upper Chorlton Road pondering on the mystery of Whalley House.

Back in the middle decades of the 19th century this was the home of Samuel Brooks who was a banker, property developer and like many of his class a philanthropist.

In 1832 he had subscribed to a fund to alleviate the hardships caused by the Cholera epidemic, and eight years later contributed £1,500 towards the building of the Lancashire Independent College in Whalley Range.

His donation which was the second largest  contribution amounted to almost 15% of the cost of the building.  Now the cynics might point to the fact that Samuel sold the land upon which the college was built for £3,650 and thus made a gain, but I think that would be a little unfair.

It also takes us away from the quest.  Yesterday’s story featured the photograph which is identified as Whalley House, but the maps and census returns would place it further north along Upper Chorlton Road.

And just perhaps this second picture helps with that idea.  We are again on Upper Chorlton Road just past the TA Centre and there is the familiar gate house.  The parade of shops is still there today but the gatehouse has gone.

But looking at the two photographs this is clearly the same gate house.  The date of this second picture is unknown but I judge it to be sometime in the 1930s, which was after Whalley House had been demolished.

Now of course the gate house may have been knocked down later but I am as I expect are you a little confused.  So I would welcome help.

But before I close I want to look more closely at this second photograph. Something like 80 years separate it from today but little has really changed.  The garage is still there, and so are the shops, although many have followed the trend of Chorlton and have become bars and restaurants.  Take away the tram, tram lines and the old fashioned cars and all that really dates it are the uniform curtains and blinds at the upstairs windows, some of which have been drawn against the strong winter sunshine.

Pictures; from the Lloyd collection