That stables on Stockton Road, soon to be no more

The lock up on Stockton Road which was a garage has been sold.

Now I know this because Andy Robertson has sent me a series of pictures of the place and as you do I have been drawn into its history.

It is a building I have often wondered about but until now have not bothered to look up.

But I guess now that the sold sign has gone up its days are numbered and like other buildings Andy has recorded over the last few months this one will soon be gone.

It looks to have once been a stable, with the hay stored at the top and the horse and carriage below. It is just possible to make out on the south elevation what would have been the entrance in the first floor for loading the hay into the building, and inside there would have once been a hatch to drop the hay down to ground level.

To the left the old entrance to the coaching area is still visible as is the half bricked up door giving access to the stables.

For as long as I can remember the building has been a motor repairs business, but despite being curious I never knocked on to get a look inside.

And that is another timely reminder that when in doubt investigate.

Now I didn’t so all I am left to do now is to search for its past.

I can’t be sure when it was built but it was there by 1894 and could already been there by the 1840s.

In 1841 it may have been the stables for what I think was the home of a Mary Dunster which stood directly behind it.

But the house has long gone, and to the north of our stables by 1891 were numbers 59 and 57 High Lane.

These were private residences until the beginning of the 20th century when they became a private school with number 59 being converted by 1903 and incorporating its neighbour soon after.

All of which is a tad intriguing because the owner of the school was Miss Annie Booth who lived with her family on Manchester Road.

Her father was Aaron Booth who took some of the early photographs of that end of Chorlton in 1882.  They lived in Sedge Lynn which was demolished for the cinema in 1919.

Now Annie Booth described herself as a school teacher in 1891 and her father was well off enough to help fund the "school for girls" on High Lane and a decade later and she is down on the 1901 census as an employer.

But Mr Booth had died in 1912 Miss Booth was no longer the owner of the school which was now owned by Charles Dadly MA and specialised in training for "Law, Medical Accounts prelims, University, Civil Services Exams" and more.

All of which is a powerful reminder of the large number of private schools in Chorlton.

As for Annie I rather think she continued to live in Chorlton long enough to donate her father’s photographs to John Lloyd the local historian.

All of which is a long way I know from Andy’s picture.

Pictures; Stockton Road March 2014 from the collection of Andy Robertson, detail of High Lane from the OS map of 1841, courtesy of Digital Archives Association, http://www.digitalarchives.co.uk/ and extract from Slater's Manchester, Salford and Suburban Directory 1903