Now there are not that many pictures of Hardy Farm and that is a shame.
I included one of the most well known in the book on Chorlton but always cast around for more.*
During the writing of the book I became familiar with some of the farmers who lived there in the 19th century and collected stories from some who knew it from their child hood in the 1940’s and 50’s.
But the memories are fading and it will soon be a full half century since it was swept away for the ill fated UMIST sports scheme.
That said this picture brought back memories for my friend Marion Jackson who remembers Hardy Farm.
“In my childhood the shed where the cows were milked was to the right. In front was a yard and further back to the right the orchard where the pigs were.
The track went down in front and then through the hawthorn hedges to Jacksons Boat.
I so loved my Sunday visits here with my father in the 40s. This was on his route to work in Sale from Withington by bike. Everything that my beloved father found interesting he showed to me.
This was a special favourite; I guess it reminded him of home in Cork. I used to look at the posh houses in South Drive as we cycled....guess where I lived for a happy 30 years? What a lovely life I have had.”
And that is all I have to say other than a thank you to Marion for sharing her recollections .
Picture; Hardy Farm, 1966, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass
*The Story of Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Andrew Simpson, 2012, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/the-story-of-chorlton-cum-hardy.html
During the writing of the book I became familiar with some of the farmers who lived there in the 19th century and collected stories from some who knew it from their child hood in the 1940’s and 50’s.
But the memories are fading and it will soon be a full half century since it was swept away for the ill fated UMIST sports scheme.
That said this picture brought back memories for my friend Marion Jackson who remembers Hardy Farm.
“In my childhood the shed where the cows were milked was to the right. In front was a yard and further back to the right the orchard where the pigs were.
I so loved my Sunday visits here with my father in the 40s. This was on his route to work in Sale from Withington by bike. Everything that my beloved father found interesting he showed to me.
This was a special favourite; I guess it reminded him of home in Cork. I used to look at the posh houses in South Drive as we cycled....guess where I lived for a happy 30 years? What a lovely life I have had.”
And that is all I have to say other than a thank you to Marion for sharing her recollections .
Picture; Hardy Farm, 1966, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass
*The Story of Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Andrew Simpson, 2012, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/the-story-of-chorlton-cum-hardy.html
What I remember most of this area apart from its later use as a council rubbis tip was the very steep dip in the road which led down to the farm buildings at teend of Hardy Lane (still evident on the Metro Line today). I can vividly recall losing control of my elder brothers bike on a ride down it around 1969/1970 steering into a hedge to bring it to a halt
ReplyDeletei may have traced my family to this farm, be great to talk! i have an extensive ancestry tree and dna
ReplyDeleteYes if you send me your telephone no or email I can contact you, Because I have to approve all comments, I can pick up your details and delete the comment so no one will see it.
ReplyDeleteJust a mini snippet as I myself went to school in Chorlton and have lived on Hurstville for 47 years as did my husbands family on Reeves road from 1941. My father often talked about his boyhood in Chorlton and about how he helped on Hardy Farm and had a little job there to deliver the milk around the surrounding areas . That would be in about 1922. A very long time ago. Lovely to read all these updates so fascinating .
ReplyDeleteHello, I would love to know more about the workers on the farm if you have any information? I have been told my grandparents met while both working on the farm
ReplyDeleteWell, if you have names and dates there are various historic documents you can trawl. These include census material up to 1921, the 1939 Register and just possibly electoral rolls depending when they were there.
DeleteHello Andrew, thank you for your reply. Would workers on the farm show on the census records? Many thanks
DeleteJoanne.
Yes
DeleteThis was my families’ farm. James Moore’s cook was my grandfather and this was his father’s farm according to some of our histories.
ReplyDelete