Lost and forgotten streets of Salford ............. nu 22 that bit of Greengate now a new development

Greengate, 2016

Now I just can’t get away from Greengate, which is not surprising given that it is locked into so many people’s memories.

And it is the start of that road that I am back with and in particular the buildings which existed on the corner and are now gone.

That said they were still there in 2008 but in the course of the intervening eight years were demolished, were briefly an open space in 2011 and last year became a building site.

Last time I was down on Greengate that developers dream had pretty much become a reality with one of those tall blocks rising straight into the air and competing in height with several others.

I never really knew the story of those previous buildings so I was pleased that Judith Wilson took the time to add this short account of the building.

Those buildings in 1980

“The building on the left had many lives, hotel, furniture store etc. 

Bearings Parts and next door Canterbury House was a charity who has the building compulsory purchased before it was sadly demolished. 

I worked in this quirky building for 10 years. My father also worked on Chapel Street for 40 years at D C Thomson, the printers that did Dandy, Beano etc. 

We lived in LH and got the bus home from work under the arches. I discovered much later that my ancestors lived in various streets off Chapel street, Collier Street, Yorkshire street, and Mount Pleasant sq 

So I share Andrew's obsession with the area too!!”

Nor was Judith alone in recalling that spot with others remembering waiting for buses directly opposite and others remembering delivering materials to the shops.

Maggie wrote  “I used to stand at that bus stop every night at 5.30 with my cousin Helen. We caught the number 3 bus to Seedley in Salford,” and Alf adding “I used to get the no3 from there at 5.45 to Langworthy Road every night.”

All of which means that this bit of Greengate is far from being forgotten even if it has been lost with the passage of time.

Location; Salford

Pictures; on Greengate, 2016 from the collection of Andrew Simpson and in 1980, m66776, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council  http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass