So when did our Police Station close and does that help date my picture of a Corporation bus?

The Police Station 1959

Now there are no prizes for knowing where this is although in the way of these things it may not be with us for much longer.

It’s the police station on Barlow Moor Road and since it closed it has been up for auction,* had a for sale sign and given the demand for prime sites  will be
snapped up.

And of course that got me thinking about how we had a police station at the top of Beech Road and another further down.

It’s one of those little bits of detective work that you visit and revisit but never quite find the answer, but I have been spurred on my ex neighbour John who was curious to know when the old one at 99 Beech Road closed.

The former Police Station, 1958

I remember it as council offices back in the 1970's and early 80’s long before it became the Lead Station.

It was opened in 1885 by the Lancashire Constabulary, and was part of D Division of the City of Manchester Police in 1938 and during the last war it was also used by the ARP.

But by November 1958 when Mr Stanley took its picture the building seems to have become entirely residential which would fit with the story of the now closed station up by the bus terminus .

It may even be that it had opened before that date and so I am off looking for the date of the closure of one and the opening of the other.

And for those interested in these things that will involve trawling the street directories asking people and visiting the archives.

At the bust terminus, circa 1961?

In the meantime it may have also set me the task of correcting an earlier story which proved popular.**

A couple of days ago I posted a fine picture of the bus terminus in the summer of 1961.

Now I can’t remember why I thought it was 1961 but comparing it with our police station I am beginning to wonder if I got it right.

Those buses obscure the corner of Beech Road which makes it difficult to be sure and at the time I wondered if the police station was there.

And a few people confirmed it was.

"Lock & chain," 1959

All of which just leaves me to look more closely at the poster beside the police station advertising the Manchester City Police as a worthwhile career, along with a boxing event and that warning to cyclists to “Lock and chain.”

So somethings don’t change then.

Pictures, Chorlton Police Station, 1959, m17522, 99 Beech Road, 1958, m17665, R E Stanley, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass
 and the bus station circa 1961 from the collection of Sally Dervan

*Lot 039 Former Chorlton Police Station, rightmove, http://www.rightmove.co.uk/commercial-property-for-sale/property-32001118.html

**Catching the 81X from Barlow Moor Road in the summer of 1961, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/catching-81x-from-barlow-moor-road-in.html