The alley is the one on Wilbraham Road, beside Adastral House and just opposite Buckingham Road and today it is home to Stitched Up which I think have been there since 2015, and before that it was occupied by Annatiques and Anna’s Gift Boutique and Kidzone Clothing.
Andy Robertson came across it earlier last week, commenting, “not noticed this before, between Adastral House and Kingbee Records Block on Wilbraham Road”, and much earlier Peter had painted the earlier business.
All of which got me thinking about the history of the building, and of other buildings which over the years have had many different uses.
Many here in Chorlton began as coach houses accommodating a space for the carriage, and a horse, with a loft above for storing the hay.
I still vividly remember the one at the bottom of Nana’s long garden, outside Derby in the 1950s.
On long hot summer days, the place fascinated me. It had long ago lost its carriage, horse and hay, but the smell of dried grass lingered on, mixed with that of crumbling plaster and old wood, which was set off by the lazy buzz of insects.
Most of those in Chorlton appear to have morphed into workshop for the repair of cars, while a few have been converted for residential use.
As for this one, I can track it back to 1933, when it shows up as a line of buildings running east, following the railway track.
Just when they were built and what they were used for is still to be discovered.
But some one will know, and the presence reminds me that history is messy, and you can still be surprised at what you come across, and sometimes mystified by what the story behind them is.
Location; Wilbraham Road
Picture; down an alley off Wilbraham Road, 2019, from the collection of Andy Robertson
Painting; Annatiques Chorlton. Painting © 2013 Peter Topping, Paintings from Pictures
All of which got me thinking about the history of the building, and of other buildings which over the years have had many different uses.
Many here in Chorlton began as coach houses accommodating a space for the carriage, and a horse, with a loft above for storing the hay.
I still vividly remember the one at the bottom of Nana’s long garden, outside Derby in the 1950s.
On long hot summer days, the place fascinated me. It had long ago lost its carriage, horse and hay, but the smell of dried grass lingered on, mixed with that of crumbling plaster and old wood, which was set off by the lazy buzz of insects.
As for this one, I can track it back to 1933, when it shows up as a line of buildings running east, following the railway track.
Just when they were built and what they were used for is still to be discovered.
But some one will know, and the presence reminds me that history is messy, and you can still be surprised at what you come across, and sometimes mystified by what the story behind them is.
Location; Wilbraham Road
Picture; down an alley off Wilbraham Road, 2019, from the collection of Andy Robertson
Painting; Annatiques Chorlton. Painting © 2013 Peter Topping, Paintings from Pictures
From 1977 to 1987 this building (and the yard & garages to the left of the photo) was used by Hirequirements. HR was a furniture & exhibition hire company. I worked out of this building from 1984 to 1987, when the company relocated to Trafford Park
ReplyDeleteThanks for this .... another bit of our history revealed.
ReplyDelete