This is the road leading from Broad Oak Farm to Wilmslow Road in 1910 and you don’t need much imagination to be back there in the yard with Mr Jackson who took the picture.
There are the chickens wandering free in front of the gate with the edge of the farmhouse to our right.
And just a little over a century and a bit later Andy Robertson was there with his camera.
Now what makes this series of then and now images more interesting is that there is a direct family link.
Andy writes
“my wife's ancestors the Rudd family farmed Broad Oak Farm for 300 years or more. Thomas Rudd is cited as occupant of Broad Oke in 1570 and in 1861 the family were still there.
My wife's direct ancestry with Rudd ends with the marriage of Hannah Rudd to James Higginbotham in 1834, James being the first cousin of Chorlton farmer of the same name.
It seems a public footpath ran through the farm from Millgate Lane to Didsbury Corn Mill.”
Now that is how I like my history, a mix of the past and present with a dash of the personal.
And there is that other connection, because there were Higginbotham's farming in Chorlton from the 1840s throught till the 1960s.
Their land was spread out across the township and the farmhouse still stands in front of the green
Pictures; Broad Oak Farm to Wilmslow Road, 1910, J. Jackson, m21268, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass
and the viaduct and the scene from Broadoak School and the houses on the right are roughly where the farmhouse was.in 2014 from the collection of Andy Robertson
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| Road from Broad Oak Farm, 1910 |
And just a little over a century and a bit later Andy Robertson was there with his camera.
Now what makes this series of then and now images more interesting is that there is a direct family link.
Andy writes
“my wife's ancestors the Rudd family farmed Broad Oak Farm for 300 years or more. Thomas Rudd is cited as occupant of Broad Oke in 1570 and in 1861 the family were still there.
 |
| The viaduct, 2014 |
It seems a public footpath ran through the farm from Millgate Lane to Didsbury Corn Mill.”
Now that is how I like my history, a mix of the past and present with a dash of the personal.
And there is that other connection, because there were Higginbotham's farming in Chorlton from the 1840s throught till the 1960s.
Their land was spread out across the township and the farmhouse still stands in front of the green
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| The farmyard, 2014 |
My family, the Woodbridges, farmed both broad Oak Farm and Millgate Farm until the early 1960s. I have some memorabilia and a very good memory if required.
ReplyDeleteHello Barry
ReplyDeleteAre you related to Jim and berth wood ridge of gatly.
Mike,
DeleteAre you related to Mrs Foulkes, widow, who owned an orchard on Broad Oak lane on the other side of Kingsway about 300 yrds from the Galleon outdoor swimming baths. We think that Mrs Foulkes was in sime way connected to Billy Foulkes who played for Man Utd. David
Mike,
DeleteAre you related to Mrs Foulkes, widow, who owned an orchard on Broad Oak lane on the other side of Kingsway about 300 yrds from the Galleon outdoor swimming baths. We think that Mrs Foulkes was in sime way connected to Billy Foulkes who played for Man Utd. David
Seemed to remember Dad was very friendly with Mr Woodbridge who lived adjacent to allotments on broad oak lane.Arnold Hudson.My family also helped a Mrs Foulkes who was a relative of Billy Foulkes at Manchester United, pick and store her apples in her orchard on the other side of what is now Kingsway extention
ReplyDeleteDad knew Mr Woodbridge who lived on Broad Oak Lane adjacent to dads allotment...now built on!!
ReplyDeleteAlso our family used to help Mrs Foulkes a widow who owned an orchard over the other side of kingsway Extention pick and store her apples for manyyears. She was a relative of Billy Foulkes who played football for Man Utd.
I am interested in your research on Broad Oak. I am currently looking for some Rudds that are still alive. Do you happen to know any? My family's surname in England was Rudd and the family may have dwelt at Didsbury.
ReplyDeleteFascinating! Do you happen to know of anyone with the surname of Rudd that is connected to Broad Oak? I would be interested in meeting with some of the descendants. My mother's family in England was surnmaed Rudd and may have come from Didsbury.
ReplyDeleteSadly no
Delete