No matter how much you uncover about the story of Chorlton, there is always something new.
So, a while ago Kelsey Broome sent me a photograph of the old Royal Oak on Barlow Moor Road, which I had never seen before.
The pub dates from the early 19th century and was demolished sometime in the 1920s for the Royal Oak we know today.
This much I knew, but had never been able to pin down exactly when this happened.
I had always thought it must be in the late 1920s, and after a tour of the upstairs began to think it might have crossed over into the next decade.
But as so often happens a new bit of the jigsaw falls into place, which in this case was delivered by Bill Sumner, who provided me with this aerial picture of the new Royal Oak, with the magic date of 1927, which narrows down its construction.
More so because there had been efforts during the early 20th century to get permission to replace the old pub with a new one.
But Bill’s picture just threw up another mystery which is the large building to right of the pub, behind the bank.
It is a substantial building, which is absent from the OS map of 1907, and has disappeared by 1952.
At present the only clue might be a reference in 1911 to a Frank Johnson at 21a Barlow Moor Road, who was a furniture dealer.
But that is it, and I will have to wait till I can get into Central Ref and look through the directories for the period from 1911 through to 1952 which might just of up some answers.
That said someone might know.
We shall see.
Location; Chorlton
Pictures; Barlow Moor Road, 1927, Britain from the Air, EPWO, 17618, detail from the OS map of Manchester, 1907
 |
| 1927 |
The pub dates from the early 19th century and was demolished sometime in the 1920s for the Royal Oak we know today.
This much I knew, but had never been able to pin down exactly when this happened.
I had always thought it must be in the late 1920s, and after a tour of the upstairs began to think it might have crossed over into the next decade.
But as so often happens a new bit of the jigsaw falls into place, which in this case was delivered by Bill Sumner, who provided me with this aerial picture of the new Royal Oak, with the magic date of 1927, which narrows down its construction.
 |
| 1907 |
But Bill’s picture just threw up another mystery which is the large building to right of the pub, behind the bank.
It is a substantial building, which is absent from the OS map of 1907, and has disappeared by 1952.
At present the only clue might be a reference in 1911 to a Frank Johnson at 21a Barlow Moor Road, who was a furniture dealer.
But that is it, and I will have to wait till I can get into Central Ref and look through the directories for the period from 1911 through to 1952 which might just of up some answers.
That said someone might know.
We shall see.
Location; Chorlton
Pictures; Barlow Moor Road, 1927, Britain from the Air, EPWO, 17618, detail from the OS map of Manchester, 1907
Could the unexplained building be an abbotoir? I believe the pub was frequented by farm hands.
ReplyDeleteSlater's directory 1910 lists Frank Johnson Furniture Broker at the address of what is now Chorlton Bookshop.
ReplyDelete