Now what I like is the way a story sets things going.
So recently I ran a piece on those cottages at the top of Sandy Lane.
Much of the research was drawn from census returns, street directories and old maps.
But as ever some of their most recent history was missing because I didn’t move in to Chorlton till the mid 1970s and personal memories do count in tracking a building’s past.
And that leaves me to Andrew Holland who responded to the blog with a series of comments drawn from first had knowledge.
He wrote, “It sure is the corner of Sandy Lane and 2 Fairhaven Ave.
The cottages were knocked down around 1959/60. This is my mum and dad's house and where the cottages once stood is their back garden.
The then owners Mr and Mrs Foster (no relation to Ken foster who owns fosters cycles or the Fosters who owned the newsagents on the corner of Cleveley's Ave and Sandy Lane) acquired the land shortly after the cottages were demolished.
As you will also notice Fairhaven had chimney stacks these were lowered in 1970.
Also the front of the house is different to the rest on Fairhaven , apparently a tractor crashed onto the front of the house as legend has it, coming down Sandy lane from Bailey's farm.
This all happened before mum and dad bought it in 1979. We all lived in Torbay Road then.”
Adding, “I've got a photo of the front of mum's & dad's house before the alterations I'll dig it out a send you a copy.”
All of which is increases our knowledge of the most recent part of where we live, which because it is so recent is often never recorded.
And as a bonus Andrew also commented that
“I know some of the former occupants of Brownhill buildings before they were demolished.
The land lay empty for years and every years, and we had a bonfire there where all the neighbourhood would meet up.”
Now that will also be a wonderful find given that their name comes from Mr Brownhill the wheelwright who lived in Chorlton in the middle decades of the 19th century and also ran a beer shop.
Both he and the buildings have featured on the blog and in the book on Chorlton-cum-Hardy.
So lots more to come I hope, leaving me just to thank Andrew.
Location; Chorlton
Picture; Sandy Lane circa 1930s from the Lloyd Collection
Much of the research was drawn from census returns, street directories and old maps.
But as ever some of their most recent history was missing because I didn’t move in to Chorlton till the mid 1970s and personal memories do count in tracking a building’s past.
And that leaves me to Andrew Holland who responded to the blog with a series of comments drawn from first had knowledge.
He wrote, “It sure is the corner of Sandy Lane and 2 Fairhaven Ave.
The cottages were knocked down around 1959/60. This is my mum and dad's house and where the cottages once stood is their back garden.
As you will also notice Fairhaven had chimney stacks these were lowered in 1970.
Also the front of the house is different to the rest on Fairhaven , apparently a tractor crashed onto the front of the house as legend has it, coming down Sandy lane from Bailey's farm.
This all happened before mum and dad bought it in 1979. We all lived in Torbay Road then.”
Adding, “I've got a photo of the front of mum's & dad's house before the alterations I'll dig it out a send you a copy.”
And as a bonus Andrew also commented that
“I know some of the former occupants of Brownhill buildings before they were demolished.
The land lay empty for years and every years, and we had a bonfire there where all the neighbourhood would meet up.”
Now that will also be a wonderful find given that their name comes from Mr Brownhill the wheelwright who lived in Chorlton in the middle decades of the 19th century and also ran a beer shop.
Both he and the buildings have featured on the blog and in the book on Chorlton-cum-Hardy.
So lots more to come I hope, leaving me just to thank Andrew.
Location; Chorlton
Picture; Sandy Lane circa 1930s from the Lloyd Collection
We knew rhe foster family quite well. Not Ken Foster or the third families mentioned. We played with their two daughters, susan and tina ( perhaps christina) who lived at 2 fairhaven avenue. In fact we watched the Queen's Coronation in 1952 on a new tv they had just acquired, they had a small garden and mrs foster sometimes sent plums home to my mum.
ReplyDeleteThank you
ReplyDeleteGreat Grandfather John Brundrit (Brundret on the 1871 census) lived in Brownhill Buildings. 1881 census 16 Sandy Lane which I think was part of Brownhill Buildings, then moved to 27 Acres Road (1891 census) finally 5 Hardy Ave.
ReplyDelete