The continuing story of the house Joe and Mary Ann Scott lived in for over 50 years and the families that have lived here since. *
It is not the first time I have visited the story, but I have been drawn back by the relentless rise of an extension to a neighbour’s house, which isn’t very intrusive but will obscure views of the side of Ivy Court.
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| The view south, 2020 |
More intrusive is the “brick slab” directly behind us which replaced Joe Scott’s old office and workshop.
It had been a low rise building, which after the sale of the Scott’s house was variously used as a TV repair place and by Fairbarts the builder’s.
To be fair it only advanced the building line of the houses on Beaumont Road a littler closer to our back garden, but it is enough.
Which brings me back to the view from 1915.
Looking out from their back bedroom they would have had an uninterrupted view down to the brook and on to the Mersey.
But it was already diminished by the terraced houses to their right which ran along Provis Road, and to their left by those on Reeves Road, and in the distance the eastern part of Chorltonville.
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| The view south from Beech Road, 1907 |
Sadly, I have no pictures of that view, but one day something will turn up.
From the front much of what we see would have been familiar to them.
The Rec had been a public space for about twenty years, and the properties along Cross Road were all 40 or more years old.
But on a summer’s day, beyond the Rec Joe and Mary Ann would have been able to see bowls being played on what is now the car park of the former Irish Club, while to their right behind a line of hedges there was still the Bowling Green farm house.
And they may have bought their milk from Ivy Farm which was just passed our house, and speculated what films would be on at the the Palais De Luxe on Barlow Moor Road.
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| The Rec, 1910 |
It was our first purpose built cinema and would have beaten the socks off the former Chorlton Pavilion and Winter Gardens on Wilbraham Road or the Longford Picturedrome, both of which had been converted from a variety hall and skating rink.
Now to be accurate Mr. and Mrs. Scott would not have been able to see the Palais De Luxe, but it was there, and had opened in 1914 in what had been the extensive garden of the house owned by the Holt family since the 1830s.
That garden extended along Barlow Moor Road, from the corner of Beech Road, as far as High Lane, and then down High Lane almost to Cross Road.
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| Looking up Beech Road, circa 1900 |
But by the time the Scott's moved in the Holt family home had been demolished and a section of the eastern side of garden had been bought by the Corporation for its new tram terminus while the rest was destined to become shops.
All of which is just a bit beyond the view from Joe and Mary Ann’s upstairs windows, so I shall leave it there.
And, close with that musical hall song by Gus Elen, "If it wasn't for the 'ouses in between", which might have struck a chord with Joe and Mary Ann.***
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| "If it wasn't for the 'ouses in between" |
Location; Chorlton
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| Looking out from Beech Road, 2018 |
Pictures; Looking out on the brick slab, 2020, and view from the front, 2018, Looking south feom Beech Road, 1907, from the OS map of Manchester & Salford, 1907, The Rec, circa 1910, and Beech Road, circa 1900, from the Lloyd Collectionfrom the collection of Andrew Simpson, and poster, circa 1890-1910, PlayPeople UK (V&A theatre museum)
*The story of a house, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/The%20story%20of%20a%20house
**Chorltonton-cum-Hardy, History of the Suburbs of Manchester, Manchester Evening News, September 20th, 1901
***Gus Elen and his music hall song, "If it wasn't for the 'ouses in between"
Oh it really is a wery pretty garden
And Chingford to the eastward could be seen;
Wiv a ladder and some glasses,
You could see to 'Ackney Marshes,
If it wasn't for the 'ouses in between.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XchS7hdddU
with turnip tops and cabbages what people doesn't buy ... course I had to listen to it Andrew. lol
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