When history offers few clues …….. numbers 50-58 Manchester Road …. the appeal

Now it’s one of those annoying things that when you try to track the story of modern buildings you can run into the sand very quickly.

50-58 Manchester Road, 2022

So, while a property built before 1900 can have heaps of documents from rate returns, listings in street directories and of course entries in the census records, new buildings fare less well.

First there is the confidential rule which prevents some documents from being released for 100 years, while other records have not necessarily yet gone online, and finally there can often be few pictures in the public domain.

Conversely there may be a wealth of anecdotal memories from people who worked, lived, or just passed the building on a regular basis.

And that leads to the appeal for any information on 50-58 Manchester Road which is that long low building facing Chorlton Library.  

No. 50-58 Manchester Road, 1958

It appears to date from the mid 1950s, and was erected on land which had not previously been developed.

I know that in 1962 Brush Electrical Engineering Co. Ltd* occupied no 50,while  Ashcrofts (Wall & Floor Tilers) were at 56 & 58.**

There is a suggestion from Tony that “parts of the DWP were based in there not too long ago, using it as a call centre”.

And for a chunk of this century it was home to a company which traded as Systems Plus, who were there from at least 2008, till recently.  A check shows various businesses registered with the name based around the world.

Added to this there is an intriguing series of pictures from the 1950s which link the building to the company Renold Chains, and show that a first floor was added sometime before 1958.

Renold Chains moves to Chorlton, 1956

But just to confuse matters in 1956 Renold Chain removed themselves from their office in South King Street to 102 Manchester Road which is now Unicorn and that they were still there in 1976.

All of which throws up a bit of a mystery about that building opposite the Library.

Now someone will remember the place being built or perhaps even worked there, and the hope is that they will come forward with their memories.

Well, we shall see.

Location; Manchester Road Chorlton

Pictures; 50-58 Manchester Road, 2022, from the collection of Andrew Simpson, and in 1958, A.H. Downes, m17984,courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass  and advert from the Manchester Guardian, January 30th, 1956 

* Brush Electrical Engineering Co. Ltd, Grace's Guide To British Industrial History, https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Brush_Electrical_Engineering_Co

**Additional research by Tony Petrie