Highfield …. another story by Tony Goulding

My last story was something of a marathon, this on the other hand should be more of a sprint.

“Highfield” 1935 A.H. Clarke 

“Highfield” refers to that row of shops, now mostly take-away food outlets which lies opposite the Post Office on Wilbraham Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy. 

I have been curious about this terrace for some time and have always planned on writing a story on it. 

It was this intriguing feature observed recently while waiting at the bus stop opposite that provided the catalyst.

My initial thought was that it was the remains of an old shop sign but looking along the row, there appeared evidence that each property had at one time had an identical feature. 

This is confirmed by A.H. Clarke’s 1935 photograph.

From the area’s rate books Highfield was built in 1883/4 by a local farmer, William Mee of Hobson Hall (1), and was originally a row of residential properties as evidenced by their entries in the 1901 census. However, Slater’s directory of 1910 indicates that they had been converted for commercial use.

This row of shops on Wilbraham Road on the other side of the junction with Barlow Moor Road were also originally residential properties built at the same time as Highfield as Chorlton-cum-Hardy expanded rapidly following the opening of its station in 1880.

Wilbraham Road 1959

Comparing the two rows I think that it is possible that Highfield originally had bay windows on the upper floor too and that these were removed when the conversion to shops was undertaken.  Such work could explain the intriguing feature  

It would be great if there was a photograph of “Highfield” from pre-1900.

Pictures; Wilbraham Road (1935) by A.H. Clarke and (8/3/1959) by A.E. Landers – m18231 and m18266 respectively, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information, and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass "Intriguing feature" from the collection of Tony Goulding.

Notes: -

1) Hobson Hall now serves as the pavilion for South-West Manchester Cricket Club, Ellesmere Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy.