The shop that had almost everything ………… Lord’s Wholesale Retail Stretford Road …… 1963

It took a little while to locate just exactly where we are on Stretford Road back in 1963, but I now know the shop on the corner is at the junction with Upper Medlock Street.

And if you were to head down Upper Medlock Street you would cross, Dale Street where the car is parked by the road sign and then Bonsall Street.

Back then it was part of a tight network of streets and terraced housing, all of which was swept away in the wholesale regeneration of the area in the 1960s and again more recently.

So much so that I suspect a time traveller from 1963 would be totally confused and at a loss to find that street corner.

Happily, Stretford Road and Bonsall Street survived and offer up a means of anchoring where the pictures were taken.

So,  with that sorted the rest of the story will be about that shop and the advertising hoarding.

Lord’s Wholesale and Retail shop was one of those places that pretty much offered everything in the way of clothing, from Donkey Jackets, moleskin trousers , to rubber boots and riding breeches, reminding me of that sign “If we ain’t got it, you can’t get it”.

I do have to wonder what demand there would be for riding breeches in Hulme, although given this was still the age of the sailing ship there might well be people wanting a cabin trunk.

That said there was a full range of things anyone might want to kit themselves out for work.

And having done work for the day, the advertising hoarding on the corner of Dale Street, gives flavour of what was showing at the cinema.  Judging by what the Crescent and the Grosvenor were showing that week, my choice would have been Samson and Delilah with Victor Mature and Hedy Lamar.

But the Grosvenor only held just over 900 seats, while the Crescent had a thousand, added to which Cossack Street was closer than All Saints.*

That said in 1963 I was just 14, and I rather think Night of the Blood Beast, showing on Tuesday, Peeping Tom and Demons of the Swamp, which followed on Wednesday and Thursday would have won over on Victor Mature, but all three, along with The Bad One and Teenage Frankenstein would have been X rated, to which I would have been barred.

But  I would have drawn the line at Subway in the Sky,  which was showing on Saturday.

The film centered on an American soldier in West Berlin who goes on the run after being falsely accused of trafficking drugs. He hides in his wife’s flat where he meets a cabaret singer who helps him prove his innocence.

And after a melodrama like that, there could only be a recourse to some fried bread, and Ovaltine, given that at 14 the joys of Wilson Ales were some years in the future.

At which point I should draw to a conclusion were it not for that beer advert, which has got me a tad confused.

As a south east Londoner, newly arrived in the city in 1969, I picked up the divide between north and south which came not by way of my accent or the dominance of the Home Counties in so many things but simply the shape of the beer glass.

My friends pointed out that those dimpled pint pots were a southern affectation and they would always demand a straight glass.

Such was the chasm between me and them.

Leaving me just to record that the church at the end of row of shops was the Catholic Apostolic Church.

Location’ Stretford Road

Pictures; Stretford Road, 1963, Courtesy of Manchester Archives+ Town Hall Photographers' Collection,  https://www.flickr.com/photos/manchesterarchiveplus/albums/72157684413651581?fbclid=IwAR35NR9v6lzJfkiSsHgHdQyL2CCuQUHuCuVr8xnd403q534MNgY5g1nAZfY

*Kinematograph Yearbook 1947

When Tom Mix, Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford visited Chorlton ….. our own palace of varieties ….… part two

Now the ambitious plans for Chorlton’s own music hall began well.

The theatre, circa 1910

The Chorlton Pavilion was opened sometime around 1906, continued with the addition of a ‘Winter Garden’ four years later, and underwent further alterations in 1912.

From the out set, it appeared to draw in the locals, with the Stage reporting that “For the opening week Miss Florence Baine’s company with Miss. Lancashire, Limited, have been secured and on a Monday a house packed in all parts gave a demonstrative welcome to the popular farce, Miss Madge Grey as the blunt Lancashire lass, Miss Ellen Thompson, kept the house in roars of laughter, and was a great favorite.  Miss Maria Lorenzi made an effective Eva Lancashire”. *

Theatre and Winter Gardens, circa 1910

But despite all that promise something didn’t quite go right, and in July 1914, the Manchester Guardian carried the notice that the building was up for sale, including “the WOODEN ERECTION, with corrugated roof, forming the theatre; Pay Huts, about 200 Upholstered Tip-up Seats, 28 Forms with backs; Scenery, Limelight’s, Fire Extinguisher Apparatus , the whole of the Electric Light Fittings, Carpets, Curtains, Mats Rugs and other Effects.”*

It seems that by then the Pavilion had already moved away from a palace of varieties and entered the new shiny world of films.

This I know because in 1913 it was listed as the “Chorlton Pavilion Theatre, Wilbraham Road, seating 800, and owned by Chorlton Pavilion Theatre Co Ltd”. ***

Still from the Battle of Waterloo, 1913

It might of course also continue as a live theatre, and the Chorlton Pavilion Theatre Co Ltd, may have been a subsidiary of Chorlton Entertainments Ltd who had opened the building in 1910.

Or they may have been separate companies.  At present I haven’t been able to locate a history of either.

What I do know is that our own Chorlton Operatic Society used the building for performances of their production Dorothy in the April of 1914.

Still from the film, Sixty Years a Queen, 1913

Sadly, two years later the building was up for sale again during the summer of 1916 and despite several attempts the sale was withdrawn in the September of that year.

The rest as they say is unclear.  At some stage it was part of the cinema chain owned by H.D. Morehouse, but I don’t know when that was.

It maybe that the alterations in 1912 were to adapt it to cinema use.

All of which means that there will have to be many hours spent in Central Ref looking through the entertainment’s pages of the local newspapers for references to the cinema.

I thought it had closed in the 1930s but according Edward Hollingworth, it had gone by 1924 to make way for the garage and petrol station owned by Edward’s father who had lost a leg aged just 20 in the Great War.

Along with the petrol station there were a set of lock up garages running along the railway fronting Buckingham Road and both the lockups and the petrol station had been built by Edward’s grandfather.

Still from the film Tess of the D'Ubervilles, 1913

The business was sold in 1951 but the original 1920s building was still there eleven years later and looking at that 1962 picture it is possible to pick out evidence of the old theatre which judging from more recent photographs was a very substantial building.

And that I thought was that, but as you do, just as I was finishing the research, I came across one last little story, concerning the Boys’ Highland Company who appeared at the Pavilion I the November of 1907.

The troupe consisted of 16-18 boys, who despite their name all came from the Nottingham area and during their period of engagement in Chorlton had stayed in B&Bs in the township.  Five had resided with a Mrs. Shaw in Cheltenham Road who reported the children for being “infested with vermin”.

 At the subsequent court case brought by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, the troupe’s manager was found guilty of neglect and was fined £5 and costs. ****

Leaving me to ponder on what to say next.

Location; Chorlton

Pictures; The Chorlton Pavilion and Winter Gardens, circa 1910, from the Lloyd Collection, remaining pictures from films showing in 1913, from The Kinematograph Year Book, Program Diary and Directory for 1914

*The Stage, March 31, 1910

**Chorlton Entertainments Ltd, Manchester Guardian, July 14, 1910

***The Kinematograph Year Book, Program Diary and Directory for 1914

****A Boys’ Band Singular Charge of Child Neglect, Manchester Guardian, November 13, 1907

A bit of the “other side” of London life in 1851 ................. stories from Henry Mayhew

"Of the thousand millions of human beings that are said to constitute  the population of the entire globe, there are – socially, morally, and perhaps even physically considered – two distinct and broadly marked races  viz., the wanders and the settlers-the vagabonds and the citizen – the nomadic and the civilized tribes.”*

Detail of a Costermonger

And with that Henry Mayhew plunges you in to the London of 1851.

The original accounts appeared first as articles in the London daily press, were then published under the title London Labour & the London Poor in 1851.

And just over a century later my edition of Mayhew’s London was issued, bought by mum and long ago passed to me.

Here are descriptions of what he called the “Street Folk” ranging from the “life of a Coster-lad," "the Dredgers or “River Finders” and the “Bird Catchers.”

Along the way there are detailed descriptions of the area like the London Street Markets, the language of the Coster mongers and much else.

So armed with Mr Mayhew’s guide I would happily have been able to know that “Flatch” was a halfpenny “Cool the esclop” meant “Look at the police” and if I was told the beer house was “Kenneteeno” it would have been stinking while the chap in the corner who was “Flach Kanurd” would have been drunk.

The Kitchen Fox Court Gray's Inn-Lane

What makes the book just that bit more fascinating is that it came out in the year 1851 which means that it is possible to crawl over the detailed census records matching his descriptions with the streets, courts and “dark places” that made up this bit of London.

If I am honest I have neglected Mr Mayhew over the years, spending my time on the equally unforgiving streets of Little Ireland, Deansgate and Angel Meadow in Manchester.

But with long summer days ahead, I rather think I shall leave the computer and sit in the garden with this slice of mid 19th century life form the city where I was born.

That said my edition according to the editors “has been designed for the convenience of the general reading public [and much] interesting material including all the longer passages has been sacrificed.”  
And that has meant the “contents of the entire fourth volume on prostitutes, thieves, swindlers and beggars have been omitted in entirety.”

Ah well you can’t have everything. Although just last week that has been sorted as our Saul has got me the full edition.

Location, London 1851

Pictures; the Kitchen Fox Court Gray’s-Inn- Lane and the London Costermonger, from London Labour & the London Poor 1851

*Henry Mayhew, Introduction, London Labour & the London Poor 1851,

Rational Rationing down at the gas showrooms with Miss Arscott of Whalley Range in 1940

Now this is one of those little bits of history which deserves to be brought out and explored.

It is another advert from my friend Sally who unearthed it from a back edition of the Manchester Evening News and dates from January 1940.

At first glance it is just a trailer for a cooking demonstration, but there is much more.

We are of course at the beginning of the Second World War and the country is once again coming to terms with food rationing, hence the very practical title of “RATIONAL RATIONING.”

The speaker was Dr. C. Arscott who was headmistress of Whalley Range School.

She had overseen its opening in 1939 and would be still be in post decades later.*

And Dr. Arscott was assisted by a team of cookery demonstrators who will have been familiar with the gas showrooms and similar events from before the war.

Manchester Corporation as part of the campaign to promote both the use of gas and electricity had hosted regular demonstrations during the 1930s.

So there you have it.

Picture; from the Manchester Evening News, January 1940, courtesy of Sally Dervan

*I am, yours sincerely, Miss Christine Arscott.... a story from Sally Dervan, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/i-am-yours-sincerely-miss-christine.html

This really is the last of Sidcup in 1961

Well just when I thought I wouldn’t post another Sidcup picture, here is the last in the series from Tuck and Sons.

They were marketing a collection of images of the High Street in 1961 and this one of the parish church was too good not to include.

Location; Sidcup, London


Picture; Parish Church, Sidcup, from the set Sidcup by Tuck and Sons, courtesy of Tuck DB, https://www.tuckdb.org/,

Looking at the familiar ………… Barlow Moor Road

Now I like the way that what looks a familiar picture of a place quickly offers up a host of period detail.

So here we are, almost at the junction of Barlow Moor Road, and Mauldeth Road West with just a hint of Hardy Lane.

It comes from the collection of Andrew Holland and will date from the 1960s, although the more observant may be able to find clues to push that date back into the 50s.

Until recently this spot didn’t look that different.  To the right is the school and beyond it is the park and the tall elegant streetlamps resemble the present one.

But look more closely and there is much that places this I the past.

Today in front of the school is the modern admin block, and even more recently has come the metro stop and the tram lines.

All of which is obvious, but because I remember them well, there on both sides of the road are the Belisha Beacons, introduced in the 1930s, and way off in the distance is the cinema.

Someone I am sure will remember the telephone kiosk on the left of the picture and may even remember when it was taken away.

Location; Chorlton;

Picture; Barlow Moor Road, circa 1960s, from the collection of Andrew Holland

Just what Sir Nicholas would have seen in 1596 ………

Now, since September I have been reflecting on what has been going on down at Hough End Hall that much knocked about Elizabethan home of the Mosley family for nearly 200 years and a succession of Withington farmers till 1940.*

During the 1920s it was in danger of being demolished for a new superhighway, and after failed attempts to turn into a cultural centre it was acquired by a series of property developers who created the two big glass and concrete slabs which pretty much hid the place.

And now one of those abominations of desolation has gone, cleared away to be replaced by a low-rise supermarket.

All of which I have written about over the last couple of months as I charted the demise of the unloved office block.

And today Peter Topping was back and recorded the site minus the said abomination of desolation, allowing us to get a glance of the hall as it might have looked to Sir Nicholas Mosley in 1596, and to generations of people from Chorlton and Withington until the 1960s.

At which point I won’t rehearse the supermarket story, but just leave it at that, leaving you to visit all the past stories by following the link.

Although Picky Edna of Peverel Crescent is bound to make the observation that I am being a tad economical with history, as Sir Nicholas would not have owned a car or van or ever agreed to a school being sited behind his magnificent hall. 

Location; Mauldeth Road West

Pictures; looking at Hough End Hall, 2023, from the collection of Peter Topping

*Hough End Hall, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Hough%20End%20Hall

In Albert Square with dirty buildings and bus stops ……………1956

This is Albert Square in 1956, and while it would be a full thirteen years before I discovered it, the scene in front of us was pretty much the same.

Except of course for those soot blackened walls which were the product of a century of coal fires and other industrial pollution.

Not that Manchester was alone in this.  As a child playing in the local parks in Peckham, I could get pretty dirty from climbing the trees which like the buildings were caked in the stuff.

But when I arrived the Town Hall had just undergone a clean up.  And not before time.  The interior of the Town Hall had been cleaned in 1925, and although the Council in 1964 estimated it would cost £25,000 the project was delayed.

I am not quite sure why there was a time lapse, but Ian Nairn in an article for the Guardian in 1965,  had called for caution arguing that “such action could ruin the stone of many British buildings”, and asserting that some “town hall and stations have gone jet black, covered with a crystalline  deposit which sparkles in the sun and seems to defeat the gloom by annexing it to a deeper darkness”.*

Adding that in uncleaned these public buildings could “become lustrous pools of darkness in grime-free cities, appreciated for their innate qualities and freed from any moral taint of being ‘dirty’ or ‘clean’”.

It didn’t however seem a popular idea, and most people I met back in 1969 were very pleased with their newly cleaned Town Hall.

Whether they were equally happy after Albert Square was closed to buses and was no longer used as a car park is unknown to me.

But I suppose it must have taken a wee bit of adjustment, and that takes me back to the picture which offers up other fascinating details, like the presence of a J. Lyons Tea Room across the square, or the partial cleaning of the Northern Assurance Buildings.

There is more to discover but that I will leave for now.

Location; Manchester

Picture; Albert Square, 1956,Courtesy of Manchester Archives+ Town Hall Photographers' Collection,  https://www.flickr.com/photos/manchesterarchiveplus/albums/72157684413651581?fbclid=IwAR35NR9v6lzJfkiSsHgHdQyL2CCuQUHuCuVr8xnd403q534MNgY5g1nAZfY


*Think before you wash! Ian Nairn, The Guardian, June 27, 1965

Back in Sidcup in 1961, at the war memorial

I think this will be the last from the series of Sidcup in 1961.

This is the war memorial and our commercial photographer decided on just one more which was a close up of the parish church.

I have to confess I have never visited either but armed with this picture postcard I think I shall go looking for both next time I am home in Well Hall.

Picture; War Memorial, Sidcup, from the set Sidcup by Tuck and Sons, courtesy of Tuck DB, https://www.tuckdb.org/