Unknown faces from Barlow Hall sometime at the end of the 19th century

I doubt that I will ever find out much more about these young men.  

The caption just says “a company of the Boy’s Brigade at Barlow Hall.  Believed to be Manchester Road Methodists.”

But the clue might just be in the connection with the Manchester Road Methodists and I am hoping that the archivist at the church will be able to help.

After all for years I had a similar picture of our Brass Band at the hall in 1893, and then by chance the exact same picture came into the collection with the addition of the men’s names, and armed with that information I was able to track down almost the entire band.*

So as ever I travel in hope.

And just as I finished the story my old friend Philip the archivist at the Methodist Church told me that the Boys Brigade had been based at the MacFaydian Church but during a period when the building was undergoing some building work they moved across to Manchester Road.

The Methodist's ran scout and girl guide groups but with a twinkle in his eye Philip commented that the Boys Brigade rather liked their temporary new home but was unable to say whether it became a permanent home.

Location; Chorlton

Picture; courtesy of W. Jackson, from the Lloyd collection, date unknown

*Chorlton brass band, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Chorlton%20Brass%20Band