On Seedley Road ........ claiming my photos from Mr Greer

Now, I know I am onto a looser, by trying to claim my negatives from Mr Greer of 25 Seedley Road Pendleton.

His trade card proudly announces that “All negatives have been and are preserved from which copies can be obtained at any time in beautiful and Imperishable Enamel”

But here is the rub, Mr Greer’s studio no longer exists, nor can I be quite sure when he was operating as a “Portrait and Landscape Artist”.

His shop is not there in 1911 and I think there will have to be a lot more digging before he comes out of the shadows.

During the late 19th century there were a number of Greer’s listed in the Pendleton area and a John Greer who in 1863 was living at 15 West Albert Street and described himself as a shop assistant.

I will go back to my old friend Oliver who supplied me a selection of trade cards which are on the back of family photographs it may be that there is a date on this one.

In all he has sent over the names of 36 photographs from Salford, Manchester and beyond, which offer up a fascinating glimpse into commercial photographers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

For now we just have this little glimpse into the world of Pendleton, but I travel in hope, and someone may know more and perhaps will be able to turn up the story of J Greer allowing me to reclaim those negatives.

We shall see.

Location; Pendleton

Picture, trade card, J Greer, date unknown, from the collection of Oliver Bailey

Celebrating some more of Salford’s finest buildings ........ the Pendleton Co-operative Industrial Society

Now here is an example of all things that were best about the Co-op.

We are on Littleton Road and this is one of the 54 branches of The Pendleton Co-operative Industrial Society which had been founded in 1860 and by 1911 had shops across Salford.

Its central store which included a grocers, and drapers had opened in 1887 was extended in 1903 and became a listed building in 1990.

The society also boasted a warehouse, bakery, diary, ice making and refrigerating plant, slaughterhouses and a coal office.

The central store is still an impressive building but I have fondness for the smaller one on Littleton Road.

And part of that is because of the detail of the architecture.

Now the building is practical no nonsense example of a late 19th century retail outlet, but there was a pride here in what the co-op was doing and the vision of co-operation which was at its heart.

So while this is a functional building there was pride n the border over the door, and the name picked out in the eaves.

I don’t know how many residents gave it a second glance but I know I would.

So there you have it.

This was the first of Andy's strolls into Pendleton and in the course of the day he came across a whole set of interesting buildings.

Some are still doing what they were intended for, others have fallen on hard times and others have become something else.

Location; Salford




Pictures; Pendleton Co-operative Industrial Society, 2016 from the collection of Andy Robertson 

At Ordsall Hall with a water trough from Pendleton and thank you to Eddie Smith

Now I have become interested in those water troughs which may well soon rival my obsession with ghost signs.

They were once a common feature of all our cities and towns and were usually positioned at crossroads or at the side of busy thoroughfares and did the business of providing drinking water for horses, cattle and other live stock.

The ones I remember best were still in use in the early 1950s although I suspect by then their best days were over, and during the next half century they became obsolete.

Some were carted off to Corporation yards and later broken up for hardcore, others became ornamental flower beds and a few have been stolen and no doubt now reside at the bottom of a posh garden somewhere.

In London by 1879 the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association had built 800 fountains and troughs.

Here in the twin cities it was the Manchester and Salford Cattle Trough Association who were engaged in the same work.

I can remember the one in Withington which for a time disappeared before reappearing and also the one in Audenshaw.

All of which is a lead into the one which Eddie Smith posted recently on the  facebook site Classic Salford Photos Group.

The water trough can be found in Ordsall Hall but was originally one of two outside the old Woolpack in Pendleton Square.

I was pleased he gave me permission to feature it and it will be a major new series.

Picture; water trough Ordsall Hall 2015 and in Pendleton circa 1904,  from the collection of Eddie Smith