Shudehill

 

Saturday evening and the streets were thronged with people out for a night's entertainment.  Thousands of youngsters, courting couples, even complete families, all seeking enjoyment at the end of a week's work. Shudehill was lined with market stalls, sideshows and street performers. Bargains were to be had towards midnight when unsold produce was offered. The vast Smithfield Market had been open since six that morning as had all of the pubs round about.

Shudehill was for long, the home to many of Manchester's markets:  The Hen Market, The Apple Market, The Potato Market.  As the city grew, so the markets expanded and stalls were to found selling every nature of produce. In 1822 it was given the name Smithfield.   In the mid 19th century glazed, iron framed halls were built covering an area of four and a half acres. 

Next to the Hen  Market was Ye Olde Rover's Return, built in 1306. Not always a public house, it had  originally been a manor house for the Wythin Grave family. 

                  The Hen Market and Rover's return in 1915

Shudehill was an ancient highway which until the 1820's was still on the edge of the countryside.  16th century Bradshaw Hall had extensive grounds and even a large orchard. Very soon however, the rapidly expanding city absorbed all of this open country.

Furness Vale Shops, Pubs and Businesses

 Try our new interactive map. Zoom in and out, then click on each marker for more details and photographs

The Libraries Of Manchester

 

 

  Few people realise the importance of Manchester's historic libraries. The collections exceed a total of two milllion volumes and a significant number of ancient works are of worldwide importance. The buildings themselves are among Manchester's greatest treasures.

Chetham's Library

The oldest library is Chetham's which has been a free public library since 1653, the oldest in Britain. The collection contains over 100,000 books, the majority published before the mid 19th century

The Chethams complex includes one of Manchester's oldest buildings dating from 1422. Built as a manor house, this became a priest's hostel, being alongside the Collegiate Church, now Manchester Cathedral. During the Civil War, it served first as a gunpowder factory and later a prison.

Sir Humphrey Chetham 1580 - 1653 was a successful cotton merchant. He had been educated at Manchester Free Grammar School which was then sited between the later Chetham's Hospital and the Church. He was offered a knighthood in 1631 due to his great wealth and was fined for refusing the honour. He was not able to refuse the post of High Sheriff of Lancashire in 1635 nor of General Treasurer in 1643. He feared that on his death, his wealth might be taken by the Crown and for this reason he bequested money for the establishment of Chetham's Hospital which was to support 40 poor boys and Chetham's Library together with funds for the purchase of books. 24 feoffees or trustees were appointed to manage and stock the library and their aim was to rival the university libraries of Oxford and Cambridge. The building was extended during the Victorian era as was the Grammar School, the latter moving to it's present site in Fallowfield in the 1930's. The books were originally chained although that practice ended in the mid 18th century.

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels were frequent visitors to Chetham's and a reference book and bench seat mark the spot where they used to meet.

Chetham's Library is open Monday to Friday and visitors are welcome. An appointment must be made in order to read any of the collection.

Further information : http://www.chethams.org.uk/index.html

                        Reading Room at Chetham's Library

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A Secret Tunnel Under Deansgate

When workmen demolished old houses in Cumberland Street in 1911, they came across an underground passage.  The Manchester City News reported that they found a tunnel with an arched roof, built of brick, wide and high enough to allow a horse and cart to travel along it. The men found that it extended for about 70 yards before being blocked by a brick wall.  A pedestrian route through the Spinningfields development now follows the line of Cumberland Street, close to John Ryland's Library.

                                                         The Cumberland Street site.
 
The Deansgate Tunnel has never been fully documented or surveyed and evidence of its existance and extent is based upon rare glimpses and hearsay. Its age is unknown but it is assumed to be between 200 and 300 years old. Its purpose is unknown. There are even suggestions that it might be Roman in origin.
The tunnel is believed to start near the northern end of Deansgate, close to the Cathedral and to follow the line of the road southwards as far as Knott Mill. Here the tunnel turns westwards towards Old Trafford.

Shopping in Furness Vale

We will take an imaginary shopping expedition to Furness Vale. 
We have had plenty of shopkeepers in the village. There are over 30 addresses, although not all of these traded at the same time and some closed many years ago.  How many can you remember?

At one time, there were two fish and chip shops as well as a fishmonger. We had a tailor, a milliners,  dress shops and a candle maker. There was even a clockmaker at Ringstones.

Who can remember the undertaker with his stock of coffins lining the wall and the hearse waiting to perform its duties?

Do you remember the wool shop with its colourful window displays. Many women knitted in the past and this craft is again becoming popular. I’m told that even men are learning so it’s a shame that it closed. There were always drapers and haberdashers because so many clothes were hand made.

Every shop had it’s own distinctive aroma,  whether  that of freshly sliced bacon or newly baked bread, paraffin at the ironmongers or earthy potatoes at the greengrocers.  Many of these businesses would have mahogany counters and fittings, always well polished. Colourful sweets arranged in gleaming jars to tempt the eyes of youngsters and weighed out a quarter at a time. Some of us will remember when flour and sugar and sometimes butter was weighed out to order and packed in a blue or white bag.

We’ll hear of  Reuben our travelling yeast dealer, of two ghosts, a pub with two names, closed because of disorderly conduct and finally we’ll take a boat trip to the tea rooms.

We are going on a tour of the shops and pubs of Furness Vale. 
We will start at the southern end of the village at a house called Hollins View, which stands in front of the old quarry. There was never a shop here but if you needed your shoes soled and heeled in the 1940’s, a cobbler worked from a shed in his back garden. 

A Dangerous Road

William Wood

The murder of William Wood in July 1823 is well recorded. He was killed at a lonely spot on Buxton Old Road at Longside on Whaley Moor. This is the old roman road between Disley and Whaley Bridge and at that time was in Cheshire. The spot is marked by a commemorative "Murder Stone".  

Wood, a cotton weaver from Eyam, was returning home from Manchester where he had sold his cloth and had received about £100 in payment. He travelled on foot and at Disley, called at a pub for refreshment. He got into conversation with three men and later continued on his way. After about ten minutes, the three left the pub and followed in Wood's direction catching up with him after a mile or two. Wood was beaten to death with stones and left at the roadside where his partly concealed body was later discovered. Wood's body was taken to the Cock Inn in Whaley Bridge where the coroners inquest was held a few days later.

Some Derbyshire Customs.

 In 1817, John Farey's book ,"General View of the Agriculture and Minerals of Derbyshire" was published. One of the later chapters of Volume 3, reviewed some of the customs prevalent in the county.

An ancient custom still prevails in Chapel-en-le-Frith, Glossop, Hayfield, Mellor, Peak Forest and other places in the north of the county, I believe, of keeping the floor of the Church, and pews therein, constantly strewed or littered, with dried rushes: the process of renewing which annually, is called the rush bearing, and is usually accompanied by much ceremony. The rush bearing in Peak Forest,is held on Midsummer Eve, in each year.
In Chapel-en-le-Frith, I was informed, that their Rush-bearing usually takes place in the latter end of August, on public notice from the Churchwardens, of the rushes being mown and properly dried, in some marshy part of the Parish, where the young people assemble; and having loaded the rushes of carts, decorate the same with flowers and ribbons, and attend them in procession to the church; many of them buzzing and cracking whips by the side of the rush carts, on their way thither; and where every one present lends a hand, in carrying in and spreading the rushes.

                         Rush-bearing procession in Glossop

Instead of the harvest home feasts of most districts, what is called (I don't know why) "Hare-getting" or "Hare-supper", is given by the corn farmers in some parts of Derbyshire, to their reapers, or shearers as they are here called, and their wives, on finishing the cutting of their corn; and it is usual for such shearers, "to give three cheers on first setting to", to shear or mow, and "three wheeps and a hallow", on finishing the cutting.

Back In The Seventies

Ginny McDermott grew up in Furness Vale and has kindly sent us some photographs from  the early 1970s. The Sports Day was held on the Football Field in 1972. We can see the school, and houses on Buxton Road, because the flats had not yet been built.

Industrial Tracks

Some people still remember the tramway that ran from Furness Colliery down to the canal and railway siding. It passed under Buxton Road and beneath the building that is now the (closed) Fish and Chip shop. It was recorded by John Farey in his 1817 books about the agriculture and minerals of Derbyshire. The railway was still in use until the early 1960s.
Less known is the railway, also mentioned by Farey, that linked Furness Vale Quarry with the canal. It ran through the tunnel, which of course still exists, to the two canal wharves owned by the quarry company. Building stone was shipped to Manchester and Stockport. It does not appear on any maps. The quarry was in operation until at least the 1960s but the railway must have been removed long ago.

Ringstones Colliery which closed in 1896 was linked to the canal at Bridgemont.  Rather than a railway or tramway, the mine employed an overhead ropeway which carried coal in suspended tubs. One stone tower remains in Ringstones Clough, all other remnants have long disappeared. Again, this was never mapped.

St.John's A.F.C.

A photograph of St.John's Church football team. The picture is undated but appears to be c1920s.  Any information would be appreciated

photograph courtesy of Bernard Rogers

 

Mevril Bleach Works

Another picture from Mevril Bleach Works.  This group photograph is from the 1950s. Does anybody know what the occasion was or who these people are? The works, at Horwich End, closed in the early 1960s.
photograph courtesy of Bernard Rogers
 

Peace Day

Although hostilites ended in 1918 and November 11th is each year marked by the Festival of Remembrance, the First World War did not officially come to an end until the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28th June 1919. The event was celebrated on 19th July when Peace Day saw processions throughout Britain. In Whaley Bridge, a float is photographed outside Mevril Bleach Works at Horwich End. 
photograph courtesy of Tony Beswick

 

OLD AMUSEMENTS AT BUXTON

In a  curious black letter book entitled "The benefit of the auncient Bathes of Buckstones, which cureth most greeuous Sicknesses, neuer before published; compiled by John Jones Phisition at the Kings mede nigh Darby, anno salutis 1572," is the following description of exercises and amusements adapted to the invalid.

To the sickly (says the author) small exercyse will serue, by reason of feeblenesse, not able too suffer pantynge, neyther verily so violent for them shalbee requysite. But if their strength will sustayne it, an exercyse conuenient for thyr callinge shalbee vsed

Trol in Madam.  The Ladyes, Gentlewomen, Wyues, and Maydes maye in " one of the galleries walke ;  and if the weather bee not agreeable to their expectacion they may haue in the end of a Benche, eleuen holes made, intoo the which to trowle pummetes or bowles of leade, bigge, little or meane or also of copper, tynne, woode, eyther vyolent or softe, after their owne discretion. The pastyme Trowle in Madame is  termed.
Lykewise, men feeble the same may also practise, in another gallery of the newe buyldinges, and this dooth not only strengthen the stomack, and vpper parts aboue the mydryfe, or wast,but also the middle partesbeneath the sharp gristle and the extreme partes as the handes and legges, according to the wayght of the thing trouled fast, soft or meane.

Bowling.  In lyke mannerbowling in allayes, the weather conuenient and the bowles fitte to suche game, as eyther in playne or longe allayes, or in suche as haue cranckes with  halfe bowles, which is  the fyner and gentler exercise.

Shoting the noblest exercyse.
 Shootinge at garden buttes, too them whom it  agreeeth and pleaseth, in place of noblest exercyse standeth, and that rather wyth longe bowe, than wyth tyller, stone bowe, or Ccrosse bowe.Albeit to them that otherwyse cannot, by reason of greefe, feeblenesse, or lacke of vse, they may be allowed.
This practise of all other manlyest, leaueth no part of the body vnexercised, the brest, backe, reynes, was, and armes, with drawing the thyghes, and legges, with running or going.

Wind ball, or yarne ball.  The wind baule, or yarne ball, betwene three or foure, shall not be invtile to be vsed, in a place conuenient, eache keeping theirlimite for tossing, wherin may bee a very profitable exercise, by cause at all tymes they keepe not the lyke force in stryking, so that they shalbee constrayned too vse more violent stretching, with swifter mouing at one tyme than another, which will make the exercise more nymble and deliuerr, both of hand and whole body, therefore encreasing of heat, through swift moouing, in all partes the sooner.

Plumbes, or weightes. Plumbetes, of Galene termed alteres, one borne in eche hand, vp and downe the stayers, galeries, or chambers, according to your strength, maye bee a  goode and profitable exercise: so may you vse wayghtes in lyke maner.

Bow lyne. A fyne hallyer, or bowe lyne, a foote or twoo hyer then a man may reache, fastened in length, some way, shall not bee vnprofitable, holden by the handes, thereby to streche them; very excellent, as well for stretching of the mydrife, interne panicles and wast, with all the rest of the partes, as also to preserue and defend them from apostemes, obstructions, and paynes thereto incident.
These exercyse of your owne power, I thinke, for thys place sufficient. Nowe we will shewe how they may bee profitable vnto you thorow others mouing; as well by waggon, charriet, horselitter, and ryding, as by cradle and chayor hanged, in sorte as to that vse may be best framedd, all very profitable, as they may bee exercised: much, little, or meane, close, or open in the ayre, as to the parties shall bee requisite:  taking time likewyse in rocking by vice or engyne; or on the floure, which is more shaking, and therefore to them that may suffer it more profitable.
The other good to weaker persons, as that in frame, conueyed by pendent, from one to another, standing asunder according to the length of the engyne, three or iij fedome drawen from them to the other, swift, slow, or meane, long, short, or mean, as to the party shalbe conuenient. Omitting other deuises to opportunity, &c.
Eu. Hood

published in The Gentleman's Magazine 1824
 

Iron Age Furness Vale

The name of our village is a corruption of its original name "The Furnace" which died out of use in the early 19th century. 

The Journal of the Historical Society of Lancashire and Cheshire reported in 1957, on the existance of the original "furnace" as recorded in the Jodrell family archives at John Ryland's Library.
 Disley furnace was situated on land of the Jodrell family, on the boundary of Yeardsley Whaley. It is first noticed in the 1690s when small quantities of "Jodrell pig" were being received at the south Yorkshire forges, but in 1702 some of its produce found its way as far as Carburton forge in Nottinghamshire. An estimate of the estate for 1737 shows it to have been worth a rent of £50 and then in the hands of Samuel Bagshaw, whilst in 1770 the tenant was Joseph Lowe.
(The locations, Disley and Yeardsley Whaley refer to the relative parishes. The boundary between these being the Furness Brook)

Burdett's Map of Cheshire, published in 1777 shows the furnace which was apparently still in operation at that time.

John Farey, writing in his 1811 book "General View of the Agriculture and Minerals of Derbyshire", claims that he observed slag and remains of old bloomeries and charcoal furnaces at Jow Hole. A bloomer was a type of furnace once commonly used for smelting iron and was fired with charcoal. These were once common in England until most of the available woodland had been denuded. By 1806, just eleven remained in use. The illustration below is a cut-away diagram of a typical bloomer. These were quite small, perhaps no more than 1.5 metres high and made from stone or clay. 

This next illustration is of a Roman Bloomery. The principle remained the same.

We must assume that there was a ready supply of iron ore close by. John Farey desribes the methods of obtaining ironstone. "In the early periods, the method of obtaining ore was by removing the soil layer and exposing the mineral beds. These open cast workings were known as Rakes. After these had been worked out, a method of working called Bell-work,was adopted. A roundpit, of the usual size of a shaft, is sunk, until the ironstone is reached, from 3 to 10 tards deep, the first two or three yards being made cylindrical, and the part below it, conical, in order to reach a larger surface of the stone, which being got below the shaft,and a drain laid across it for connecting with the next pit, the workment, or ironstone-men, begin to hollow out the measures all around the shaft into the form of a bell (whence the name), throwing the refuse into the centre, and getting the ironstone as far under as possible on all sides: which done, the pit is abandoned, and another began at a proper distance, the soil from which is tumbled into the last pit, as fast as it is drawn, until the stone is reached and got as before, when another pit is begun and so on."

The location of the furnace is uncertain. Farey states that it was at Jow Hole ( Gow Hole ), later historians believe it to have been close to where Rotational Mouldings is now sited.

 

Iron ore was to be found locally, between the coal seams. 

Beware the Ides of March

Is the black dog to be feared or is it a good omen?  This apparition has frequently been reported throughout Britain and according to legend has huge red eyes like glowing coals that can see right into ones soul. Other stories tell of black dogs that help farmers to round up sheep.

The dog at Cockyard appears from nowhere at dusk and follows one down the hill towards Combs where it vanishes just as mysteriously.
On the opposite hillside above Tunstead, along Eccles Road, The Black Dog of Ollerenshaw makes his appearance at the Ides of March. Not far away, at Barmoor Clough a black dog has been seen emerging from a culvert. In the long tradition of ghostly apparitions, this one carries his head tucked under his arm.  Whilst here we must mention the curious "ebbing and flowing" well. This natural spring would flow and then cease without any regular pattern but has dried up since work was carried out on the railway tunnel. Near Horwich End is Hob Croft, a name centuries old which refers to the presence of a hob or hobgoblin. These are benevolent yet supernatural creatures which usually make their appearance when the household is asleep. In return for a little food they will tidy up, do the dusting and sweeping and sometimes even the ironing. Take care not to upset a hob for then it will take great delight in mischief and practical jokes. They resemble small hairy men and are notoriously difficult to get rid of.

  High Peak News

10 December 1910
strange stories of a “ghost”
seen by several persons

Whaley Bridge and the district is excited over the strange stories which are circulating about a ghost having been seen by several people at Elnor Lane, a lonely road which leads to Buxton. The story goes that the “ghost” is in the shape of a large dog of the greyhound type, and that the dog walks on in front or sometimes by the side of the person, but when anyone has stooped down to stroke it, it has vanished into thin air ! Those who have witnessed this peculiar phenomenon declare that it causes a most creepy sensation.

Only recently two men were going from Fernilee, when they espied a large dog in front of them, which was described as having a luminous appearance. One of the men was so startled that he commenced to run to Fernilee, but the other stayed behind and tried to stroke the animal, but it vanished. It is stated that the “dog ghost” has been seen frequently in the neighbourhood of Elnor House, which is situated in this lonely locality.

Three Spinsters and a Fortune in Coal

Stonehouse Farm, Hayfield

Stonehouse Farm on Edale Road in Hayfield, was in the eighteenth century, the home of the Hall family. There are records of this family in Hayfield from at least the 1600s.  Joseph, born on 14^th December 1777, was their second son. He would not inherit  the property nor did he have any interest in the family sheep farm. On reaching adulthood, he rented a home in Birch Vale and found employment in the small coal pits then being worked on Ollerset Moor. The building of the Peak Forest Canal and the Peak Forest Tramway, saw the establishment at Bugsworth of a number of lime kilns. Here was a ready market for the locally mined coal, despite its poor quality. Much of Ollerset Moor was owned by the Duchy of Lancaster and Joseph was able to obtain his own leases from them and other landowners, to mine coal in his own right. He married Hannah Lowe and they moved into Moor Lodge, high on Ollerset Moor and close to the coalfield.  Joseph Hall died there on 8^th August 1843 after falling ill with hepatitis.