‘Now & Then’ is a series of articles penned by ‘Libs’ member James Edward ‘Jim’ Gater and published on a monthly basis in the Libs Newsletter. Oldham born and bred, he lived in Derker and attended Derker Infant & Junior schools before going on to the then recently opened Counthill Grammar School in 1952. After College he began his career in education at Breezehill Secondary School teaching History before transferring to primary education and retiring as Headteacher of Hollin Primary School in Middleton many years later. He has lived, with his family, in Oldham, Springhead, Delph and now in Lees.
After retirement he used his history background to write an article on ‘Industrial Valleys – The Castleshaw and Denshaw Valleys of the Upper Tame‘ which can be viewed at : www.hamandbud.co.uk
NOW AND THEN
The above photo shows the present day junction of Turnpike 1, Whimberry Lee Lane, now gated on the left and Turnpike 2 on the right which replaced it.
Did you know – that since Roman Times, Standedge has been the most important cross Pennine route between what we now called the West Riding of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It comes as no surprise then that the industrial development of the Manchester region and West Yorkshire made this the crossing point to accommodate this development. England was about to be transformed by the middle of the 18th century and central to this transformation was the need for improved transport facilities.
The Turnpike system was part of the answer to this problem. Prior to 1750 maintenance of roads was in the hands of a local Highways Surveyor and willing parishioners at a time when goods and people tended to be local and limited. The system was weak and open to goodwill rather than necessity and piecemeal at best. The need for improvement led to national legislation with Surveyors responsible to Quarter Session legislation. Rates could now be levied to cover costs for road repair and maintenance. The movement of heavy goods for farming and manufacturing led to the formation of Turnpike Trusts who were responsible for the administration of certain roads – a logical response to the changing need.
Various Highway Acts improved the system and laid down regulation that harmonised things somewhat. Toll gates were a feature of the new system, as was evasion, but by and large there was a general improvement in the standard of the roads.
By the time the first Turnpike road through Oldham was finished, Oldham was a scattered township of rural settlements with a total population of some 40,000. These settlements tended to be small and industrial activity was limited. Mills were tiny with only 10-30 workers. Cheap local coal had replaced water power, but by 1831 Oldham had sixty-two mills.
The first map shows the first Turnpike through Oldham but by the end of th18th century it was proving inadequate. It left from the centre of town by Church Terrace, crossed to wind its way down Bow Street to Bottom o’th Moor, then climbed over Greenacres Moor to Waterhead. The climb to Austerlands saw the road swing left up Thorpe Lane and on to Delph via Thurston Clough, passing The Old Original at Doctor Lane. It then crossed the fields passed by Causeway Sett and then proceeded to Bleakhey Nook. From here the road climbed up what was Whimberry Lee Lane and continued round to cross Standedge itself. From the top of Standedge the road swung right, down the hill, over Thieves’ Bridge, and on to Mount Road over the present day A62. I can hardly imagine what a gruelling experience that journey must have been like on a bad day in January.
Not surprisingly, as heavier traffic increased Turnpike One needed an upgrade and by the 1780s this was well under way and the rather ‘patchy and somewhat improvised’ First Turnpike was replaced. Yorkshire Street and Huddersfield Road superseded in the run out of Oldham, the High Moor loop to Delph was replaced by a road further down the hill with a more sensible gradient,( present day A 62) and the Bell Inn in New Delph was now the staging post of the new road. From Bleakhey Nook, Standedge Road was developed and avoided the more difficult route over Standedge itself. Foul Moss and Thieves’ Bridge were avoided altogether, and the road took the easier gradient, crossing the present day A62 at what later became the Standedge Cutting.
Thieves’ Bridge
This second Standedge turnpike was built using new technology, better surfacing methods and a far more realistic contouring of the countryside which brought the roads down into the valleys. Wider wheeled vehicles were accommodated and journey times were improved, even though it did take stage coach traffic it took until the early years of the 19th century to fully develop interconnected services.
It is probably unfair to isolate the Austerland turnpikes without mention of the Oldham to Standedge Turnpike. This turnpike completed our picture in terms of routes that served our area and linked much of Saddleworth with the road system over Standedge.
The Southern part of our conurbation had been somewhat isolated from the Austerland routes, but the same needs were there. The fast expanding needs of Greenfield and Uppermill needed links to the North. Prior to 1790 Lees was not directly linked to Saddleworth. The road out of Lees was via Hartshead Street, when connections with Springhead, Lydgate and beyond were badly needed. These needs were now addressed with road improvements of Lees Road through Lydgate and Uppermill (now the A690 and A670) and on up the moor by Diggle to link up with the Austerlands turnpike at the Horse and Jockey inn. The final opening of the Standedge Cutting in 1839 with the last stretch of new road from Bleakhey Nook down to Marsden, created the A62 which then served the busiest Pennine crossing until the advent of the modern motorway system of the 1960s and 70s.
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A selection of ‘Now & Then’ articles from past Newsletters
Frank Stott, affectionately known as Stottie, was a life member of the club. As a young pupil at Springhead School his first lesson on Monday morning was swimming at Grotton Lido. He developed his strength initially whilst the swimming instructor tried, unsuccessfully, to prise his hands off the pool rail. The instructor never succeeded and Frank never learned to swim!
The Lido was indeed a venue of excellence and whilst Frank never succeeded in benefitting from its waters I’m sure he gained quiet satisfaction a few years later from the building of the Grotton Hotel in 1939 to accommodate the increasing number of visitors to the area.
The onset of World War Two brought the Lido’s short but popular life to a close.
Did you know – that the hot summer of 1933, keen local interest and the initiative of two local entrepreneurs, resulted in Grotton having what was nationally recognised as perhaps the largest swimming pool in the country.
The Brookside Mill in Grotton hollow built by Samuel Shaw in 1855, was now owned by Messrs Whitehouse and Stubbs who were the local builders currently constructing new houses in the area for £395. The mill had ceased cotton production in 1928, and was partially demolished in 1930. The mill lodge however had never ceased to be an attraction for locals of all ages, particularly in warm weather. This attraction, the initiative of Whitehouse and Stubbs, and the hot summer of 1933, proved to be the catalysts for the construction of the Grotton Lido.
This innovation was based on the site of the old mill lodge, roughly where The Woods and The Meadows developments now stand. Built over the winter of 1933, its doors opened to the public in 1934.
This magnificent and sheltered structure had an ideal and natural water supply from Wood Brook that ran down the hillside from Wharmton Rise and had been the determining factor in the siting of Brookside Mill itself back in 1855. Reputedly the largest in the land at 75 x 21yds the pool was indeed unique. The filtration plant and purification process were remarkable for the time, and allowed the pool to be used continually without emptying and refilling.
The pool itself was very user friendly, three quarters of its area being 3ft deep – with the rest sloping away to 6ft for the more ambitious. It had a diving board, 38 cubicles for changing, lots of tiered poolside seating and a large surrounding grassed area that could accommodate literally hundreds of visitors. There was a bandstand and a restaurant, but you might guess in a pre-war world, many bathers were allowed to bring their own refreshments.
At 6d for the day (3d for children) this was indeed cheap entertainment. Tuesday, Saturday and Bank Holidays were 12d a go, but with dancing to the ‘White Star Band’ or ‘The Oldham Palace Orchestra’ this was cheap at the price. Beauty competitions and swimming galas were regularly held and national attractions like The Black Dyke and Fodens Motor Works bands were regular visitors.
The Lido was accessible from Grotton Station, and regular trains delivered visitors from far and wide. People flocked to the Lido in great numbers, particularly in good weather and it became one of the more fashionable places of interest for both individuals and families in the area.
A Mr Terence Bates of Shaw, endearingly remembers well, as a six year old, going to the Lido with his uncle Mr Wallace Fielding, who was a part owner of the Lido at the time. Terence would help his aunt Bernice in the pay box, but when it became very busy he was dispatched to the pump-house to change the 78s that were played continuously over the tannoy system. He remembers well that ‘God Save the Queen’ always brought events to a conclusion.
Unfortunately WWII resulted in the prohibition of people ‘gathering in crowds’ and along with many other places of entertainment Grotton Lido had served its purpose. Whilst its doors closed, the Lido had featured for six summers as an extremely important venue for the people of the whole area and had been a great example of local needs and initiatives satisfying the requirements of its population. Even today the roadside section of the former site preserves a link to the old pool in the form of retirement housing at Lido House.
The remnants of the mill itself which had been used by Melladews for engineering and plastics closed in 1970 and were demolished for housing in 1973. We are thankfully left with small reminders of yesteryear with street names in the area. The original builder of Brookside Mill, Samuel Smith claims a street name as does Mildred, the daughter of Fred Stubbs. The prime mover of the whole Lido enterprise John Frances Whitehouse died in 1972 at the age of 99. We are thankfully left with a constant reminder of the whole industrial complex as was, with the three beautiful cottages including Brookside House , on the left of Grotton Hollow.
Did you know – that in the last week I have had the greatest pleasure to share tea and biscuits with two wonderful older ladies, who have opened my eyes again to the delights of shared memories, and deep satisfactions of ordinary lives.
The amazing truth is that these ladies have shared over 90 years of their lives as close friends, born and brought up in the same row of stone cottages in Grotton, and still living within a mile of their birthplace, separated by only four houses on the same street. How remarkable is that?
Families have been raised, careers have been enjoyed and parallel lives lived within the confines of this single area. Friendship has remained steadfast and undiminished and care for one another a constant.
Like most children then in Grotton they were raised in terraced stone cottages surrounded by acres of space and farmland ,easily converted to play areas, some of which were forbidden like the piles of covered stones where the Quick Edge (Jap ) Mill had stood prior to its burning down in 1913, but were secretly enjoyed anyway by inquisitive children.
An idyllic childhood was spent in this ‘between place’ on the Mossley Road. School was a daily nature walk up through the fields to Lydgate, where they enjoyed a rural education in beautiful surroundings. The cluster of houses they called home was a self- sufficient oasis, with its own shop and Co-op. Local farm milk was delivered daily by pony and trap and Billy Speight sold produce from the back of his horse and cart on a weekly basis.
Kitchens then were multi – purpose areas serving as workshop when dad utilised the ubiquitous shoe last to re-sole boots and shoes, and replace broken clog irons. Mum would knit and sew, creating clothes out of ‘other clothes’ and patching where necessary to produce an acceptable appearance. Haircuts were a monthly affair when short and tidy was the general rule.
Play was a simple pleasure, and the surrounding fields and brick works sandhills, produced the nooks and crevices that only children can utilise. Surfaced roads themselves were a safe playground for all traditional activities, which would only be disturbed very occasionally by lumbering lorries transferring bales of cotton between local mills. In the 20s and early 30s the motor car was very much a thing of the future, and the gradual invasion of red brick houses would soon destroy this utopia for ever.
Christmas would find the children of Grotton pressed together in anticipation and excitement following ‘requests’ for presents in letters to Santa. Christmas Eve would be early to bed in preparation for the big day. Whilst T.V. computers and electronic games did not exist, there was perhaps one last treat when dad would gather the family round the table and light the coloured wax candles on the small artificial Christmas tree before bed.
Morning would find individually named stockings and pillow cases hanging from the mantelpiece full of goodies. These usually consisted of fruit, sweets, maybe chocolate, but most certainly nuts that invariably fell to the bottom with the ‘gold pennies’ – if you were very lucky. Children would spend the day running house to house showing off their favourite present, which had often been made by dad, with the paint of the doll’s house sometimes still wet to the touch.
However poor, the day was one of unrestrained joy and sharing for all the children who really ‘had nothing, but felt that they had everything’.
The churches were very much central to Christmas worship and entertainment. Highlights included the Lydgate Church Party, and prize giving , on the second Saturday in January, and the Pantomime at Springhead Congregational was not to be missed.
As children grew and spread their wings, the Greenfield Mill, New Year’s Eve dance was a must, as was the Police Dance at Uppermill Mechanics.
Children seemed stress free then, living with a natural tempo that allowed them a casual passage into adolescence and beyond, without the constant commercial pressure to compete materially, in a world where money and what it can buy is pursued as a measure of happiness and satisfaction. This world would have been alien to the children of Grotton when my friends were young. The quiet simplicity of life then, the easy discipline of day to day living and the genuine pleasure of times shared, are perhaps things that are being eroded in the chaos that life sometimes brings us now.
Maybe we could still pay respectful homage to our contented, grateful and fulfilled nonagenarian friends by protecting some of ‘what was’ all those years ago.
Springhead House
Did you know how Cooper Street got its name?
Springhead house at the bottom of Cooper Street is one of the oldest houses in Springhead. It was built in 1800 on a field called Little Husteads belonging to James Clayton , a wealthy merchant.
By the early 1800s mills were being built up the valley of Lees Brook towards Springhead, and by the middle of the new century Springhead House was in the hands of one James Taylor. He worked the small mill opposite his house where Kershaw’s Garage was built many years later. He also worked the Bank Mill, which was down in the valley just the other side of what is now ‘The yellow brick road’.
At that time many of the Saddleworth mill owners employed children as young as 6 or 7years. The Taylors however were not averse to ‘apprenticing’ vulnerable orphans from the Liverpool area, and not surprisingly becoming prosperous at their expense. These children would work up to 14 hours a day, six days a week for their master. In exchange they would be fed and given minimal clothing and a bed for the night.
Ironically James Taylor went bankrupt during ‘the hungry forties’ when the potato crop failure caused widespread hunger throughout Western Europe. The Cooper family of Leeds, to whom Taylor owed money, acquired his property.
In 1864 the Local Board decided to name streets after their landowners, and thus the Cooper Street we all know and love was christened.
Did you know that there is a strong link between Stoneleigh House on Cooper Street and Radcliffe Mill Cottage which stands in the valley, in the grounds of the old Radcliffe Mill, which was by the railway line at the bottom of Old Mill Lane.
The old woollen mill itself took its name from its builder John Radcliffe of Stonesbreak in 1806. Like lots of original woollen mills of the area it converted to cotton, when it changed hands in1844, as cotton began to dominate the industrial landscape.
By 1852 the mill was in the hands of William Halliwell and Edward Lawton who celebrated their new acquisition by building two identical mansions on Cooper Street, which they named Prospect and Clayton House. By 1869 Halliwell was here on his own spinning cotton and continued to do so through his family for many years. These beautiful houses are still with us today renamed as Highfield House, and Stoneleigh House.
Stoneleigh House has had a variety of tenants during the recent years. It was for some years a Gentlemen’s residence. It has been a local library and Rates Office, and briefly served as a ladies refuge. Since 1994 it has been a Residential Care Home run by John Marshall and his family.
Radcliffe Mill itself continued as a textile mill until after the second world war, when it was converted to a slipper works with the decline of “king cotton”. It was finally destroyed by fire in 1973. The only remaining vestiges of the old mill are the two delightful stone cottages, now tree bound in the valley down Old Mill Lane, the first of which being called, – would you believe – Radcliffe Mill Cottage.
Did you know that there was a distant link between Danville, Virginia and Springhead? Well, neither did I until I uncovered this endearing correspondence whilst casually perusing material in the Oldham Local Interest Centre.
The link between childhood and older age is strong in most people’s memories, and in a world that increasingly separates and disperses us quite casually, the need to reconnect is powerful in most of us.
The discovery of this letter, which was sent to the Oldham Chronicle in 2010, is but a small item in that collective experience. At the risk of being over indulgent and in the hope that its contents might stir someone’s distant memory I will share this accidental discovery with you.
310 Wimbush Drive
Danville
Virginia USA
Dear Editor
My name is Harry Ward. I was born in Springhead on 5th August 1926. I went to Springhead School. In those days elementary schooling was over by the time one reached 14 years of age and I went to work at Measurements Mill in Dobcross.
I remember my schooldays in Springhead the best of times as I remember. I was told later that my Grandfather was the caretaker of that school when it was first built. I never met my Grandfather as I believe he died before I was born, could you give me an input on that question?
Most of the Ward family went to that school, one of the best times of my life. Percy Scott, the headmaster, a small man in stature but a very fair man, he took no pains in putting the rules down, I guess I deserved it circumstances caused our family to move to Oldham, I loved that school so much and I didn’t report that we had moved so I rode my bike from Oldham to Springhead School for over a year, it was one of the saddest days of my life at the time when I left it.
After Measurements (Dobcross) and a year in a cotton mill I got a job as an apprentice bricklayer. A job that served me well when I moved to the United States at 23 years old, by that time I had been married for three years. My wife was a cotton mill worker and we had two daughters. We couldn’t afford for all of us to go to the States at that time, so I went by myself with a passage ticket and forty dollars in my pocket. I had been laying bricks in England for about seven pounds ten a week (£7-50p) about twenty dollars at that time. My first week in Virginia my pay was one hundred dollars a week. I thought I had hit the jackpot. A couple of months or so I had all my family with me in Virginia USA. At this date we have the two daughters and two sons. Nine grandchildren, sadly we lost two in accidents, and now have fifteen greatgrandchildren.
Lilian my wife and I have had several business operations and have travelled much of the world but I think of Springhead every day. I am now almost 84 years and have been retired for almost 24 years. We are planning a trip to the UK this coming year.
What I am really asking, could you please give me some input on my Grandfather Ward and Springhead School and would love any photographs. I have a story to tell my grandchildren.
Thank you – please excuse my grammar etc., it’s a long time since my schooldays!!
HARRY
Harry Ward
Did you know – that Springhead has been home to at least seven textile mills since the 1850s, and must have been a thriving settlement, on the outskirts of Oldham, that had been classed as the ‘Cotton Capital’ of the world by 1929.
Our picture shows two of these giants of the industrial revolution that made Britain a world leader of such enterprise. What would Boris Johnson give to emulate such achievement at this moment in time.
This picture was probably taken in the late 20s or early 30s when gas lighting illuminated our roads, and pedestrians as we see here, were free to walk Oldham Road 5 abreast in complete safety.
Clegg Street had no doubt been built in 1885 to help house the growing workforce. The larger date stoned bottom house, now belonging to the Kennedy family, was then probably home to the builder of these houses, as was often the case in those days. Mr Kennedy kindly gave me a copy of the original lease to his property, and would you believe, the first ‘lessor’ of the property in 1885 was one John Clegg – hence Clegg Street perhaps.
The 2 mills on the left, between Old Mill Lane and Hirons Lane were the Livingstone and the larger Springhead Mills, which appeared in the early 1850s. They were both under the control of the Livingstone company by 1880, but ceased production about 1930, reflecting the decline of the cotton industry. The mills were knocked down in stages which started during WWII.
The view today of Oldham Road looking towards The Libs in the distance. The five pedestrians in the road would be dodging a lot of traffic today!
Did you know? – that 177, Oldham Road was once a very busy alehouse.
It became so about 1840 in the care of a Robert Holmes who successfully applied for a licence to sell ale , which he did so for some 18 years. By 1858 William Fielding was in charge, and as was normal in the nineteenth century he was a busy man holding down at least two jobs. By day he was cotton weaver, but his evenings and weekends were very much taken up by musical endeavours. A teacher of several musical instruments, he was an accomplished pianist and even had his own small but enthusiastic orchestra. At weekends he conducted the Lydgate Church choir – which rehearsed upstairs above the drinking rooms.
The Musicians Arms 2020
It was no surprise then that he called his beerhouse “The Musicians Arms” and one can only assume his good wife Maria needed energy and good humour to support his interests. It was a sad day indeed far William when in 1869 he was refused a certificate for beer sales as his house didn’t come up to the minimum rateable value for such an enterprise. He hung on with promises to upgrade its value for a further 4 years, but in failing to do so was closed down by the magistrate.
It was said that he was broken hearted and died some 6 years later, having created many wonderful memories for a lot of Springhead folk through what were troubled times for many local people.
Did you know? – that the beautiful church that dominated last month’s picture of Springhead had its origins in the fearless faith of two local evangelists called John and Joseph, who regularly preached to the local populous, in the Grotton Hollow area around the year 1800.
They were often reviled, sometimes stoned, but neither mockery or violence deterred them. Their determination was richly rewarded by 1806, when this small devoted band had collected enough money to build their first permanent home
Their chapel was a small barn like structure, two windows by three at the bottom of Radcliffe Street. They soon had a pipe and string band to accompany their singing. By 1818 they had built a Sunday School on the bottom side of Oldham Road, which by 1830 was a thriving Sunday home for 300 children.
Typical of the times the church had become the religious, cultural, educational and leisure centre of the village, long before the days of compulsory education and the benefits of national welfare systems.
It introduced the locals to reading and writing with its library of 400 books. In times of famine, sickness and unemployment it had become the agency through which the people sought help and comfort.
Good management and the generosity of local beneficiaries resulted in the beautiful new Providence Church of last week’s picture, in 1855. It accommodated 900 worshippers. By 1861 the eight classroomed Sunday School that contains the present day Sanctuary was built opposite the Church.
Unemployment relief was organised through the church, and by the 1860s there was a thriving Sick and Thrift Society, and Burial Society with a membership of 1400 to alleviate the stress of bereavement.
For the mill operatives there was free tuition in a wide variety of subjects, and all were encouraged to at least write their own name , to save the ignominity of signing documents with an X. The Recreation room was extended after the First World War to accommodate the returning soldiers. Cricket had been a feature at the church since 1863, and continues to this day. The Springhead club still play on land owned by the Church. Dramatic Societies were formed way back in the 1890s, and the church had several prize winning choirs in the 1920s
Unfortunately the beautiful spired church was suffering from subsidence by the 1970s and had to be demolished. The new Sanctuary was built in 1974 as an extension to the Sunday school for today’s worshippers.- But we should never forget the remarkable history of a church that has been the beating heart of this community in all aspects of its life for over 200 years. Through times of need and plenty it has supported the people of Springhead, and I think we all have a lot to thank John ( Buckley ) and Joseph (Winterbottom) for . Whilst it is a great shame to have lost the beautiful iconic landmark at the bottom of Radcliffe Street, we still have a church that dispenses the same necessary services for the community that the Providence Church had done for 200 years.
The Delph Donkey leaving Lees Station
Did you know – that the cottage on the right in this 1963 picture of a derelict Lees Station, was once the Railway Inn at 21 St. John Street Lees
It had been an alehouse, purpose built by George Dyson prior to 1848, and assumed its name when the railway was built in the 1850s. It served the travellers of Lees until it lost its licence in 1869.
Unfortunately George’s selection of tenants was somewhat flawed – particularly when he selected a widow called Ann Wild in 1867.Something of a free spirit Ann was quickly fined five shillings for allowing gambling on the premises. A policeman had found men playing cards and dominoes for beer and disorderly conduct had become the norm. She also encouraged pigeon flyers and similar characters into the alehouse. Her licence was revoked in 1869 and despite the owner George Dyson’s attempt in 1872 to regain the licence on his own behalf, the magistrate reminded him that the building was no longer fit for purpose and there were another 6 public houses in the vicinity to serve the travelling customers.
The coloured picture taken from the old Lees station, graphically shows the obvious changes that have taken place since the railway line was removed in the 1970s, to accommodate the linear path that now runs through to Grotton.
Did you know – that we are about to lose forever, another of our local iconic buildings. Woodend House that has dominated the south facing hillside above the industrial complex of the same name since 1847 is in the process of permanent change.
This imposing stone built property was originally constructed by Henry Atherton, who also built the Woodend Mill in the valley below in 1850 as a cotton spinning mill which employed 140 operatives.
The mill continued to spin cotton under the Atherton family, who seemed also to have interests in the nearby Sett and Clarksfield mills by the 1870s. Henry himself retired to Southport, some years before his death in 1889, which appeared to be the natural course of action for industrial entrepreneurs in the nineteenth century.
He left £18,473 in his will (£2,200,000 by today’s values), so he hadn’t exactly wasted his time by the Lees Valley.
The mill continued in ‘cotton’ until 1905, when the premises were taken over by the Dunkerley Brothers. By the 1930s it was a freezer food centre and knitting business. A massive fire in 1981 completely gutted the 5 storeyed mill, since when a variety of businesses have taken refuge in the small parts of the original development that survived the fire.
The changes and demise of Henry’s mill were reflected somewhat in the story of his beautiful hillside home.
His palatial home of the 1850s had housed, Henry and his wife Mally, young daughters, Catherine, Mary and Sarah, and his son Howard. The family was supported domestically by their house servant Alice Bentley, and a children’s nurse called Emma Marner. A Mrs Hall was also in residence according to the 1851 census.
The lifestyle at Woodend House would hardly mirror the parallel existence of the workers living ‘cheek by jowl’ in the neighbouring back to back cottages who worked in his mill below. Cotton operatives at this time earned about £1 to 30 shillings for a 60 hour week.
The general industrial decline of ‘cotton’ by the end of the century couldn’t continue to support this domestic opulence. The House was divided into two dwellings, one of which became a care home after the First World War.
By 1988 the two properties were combined again to become a larger care home until 2014. Its latter years somewhat mired in controversy and the care home was eventually closed down by the Health and Safety Executive.
Thankfully, building developers have rescued this wonderful 30 roomed structure and are at present redeveloping it into 8 modern properties, which will totally rejuvenate the hillside above Woodend Mill, and give the old house real meaning for 8 families rather than one.
Did you know? – that Winston Churchill frequented The Rising Sun public house on Knowles Lane, during his 1900 election campaign to become the Conservative M.P. for Oldham.
Now a beautiful private property, opposite Knowles Lane Primary School, this was until 1937 known locally as “ Th’ Owd Clock”. This beerhouse which in 1789 had been described as ‘ a good , large stone house, barn, shippon, and stable, with a smithy opposite’ – as suitable to be a public house.
Throughout the nineteenth century it was the focal point for local customs like well-dressings, whip cracking competitions and the ever popular ‘greasy pole climbing’ event. The main attraction however was always the ‘apple-splitting challenge’, where a man would sit on a pony with an apple on his head, and invite members of the public to split the apple in half, using a sword that was kept at the inn.
The Rising Sun had numerous owners and tenants, but its slightly isolated position on what had been the main route to Mossley until the development of the turnpike system in the early to mid 1800’s, perhaps encouraged a little notoriety.
Out of hours drinking, selling diluted whisky, and illegal gambling, were not unknown activities, which sadly came to an end in 1937.
The clock which still adorns the modern house is still showing the same time-11.28 – two minutes to opening.
Did you know? – that the farm building that would become the Old Original was built about 1722 and was an alehouse on the old turnpike that linked Oldham to Huddersfield and beyond. The turnpike in those days ran from Austerlands, up Thorpe lane, down through Delph village and up towards Standedge, approximately on the route of the even older Roman road.
The alehouse was in the care of the Buckley family through to 1834, by which time the new turnpike which is now Huddersfield Road and down the hill, was taking all the ‘carriers and passenger’ traffic from the old turnpike. The new road which was more easily contoured lower down the hillsides had become necessary as industry developed, loads became heavier, and more people needed faster access to Manchester and Yorkshire. The Bell Inn became the main coaching post in this immediate area, Delph village was bypassed and rapid change was in the air.
Despite John Buckley’s attempt to cling to trade by naming his alehouse the ‘Cart and Sandbag’ in reference to the nearby quarries, and then ‘The Rose and Crown’ in 1821, the writing was on the wall for the old alehouse.
Not to be outflanked John took out an 800 year lease on the new turnpike, at the corner of what is now Platting Road, and built ‘The Star Inn’ to take advantage of the new traffic flow. He left his friend and neighbour Mr Wareing in charge at the Rose and Crown, and his family stayed in residence there running the older alehouse for 81 years, during which time it became known for the first time as ‘The Old Original’ in 1871.
There was some competition for The Star Inn on the new turnpike in 1840 when the cottage opposite at number 1259 Huddersfield Road opened as the ‘Rising Sun’ alehouse – but it could hardly be expected to compete seriously with The Star, with its size, stabling facilities and own brewhouse.
Whilst over the years these three hostelries shared histories and personnel they also illustrated clearly consistent features of life in 18th and 19th century Saddleworth, when rapid industrialisation was taking place. Tenants and owners would invariably have other occupational interests. They would be farmers, ’stone getters’, spinners , weavers, dyers ,and general retailers. Alehouses were invariably family businesses in the wider sense, were often passed from father to son, and reflected the changing face of life on this edge of the Pennine chain.
New Inn Farm
New Inn Farm stands on part of the roman road which runs from Chester to York.