Helen Winterson's Clock

The Clock on the former Co-op building which houses Helen Winterson's Ladies Fashions was originally commissioned in 1898. It had not gone for many years so to mark Helen Winterson's fifty years in business in Marple, the owner Judi Winterson, decided that it was time to have it renovated.

With the encouragement of Marple Civic Society and the Marple Regeneration Partnership, local clock restorer Symon Boyd was engaged to start work on removing the old clock from its tower. He painstakingly covered the original Chapter Ring and Hands with 23.5 caret gold leaf, renewed the clock face and light and installed a modern accurate mechanism. An inscription on the clock face "1953-2003" records the fact that Judi's mother Helen Winterson established the business fifty years ago and that it is still going strong.

The original mechanism, made by Fosters of Manchester (a flat bed dead beat escarpment for the enthusiast) incorporated a 10 foot pendulum and a weights cupboard and someone had to climb into the clock housing each week to wind it up.

The Worshipful the Mayor of Stockport Councillor David Brailsford unveiled the refurbished old Co-op Clock at 10.30 am on Wednesday 30th April 2003. More information on the Marple website.

A contribution to Monday Mellow Yellows.

Coptic Church of St Mary & St Mina

The Coptic Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary & St.Mina on Heaton Moor Road is part of the Diocese of he Midlands & Affiliated Areas U.K. under the care of H.G. Bishop Missael.

The church has a Facebook page.

A contribution to Inspired Sundays.

Bridge #12

Bridge #12 on the Peak Forest Canal at Woodley.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections
and Scenic Weekends
as well as Sunday Bridges at San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.

Hanover and Pendlebury Towers

High-rise living on Lancashire Hill.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

The Red Bull

The Red Bull, a Robinson's pub on Middle Hillgate is a locally listed building.

The public house was probably constructed in the late 18th century, with alterations and rear additions in the late 19th century, internal remodelling in the 20th century. The building is 2-storey over cellars and with an attic, and is L-plan with a projecting wing to the right. It is constructed of rendered red brick with stone details, and the roof is Welsh slate with gable-end brick stacks.

The central entrance has stone steps with wrought-iron railings. The flush beaded panelled door is within a moulded architrave with a debased scrolled pediment. Either side, and to the first floor are 4-pane sashes. The elevation is articulated with string courses at upper ground floor level and there are chamfered quoins. The wing to the right has similar windows and a dentilled timber eaves cornice.

The right return gable has plate glass sashes and a 3-light plain mullioned window to the attic. Extensions were added to the rear in the late 19th century.

A contribution to signs, signs.

K is for Kiddi-Winks

A day nursery located on Bankfield Road, next to the Peak Forest Canal at Woodley.

More information can be found on their website.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

Engineer Wharf

Engineer Wharf is situated on the north side of the Peak Forest Canal, close to the foot of Marple Locks, and it contained the canal company's workshops dating from 1825.

This view was taken from a train crossing on the viaduct above.

More information about the history of the wharf can be found on the Industrial Heritage of Britain website.

A contribution to Our World Tuesday.

The Running Man at Heaton Chapel

Apologies for the quality of the photo which was taken with my phone through a dirty railway carriage window, but this was the first time I'd spotted this and thought I'd get a quick shot while I could.

I've discovered that this won 1st place in a competition for Community Art Schemes sponsered by ScotsRail:

"Inspired by Olympics in 2012, the Group completed the Running Man art project within three months, all sourced from local suppliers. Supported by businesses and organisations in the local community, 16 panels of artwork were sponsored and children from three local schools were involved in working with a local community artist, which resulted in a huge attendance of over 200 at the unveiling ceremony on 25th May 2012. The multi-talented group has within 10 months of inception demonstrated incredible attributes of engagement with the local community whilst leaving a wonderful exhibit for station users to enjoy for the future."

The group Friends of Heaton Chapel Station was formed in 2011.

A contribution to Monday Murals.

King Street West Bridge

A sideways look at King Street West Bridge over the river Mersey with the railway viaduct in the background.

A contribution to Sunday Bridges at San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.

Sykes' #2 Reservoir

Syke's #2 Reservoir is the middle of three reservoirs originally providing water for the Sykes Bleaching Works. It is now part of Alexandra Park, Edgeley and used for fishing.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections
as well as Scenic Weekends.
and Shadow Shot Sunday.

The Unicorn and St Mary's

The view down Apsley Street towards Robinson's Unicorn Brewery and the Parish Church of St Mary's in the Marketplace.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

Fine Ales

Fine Ales - well not any more.

This is how it looked last week.

The Tatched House on Churchgate is a locally listed building. It was rebuilt in 1899, on the site of a 17th century timber-framed building of the same name. The 2-storey building is constructed of sandstone with a timber-framed first floor with decorative bracing. The roof is clay-tiled, the stacks are brick. The double gabled front elevation has a semi-elliptical arched central doorway with double timber doors, 4-light windows either side have etched glass inscribed with the name of the pub and Stowells Ales. The first floor has two 3-light oriel windows with a small oriel over the door, the gables have carved barge boards with finials. The right return to Lavender Brow is similar. There are red brick outshuts to the rear.

This is how it looked three years ago.

The building was first mentioned in 1744 as belonging to surgeon Dr.Briscall's practice, which gave free consultations and was effectively the forerunner to Stockport infirmary. The earlier timber-framed building was known as The Thatched House, and was an inn or tavern from the late 18th century. In the early 21st century the pub was renowned as a music venue but has been closed since 2010.

The pub sign that was there in 2010 has since disappeared.

A contribution to signs, signs.

J is for James Seal and Co

This building on the corner of Market Place and Park Street was originally the premises of James Seal & Co, tobacco products manufacturer, founded in 1860.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

Texting at the traffic lights

The lights at the bottom of Lancashire Hill were on red. I was on a bus, waiting to alight at the next stop, when I spotted this lady using her mobile phone and I couldn't resist using mine to take her photograph. Using a mobile phone when driving (even if stationary in traffic) is illegal in the UK. I didn't note her registration number so can't actually report her.

A contribution to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

A closer look at the Enterprise Mural

The Enterprise Mural on the gable wall of 89 Lower Hillgate offers a pictorial reflection of Stockport's industrial history. It was designed and painted by artist Keith Ormondroyd in 1983.

I first showed it to you in my post on 26th August.

I've been back since then and taken some closer views from the side. For a 30-year old mural it isn't doing all that badly.

Another contribution to Monday Murals.

The Salvation Army, Heaton Norris Community Church

Heaton Norris Community Church is on Short Street. According to the church website

We are a Christian Church whose Mission is to demonstrate Christian principles through practical support, offering unconditional friendship, and very practical help to people of all ages, backgrounds and needs. Our Church, referred to in the Salvation Army as a Corps, was opened on the 5th November 1887. We continue to strive to make known the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to serve our local community.

They seem to have a lot of different activities going on.

A contribution to Inspired Sundays.

Orchard Street

A few moments before I took the photograph from which this image is derived a rat ran across the street from Lower Carr Mill (left) to Churchgate Mill (right).

Behind me is the access to Hopes Carr as shown in the second photograph in my post for Friday 13th.

The first factory built here in 1759 was a silk mill powered by a watermill on Hempshaw Brook. It was bought by Charles Davies in 1781 who added new buildings and moved production over to cotton spinning. By the 1790s it was owned by Thomas Hope who gave his name to the area and built additional mills, a tannery, hat works and workers' houses. Higher Carr Mill was demolished by 1907 but Lower Carr Mill continued to be used for cotton spinning until the 1930s.

A contribution to The Weekend in Black and White.

Fences around Hopes Carr

When I posted recently about the Air Disaster Memorials at Hopes Carr I wrote

The area has remained virtually untouched since the disaster but an area regeneration plan conceived in 2008 planned the creation of 350 apartments and 5000 sqm of commercial space with the memorials being moved to a "peace garden" overlooking the Hempshaw Valley. So far only 46 new homes have been built in the area and the memorials remain where they are.

Things have moved on since then and fences have been erected around the site and access to the site for anyone apart from contractors and their employees is blocked off.

This is the view from the opposite side of the site from Orchard Street off Lavanders Brow. The first factory built here in 1759 was a silk mill powered by watermill on Hempshaw Brook. It was bought by Charles Davies in 1781 who added new buildings and moved production over to cotton spinning. By the 1790s it was owned by Thomas Hope who gave his name to the area and built additional mills, a tannery, hat works and workers' houses. Higher Carr Mill was demolished by 1907 but Lower Carr Mill continued to be used for cotton spinning until the 1930s.

A contribution to Friday Fences.

Ghost sign on Hopes Carr

I came across this ghost sign on the side of a building on Hopes Carr last week.

As yet I haven't had chance to do any research to discover what it was originally.

A contribution to signs, signs.

Iron Bridge, Brabyns Park, Marple

The Iron Bridge is one of a very few cast iron bridges surviving from the period when it was built, in 1813, for the then owner of the Brabyns Estate, Nathaniel Wright. Its purpose was as a carriage bridge across the River Goyt, creating access to Wright's estate from the village of Compstall. The bridge was one of the world's first cast iron bridges and is one of the few remaining from the period.

The Iron Bridge was deemed to be dangerous in 1991 and a temporary "Bailey" type footbridge was installed to carry pedestrians, horse riders and cyclists over the River Goyt. The restoration project started in 2003 and works to restore the bridge started in September 2007. The restored bridge was opened on the 22nd June 2008.

Near to the Iron Bridge is a tree stump carved by chainsaw artist Andrew Frost. It is fitted with a bronze plaque commemorating the restoration of the bridge. More information about the restoration project can be found on the Marple UK website. Since I took these photographs in 2009 the viewing platform has been much improved.

These are the words on the plaque:

Nathaniel Wright purchased the Brabyns Estate in 1800. Wright was a wealthy coalminer who owned pits at Poynton and was a contemporary of Samuel Oldknow. Oldknow considered using cast iron for the construction of Bottoms Bridge near to his Mellor Mill around the time Wright moved to Marple but chose the reliability of stone over this modern and relatively untried method. Cast iron was also considered for the Marple Aqueduct but designer Benjamin Outram opted for an all-stone construction too. So it was that Wright became possibly the first in the Northwest to use this modern material for a bridge when he decided that he needed access to his estate over the River Goyt from the direction of what is now Compstall.

At the turn of the 19th century the Salford Iron Works was a substantial Iron Foundry operated by James Bateman and William Sherratt. Their association with Wright began when they supplied him with a pumping engine for one of his coalmines in 1795. Sherratt was an engineer of considerable repute and it is easy to imagine him telling his friend Wright that he could build him a bridge of iron that would impress his peers. In 1813 he did just that when he constructed the slender and elegant cast iron carriage bridge with a personalised ‘W’ motif for Wright on his Brabyns estate. Despite sharing some similarities in design with several other cast iron bridges of the time this is the only one of its kind known to have been built by the Salford Iron Works.

Today the Brabyns Iron Bridge is a listed structure of national importance. As the only known surviving cast iron bridge of its kind in the Northwest it is now a unique example and is of particular importance because it has remained intact since its original construction without alteration or significant loss of fabric. The bridge survived in daily use with minimal maintenance until 1990, when a structural survey determined that it was at risk. In 1991 a Bailey bridge was erected across it as a temporary measure, allowing it to remain intact until the funds could be found to conduct proper repairs.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

George V postbox on Wellington Road North

In June I showed you a wall postbox from the reign of Victoria. In July I showed you a lamp postbox from the reign of Elizabeth II. In August I showed you a cylinder pillar box from the reign of George VI.

This month I'm showing you another pillar box from the reign of George V. It is on Wellington Road North and is inscribed at the base with the name of the manufacturers:

CARRON COMPANY
STIRLINGSHIRE

A contribution to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

Stockport Police Blue Lamp

A blue lamp hangs outside Stockport Police HQ on Edward Street. Such lamps have been hung outside police stations since 1861.

A contribution to Blue Monday.

Crowther Street

An old cobbled street in Hillgate.

Imagine it in colour.

Imagine it full of people.

Imagine it in 1930.

Imagine it with the eyes of L S Lowry.

A contribution to The Weekend in Black and White and Scenic Weekends.

Airbus A330 over Stockport

An Etihad Airlines Airbus A330-200 en route for Manchester International Airport passing over Rooth Street.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

Hopes Carr: Stockport Air Disaster Memorial

On Sunday 4th June 1967 a Canadair C-4 Argonaut aircraft owned by British Midland Airways, en-route from Palma de Mallorca to Manchester crashed at Hopes Carr, a small open area off Hillgate. Local people rescued 10 passangers, a stewardess and the pilot before flames engulfed the aircraft. The remaining 72 people aboard perished in the flames.

A memorial plaque at the corner of Hopes Carr and Waterloo Road was unveiled by two survivors of the crash in 1998. It reads:
IN MEMORY
OF THE
SEVENTY TWO PASSENGERS
AND CREW
WHO LOST THEIR LIVES
IN THE
STOCKPORT AIR DISASTER
4th JUNE 1967

A second memorial dedicated to the rescuers was unveiled in 2002. It reads:
This memorial
is dedicated to those involved
in the rescue and who gave aid at the
Stockport Air Disaster
4th June 1967.

All were faced with the true horror
of tragedy and did not turn away.

Their courage saved
twelve lives.

The area has remained virtually untouched since the disaster but an area regeneration plan conceived in 2008 planned the creation of 350 apartments and 5000 sqm of commercial space with the memorials being moved to a "peace garden" overlooking the Hempshaw Valley. So far only 46 new homes have been built in the area and the memorials remain where they are.

For ABC Wednesday.

Fun on Mersey Square

There were lots going on in Mersey Square in Saturday with plenty for the children with a big bouncy castle (on the right) and something called a "Big Top Play Zone".

In the middle there was a roundabout and an ice-cream van.

On the far side of the square was a bar for the adults advertising a Beer Festival in September. In between were a number of stalls under the guise of "The Teenage Market".

A contribution to Monday Mellow Yellows.

Pink Parrot

Pink Parrot is a shop on Market Street in Marple between a greengrocer's and the cake shop "The Icing on the Cake".

The shop was shut when I went to take a look at it on Friday but according to their website "At Pink Parrot we attempt to bring individuality – unusual gift ideas and individual clothing by British and European designers, right through to Eastern-inspired garments, hippy chick and a romantic Gothic range."

A contribution to the Pink theme at City Daily Photo