Edward VIII postbox at Heaton Mersey

An Edward VIII postbox (SK4 304D) stands at the corner of Fylde Road and Mauldeth Road in Heaton Mersey.

The insignia/cypher dates it to the 326 day reign of King Edward VIII who became king on the death of his father on January 20th 1936 and abdicated on December 11th 1936.

Only about 160 postboxes bearing the cypher of Edward VIII were made. Estimates as to how many have survived vary between 80 and 130. One theory claims that some Edward VIII postbox doors were replaced by George VI doors.

A contribution to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

Bibbity Bobbity Bootique

It looks as if I'm bit too late to catch the closing down sale at the Bibbity Bobbity Bootique on Little Underbank.

A contribution to signs, signs.

X is for Xmas

The Xmas Tree on Prince's Street.

On the left is an "Adult Gaming Centre".

On the right is a shop for the charity Shelter who help to support homeless people.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

Carols in Merseyway

As I walked out of M&S into the Merseyway Shopping Centre having cut through from Prince's Street I could hear a band playing and carols being sung by a choir.

It was children from Ludworth Primary School in Marple who were doing the honours and very delightful they sounded too.

A contribution to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

Eat Me Sweets

This is the Eat Me Sweet Shop on the corner of Great Underbank and Bridge Street. It used to be called Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe - see the wider view in our post of 15th June 2013. Until the 1970s it had been a branch of Boots the Chemist.

A contribution to Shop Window theme on City Daily Photos and Our World Tuesday.

St Jospeh's RC Church: A charcoal impression

St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in Tatton Street off St Petersgate dates back to 1861 and is Grade II listed.

See the original photograph on Geograph.

A contribution to The Weekend in Black and White and Inspired Sundays.

S is for Scotch Bob

This wood carving of Scotch Bob by sculptor Andy Burgess is on Cheadle Green.

According to Choose Cheadle website, James Telford, known as "Scotch Bob" came to Cheadle from Dumfriesshire in 1871. By 1879 he was driving the red, horse drawn buses of the Manchester Carriage Company, a job he proudly held for over 35 years.

In 1908 he set a British record for driving over 60,000 miles from Manchester and Cheadle. He sometimes drove three horses abreast, quoting Robbie Burns as he went. He knew everyone along the way and his whip was constantly raised in greeting, even when the rain was streaming down.

In 1913 he was given the job of motor-bus time keeper at the White Hart terminus. By then he was reckoned to have driven a record 937,000 miles on one route. He lived with his family at 8 Gatley Road, close to the White Hart where his horses were stabled.

When he died in 1929 he was buried in St Mary's Churchyard behind the White Hart stables, where a small stone stands in memory of James Telford.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

Ephemera: Changes on Prince's Street

In recent year Prince's Street has been split into five sections with two sections made into pedestrianised areas with little trees, benches, litter bins and lighting outside the rear of M&S on the left - see the post of 15th March 2015 which shows what used to be there.

Now that has all gone and the area has been tarmacced over. The street extension to the Swan With Two Necks is still there for now - see it from the other side in the post of 20th November 2013.

The barriers won't be staying for too long. Prince's Street will be returning to a through route running one way with the parallel Bridgefield Street running in the opposite direction.

Today's post is a contribution to the Ephemeral theme at the City Daily Photo Community.

The Wedding Cake from Frances Street

A view of Stockport Town Hall, locally nick-named The Wedding Cake, from Frances Street.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

George V postbox at Stockport Station

In the wall by the steps up to Platform 1 at Stockport Station is a postbox with a GR cypher for the reign of George V. I'd never noticed it until recently as it is a little tucked away and then again I more often than not arrive on a different platform and take the lift down to the subway rather than the stairs.

Next to the postbox which is labelled SK3 101 is a No Smoking notice that points out that even the open air sections are a no-smoking area.

A contribution to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

New signs on Bridge Streeet

Now that all the works have been completed around Lancashire Bridge new pedestrian signage has been erected at the bottom of Bridge Street.

Attached is a panel with a sketch of the Marketplace and a poster about events although the information was already out of date when I took this photograph.

It seems disappointingly plain and utilitarian to me.

A contribution to signs, signs.

Bus Shelter, Bull's Head, Reddish

This bus shelter is the terminus of the #84 bus at the Bull's Head, Reddish. The #84 route is a mainly half hourly service to Manchester Piccadilly. It takes a circuitous route through Heaton Chapel, Heaton Mersey, East Didsbury, Withington, West Didsbury, Chorlton and Old Trafford. The full journey takes over 1 hour 20 minutes. If you just wanted to get from North Reddish to Piccadilly you would cross the road and take the #203 which would get you there in 15-25 minutes depending on traffic. It is probably a route that has been cobbled together from three different original services.

A contribution to the City Daily Photoblogs theme Shelter.

Four photographs of St Thomas's, Hillgate

I recently went past St Thomas's, Hillgate and took some new photographs. On the south side of the church the gravestones have been mostly flattened for ease of maintenance and the large tree has had its branches cut back. If you look carefully you can see a cat at the bottom of the tree.

St Thomas's Parish Church was opened in 1825 having been built as one of a hundred churches funded by grants from the government and regarded as a thanksgiving for victory over Napoleon, hence the name "Waterloo" Churches. St. Thomas was built in the classical style and is now recognised as a building of National importance being Grade I Listed.

A look down the side of the graveyard showing the pollarded tree.

The classic view from St Thomas's Place

Previous posts of St Thomas's, Hillgate:

• 24-08-14 Outside St Thomas's
• 28-08-14 Hazardous Headstones
• 31-08-14 Inside St Thomas's
• 07-09-14 Stained glass
• 21-09-14 War Memorial tablet

A contribution to Inspired Sundays.

The Curiosity of Platform Zero

The Easternmost platform at Stockport station is number zero. It was added in 2003 to provide extra capacity but not used until 2008.

Only three other stations in the UK have a platform zero, Edinburgh Haymarket, London King's Cross and Cardiff Central.

Also curious is that is the only platform that has direct level access to the street.

Another curious sight I found recently on platform zero can be seen on my photoblog sithenah.

A contribution to the Curiosities Theme at City Daily Photoblogs.

Grotesques at St Mary's

The East end of St Mary's church is the oldest part of the building and dates from the early 1300s. It was built of sandstone and still supports the original oak roof timbers on walls 1.5 metres thick. The stonework around the windows end in grotesques.

This one is on the left hand side of the easternmost window and there is a similar one on the right.

A Grotesque is simply the carving of a face (or body and face) of an animal or creature on the side of a building. Ones that incorporate drainage spouts are termed gargoyles. Gargoyles are therefore a sub-division of Grotesques.

This one is in the middle of the window.

A contribution to Inspired Sundays.

The Artism Gallery

8 Market Place is a late 18th or early 19th century house incorporating a 19th century shop front and reusing timbers of medieval or 17th century origin. The second-storey wall has ghost advertising (partially obscured) which relates to its past use as Ladies and Gents Tailors.

In 2010 it was a coffee shop after which it became the "Vintage Style Agency" and then the "Teenage Market". In March 2015 it was home to the vintage clothes shop "Loyal Retro".

The latest occupant is The Artism Gallery run by Brin Morris who creates sellotape sculptures some of which can be seen sitting in the window looking out at the Market Hall (aka the Glass Umbrella).

The gallery displays artwork from local artists and runs interactive workshops. More information can be found on their Facebook page.

A contribution to Our World Tuesday.

Upholsterers of distinction

Upholsterers of distinction claims the nameplate on the former premises of the Stockport Restoration Co. on Avenue Street.

The building on the tautologically named Avenue Street off Great Portwood Street probably looked quite stylish in its day.

Buddleia is a plant that will grow almost anywhere and loves to attach itself to derelict buildings such as this.

A contribution to signs, signs and Floral Fridays.

The Rivers Run Through

"The Rivers Run Through" is an artwork designed by young people working with Stockport Youth Offending Service and local artist Karen Allerton.

Part of a Stockport Art Trail it is a collaboration between Stockport's Youth Offending Service, Public Health and Sustrans.

The mural was installed recently on the wall below the M60 motorway opposite the confluence of the rivers Goyt and Tame to form the Mersey.

It is fixed in front of the wall rather than attached directed to the wall like a conventional mural which may make it less of a target for taggers.

A contribution to Monday Murals and Blue Monday.

Quackers at Marple

In and out of the water at Top Lock Marina on the Peak Forest Canal.

A contribution to
Weekend Reflections;
Scenic Weekends;
Saturday Critters;
Camera Critters.

Marple ducks

The notice sellotaped to a tree on alongside the Peak Forest Canal at Marple reads:
PLEASE READ

Ducks need a
nutritional diet too.

Feeding white bread to ducks can
stunt their growth and prevent
them from flying. Give them
a healthy dinner of cracked corn,
birdseed or oats instead.

The nearest ducks I encountered were enjoying the manicured lawn of a house on the opposite side of the canal.

A contribution to Wednesday Waters and signs, signs.

A life-changing place

This mural on a wall of the subway at Stockport station is described nearby as Stockport Artwork created by Arc service users:

"A life-changing place"

Arc is Stockport's specialist arts and health charitable organisation.

We work from our Challenge Centre in Reddish - art Studios and gallery - with individuals who face often severe and multiple disadvantages linked to mental ill-health. We use the arts to help them to transform their lives.

We run a Community Programme including an outreach agency and a graphic design service - engaging people creatively at Stockport's Stepping Hill Hospital, Children's Centres and in the wider community via bespoke art groups, events, market stalls and festivals.

The artwork on display here has been designed as part of Arc's 'Arc:Light' programme, in which vulnerable adults recovering from mental distress are given opportunities to develop skills and confidence through a creative process. In this instance they have learnt digital graphic design skills and produced work that represents key icons and themes around Stockport town centre.

We hope that this installation encourages dialogue around mental health issues and the impact of mental ill-health on our lives.

This installation is a joint partnership between Arc, Virgin Trains and Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council.

A contribution to Monday Murals.

Reflections of a pigeon

After an afternoon of heavy rain, a pigeon is pecking at puddle outside the Merseyway Shopping Centre.

Another was flying in to see what was to be had.

A contribution to
The Weekend in Black and White;
Weekend Reflections;
Scenic Weekends;
Saturday Critters;
Camera Critters.

C is for Charles Cummings' Commemorative Cross in Cheadle Churchyard

In St Mary's churchyard, Cheadle is the stump of a 14th/15th century sandstone cross It was restored in the 19th century as a memorial to Charles James Cummings as described on a copper commemorative plaque.

The plaque reads:

THIS CROSS WAS RESTORED BY LOVING FRIENDS
TO THE GLORY OF GOD
AND IN MEMORY OF CHARLES JAMES CUMMINGS, M.A,
FOR 26 YEARS RECTOR OF CHEADLE.
HE DIED 10th OCT.1873.AGED 52 YEARS.

It is Grade II listed and described as

Red sandstone. Square shaft with chamfered corners with bar stops at base. Each face has a small niche with cusped head and continuous hoodmould. The upper stage diminishes and is terminated by a weathering. The top is missing. Moulded square base with copper commemorative plaque.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

Gates at Lock #15

These are the lock gates on the Peak Forest Canal at Marple.

A flight of sixteen locks raise the canal more than 200 feet over the course of about a mile.

A contribution to The Weekend in Black and White.

El Al over Great Underbank

Walking down Chestergate towards Great Underbank last week I spotted this plane coming in and took a quick photograph as it came over.

I just managed to get a second shot. From the identification letters G-OBTH I was later able to establish that it was an El Al Airlines plane on a flight from Palma de Mallorca that landed at Manchester Airport just a couple of minutes later.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

Forecourt not a Highway

The notice on the front of the BT Telephone Exchange on Cheadle High Street reads:

BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS PLC
THE OWNER OF THE LAND AND FORECOURT
IN FRONT OF THESE PREMISES, HAS NOT
DEDICATED AND DOES NOT INTEND TO
DEDICATE AS A HIGHWAY, THE SAID LAND
AND FORECOURT OR ANY PART THEREOF
OR ANYWAY THEREUPON OR THEREOVER.

So that's you lot told and don't you forget it there!

See a view of the location on Geograph.

A contribution to signs, signs.

B is for Bank

The Bank on Bridge Street viewed from Great Underbank.

The Grade II listed building was built in 1900.

According to the Barclays' Archive:

The Union Bank was established in 1836 with a capital of £6 million divided into 24,000 shares of £25 each. Although the original intention of the Union Bank was to confine itself to Manchester, after twenty years this policy was changed, and its first branch opened at Knutsford in 1856. The bank flourished with the growth of industry and acquired several smaller banks in Lancashire, Cheshire and Yorkshire. It became an affiliated bank within the Barclays Group in 1919, when 99% of its capital was acquired under an arrangement whereby Union Bank shareholders were given shares in Barclays to replace their Union Bank shares. This was Barclays' last major acquisition before the Treasury put a block on major banking mergers in 1920. The Union Bank continued to be managed and marketed separately until 1940 when it was fully absorbed into Barclays.

In recent years the building has been home to the appropriately named Bank Fashion Store.

Bank Fashion which had previously been owned by JD Sports was put into administration in January 2015. It had 84 stores of which 20 have been closed. According to a sign on the window the next nearest still trading store is in Denton.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.