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Tuesday 30 September 2008

Park Bridge Institute



Park Bridge was once a busy industrial stretch of the Medlock Valley, within Ashton's northern boundary. The Lees family, who ran the thriving ironworks, built several terraces of houses for their workers, plus other facilities such as the Institute, pictured here on a miserable day.

The Institute was opened in 1905 by Maurice Lees. It had a reading room and a billiard room. Monthly church services were held there and it is still a thriving community centre. Each year a Service of Remembrance is held at the Memorial at the front of the building.

See Google Aerial View of this location.

5 comments:

  1. martin ,are the cottages lees built still standing ,i got a photo back in the 80s from my cousin bernice, shes stood outside the cottages on it ,our great uncle john leech was a gardener for lees and lived in one of the cottages thats why she had the photo taken there ,,

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  2. Yes, most of the cottages are still there and are very popular. I will post some photos in the future.

    ReplyDelete
  3. My great uncle was groom to the Lees family of Park Bridge. My Dad got a nice surprise on a visit to Park Bridge Heritage centre a few years ago to see photos of Henry Spear and his wife Mary Ann (nee Goodwin).

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    Replies
    1. My grandfather was James Cox who was the nephew of Henry Spear. James Cox was born in South Lopham, Norfolk, not Topham as some records show. James married my grandmother - Nelly Andrew, daughter of Samuel and Fanny Andrew, the Andrew family lived at Bobs Garden, Park Bridge. Before Park Bridge Visitor Centre closed I found some photos of my grandmothers family but although some members of the family were mentioned others shown were not. Any information anyone could give me would be appreciated.

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    2. Hi I was born at Bobs gardens in 1964 ( No 2 ) next door to the Dronsfields. Did the Andrew family live at No1 or 2 ?

      Delete

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