In The Way

"I" is for "In The Way" and today's photo shows a building that finds itself in the way of a new road.

The building was originally St Mary's RC Primary School and continued in use as such until 1970. The school relocated to a new building on Holden Street (now Our Lady of Mount Carmel School) and the old building was re-furbished and given a new life as the Markazi Jamia Mosque.

Now it is the Mosque's turn to move to a new building in Hillgate Street, just off Holden Street. When the new Mosque opens this building will be demolished to make way for Ashton's new Northern By-pass.

It would be difficult to describe it as an attractive building but it will still be a pity to see something with so many people's memories, as a place of education and a place of worship, become reduced to a pile of brick dust in the name of "progress"!

A view of this building from the other side of the railway cutting was seen here almost a year ago.

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See Birds Eye View of this location.
See Google Street View of this location.

"In The Way" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "I" posts from around the world please follow this link.
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Sky Watch: Old St Mary's School

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Today's photo looks southwards across the railway cutting from Albemarle Street. It's not a particularly artistic shot but I took it to try to capture the dramatic cloudscape. The photo is of interest because it shows a building that will not be there for much longer.

The large brick building on Newton Street was built as St Mary's school and continued to serve that purpose until around 1970, when the school was transferred to a new building on Holden Street (now Our Lady of Mount Carmel School).

Since the Catholic children moved out the building has seen a whole new life as the Markazi Jamia Mosque.

Now a brand new mosque is being constructed a short distance away at the junction of Hillgate Street and Holden Street. When the new mosque opens, the old building will be demolished to make way for a new Northern By-pass road. Construction of this road has already started between Ashton railway station and Cowhill Lane.

In the background is the spire of Albion Church.

See Birds Eye View of this location.

Sky Watch is a regular weekly feature on this photo blog. It links with websites all over the world with the general theme each week of looking upwards. Please take the opportunity to visit some of these other sites. I hope some new visitors have found their way here today, watching the skies!