Have you Herd the Moos?

"Hello! What's that fellow doing up there, girls?"
"I think he's taking a photo of us for some reason. Come on, let's smile for him!"
"Nah, he's probably just taking a photo of that pointy thing on the hill over there. I'm getting on with my grass-munching!"
"You could be right. Anyway, what's a photo?"
"Dunno, but you've just trodden in my cow pat, you daft moo!"

Too Late!

This is a photo of Fleet Street, in Ashton, which shows the Royal Mail sorting office on the left and the rather unlovely office block behind, which now calls itself Oakglade House.

As I was taking the photo, I noticed the couple on the left trying the door of the sorting office, only to find it locked. You know what it's like - you are waiting in for a parcel, but you just nip out to get a pint of milk or something for 5 minutes and that's when the postman arrives and pushes a card through your door!

As many of you who have gone to the sorting office to pick up such a parcel will know, Ashton's office is only open until 12 noon. Needless to say, it was gone twelve and the door was firmly locked!

Alphabet Friday - Biscuit Factory

It's Alphabet Friday once again and time for the second letter! "B" is for "Biscuit Factory" and Tudno Mill (or Ryecroft Mill no. 3) has for many years been the home of Hills Biscuits. The visitor approaching Ashton is often greeted by the mouth-watering smell of baking biscuits!

R A Barrett

This small factory in Blandford Street was built in 1894 for R A Barrett.

I believe that this was the R A Barrett who made ginger beer and other mineral waters. I can find a reference to them having an earlier factory in 1873 just around the corner in Berkeley Street, so perhaps they moved here to larger premises?

In 1910, Barrett's were on e of the first companies in the town to use a motor vehicle for deliveries. R A Barrett eventually ceased production in 1977.

As you can see in the photo below, the Victorians couldn't resist getting a certain amount of ornamentation into even a fairly plain building!

Small Bang

Another piece of sculpture to appear recently in Ashton is this stainless steel work in Henry Square by Paul Margetts, creator of The Family and Glory of the Garden, situated elsewhere in Ashton.

This creation is intended to be a memorial to those who lost their lives in the 1917 Munitions Explosion in Ashton's West End and is said to be inspired by drawings by local children.

When I arrived at Henry Square I looked all around without seeing the sculpture. Then I noticed it right over in one corner, easily overlooked by those passing by. I have to confess to being a little disappointed in it and thought that something a little more grand should commemorate what was probably Ashton's biggest tragedy. "B-of-the-Bang" this isn't!

Reading Between the Lines

Ashton's newest sculpture appeared this week outside the Central Library in Old Street. The skeletal scuplture appears to be of a gentleman reading a book or a newspaper, with with briefcase at his side. He would need to read between the lines as the pages don't have a lot of substance!

I couldn't find anyone in the library who knew who the artist is but someone might be letting me know if they find out!

Market Tower

The Clock Tower of Ashton Market Hall has had most of the smoke blackening cleaned off from the fire in 2004. There are still gaping black holes where the clock faces should be. I have been assured that the clock is to be replaced and is being made in Scotland.
The tower crane that loomed over the Market Hall has now gone and most of the work currently taking place is on fitting out the inside in preparation for an opening in the Autumn.

Alphabet Friday - Albion Church

Following the example of some other photo blogs, I am starting a series of photos following the alphabet. This being the first, where better to start than "A"?

"A" is for "Albion Church" - the largest congregational church in the North of England. Built with a spire to rival the height of the nearby Parish Church. This photo shows the church looking from the Memorial Gardens.

Chaddy Dams again

A different shot of Chadwick Dams, as seen last Wednesday. The chimney visible behind the trees is at Tameside Hospital. The path leads to the junction of Mossley Road and Rosehill Road.

Goose Lake

Not "Swan Lake" but more like "Goose Lake" as the only things to be seen moving on the Stamford Park Boating Lake are dozens of Canada Geese.
The boathouse is open for business, but there are no takers, even on a bright and sunny day.

More Walk Pictures

More pictures from yesterday's Walk of Witness in Ashton. These two photos were taken in Stamford Street.
Several people commented to me that at one time you had to fight to get a place at the front of the crowd to get a good view of the Walk. Former Ashtonians seeing these pictures might feel like crying at the small number of spectators gathered on Stamford Street. Someone else remarked to me that there were more people walking than watching and this was undoubtedly true, even though there were fewer walkers than there would have been a few years ago.
I suspect that, as a result of the Walk moving away from the traditional Whit period, many people not involved with one of the churches no longer know when they take place.
However, at least Ashton still has its Walk, unlike a number of other places!

Walk of Witness

The Ashton churches' united walk of witness now takes place on the third Sunday in June, rather than on Trinity Sunday (the Sunday following Whit Sunday). Therefore we can't really call it a "Whit Walk" any more!

In the photo above, Mossley Hollins High School Band walks with the contingent from Charlestown Mission.

Below is a view of some of the crowds at the united service that took place at Cowhill Lane.

Tripe

Tripe on sale in Ashton's Phoenix Market Hall, on R G Fish's stall. The stall also sells cowheel, Bury black puddings, savoury ducks and a range of delicious-looking pies.

Market Progress

Another look at the progress of rebuilding the Market Hall. The new roof is finished, changing the profile of the Market Hall seen from the outside.

Stamford Park

Enjoying the sunshine in Stamford Park without the weekend crowds! In the distance, at the bottom of the grass slope, is the duck pond. The monument, which appears to have something missing, is to Jethro Tinker, 1788 - 1871, "a field naturalist from early youth to old age".

Chaddy Dams

Tucked away behind Tameside Hospital, between Mossley Road and Ridge Hill, is the lake known as Chadwick Dams. The lake, fed by the Cock Brook, lies on the boundary between Ashton and Stalybridge. The scene shows yesterday's warm June sunshine.

Stalybridge

Melbourne Street in Stalybridge is not exactly heaving with shoppers these days but there is still a steady trickle of people using the shops. In spite of competition from Tesco and Aldi, only one of the shops in this photo is up for sale.

To be fair to Stalybridge, I'm a bit wary of photographing people in a way that makes them too recognisable, so I waited until there weren't any shoppers too close to me before I took the photo! I could have made the street look a lot more crowded if I had taken the photo a little earlier or later!

The Birds

Three pigeons keep their eyes on a boat moored up on the Ashton Canal at Portland Basin. In the background is the elegant stone arch that carries the tow path across the junction with the Peak Forest Canal. The bridge was constructed in 1835 but, since the canal junction has been there since 1796, I am left wondering how the horses that towed the narrowboats got across the gap for the first 39 years!

(Sorry there were no posts on Friday or Saturday - I have had a very busy week!)

The Old Ball

A re-visit to the Old Ball pub at the junction of Smallshaw Lane, Henrietta Street and Broadoak Road. The road layout has been altered to improve safety, with this end of Smallshaw Lane now one way. The pub was built in 1835 when this was a junction of country lanes!

Charlestown Mission

The former Methodist Church on Alexandra Road was purchased in 1968 by Charlestown Mission, a branch of the Albion United Reform Church. The Mission has started life in 1862 a room made from two cottages, moving to an old mill on Wellington Road, before having its own premises built on York Street in 1867. York Street was cleared in the 1960s and its site is now part of the current bus station.
The Mission is very active, with services held at each Sunday and a range of activities during the week for various ages.

Sat Nav Not Savvy

A "Sign of the Times" here on Newmarket Road warns truck drivers not to follow the instructions of their sat navs!

Over the last few years there have been a number of occasions when some drivers of HGVs (heavy goods vehicles), who had apparently lost the ability to use maps or common sense, followed the instructions of their sat nav and turned left onto Downing Street. The road is not very wide when it starts, but quickly becomes even narrower, dipping steeply into a valley before turning sharply to the right.

Last year, one wayward wagon brought down part of the front wall of a cottage as it struggled to negotiate the corner [read story and see photos].

Incidentally, the "Clock Shop", featured in yesterday's Theme Day, is just around the corner to the left, behind the tree. (The litter bin on the corner can be seen in both photos.) In the distance a bus is passing the Woodcock Inn. Taunton Hall, which appeared here in April, is out of sight on the right, opposite the sat nav sign.

The Clock Shop

"The Clock Shop" is a well-known landmark on the corner of Downing Street and busy Newmarket Road in Ashton under Lyne. It does not, as far as I know, sell clocks, but does sell groceries and videos as well as being a newsagent and an off licence. I should explain for our overseas visitors that a newsagent sells newspapers, magazines, etc. and an off licence sells alcohol for consumption off the premises - i.e. cans of beer, bottles of wine or spirits, etc to take home.

The shop has always been known as "The Clock Shop" because it used to have a large clock above the entrance, where the sign is now. Sadly, the clock was broken by vandals and never replaced. Fortunately, the name has been retained as a reminder of its past. It is a nice, quirky touch to have a Clock Shop with no clock!

Let's celebrate June's Theme Day of "Corner Shops" by having two bites at the cherry!

Below is another photo of the corner shop at the junction of Kings Road and Ladbrooke Road, which was featured in February. This is perhaps more typical of the many corner shops in Ashton. There were a great many more at one time, but the advent of the supermarket has seen many of them become unprofitable and close.



Check out these other blogs participating in the "Corner Shop" Theme Day:
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