ABC Wednesday: Guzzlin Goose

Today's post for ABC Wednesday is G for "Guzzlin Goose" and shows the pub of that name on Bentinck Street.

The Guzzlin Goose pub is not, in my opinion, one of Ashton's better-looking buildings, although it looks very smart after its recent re-paint, which has emphasised its simple design typical of a lot of 1960s architecture.

The pub was previously called the Happy Shepherd and was originally opened in 1861. It was re-built on the same site in the 1960s when the area between Katherine Street and Brook Street was being re-developed. For most of its life it had been a beerhouse (licensed to sell beers but not wines and spirits) and only received a full licence in 1966.

See Google Street View of this location.

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"Guzzlin Goose" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "G" posts from around the world please follow this link.

St Michael's House

Today's photo shows St Michael's House, which fronts onto a cobbled courtyard next to the Parish Church of St Michael, close to the original centre of the town of Ashton.

St Michael's House is a magnificent Victorian building, constructed in 1869. It was the town's registry office but now houses the offices of a number of organisations.

This Grade II Listed building is constructed of brick with bands of stone and with arched windows. There are contrasting patterns picked out in blue brick on the top storey.

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"St Michael's House" is my contribution to this week's "My World" feature. Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.

ABC Wednesday: The Friendship

Today's post for ABC Wednesday is F for "The Friendship" and shows the building that was many years was a pub of that name.

The Friendship was at the western end of Old Street, on the corner of Henry Square. It was opened in 1827 and expanded into the building at the back, which became the original Schofield's Brewery. The brewery later moved to a larger site on Bentinck Street and was eventually incorporated into Robinson's Brewery.

The building has been empty for several years but it occupies a prime location in the St Petersfield re-development and will shortly be converted into offices. It is a pity that it could not be sustained as a pub, but at least the splendid building will be retained.

See Google Street View of this location.

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"The Friendship" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "F" posts from around the world please follow this link.

Market

Today's photo shows Ashton's historic open market from a different angle.

I'm afraid it's not the best of photos, with the strong winter sunshine creating deep shadows, but it shows some of the fruit and vegetable stalls that are on one side of the market ground. In the background, the unloved office block of the local council can be seen rising behind the restored stone facade of the former water board offices.

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"Market" is my contribution to this week's "My World" feature. Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.

ABC Wednesday: Elizabeth Street

Today's post for ABC Wednesday is E for "Elizabeth Street" and shows part of the street of that name in Ashton under Lyne.

This is a fairly typical street in the town, most of it being lined on both sides with terraced bricked houses. The street does have a claim to fame, however. Those with sharp eyes may have noticed a blue plaque on the wall of the nearest house. The plaque commemorates the fact that this house was once the home of Hannah Mitchell, a celebrated figure in the fight for women's rights.

Born in Derbyshire in 1872, Hannah lived in this house from 1900 to 1910, at a time when she was making speeches at campaign meetings. Even though she suffered poor health, she was an active worker for the women's suffrage and Labour movements.

See Google Street View of this location.

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"Elizabeth Street" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "E" posts from around the world please follow this link.

The trams are coming!

The trams are coming back towards Ashton! It was in 1938 that the traditional trams stopped running in Ashton. Now, 75 years later, the new second-generation trams are heading back to the town.

Today saw the newest tram line of Manchester's Metrolink system opening as far as Droylsden. The rest of the line from Droylsden to Ashton is expected to be open some time within the next year.

The photo shows one of the new trams leaving Droylsden and heading towards Manchester and then on to Bury.

A Metrolink leaflet giving information about the new line can be found here. (.pdf) A map of the route under construction between Droylsden and Ashton can be found here. (.pdf)

When the line is complete, the trams will run every 6 minutes between Ashton and Manchester, transforming public transport in the world of Ashton under Lyne!

See Google Street View of this location.

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"The trams are coming!" is my contribution to this week's "My World" feature. Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.

ABC Wednesday: Donkey Stone

Today's post for ABC Wednesday is D for "Donkey Stone" and shows what is left of a once-thriving local industry.

This small stone building on Lower Wharf Street in Ashton was once part of a larger group of buildings where the manufacture of donkey stones took place. Donkey stones were used in mills to prevent stone steps from becoming slippery with grease. They were later used by proud housewives to make their doorsteps look smart.

This factory was set up by Eli Whalley on what had been Ashton Old Wharf at the side of the Ashton Canal. The site is now sometimes known as Donkey Stone Wharf. The name "Donkey" was originally the brand name of one of the companies that made such stones, but became the generic name for the product, much as vacuum cleaners are often referred to as hoovers.

The donkey stones were made from crushed stone, cement, bleach and water. The colour depended on the type of crushed stone used.

Two other companies had also manufactured donkey stones further along Lower Wharf Street. Eli Whalley's was the last to close.

A close-up of the blue plaque can be seen here.

See Google Street View of this location.

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"Donkey Stone" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "D" posts from around the world please follow this link.

Damp Day

Today's post shows the steps and entrance to Ashton Town Hall on a damp winter's day. On each side of the steps is a non-working cannon for decopration!

It might be a damp January day and it might be cold and windy, but the hardy Ashtonians just wrap their clothes a little tighter around them and get out there!

In the background is the Ash Tree, Ashton's branch of the popular Wetherspoon chain of pubs, a good place to escape the cold!

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"Damp Day" is my contribution to this week's "My World" feature. Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.