BOWDON IN CHESHIRE

[adj05]

I am desperatly trying to find out about an area of Bowdon in Cheshire called Spring Bank.
On the 1871 census I have found my ancestors down as living at the address, Spring Bank in Bowdon. There is no house number there and although it does show on an up to date map it does not appear to look like a street. Please can anybody offer me some help? Many Thanks, Adam.

[adj05]

I am desperatly trying to find out about an area of Bowdon in Cheshire called Spring Bank.
On the 1871 census I have found my ancestors down as living at the address, Spring Bank in Bowdon. There is no house number there and although it does show on an up to date map it does not appear to look like a street. Please can anybody offer me some help? My ancestors were the Ollier family and although husband and wife are registered at birth in Northwich it appears that they moved to Bowdon for about ten years in and around 1870 where they started to raise their family. Does anybody know if they may have moved here for work or what Spring Bank used to be or was? Many Thanks, Adam.

[mshrmh]

Adam, welcome to RootsChat.

There is a complex of flats (I think it may be a sheltered scheme, I'm not sure) called Spring Bank, on Ashley Road - more or less opposite the junction with Hale Road. If this is what you've seen on the current map it is a block built in the last 10-20 years.

[adj05]

Hi
Thanks for your speedy reply.
Yes, the Spring bank that I have seen on the map is the one that you are talking about.
I wonder if it is the same area as spoken about on the 1871 census?
Adam

[LizzieW]

When I lived in the area as a child/teenager, Spring Bank was a large green area at the bottom of Stamford Road at its junction with Ashley Road.  Having googled for Spring Bank, Hale, Cheshire (it is debatable whether it was in Hale or Bowdon), I found an apartment for sale called Spring Bank with the directions suggesting you go from Ashley Road Hale, towards the traffic lights (not there in my day), turn right (still Ashley Road going towards Altrincham) and Spring Bank is on the left.  So it looks as though it has been built on, which is not surprising.

Perhaps there were properties on it in 1871 but by the 1940s and 1950s they had gone as we used to play on there.

Lizzie

[mshrmh]

Adam, I'll try and see what I can find - in the meantime there's an old (but sadly undated) photograph on the Trafford Lifetimes site at
http://www.trafford.gov.uk/content/tca/display_image.asp?ImageID=5234

I know there are several other posters on here whose local knowledge goes back beyond mine, so may be more able to help.

[LizzieW]

See also

www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=395756.new#new

I've given a fuller answer on that thread, but I think we all agree where it was.

Lizzie

[mshrmh]

Adam - sorry I really should have thought of this one before
http://maps.cheshire.gov.uk/tithemaps/TwinMaps.aspx?township=EDT_59-2
This gives you side by side two maps of the same area different dates. If you change the left one to 1875 and then move the right hand one to the right so you can see both railway stations (Hale & Altrincham) - then zoom in about halfway between the two & you have old & modern Spring Bank.

[adj05]

Thanks for that Lizzie - much appreciated
Adam