Stockport - old photograph

[keithg5]

Hi
I used to live quite close to where this photo was taken. It is the tram terminus for the Stockport to North Reddish tram the stop was always referred to as the "Bulls Head" the name of the pub, which was almost opposite the tram. the reason I can be positive about this, is that the white building behind the tram shelter was a police box The little blue door can be seen to the left which housed a telephone for emergency calls only and was linked directly to the police station in those days. Just behind the buildings to left as a short road which led to one of the two cinemas in Reddish This one was called the "Rota" a rather imposing Art Deco style building the other was in South Reddish and called the "County Cinema" The trams from Stockport terminated here as this was the Stockport Borough boundary, North of the tram stop was known as Denton, which was in Lancashire I think in those days, I haven't lived there since the 1950's  so would have no idea of what the area looks like nowadays.   

Hope this info is of interest.

Keith Torbay

[Ray T]

From memory, the 17 bus went as far (from Mersey Square) as the bulls Head from where you could get the 33 into the centre of Manchester. The Bulls head was still there the last time I looked.

[Vanner]

I was under the impression that this sites main purpose was for finding family? Not identifying places etc.

[Ray T]

That's why nobody has shown any interest in the thread - you are not compelled to read it and if you have cause for complaint please free to do do through the usual channels.

Personally, I believe that genealogical research (of which "finding family" is something of a naive over-simplification) can be aided by knowledge of local history; much of which is not written down or published. I, for one, am prepared to share any relevant knowledge I may have to whoever may be prepared to listen to it.

[millymcb]

Working out where old photos were taken is very much part of family history research - and something that happens a lot on Rootschat - in fact we pride ourselves on our ability to identify even the most obscure pictures. It is one of the things that makes Rootschat so fabulous - you would be surprised at the variety of things the wonderful rootschatters are able to help with

There is even a special board on the forum called Photograph Recognition - although some people choose to put their question on the relevant area board instead to tap into specific local knowledge.

Milly

[millymcb]

For anyone interested - here is Houldsworth Square area now (well a couple of years ago). It's pretty much the same except there is a huge supermarket behind where the picture was taken.

The other views are of the road going up from the square, past the Catholic Church towards Gorton Road where the tram picture was taken. As you can see they all have the same black and white strip bit under the eaves.

Milly

[millymcb]

The shop on the left with the red shutter (which stand just to the other side of the Church) is where my grandparents used to have a little grocers shop in the 1960s and 70s

Milly 

[yelkcub]

In giving a sincere thankyou to all those who have recently posted responses to my original query, I would like to endorse what has been said about the importance of place in family history research. Getting to understand where ancestors lived adds immeasurably to our understanding of their lives. For most of us genealogy is more than simply lists of names and dates (in the birdwatching world this is 'twitching'). Rather, we seek to enter imaginatively into the world our forebears inhabited. Happily, many RootsChat members are generous in their sharing of local knowledge.
Ian

[Bellini]

Totally agree. I have taken the opportunity, wherever possible, to visit the places my forebears lived and it's added immeasurably to the understanding of economic and religious factors that had such an impact on lives in the past.