Fascinating photographs from the Reporter glass plate collection have been digitised and shed a new light on our not so distant past, dating back through the 50s, 60s and 70s.
Clayton Hall and Humphrey Chetham
All of the volunteers involved in the SMILE project are working remotely, but they are researching images that pique their interest.
This is from one of the volunteers, David Holgate, who is helping to describe the digitised images from the Reporter Photograph Collection.
Exterior shot of Clayton Hall, 1953. Image ref VN-58_05 Reporter Newspaper Collection, Tameside Local Studies and Archives CC BY_NC 4.0
Dave writes...
From my many journeys along Ashton New Road I have always been aware of Clayton Hall but hate to admit that I knew nothing at all about the place, so when I came across these images in my role as a volunteer on the Smile project my curiosity was aroused.
Almost hidden from view behind trees the Grade 2 listed building is a 15th century moated manor house built on a medieval mound which is itself a scheduled ancient monument.
Some alterations were made to the original building in the 16th and 17th centuries and it was enlarged in the 18th century, it is the only remaining moated manor house in Greater Manchester.
Flower beds of Clayton Hall, 1953. Image ref VN-58_05 Reporter Newspaper Collection, Tameside Local Studies and Archives CC BY_NC 4.0
The moat is now drained but you cross it via a medieval stone bridge. Residents have included relatives of Lord Byron’s family and according to legend Oliver Cromwell spent a few nights there. During the Civil War it was a Royalist stronghold.
The Hall is now a museum and does open to visitors on certain days but is currently closed due to the pandemic restrictions.
The flowerbed display in the photograph above commemorates the 300th anniversary of the death of another resident Humphrey Chetham who died there in 1653.
Humphrey and his brother George were merchants and philanthropists who made their money in London before returning to live in Manchester at the Hall.
In the 1640s Humphrey, who was a batchelor, provided money to educate 22 poor boys, 14 from Manchester, six from Salford and two from Droylsden.
On his death part of his legacy was used to establish a school and library in his name and that school is of course Chethams.
As the microfilmed newspapers can not be accessed at the studies library, due to current restrictions, the Smile team are very grateful to their volunteers who are researching as much as they can remotely. One of the tasks they are looking forward to when able to meet at Tameside Local Studies and Archives is adding more information to the images when the newspapers can be researched. Until then, research continues remotely and the team are asking for help in identifying places, people and events.
As the work progresses, the volunteers will be adding some of the images to their Flickr site where you can help with missing information and also tell more of your stories, share your photographs and memories of events.
Here are some of the latest pictures of the past that have been rediscovered...
Helping you to stop smoking 1950
From the Reporter Photograph Collection c. 1949, this image is taken from the top of Hurst Mill in Ashton. A former cotton factory, it later become known as the ‘Cake a Pie’ mill then McDougall flour.
Height of 1950’s fashion.
Remember then? The Smile team are asking for help to name the football team (top) and about the tug-of-war above.
Women’s football did not stop after the FA ban in 1921. There were many teams despite lack of support and facilities, including the Kerr players, Preston North End Ladies and the Manchester Corinthians.
Ashton War memorial 1935
Get in touch if you have a story to contribute and keep an eye on the site for news of the project and for links to all the social media sites.
Visit https://smiletameside.wordpress.com/ to view the very latest discoveries and find out more about the project.
Read more from the Tameside Reporter
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