This week's challenge its to present where we live,. The answer is Reddish- small village that borders Heaton Chapel and Brinnington in Stockport, Denton in Tameside, and Gorton and Levenshulme in the City of Manchester. Know for having the largest cotton mills in Europe.
Historically a part of Lancashire, Reddish grew and developed rapidly during the Industrial Revolution and still retains landmarks from that period, such as Houldsworth Mill, a former textile mill as well as later build Broadstone Mill, Victoria and Elsiabeth Mill.(still standing) Thinking about Reddish one name comes to my mind Sir William Houldsworth.
Houldsworth bought farmland by the Stockport Branch Canal in Reddish in the 1860’s and built Reddish Mill, then the largest cotton-spinning mill in the world (started 1863, completed 1865). Four members of the Houldsworth family were 60% shareholders in the Reddish Spinning Company Limited which built the North Mill (started 1870) and the Middle Mill (started 1874). An Institute (now Houldsworth working men’s club) was completed in 1874. All the above were designed by the architect Abraham Stott. Houldsworth commissioned the architect Alfred Waterhouse to design St. Elisabeth's church, rectory and school. All the above buildings are still standing.
The start of a model village was also laid out, with a variety of houses built in front of the mill. Some of the houses have been demolished, but those in Houldsworth Street and Liverpool Street remain.
Several features in Reddish are named after Houldsworth. A drinking fountain and four-faced clock, paid for by public subscription, was unveiled in Houldsworth Square on 11 September 1920.
As previously mentioned The Ashton Canal use to run through Reddish it was built between 1796-97 to join Manchester and Stockport to the coal mines in Oldham and Ashton-under-Lyne.
The canal was a vital artery in the area’s industrial growth and was a landmark the local community was proud of. But the canal had been superseded by the railway by the turn of the 20th century and it fell into disuse.
The last commercial barge journey was made in the 1930s. In 1962, the canal was declared officially closed and filled in.
That would be all about the history of Reddish, I think I've mentioned the most important places. Below some images I found that would represent the area, as well as my own interpretation of beautiful Reddish.
Victoria & Elizabeth Mill
Broadstone Mill
Sockport branch CanalMy own photographs
St Elizabeth's Church
The Houldsworth Working Men's Club
Houldsworth Sqaure
Houldsworth Mill
Elizabeth & Victoria Mill
other
This is inspired by a local photographer Mr Neil Rowland

No comments:
Post a Comment