Partnership of archive & local history organisations at Manchester Central Library. Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Blogs by volunteers and staff. Visit archivesplus.org for events, visitor information and more.
We hope Archives+ can help you to stay in touch with your loved ones by taking a look at our popular online memory boxes. These can be used as a starting point in discovering your family history, finding out what your family’s childhood was like, looking back at the area where they grew up, discovering their fondest childhood memories and maybe uncover some hidden gems. Sharing memories of days gone by can bring families closer together, listening to elderly relatives can be a comfort for families as they gain an insight into their life stories.
Each week Archives+ will publish a memory box for an area in Manchester, this week our archive collections cover Blackley. Below you will find a collection of images from Blackley, alongside 6 worksheets. The worksheets are set around 5 themes: Industry, Place, Health and Living Conditions, Pastimes, and Communities, plus a Heaton Park worksheet. Using the worksheets as prompts to start up a conversation, write down your findings on a piece of paper, or if you prefer type into a tablet or PC.
In addition to this blog, the online memory box will be published on the Archives+ Facebook page. Dig out your old photos too, these can also be a brilliant resource to trigger fond memories of family times. We encourage you to share your findings on social media, either as comments on our Facebook page or on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #ArchivesPlusMemorybox
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If you are unable to share your photos and stories online, when the libraries reopen fully, bring copies of your family memories into your local library. In the coming year we will produce an exhibition in your local library of selected submissions, shared both online and in person.
Please make sure that if you share any information with us that the person you have spoken to is happy for you to share it with Archives+.When sharing your findings try to avoid sharing too much personal information such as surnames and date of birth as these details can identify your loved ones.
Resources:
Unlocking Your Sound Archive have produced a blog about conducting oral history interviews with family members. The audio clips included in this online memory box have been kindly supplied by Unlocking Your Sound Archive.
Blackley Village 1963Old Market Street, Lion Street, Blackley 1958Blackley Co-operative Society, Crab Lane, Blackley 1916(1103/120) e01 Mr. Thornley remembers the shops on Crab Lane, including the grocer’s that his uncle owned. Courtesy of Tameside Local Studies and Archives Centre Old Market Street, Corner of Old Market Street/Warren Street, Blackley Village 1909Post Office, Victoria Avenue, Blackley 1985Pike Fold, Crab Fold, Blackley 1985Grant Street, Blackley 1972
(1103/462) e01 In the late 1970s a History Workshop was set up to interview people about areas of Greater Manchester. In this extract a local resident shares his memories of the development of Higher Blackley, specifically the area around Victoria Avenue and the bridge. Courtesy of Tameside Local Studies and Archives Centre Blackley Public Library, Rochdale Road, east side, Blackley 1958Booth Hall Hospital, Manchester, Main entrance from lodge, facing south 1969Plant Hill Police Station, Blackley 1968Lichford Hall, Blackley – later became the Convent of the Good Shepherd 1910(1103/274(1)) e01 A sister at the Convent of the Good Shepherd describes how the school for younger girls was formed in response to the Children Act 1948; while the laundry operated to provide an income. Courtesy of Tameside Local Studies and Archives Centre Blackley Cemetery and Crematorium, Victoria Avenue, south side 1968Rochdale Road Fire Station, Blackley 1964Acre Top Farm, Blackley 1935(1103/101(2)) e02 Mrs. Collins and other local residents talk about how Crab Lane used to be called Old York Road and was frequented by highwayman Dick Turpin! “He actually stayed in the house over there!”. [Crab Lane House] Courtesy of Tameside Local Studies and Archives Centre
Pike Fold, Cottages, Blackley 1888 Crab Lane, Blackley 1950(1103/101(2)) e01 Mrs. Collins recalls about the houses on Crab Lane and the bricks used to build them. Courtesy of Tameside Local Studies and Archives Centre Acre Top Road, Victoria Avenue, north side, Blackley 1959Rochdale Road/Kerr Street, Blackley 1968Riverdale Flats, Blackley 1975Lawson Street, Blackley 1958Victoria Avenue, north side, Blackley 1968
Manchester Municipal School of Art organised a competition to produce pictorial posters for the Manchester Corporation Transport Department trams and buses between 1933 and 1934. In all, eighteen designs were used; the corporation paid the School of Art two guineas in order to use them. Their unusual shape was designed to fit on the back of the driver’s cab.Heaton Park, New Tea Room 1905Heaton Hall, Heaton Park front view 1912Heaton Park, Facade of the Old Town Hall 1919Heaton Park on a Saturday afternoon 1906Heaton Park 1933Heaton Park 1949(1103/662) e01 Mr. Diggle talks about his family background; his grandfather worked for Lord Wilton on the Heaton Park estate. “…my father and his brother’s were brought up at the grand lodge…” Courtesy of Tameside Local Studies and Archives Centre
St Peters Church, Lion Brow, Blackley 1970Crab Lane Primary School, Crab Lane, Blackley 1968St. Andrews Church, Crab Lane, Blackley 1970Plant Hill High School, Blackley 1968Zion Methodist Church, Crab Lane, Blackley 1985Victoria Avenue Primary School, Victoria Avenue, south side, Blackley 1968Calvary Full Gospel Mission, Victoria Avenue, Blackley 1968
We hope you have enjoyed looking back at the photographs of Blackley. More areas will be covered each week and if you would like to see more images, don’t forget to check out the photograph albums on Flickr and the Manchester Local Image Collection .
Hi – any photos of Pike Fold gc either at Crab Lane (early site) or Coopers Farm – Henshalls Lane – 1940-1998?
There’s a website that I contribute to and this would be of great interest as very few pictures. Thanks
Looking back on all my childhood memories crab lane school blackley and the parks and plant hill school blackley and the shops and blackley village how times have changed but I still got my memories we lived on chapel lane by the shops Barlow’s back than all the familys pulled together you never went with out food every house you went in you got something to eat had loads of friends we played out from first thing in the morning till late at night we was so safe we came home with cuts and bruises and dirty no health and safety back then we just got on with it not like now
I was born, my mum still lives there (I am in the US now) , at my nanna’s house Branksome Drive, off Heaton Park Road. My brother and I (he still lives in Higher Blackley as do the rest of my family) would buy christmas presents for the family at Woods on Tweedle Hill on the way home from school (Crab Lane, then Plant Hill) . I was just talking about this the other day 🙂 thanks
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takes you back
I was born at Grant st in 1951. Sadly I don’t know number. Is it still there? I remember sat outside in my silver cross pram. My earliest memory
number 15
Does anyone know of dam head farm and Mr Jackson? 1930’s
Hi – any photos of Pike Fold gc either at Crab Lane (early site) or Coopers Farm – Henshalls Lane – 1940-1998?
There’s a website that I contribute to and this would be of great interest as very few pictures. Thanks
Hello, there are images of Crab Lane in the Manchester Local Images collection https://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php
Does anyone know the where about’s of Roderick Diggle. He went to Plant Hill High school 1958/59 ?
Looking back on all my childhood memories crab lane school blackley and the parks and plant hill school blackley and the shops and blackley village how times have changed but I still got my memories we lived on chapel lane by the shops Barlow’s back than all the familys pulled together you never went with out food every house you went in you got something to eat had loads of friends we played out from first thing in the morning till late at night we was so safe we came home with cuts and bruises and dirty no health and safety back then we just got on with it not like now
So want to piece together memories of my childhood
I was born, my mum still lives there (I am in the US now) , at my nanna’s house Branksome Drive, off Heaton Park Road. My brother and I (he still lives in Higher Blackley as do the rest of my family) would buy christmas presents for the family at Woods on Tweedle Hill on the way home from school (Crab Lane, then Plant Hill) . I was just talking about this the other day 🙂 thanks
I’m trying to find some one by the name of Michael Atkinson. Think his father had a shop in blackley village in the 60s