What's on at The Sportsman

A board at the Cheapside corner of the Sportsman advertises the goings on at the pub. On the left, cut into the corner is an Ordnance Survey cut benchmark.

For a wider view of the pub and a closer view of the benchmark with information about the use of benchmarks see Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to signs, signs.

ABC Wednesday: C is for Clarendon Place Car Park

With the old multi-storey car park finally demolished and the site cleared, a new council car park has been created at the bottom end of Clarendon Place near the entrance to the Clarendon Square Shopping Centre. It is especially good news for disabled drivers who can now park much closer to the entrance.

This one takes up about half the area of the old multi-storey; the other half will be the site of the KFC outlet which will be built soon.

Just nearby the car parks either side of Beeley Street are still operating but users need to be careful where they buy their tickets from as one is run by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council and the other by Simple Intelligent Parking.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

Adnan's takes the place of Passage to India

Adnan's Indian restaurant and takeaway opened earlier this month.

The premises were previously home to the Passage to India - see a photo from 2012 on Geograph - but it closed after many years in 2013.

Hyde has many takeaways and restaurants of various kinds and new ones are constantly opening up whilst a few close down. The CDPB theme for August 1st will be Takeaways but for that I'll be featuring one of the more longstanding business just a few doors away.

A contribution to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

Village Green Well 2014

The Village Green Well 2014 celebrates 100 years of the Brownies.

In 1914, 4 years after Baden Powell agreed to start the Girl Guids, younger sisters clamoured to become useful guides too. The Guide Association set up Rosebuds for younger girls aged 7-10 years. They didn't have a programme to follow like the Brownies of today but contributed to their local community by doing such things as collecting clothing and household items for the war effort. A rosebud was expected to know how:
The Union Jack is made up and how to fly it
To tie a reef knot, sheetbend, clove hitch, bowline, sheepshank and fisherman's knot

Three years later their name was changed to Brownies who were led by the "Wise Brown Owl". The journey has evolved, following footpaths to various interest badges, challenges and adventures. The motto "Lend a Hand" has been watchword for Brownies throughout their 100 years and they are still helping in their community. The promise has changed several times but the core of it remains the same "To do their best, and to help other people."

The symbols on their picture represent different aspects of Brownies:
The original Rosebud
The rose is for the Gardener badge
The dolphin for Friend to Animals Badge
The Hand for "Lend a Hand"
Everyone remembers jumping over the Toadstool!
Brown Owl
The modern Brownie

Although well-dressing is a custom mostly confined to Derbyshire, it can be seen in adjacent counties too. Well dressing celebrations were held regularly in Gee Cross from the 1820s until 1878. The custom was revived by the local Women's Institute in 2000.

For photographs from earlier years and links to more information about well dressing see this link.

A contribution to
Monday Mellow Yellows;
Blue Monday;
Monday Murals.

Buddleia shadows on Garside Street

Buddleia (Buddleja davidii), is a medium to large perennial shrub with long arching branches. The lilac/purple flowers occur in dense pyramidal shaped panicles, which produce large quantities of nectar. The opposite leaves are lance shaped, deep green above and white-tomentose below. It is an increasing, naturalised garden escape, that is especially prevalent on urban and disturbed sites. It has become an important nectar source for many species of butterfly and moth, especially in urban areas where natural habitats have been lost and gardens are now important corridors for wildlife moving about the country.

A contribution to Shadow Shot Sunday.

Weekend in Black & White: Stockport Road, Gee Cross

The coloured version can be seen on Geograph.

A contribution to The Weekend in Black and White.

No more Cheshire Cheese in Broadbottom

The former Thwaites brewery pub, the Cheshire Cheese in Broadbottom joins the list of hostelries closed and shuttered up.

See how it looked four years ago on Geograph.

The bus on the right was waiting to pick up a group of school children who had been exploring the nearby Lymefield Visitor Centre.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

Sheffield or Stockport

With a background of private apartments it is difficult to capture a good photograph of this old signpost erected by "Hyde Corporation" on Lumn Road. It was opposite the end of Queen Street which was a one-way street on to which lorries from James North factory exited. The factory closed in the late 1990s and this end of Queen Street was closed off making the sign redundant.

A contribution to signs, signs.

ABC Wednesday: B is for Big Tree

The original "Big Tree", which stood by the Diamond Row reservoir almost opposite Clough Gate, traditionally marked the boundary between Hyde and Gee Cross. Later on the reservoir was covered and the nearby Diamond Row cottages were demolished, to create an open space.

In 1983 a new "big tree" was planted at the corner of Lilly Street and Stockport Road as a memorial to sacrifices made in Northern Ireland and the Falklands.

See how it looked in 1983 on Old Hyde.

See how it looked in 2007 on Hyde Daily Photo Vol. 1.

See the memorial stone in detail on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

Flowers outside Santander

Flowers in the new planter outside Santander on the corner of Market Place and Hamnett Street.

See how this looked in 1999 on Old Hyde when the bank was the Abbey National.

A contribution to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

Booths Well 2014

LEST WE FORGET

The Gee Cross & District Women's Institutes's 2014 theme for decorating Booths Well is commemorating the centenary of the First World War.

Although well-dressing is a custom mostly confined to Derbyshire, it can be seen in adjacent counties too. Well dressing celebrations were held regularly in Gee Cross from the 1820s until 1878. The custom was revived by the local Women's Institute in 2000.

For photographs from earlier years and links to more information about well dressing see this link.

A contribution to
Monday Mellow Yellows;
Blue Monday;
Monday Murals.

Village Nursery

Due to open soon is the Village Nursery and Pre-School.

A year ago this building was the Lamb Inn.

A lot of pubs have been converted into new uses but this is the first I know that's become a nursery.

A contribution to Shadow Shot Sunday.

Weekend Reflections at Farmfoods

The windows above Farmfoods reflect the buildings across the road and the advertising hoarding reflects Farmfoods.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections.

Rook overlooking the Market Place

A few weeks ago I capture this rook perched on the sign for the Clarendon Square shopping centre.

See where he had been with his starling mate a few moments earlier on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday;
Saturday Critters;
I'd rather b birdin;
Camera Critters.

Fossil Tree sign near Stockport Road

One of six new mileposts recently erected by Sustrans on the former Godley to Apethorn railway line, now Trans Pennine Trail and National Cycle Network Route 62. 1000 Millennium cast iron mileposts were funded by the Royal Bank of Scotland to mark the creation of the National Cycle Network, and they are now to be found along the cycles routes through the UK.

There are four different types of posts, "Fossil Tree" by John Mills, "The Cockerel" by Iain McColl, Rowe Type by Andrew Rowe, and "Tracks" by David Dudgeon. The four artists are from each country of the UK though all posts can be found in all four countries.

This one near Stockport Road is of the John Mill's "Fossil Tree" design.

A closer view of the sign can be found Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to signs, signs.

ABC Wednesday: A is for Alvis GN7735 at Gee Cross Fete 2014

This 1930 Alvis 12-50 TJ was manufactured by The Alvis Care & Engineering Co Ltd in Coventry and sold to London motor dealers Charles Follet & Co. It spent its early years in Surrey before being bought by the present owners John & Tricia Glithero in Devon for £110 in July 1969. Completely rebuilt by the present owners, it has a 4 cylinder, 69mm bore x 110m stroke, 1645cc engine with push-rod operated overhead valves. R.A.C. nominal horsepower is 11.8, actual output 48hp (hence model name 12-50). The body is Cross & Ellis style four seat sports-tourer with ash frame and fabric cover.

For more photos from Gee X fete visit Gee Cross Fete 2014.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

E II R postbox SK14 22

This Elizabethan postbox (SK14 22) is on the grass triangle off Lumn Road at the corner with Norman Street.

View the grass triangle on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

Hosepipe across Manchester Road

There was a dramatic fire a couple of weeks ago on Raglan Street which sent up a huge cloud of black smelly smoke.

I didn't photograph any of that but later in the day I was on a bus on Manchester Road. The fire services tackling the blaze had lain a hosepipe across the road to the fire hydrant at the top of Ann Street. Alfred Street which leads to Raglan Street was blocked off and a Police Community Support Officer was on duty.

The cyclist in the yellow jacket seems to have had problems getting across the pipes.

A report on the blaze can be found on the Manchester Evening News.

A contribution to Monday Mellow Yellows.

Pony rides at Gee Cross Fete

For more photos from Gee X fete visit Gee Cross Fete 2014.

A contribution to
Saturday Critters;
Camera Critters.

Preparing for KFC

Work has now begun on preparing the ground for a new KFC restaurant on the site of the former multi-storey car park.

See how this view looked in March

The high-rise flats in the background are known as Chartist House.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

Cupcakes at Gee Cross Fete

Clare Booth from Lady Lavender selling her wares at the fete.

For more photos from Gee X fete visit Gee Cross Fete 2014.

A contribution to signs, signs.

ABC Wednesday: Z is for Zion Church

The original church on Peel Street was opened in 1899 - see Old Hyde.

This new church was opened in 2000.

A contribution to
ABC Wednesday;
Inspired Sundays.

Maypole Dancing at Gee Cross Fete

Children from Godley School dancing round a maypole. Their teacher is desperately trying to keep the pole upright as they dance around it.

For more photos from Gee X fete visit Gee Cross Fete 2014.

A contribution to
Ruby Tuesday;
Our World Tuesday.

The Steak House at Gee Cross Fete

One of the many places to buy food from at Gee Cross Fete.

For more photos from Gee X fete visit Gee Cross Fete 2014.

A contribution to Blue Monday.

Black and white shadows on Clarendon Place

This Saturday morning was rather cloudy and cool but around lunch time the sun came out casting shadows and I took a quick photograph on which I've subsequently done a bit of work.

You can see the original photograph on Geograph.

It is now around eight in the evening as I'm writing this. The sun is still shining and it is 25 degrees on my window sill.

I'm off to Llandudno for a week in the morning and hoping to touch in with Geoff who runs Llandundo Daily Photo.

I've got posts scheduled for the week and Bill Nicholls of Spud's Daily Photo will be keeping a cautious eye on things in my absence.

Depending on the availability of wifi I might just look in using my tablet from time to time.

A contribution to The Weekend in Black and White and Shadow Shot Sunday.

Helix aspersa

The common European Brown Garden Snail. The Helix aspersa is an air-breathing snail, which has a single lung. It has a brownish soft body, which is usually covered with slimy mucus. They have yellow or cream-coloured shells with brown spiral stripes. The garden snail has a flat muscular organ called a foot that helps it move with a gliding motion helped by the release of a mucus to reduce friction with the rough surface. They are extremely slow as their fastest speed is only 1.3 centimetres per second.

A contribution to
Saturday Critters;
Camera Critters.

Stockport Road, Hattersley

The A560 at Hattersley from the junction with Ashworth Lane. The council demolished all the houses on the east side of Stockport in the mid-noughties. However one owner resisted all offers to purchase and remains. Wildflowers grow on the former garden of the adjacent boarded-up house.

A contribution to
Skywatch Friday;
Floral Fridays.

Nursery Road

Nursery Road leads to D&G Nursery - that's a place that sells garden plants not the sort that minds children.

Over the fence on the left is the M67 motorway.

On the right is a bridge over the Peak Forest Canal.

A contribution to
signs, signs;
Good Fences.

ABC Wednesday: Y is for Your Friendly Local

"Your Friendly Local" it says on the sign above the Jolly Carter.

Well I can't vouch for the veracity of the statement as I don't personally frequent pubs. It has certainly changed hands several times in the past and has had its fair share of "trouble" but it always looks lively when we are passing on Saturday lunchtimes.

In the 1960s the pub hosted the first Italian soccer club to play in the Manchester leagues - see this BBC News archive page.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

Celebrating Summer: The Beer Tent at Gee Cross Fete

For more photos from Gee X fete visit Gee Cross Fete 2014.

Visit other contributions to the Celebrating Summer theme at City Daily Photo

Also a contribution to
Ruby Tuesday;
Our World Tuesday;