A blog about Cocker Hill, Stalybridge; mainly history with just a little bit of the here and now.
I became interested in local history when I moved into a Weavers Cottage on Cocker Hill in Stalybridge and simply wanted to know how old it was. After a lot of research I eventually found out that it was well over 250 years old. That started me thinking of the changes that the house had seen.
I did a bit more research and found that the area has a fascinating history; riots, grave robbers, a Church that had to be rebuilt three times, heroes and villains and even a home for “fallen” women. The more I discovered, the more fascinating it seems.
It turns out Stalybridge was at the centre of the Industrial Revolution and that Cocker Hill was at the centre of Stalybridge.
This site is all about bringing all the information I have found together so that anyone interested in local history or genealogy can find it and perhaps use it in their own research. Probably the best way to use the site is to have a look at the categories in the right hand side (or under each post if viewing on a mobile) and click on any categories that interest you. I do plan to add more posts, but given the time it takes progress is slow.
I have just set up a new blog Stalybridge in Old Photographs to showcase some fabulous old photos I have been given. Pop over for a look – Stalybridgeinoldphotographs.co.uk.
Please let me know if you have any information or special memories about of the area that I can add to the site or if you are researching your family tree and have found an ancestor from Cocker Hill. I’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment after any of the posts or email me at
Thanks for your interest
Steph
P.S. I have just set up a new blog Stalybridge in Old Photographs to showcase some fabulous old photos I have been given. Pop over for a look – Stalybridgeinoldphotographs.co.uk
hi steph have found elizabeth d williams still matron of ” the home” on cockerhill in the 1901 census, enter all the same details but the birth date changed for some reason to 1841. best wishes jacquie
Dear Steph,
Hi, my name is David and by I have just discovered your article on Cocker Hill. What a coincidence, I used to live there myself!
I was born in 1958 at Partington Maternity Home in Glossop. My parents, Ian and Hilde Walton, were living at 27 Cocker Hill. In 1962 we moved to the Eagle Hotel (long since demolished) which was on Corporation Street, number 25 if I remember rightly. Three years later we moved to Newton, Hyde so I only have a few shadowy memories of that time, although I do remember the church still being there. However I can ask my mum if there’s any useful information or even photographs she can give me. Unfortunately I now live in Germany (since 1980) and my mum moved to Linolnshire after my father died nearly six years ago so it will take a while. I also have an older brother whom I can ask but he also lives in Lincs.
So please have a little patience and I’ll see what I can do.
I think your website is simply great and I wish you good luck and fun finding out more. All the best for now- you will be hearing from me again in the not too distant future!
Thank you for your comment David, great to hear from you. Glad you like the site. Cocker Hill is a great place to live, fondly remembered by many who used to live there. You’ll hopefully have been pleased to see that number 27 is still standing and still looking great. I’ll add you and your parents to my list of past residents. I’d love to hear any stories/memories your Mum has about her time on Cocker Hill and any photos would be interesting. All the best. Steph
Hi Steph,
My brother David has just told me about the site, blimey brings back some memories.
I was in 1955 in Ashton Hospital (Lakeside), we lived at 27 till 1962, as I was 7 at the time I do have more memories of 27 Cocker Hill, but need the memory banks jogging.
I will speak to my Mum tomorrow when I pop round she will remember a lot more.
I do remember a lady called Mrs Shaw who lived next door, will get back to you.
Regards
Ian
Thanks Ian, great to hear from you. Must be interesting to look at some of the curent photos of Cocker Hill and go back in time, although I’m guessing you wont remember much and from a 7 year olds perspective I’m guessing Cocker Hill wasn’t all that special. I don’t think that 27 will have changed that much but the street certainly has, with all the lower houses and the Church being demolished.
The Mrs Shaw you recall was a Harriet Shaw and lived in my house (Rock Cottage) until 1960. Her familiy had owened the house for nearly a 100 years.
Thanks for looking
Hi Steph!
I don’t know if you received my email from 23rd- in it I mentioned for example that the house at the top of the road was a shop as you suspected. If for some reason you did not receive my mail please let me know and I’ll resend it. Regards, David.
yes I did get it thanks very much; apologies for not replying at the time. I also got a message from your brother too. Thanks for getting everyone involved I really appreciate it. Keep checking back; I do have plans to add other info to the site when I can. I have some old maps of the area, I want to put up amongst other things. Thanks again. Steph/
My third book ‘Jenufla’ is published digitally. It is set around Cocker Hill, Stalybridge and Manchester.
Go to Amazon ‘Kindle’ and key in Stalybridge or Harry Moore
Hope you are well Steph, long time no hear.
Harry
Hi there
Not sure if this blog is still active. My Mum and her brothers and sisters grew up on Cocker Hill in the 40s and 50s and have lots of fond memories about living there. One of my aunties also lived in Glent House just off Wakefield Road and we used Cocker Hill as a short cut to get from there into Stalybridge. Let me know if you want any info from when my Mum lived there and I’ll send you what I can.
Thanks for your comment. Yes I’d love to hear from you with any info from your Mum. You can email me – cockerhill@hotmail.com.
I look forwrd to hearing from you.
Hi Steph,
I have just come across your site for Cocker Hill Stalybridge, where you mention interest in past residents maybe from Family Tree research. My 2nd Great Grandfather was Aaron Swallow who was licensee of the Star Inn on Stamford Street from 1850 to 1861, as shown in the book Cocker Hill Pubs of the 1800’s. the next Licensee was not listed until 1868 which a presumed closure seems to coincide with the cotton famine and why I assume that Aaron ceased being the landlord in 1861 and died in 1866 aged 52. Aaron his wife 6 children 1 cousin and a servant were listed in the 1851 census as living at No 1?, Cocker Hill, on one side being No 9 and the other being No 4. the No.1 could also just as easily have been No 7. Aaron’s eldest son James aged 16 was listed as a National School Teacher, His daughter Sarah Ann and son Saville were listed as a scholar’s but in the 1861 census were listed as Professor’s of Music. Sarah Ann married my Gt Grandfather Henry Statham and moved to Preston where she became prominent as a singer appearing with Charles Halle’s band at the Free Trade Hall Manchester. In The Preston Guardian 11 Jun 1862 they printed an article from the Ashton & Stalybridge Reporter about Sarah Ann singing in aid of the relief fund in Ashton. She also appeared at Blackpool winter Gardens and one occasion as 2nd only to Madame Lemmens Sherrington a leading Opera singer of the time at The Theatre Royal Preston, her brother Saville Swallow and her only son James Statham were also listed as professors of music.
Hope this has been of some interest to you
Fantastic Ray, thank you very much for your comment. Great to hear of talented musicians coming from Cocker Hill.
Hi Ray
Fascinating stuff as I have being doing my brother-in-law’s tree and his great great grandmother was Sarah Ann Statham. Looking at the newspapers Aaron took the licence on the Star Inn October 1848 and his widow transferred it on in April 1869. Both my brother-in-law’s father and grandfather were professional musicians.
Hi – thanks for your comments – I’m gutted that the Star Inn is no longer there. It would have been a short hop from my house. I wonder if the the owners were also musicians as it seems to run in the family. If you have any old photos of newspaper articles you could scan and email me that would be great – I’ll add them to my blog and if you want any photos of the area I can email them. Thanks again. Steph.
Hi Steph ,
As you walk up the cobbled road, from stamford street to wakefield road, about a third of the way up on the left hand side where the modern sheltered occomodation houses are now . Up to 1955 there were slum dwellings (approximatley 34) which consisted of terrace cottages, this area of cockerhill was a cluster of small streets . The tiny houses mainly contained 2 bedrooms: 1 small living room and a mini kitchen.In my family alone there were 9 people. After the war the begining of the 1940s i remember we used to play in the air raid shelters , there were 4 on the area we called the stone pit and 4 on an area we named the building.About 12 outdoor toilets situated in the back entries , we had to make our way through ginnels which were shared out on about 4 streets . The names of the streets were, Adshead street (10 houses) , Heap street (11 houses) Hall street where my family the Stewarts lived and Backavon street (13 houses).On the left hand side of this street led down to the COCKPIT where in the old days the men used to fight cockerals and gamble. On the right hand side there was a building which had been pulled down and all of the bricks werte there and we called this the foundrey.
Hi Amy, great to hear from you. I want to come round to your house and properly pick your brains about Cocker Hill sometime soon. Hope you are all well. See you soon. Steph/x
Carters ST behind Cocker Hill was like the streets you mentioned.
I have some photos and a lot of story’s but don’t know how to put them on the site we lived there in the 1930s and moved when the bombing started, my mother work at the ICI. my grandparents name was croft we lived right over the railway tunnel.
Lived on carter street 1962 till 67
And cocker hill 67 to 69
Hi steph. Check out the Manchester evening news dated 11th Dec 2012. There’s a story about John Buckley born on cocker hill. His grave was found in London. He’s a Victoria cross hero. Best wishes your soon to be neighbors at 27 x
Great to hear from you. Hope the purchase goes smoothly. Will you be in for Christmas?
I’ll try to pick up an Evening News. Thanks for letting me know.
Steph
IHi. Don’t think Christmas but should be soon. Can’t wait xx
hello
Hi,
I’m a Norwegian who had no knowledge about Stalybridge until I one day woke up after a weird and intense dream. A name and a year was etched into my memory; Isaac Saville, and the year 1864 – something that has never happened to me before. It was clear to me that it could be spelled both Saville and Savelle, and I had a strong feeling that the dream was about his death. As this is not my everyday kind of dream, I got a bit curious. Very curious to be honest. I have never had such a dream before. How come I had a dream about this? Where does such ‘information’ come from? The name was unfamiliar to me, and I knew nothing about Greater Manchester in the 1860s.
So I looked it up, and as it turns out, an Isaac Saville (sometimes spelled Savelle in the records) did indeed die in January 1864 (as the only Isaac Saville who died that year). All I know about him is that he worked as a warehouse man in a cotton mill during his later years, and that he died from fever at the age of 64. He died in Acres Lane, Stalybridge.
Trying to find out more, I have found that a certain Isaac Saville and his wife Mary lived in 3 Cocker Hill during the 1840s and 1850s. This is most likely that very same person, and with Mary he had 5 kids; Elisabeth, James, Henry, Albert and Edwin. They later moved down to 21 Acres Lane, and were all involved in the cotton industry it seems. His daughter Elisabeth married Edmund (Dotts?), and his son James appear to have married a Sarah Ann (Armitage). This was in a time of depression (economic recession) and spiking unemployment rates because of the cotton famine at the time. The American Civil war resulted in a lack of access to cotton, and so many of the cotton factories had to shut down. In the midst of this, Isaac Saville catches a fever, and dies 18th of January 1864, and was apparently buried at St. Paul church 22nd of January 1864.
Fascinating, don’t you think? At least I find it quite interesting. Maybe I’ll visit Stalybridge one day.. I’ll keep researching a bit, to see whether I can find anything of interest, or even any of his descendants. Thanks for making this blog. It allows me to imagine what his life could have been like.
All the best,
Jørgen Rafn
Some additional info (ref. the post above):
Many of Isaac Saville’s children and descendants were baptized in Old St. George’s church, and several were married in the New St. George’s church.
His son Henry appear to have lost two (or even all three) of his children, and then his wife also died, after which he moved in with his parents in law. Harsh conditions..
Isaac’s other son, Edwin (Henry’s brother) married (Mary) and together they moved to Dukinsfield. In 1881, they lived alone together. In 1891, Martha A. Wilda and Sarah I. Wilda had moved in with them. In 1901, the wife is gone, and Edwin appears to have married Martha A. What happened? Widowed naturally, or some kind of drama?
The oldest son of Isaac, James Saville is listed having several different occupations, but becomes a rate collector during his later years. James’ son William Saville and his girlfriend Eliza Ann Wilson are listed three times in the St. George’s parish records under marriage banns in 1886, and were married the following year.
Most descendants of Isaac Saville keep working within the cotton-industry, but one becomes a corn miller (and later mill technician), another works as a plumber, one as farm teacher, and Isaac’s grand daughter Ada Saville born in 1875 (daughter of James) becomes a dress maker. Her sister Eliza never moves away from her parents (James and Sarah Ann Saville), and remains single throughout her life. Bummer.
Most of them remained in Stalybridge, had a connection to St. George’s church, and lived in or around the area around Cocker Hill; Stamford Street, Wakefield Road, Lawton Street, Acres Lane, Kay Street.
I have managed to trace the descendants to the Saville siblings James, Sarah Ann, Dora, Stanley, and Lena, who were born between 1886 and 1905 – all of whom can be traced all the way to 1911. Maybe there are still some Saville’s in Stalybridge?
* Small correction from previous post: Isaac’s daughter Elizabeth married Edmund Betts (not Dotts).
Hi Jorgen
What a fascinating story, I’m glad you like the blog. I’ll keep writing when I get time, and possibly include more general Stalybridge/Industrial Revolution History one day. Let me know if you do ever plan to come over to Stalybridge it would be a pleasure to show you around the town. All the best
Steph
what a wonderfully interesting site. I didnt live on Cocker Hill but married Philip Manclark who lived at n0 27 from the early 1960;s His Mother Ethel used to have a haberdashery shop on Grosvenor Street, so when they were demolished they bought the house on the hill. Mrs Backhouse lived one house down, and an old lady lived alone one house up, A character called Ike Smith lived in the end cottage before the elevated block of terraced homes. From what my husband said a teacher lived at 27 before his family which consisted of himself, mother and father and sister moved in. St Georges Church was still an active part of the community then, and the gravestones were still there. At the back of the house it was lovely, my Mother in law created a garden there growing all manner of vegetables and it was a real sun spot in summer The views from the front room window were magnificent. Now Cocker Hill is a much more posh place than it was then……….. happy memories from 50 years ago.
Hi Jacqui Thanks for your comment. I’m glad to know you like the website. I live in what was Mrs Backhouse’s house! The information of who lived where and what they did that you gave me is very interesting. Thank you for posting.
I’ll send you a private email later. Someone who reads my blog is looking for manclark relatives and thought as it was an unusual surname they might be findable. Nothing too exciting, but I’ll pass on his details.
Thanks again for replying
Steph
So happy to read your post Steph, and yes if you could let me know about the person asking about our surname as it is bound to be some part of the family as in this area i think we are the only manclarks!! Wonderful to know you are living next door to 27, I used to chat to Mrs Backhouse when I came to see my mother in law, she seemed a lovely lady and I was always fascinated by the house, so I hope you love it for I know she did. I believe her and her husband Noel used to have a fruit? shop near the old market….. its all so very interesting isnt it, best wishes Jacqui
Just read this final Blog,mr and mrs Backhouse owned the fresh fish shop opposite Stalybridge Market .Later their son Joe worked there, I believe he does some volintary work at The Pad Willow woods Hospise and also At Tameside hopital. Lovely family
Thanks Amy, great to hear from you. StephX
I think my Mother, Grandmother and Grandfather lived in the house next to the Star Inn, if that is 12, Stamford St. Grandfather and 2 of this daughters are buried in New St. Georges. My Great Grandfather, Great Grandmother, their son, daughter and 2 grand children are buried in Old St. Georges, the gravestone is still there near the wall, although laid flat. I believe my Father was born in Brookfield Villa in 1914. My maternal Great Grandfather was a solicitor who I believe was a partner in the firm who now have their office in what I believe was once my Mother’s home he was also Town Clerk of Stalybridge for some years.
Thanks for your comment Mary, Great to hear from you. What were their names? Do you have any idea of when they lived there? I’ve not done much history for a while but hope to once I’ve finished my college course in June. Thanks again for getting in touch.
Hi Steph
Hope you are all well, I think its time I got back into the family history and cocker hill again, I found a site today, I don’t know if you have come across it in your research about the home, it describes it as Magdalen home.
Stalybridge rescue home,8 Cocker hill
Opened 1882
Fallen young women; remain until fit for service
15 places, admission 15-25
I didn’t know there was another one in Stalybridge
Stalybridge rescue home,Ashbank, Huddersfield Rd
Opened 1912
Fallen and friendless young women
Remain two years
15 places, admission 15-25
Hope to speak soon
Jacquie
Wow – no I knew nothing about it. I’m just trying o finish a college course and then I’ll hopefully be back on writing blog posts. I want to redesign the site too and put some interviews on. We’ll see… Thanks.
Hi Jacquie – what website was it you found? Sorry I didn’t get back to you at the time – I’ve got busy and neglected my research!
Found it – http://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/list/MH4.shtml
I have owned and lived at Ash Bank on Huddersfield Road since 1988 and this post is the first time I have heard of my house previously being a rescue or Magdalene Home. I find the idea rather upsetting having been moved deeply by stories such as The Magdalene Sisters and Philomena. I do recall, however, seeing an old map some years ago which showed the old Boys Club behind our house as a laundry and remember thinking at the time that this was rather unusual. Does anyone on this blog have any memories of my home during it’s time as a rescue home, or indeed any other snippets of history. I’ve never found any old pictures of mention of the house in old records.
Hi Jane – I’ve just confined my research to my immediate area and not really done much of that for years. I think the website Jacquie is referring to is http://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/list/MH4.shtml you could start there, perhaps print the bit referring to Stalybridge, take it to the local studies library in Ashton and see if they can help you find out more if you want to. Most of the photos the local studies library hold are on this website – http://www.tameside.gov.uk/history/archive.php3 you may be able to find something there – Good luck.
I’ve just been reading your research on the church and thought you may like to know that my great grandfather Robert Bentley was connected with the church I think as the choir master. I would love to know of any other info. you have about him. I believe the position he held was in the middle to late 19th century.
Hi Ron, thanks for your comment. I don’t know anything yet about your great Granddad, but perhaps one of the other readers will and will hopefully comment. I gained the majority of information about the church from the book Two into One will go by Paul Denby. There is an online copy available from http://www.stg.org.uk/family-history/two-into-one-will-go/ Keep me posted with your research. Thanks Steph
Hi Steph,
Just been reading the article on Old St Georges on Cocker Hill. I saw that my brother Ron Bentley had posted information about Robert Bentley. He was indeed choirmaster at the church which I believe was his last appointment. He started life as a boot and shoe dealer in partnership with his brother James Bentley before setting up his own business as a clogger and shoe repairer on Market St Stalybridge. He was well known as a musician in the town and had connectios with the Carl Rosa opera company on account of his fine tenor voice. I have in my possession the original lead printing plates for which he wrote a composition for the Nicene Creed. He was accredited with composing the music for the hymn Lead Kindly Light. From what my father told me this was acquired by someone else and this person was credited as being the composer.It was eventually, with a lot of research by my fathers uncle Harold that he was indeed the composer. I believe an article about this was printed in a copy of the Stalybridge Reporter during the late 1920s. He died in 1895.
I can if you wish, try to send you copies of his obituary and also a copy of a history that my father handed down to me.I will do this when I have scanned the documents and email them to you.
Kind regards
Pete
That would be fantastic Pete – I’ll add them to site if you like along with any information you want to include. Thanks.
Hello, I had a message saying this site was to be closed down as the subscription hadn’t been updated😢 Has this been resolved now? It would be so sad to lose such a brilliant site for all of us who once lived on Cockerhill.
Keep up this great blog if you possibly can, Catherine Peters, nee FARICY of Clive House, Cocker Hill resident 1951-1967
Thanks Catherine – I’ll try to sort it out
It should be back online now.
Thank you, it would have been such a shame to have lost something so special!
Hi I’m 81 years young bourn in cocker hill and lived in carters st behind cocker hill, We left there during the war not long after I started school but my memory of cocker hill and Stalybridge is very clear and I have lots of stories to tell about my childhood years there.
Thanks for getting in touch Ralph. Would you like to write some of your memories down for me? I can then put them on here to share with everyone else. I’d love a guest post on the blog from you. I’d say Id pop round and have a chat but from your email address I’m guessing you are not local any longer! If it makes it easier I could write a few questions for you to answer. If you want to have a go at writing something for the blog please email me at cockerhill@hotmail.com.
I love this idea to focus and highlight your community! I was led to your blog while researching my the Hyde family for my family tree. It is difficult to sort the Hyde’s out and tedious at best, so I really enjoy the opportunities to hear the stories and see some pictures. It is John Hyde, esquire of Cocker Hill that I have discovered who led me to you.
John Hyde was Mayor and Alderman of Stalybridge in 1871. He was the son of Thomas Hyde, cotton twinner, of Denton. In 1871, he and his family lived at 82 Wakefield Rd. In 1881, he lived at 8 Cocker Hill. And at the time of his death in 1887, he was at the Glent House. He was also a Cotton manufacturer and Cotton Waste Dealer during his time. His son, Joseph Hyde, was a solicitor in the same area. He married Esther Shaw of Denton in 1846. Perhaps you could add him to your famous people list. The bio on John Buckley is wonderful! (I have a few John Buckley’s in my tree, but can not say if related.)
Thank you – how cool – yes I will add John Hyde to my blog when I get chance – thank you very much – I’ll have a look and see if I can find a picture or too as well. Thanks very much. All the best. Steph
Are you the site I sent photos and stores to of my family and me to from the 1930s at Cocker hill and Carters ST.
Hi, no I haven’t got anything about your family and Carter St. You can email me at Cockerhill@hotmail.com if you want to send them for me to share on here. Thanks. Steph
I live up ridgehill on windermere road and wondered what used to be here before the houses?
Just fields called the Springs. I lived at The Close 1958 and then off Ambleside 1962. I think there used to be allotments there and the fields were used for Kite flying and dog racing (Whippets).
Just fields. It was called the Springs. There were some allotments I believe and it was used for kite flying and Whippet racing on Sundays. I lived at The Close 1957 then just off Ambleside 1960