Wednesday, 23 April 2008

The Red Lion Market Square Leek

The Red Lion inn is still standing and has been for many a year, just by the buttermarket entrance, although when this pub was first built im sure there wasn't a modern motor engined vehicle parked outside of the adjacent shops.



Red Lion, Market Square, Leek It doesnt look as old inside as it does on the outside, although it has parque wooden flooring, it seems to have more of a modern feel to it than it should (in my opinion).

National Westminster (Natwest) Bank, Leek

This is the Natwest Bank (national westminster) in Derby Street, Leek, however the banks old stone plaque, blurred in the right hand side of this photo shows its original stature as a banking institution/organisation from many a century ago.

natwest bank leek

The Roebuck, Sunday April 20th 2008

I am yet to step into this lovely pub, it looks gorgeous from the outside, built in 1626 I am sure there are some ghosts pacing the floors of this lovely building, the exterior is grande, I will let you know if the interior is as quaint as the exterior....Watch this space!

The Roebuck Sun April 20th 2008

Newsflash... (9th July 2008) The Roebuck is old
fashioned inside, on the downstairs, the first and last time I (or should I say
we, as phil was with me), ventured into here was the day after my birthday, 24th
May 2008, it was strange to go outside (yet under cover) to the toilets, and I
know after experiencing the ghost tour with Bill Cawley, that this particular
public house/hotel is supposed to be haunted, although I never felt a presence
when we were in there. We ventured to the 'Cock Inn', on the opposite side
of the road to this particular public house/hotel. (more my kind of pub as they
had heavy metal music on including AC/DCs Thunderstruck).

Bird In Hand Inn on Market Square, Leek

This is one of the older pubs in Leek, notice the victorian timbering on the house! This is the Bird in Hand, it is situated on the Market Square in Leek. You will also notice the St Georges flag below the sign, this was taken during the St Georges day celebrations over the weekend of the 19th and 20th April (2008)


bird in hand inn on market square

The Olde House

A zoomed in view of a typical weavers house on King Street, Leek. Weavers would do their work in the upper top floor of the house, where you see the slim window, just below the roof tiles. The door surround seems to be natural and the existing one from when the houses were first built?!

The lamp outside the house looks of the character of the existing gas lit lamps of the Victorian era. There are no cobbles down this street which is a shame but if you turn the corner at the top, into Albion street, the cobbles are still there, mainly because the council removed them and were protested against to replace by the local residents ... good on the residents I say!


the olde house Another thing you may notice about these houses is the brick work, this is obviously an old fashioned method as the bricks look so tightly weaved together, its just a total different style to the modern day building as we know of today!

King Street, Leek

Again, as earlier sepia photographs show, this is King street, just off Albion Street, these are old weavers cottages and the feint sighting of street lamps that you see would have looked very similar yet gas lit by a lamp lighter every day/evening. The lightly coloured building right at the end, on the right, is the start of the 'Albion Mill', these have been redesigned into homes, namely "Albion mill loft homes" so at least the old mill has been put into some new use but most of the old brickwork doesnt look like a mill now, its fairly new although they have complimented the buildings by installing old fashioned looking doors.
king street showing original weavers houses This bloke was chasing after his son across the road, and probably wondered what I was taking photos of although he probably also thought I may be a tourist/visitor to the area, no! We moved to Leekbrook in September 2007.

The Lower end of Mill Street (p66)

"This picture of the lower end of Mill Street, with some local children walking home, shows the row of trees which added a touch of greenery to an otherwise industrial scene".lower end of mill street p66

Mill Street houses (p65)

Top photo..."These old properties were typical of the houses on Mill Street, many of which stood three or four storeys high. The tightly knit community was virtually self contained, having its own shops, pubs, schools and churches".

Bottom photo..."The Methodist chapel and Ragged School are on the extreme right of this picture. Above this, and towering over the houses, is 'Big Mill', build originally by Sugden and Son for the textile firm of Lovatt and Gould in 1860. From 1896 it became Wardle and Davenport Ltd, providing employment for many people living in the area".
mill street houses p.65

Mill Street, Leek in the late Victorian years (p64)

p.64 mill street leek in the late victorian yearsJust as it says "Mill Street, Leek, in the late Victorian years" It does look a heck of a lot different now!

Goodwin and Tattons factory (p63)

goodwin and tattons factory page63"The Extremely tall chimney of Stephen Goodwin and Tatton's factory dominates this view of the top of Mill Street. The factory was burned down during the 1940s. On the extreme right is the old drinking fountain in the wall of St Edward's churchyard". (something to inspect next time im in town with the camera)

Buxton road & Ashbourne road (p62)

buxton road ashbourne road p62
Top photo..."Buxton Road. This early view of what is now a very busy road junction whos Abbotts Road, formerly Abbotts Lane, leading off to the left."

Bottom photo..."The row of fine victorian town houses on the right were desirable properties on the edge of town".

Crusos yard and broad street (p61)

Top photo..."A well-earned feed was the reward for this horse after a busy day of deliveries. The scene is Cruso's Yard, with Stockwell street in the background"

Bottom photo..."This picture of Broad Street shows the builder's yard of Thomas Grace on the right, with a row of typical weavers' cottages on the left."
crusos yard and broad street p61

St Edwards Street, looking towards Compton

st edwards street looking towards compton p60St Edwards Street, Leek, looking towards Compton, the back of St Mary's church in the background and the Alms houses just below. As you can see the town house on the right, the one with black railings, home to Sir Thomas Wardle at one time, is still standing!

crest on spout hall

The crest above the name 'Spout Hall' I am not sure if this is the crest of the original family whom lived there which I believe was Hugh Sleigh, OR the actual architect whom built the spectacular building, Norman Shaw.
crest on spout hall

1873 spout hall

1873 spout hallZooming in to show the date Spout Hall was first built... 1873!

Spout Hall, St Edward street - April 20th 2008

A full frontal picture, taken from across the road in St Edwards Street. (I was and I am, taking advantage of using Sheilas Panasonic digi' cam whilst she was on holiday) spout hall st edward street

Looking up St Edwards street from Compton

Here is St Edward Street, photo uploaded on 31st March (to flickr). Spout Hall is here in the foreground on the left, just where the guy in yellow is on the pavement.st edwards street looking towards compton p60

St Edward Street (p59)

"St Edward Street is lined with buildings of differing style, age and character. There is no uniformity and no straight lines, but nevertheless there is great harmony. St Edward Street has a number of fine houses which were once the homes of many of Leek's prominent citizens".

st edward street p59"One such house was Spout Hall, part of which can be seen on the extreme left of the picture. This impressive Victorian building was designed by the architect Norman Shaw for Hugh Sleigh.

This was the square way before the monument there was erected. (P.57)

what was the square before the nicholson war memorial p57"This scene is now dominated by the Nicholson War Memorial, or 'Monument', and the traffic island. The old cattle market extended into this area, which is bounded by Cawdry Buildings, Fountain Street, the Cattle Market Inn adn the Talbot Hotel. Iin the background are St Luke's Church, the Fountain Street Primitive Methodist Chapel and Brough, Nicholson and Hall's factory, with its tall chimney".

Leek in 1900

The top photo reads... "Leek's old baths can be seen on the left of this picture, c. 1900. The small building with the pyramid-shaped roof housed a public weighing machine. It stood on the area known as 'Sparrow park', part of the old cattle market site before the Monument was built".
leek in 1900 p56
The bottom photo reads... "Sanders' Buildings, at the corner of Derby Street and Haywood Street, was designed by Sugden and Son, the Leek architects, in 1894 as shops with living accomodation. It is still known locally as 'Mears's Corner', from the name of a former shopkeeper".

Derby street in late Victorian years ...dog and partridge

derby street in late victorian years dog and partridgeThe text reads... "There were apparently no parking restrictions in Derby Street when this picture was taken in the late Victorian Years. The inno n th eleft, with its hanging sign and shops on either side, was the Dog and Partridge".

"Town Scenes our Grandparents Knew"


The first picture is of Derby street, not as many will recognise it now to what it used to be then, "A fine view of Derby street in about 1910. Skinner and Son, the ironmongers and hardware store on the left, was founded in 1894 and is still trading today". The Church in the background, the steeple standing high, is still there now in 2008, so is the roebuck pub which stands more in the foreground yet not very clear to the eye.
The other buildings down on the left is the Manchester banking corporation building If I remember rightly, which stands after the Roebuck pub (this pub was built in 1626).