Vulcan, Oldham Road

Vulcan, Oldham Road, Miles Platting. (c) Adshead at Digital Archives [1].

The Vulcan Tavern, later the Vulcan Hotel, stood on the corner of Reather Street and Oldham Road in Miles Platting.  It was a Threlfalls house and in this 1961 photo, there is a rare display of what looks like bottled beers in the window.  The church in the background and on the 1851 map was what became St Casimir's, firstly a Methodist Free Chapel then a Polish, Lithuanian and Ukrainian church, and finally a garment factory [2].  Reather Street used to run all the way from Oldham Road to Rochdale Road but all that is left of it today after regeneration is the short Reather Walk off New Allen Street.

Vulcan, Oldham Road. (c) Manchester Local Image Collection. Click here to view full image [3].

1. Adshead's Twenty Four Illustrated Maps of the Township of Manchester divided into Municipal Wards, 1851 at Digital Archives.

2. http://manchesteris.org/blog/?p=339.

3. http://images.manchester.gov.uk.

Locomotive / Smithfield, Ashton Old Road

Smithfield, Ashton Old Road, Openshaw. (c) Alan Winfield with permission.

The Locomotive was a huge Boddingtons pub on the corner of Cornwall Street and Ashton Old Road in Openshaw.  It is shown at the archives in two photos in the 1960s, and here in the 1970s.  The Locomotive was renamed the Smithfield - after the nearby wholesale markets - as shown above in 1992.

Locomotive, Ashton Old Road. (c) Gorton Tank [1].

The old Locomotive and Smithfield was demolished in 2003 [2] and nothing stands on this corner today.  Pubs either side of the this one on Ashton Old Road were the both-closed George and the Pack Horse.

Former location of Locomotive, Ashton Old Road. (c) Google 2014. View Larger Map.

1. www.gorton-tank.com/VisitTheWorks.html.

2. http://homepage.ntlworld.com/alscot1/AlanTuringW.htm.

Grapes, Booth Street West

Grapes, Booth Street West, Chorlton-on-Medlock. (c) Bob Potts [1].

Pictured above in the 1950s, the Grapes was a big public house owned by the Manchester Brewery, Walker & Homfray and Wilsons Brewery over the years.  The Grapes was at No.7 Booth Street West on the corner with Jenkinson Street and closed in 1968 [2].   The entrance to the Royal Northern College of Music marks the old location of the Grapes.

Former location of Grapes, Booth Street West. (c) Google 2014. View Larger Map.

1. The Old Pubs of Chorlton-on-Medlock Manchester, Bob Potts (1984).

2. The Old Pubs of Hulme & Chorlton-on-Medlock, Bob Potts (2003).

Drovers Inn, Ashton Old Road

Drovers Inn, Ashton Old Road, Openshaw. (c) Manchester Local Image Collection. Click here to view full image [1].

The Drovers Inn stood at No.853 Ashton Old Road on the corner with Bartlett Street, Openshaw.  It was a huge Chesters pub and since closing in the late '90s or early 2000s (auctioned off in 2003 for £129k), it's most recently been used as an obscure church.

Former Drovers Return, Ashton Old Road, 2007. (c) Alan Bowden at ManMates [2].

The Drovers was known locally as the 'Sheepshouters' and before it closed was renamed the Drovers Return, no doubt latching onto the tenuous Coronation Street link.

Former Drovers, Ashton Old Road. (c) Google 2014. View Larger Map.

The Drovers Inn is seen here in 1960 (full marks for the roof sign apostrophe), and looking a little less grandiose in the 1970s.

Former Drovers, Ashton Old Road. (c) Google 2014. View Larger Map.

1. http://images.manchester.gov.uk.

2. http://homepage.ntlworld.com/alscot1/TheDrovers.htm.

George Hotel, Booth Street East

George Hotel, Booth Street East, Chorlton-on-Medlock. (c) Bob Potts [1].

The George Hotel stood at No.54 Booth Street East, just off Oxford Road, opening in 1859 and closing in 1971 under Threlfalls Brewery.  According to former landlord, Bill Gallagher (who later had the still-serving Gorse Hill in Stretford), the pub was known by Threlfalls employees as the 'Booth Street House' as they had a number of pubs called the George [1].  The University has expanded over the old site of the George Hotel.

Former location of George Hotel, Booth Street East. (c) Google 2014. View Larger Map.

1. The Old Pubs of Chorlton-upon-Medlock Manchester, Bob Potts (1984).

Grapes Inn, Collyhurst Road

Grapes Inn, Collyhurst Road, Collyhurst, 1851. (c) Adshead at Digital Archives [1].

The Grapes Tavern opened in about 1829 as a public house [2] (the year before the Beer Act allowed anyone to open up their own beerhouse).  It was set back off Collyhurst Road and was part of Vauxhall Gardens, a small pleasure gardens hemmed in by the Red Sand Delph Pit, Vauxhall Street and the River Irk.  The gardens were opened by Robert Tinker, who gave his name to the old estate pub that once graced the area.

Grapes Inn, Collyhurst Road. (c) Bob Potts [2].

The Grapes Inn was a huge pub, and was one of the rare public houses to be marked on the 1922 map (centre, above).  By this time the gardens, closed in 1852 and lost to the sand quarrying, had become Collyhurst Polishing Works.  Sadly by 1964 the Grapes was bricked up having had its license suspended as a Joseph Holt's house in 1960 [2], for reasons unknown.  There is not much going on in this area these days.

Former location of Grapes Inn, Collyhurst Road. (c) Google 2014. View Larger Map.

1. Adshead's Twenty Four Illustrated Maps of the Township of Manchester divided into Municipal Wards, 1851 at Digital Archives.
2. The Old Pubs of Rochdale Road and neighbourhood Manchester, Bob Potts (1985).

Bulls Head, Collyhurst Road

Bulls Head Tavern, Collyhurst Road, Collyhurst, 1851. (c) Adshead at Digital Archives [1].

The Bulls Head Tavern can be traced back to 1795 and lasted until 1937, when Chesters Brewery surrendered its license for one at the Woodcourt Hotel in Brooklands, Sale [2].  The Bulls Head, which had an attached brewhouse, stood on the corner of Delph Street and Collyhurst Road, just south of Barlow Street and Vauxhall Street, facing a dye works.  The kink in the River Irk that existed in 1851, and contained the dye works, had been diverted by the time the 1922 map was published.  These days, only Vauxhall Street remains of the little side streets off Collyhurst Road

1. Adshead's Twenty Four Illustrated Maps of the Township of Manchester divided into Municipal Wards, 1851 at Digital Archives.
2. The Old Pubs of Rochdale Road and neighbourhood Manchester, Bob Potts (1985).

Volunteer Inn, Everton Road

Volunteer Inn, Everton Road, Chorlton-on-Medlock. (c) Bob Potts [1].

The Vounteer Inn stood at No.81 Everton Road, opening in 1866 and lasting over a century before closing in 1969 as a Peter Walker & Son (Warrington) house.  Everton Road used to run off Shakespeare Street which ran between Stockport Road and Plymouth Grove.  The road was roughly where Aspull Walk and Dobson Grove run today either side of Devonshire Street South.

1. The Old Pubs of Chorlton-upon-Medlock Manchester, Bob Potts (1984).

2. The Old Pubs of Hulme and Chorlton-on-Medlock, Bob Potts (1997).

Waterloo Inn, Waterloo Street

Waterloo Inn, Waterloo Street, Lower Crumpsall. (c) Manchester Local Image Collection. Click here to view full image [1].

The Waterloo Inn was a small Boddingtons house on the corner of Celia Street and Waterloo Street in Lower Crumpsall.  The Waterloo, seen here in two 1966 photos (with the pub dog outside), was demolished in the 1970s, a few hundred yards from the Swan.  Nothing stands on the corner of Celia Street and Waterloo Street these days opposite the Irk Valley Community School.

Former location of Waterloo Inn, Waterloo Street. (c) Google 2014. View Larger Map.

1. http://images.manchester.gov.uk.

Highland Laddie, Junction Street

Highland Laddie, Junction Street, Miles Platting. (c) Adshead at Digital Archives [1].

The Highland Laddie stood on the corner of New Allen Street and Junction Street, just off Oldham Road in Miles Platting.  Adshead's 1851 Map No.21 shows how significant the railway was back in the mid-1800s compared to today.  The other change here is that Junction Street has been swallowed up by New Allen Street and council houses stand on street facing the railway arches.

Former location of Highland Laddie, New Allen Street. (c) Google 2014. View Larger Map.

1. Adshead's Twenty Four Illustrated Maps of the Township of Manchester divided into Municipal Wards, 1851 at Digital Archives.

Lord Lovat / Cemetry Inn, Camelia Road / Boardman Street

Cemetry Inn, Boardman Street, Harpurhey. (c) Adshead at Digital Archives [1].

The Cemetry Inn - misspelt over a century before Morrissey famously did - stood on the corner of Boardman Street and an unnamed road at the entrance to Manchester General Cemetry (sic).  Shown above on the 1851 map of Manchester by Adshead, the Cemetry with its bowling green to the rear was in St Michaels Ward.  Map No.23 of Adshead's collection [1] shows this corner of North Manchester to be a pleasant mix of parkland, riverland, light industry and residential.


Lord Lovat, Camelia Road, Harpurhey. (c) Manchester Local Image Collection. Click here to view full image [2].

The Cemetry Inn was renamed the Lord Lovat under Cornbrook Ales, as shown in 1958 on the corner of what was then Woodland Street and Camelia Road.  While Camelia Road still just about remains, Woodland Street is now called Kingsbridge Road and the Lord Lovat survived until the mid-2000s.  The pub is shown again in 1958 before clearance of the area; the photographer would have been stood at the old cemetery entrance.  Alan Winfield visited the Lord Lovat in 1994 as a Bass house and took this photo of the rather sorry looking pub, which compares with the view today.

Former location of Lord Lovat / Cemetry Inn, Camelia Road. (c) Google 2013. View Larger Map.

1. Adshead's Twenty Four Illustrated Maps of the Township of Manchester divided into Municipal Wards, 1851 at Digital Archives.
2. http://images.manchester.gov.uk.

City Inn, Royle Street

City Inn, Royle Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock, 1920s. (c) Bob Potts [1].

The City Inn stood at No.28 Royle Street in Chorlton-on-Medlock, opening in 1856 [1].  The City Inn closed in 1963 as an Empress Brewery house having previously been owned by the Peter Walker & Son brewery of Warrington [2].  Royle Street was a tiny street that ran between Grosvenor Street and Rusholme Road.  The latter road was lost to re-development but Grosvenor Street still runs right across to Downing Street.  The old City Inn used to stand roughly where Stockland Close is in the new estate.

Former location of City Inn, Royle Street. (c) Google 2014. View Larger Map.

1. The Old Pubs of Chorlton-upon-Medlock Manchester, Bob Potts (1984).

2. The Old Pubs of Hulme and Chorlton-on-Medlock, Bob Potts (1997).

Wellington / Ackers Arms, Higher Chatham Street

Wellington, Higher Chatham Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock. (c) Bob Potts [1].

The Wellington Inn opened in 1823 [1] the corner of Booth Street West and Higher Chatham Street off Oxford Road in Chorlton-on-Medlock.  It was formerly known as the Ackers Arms and stood at No.50 Higher Chatham Street, closing in 1967 as the Wellington Hotel, a Chesters house [2].  The old pre-re-development road layout still survives around here but Higher Chatham Street has been commandeered by the University and forms this entrance to the campus.

Former location of Wellington, Higher Chatham Street. (c) Google 2014. View Larger Map.

1. The Old Pubs of Chorlton-upon-Medlock Manchester, Bob Potts (1984).

2. The Old Pubs of Hulme and Chorlton-on-Medlock, Bob Potts (1997).

Albion, Ashton Old Road

Albion, Ashton Old Road, Openshaw. (c) Manchester Local Image Collection. Click here to view full image [1].

On the corner of Trevor Street and Ashton Old Road in Openshaw was the Albion, seen here in about 1970 as what looks like a Whitbread house.  Most of the houses in the vicinity - Toxteth Street, Alpha Street, Stopford Street - have been cleared in recent years, and nothing stands on the corner where the Albion once did.

Former location of Albion, Ashton Old Road. (c) Google 2014. View Larger Map.

1. http://images.manchester.gov.uk.

Malcolm, Ashton Old Road

Former Malcolm, Ashton Old Road, Openshaw. (c) Google 2014. View Larger Map.

The marvelously-named Malcolm was a Wilsons house on the corner of Widnes Street and the south side of Ashton Old Road in Openshaw.  Shown here in 1970, the Malcolm was just over the road and a few doors down from the Vulcan, but there was another pub, the Staff of Life, between the two. 

The Malcolm, Ashton Old Road. (c) Manchester Local Image Collection. Click here to view full image [1].

Although much of Ashton Old Road and surroundings have been swept away, the old Malcolm still stands on the corner of Widnes Street having been turned into a house.  The old Wilsons whitewash is gone but the distinctive window arrangements and cut-away corner entrance are unmistakable.

Former location of The Malcolm, Ashton Old Road. (c) Google 2014. View Larger Map.

1. http://images.manchester.gov.uk.

Vulcan, Ashton Old Road

Vulcan, Ashton Old Road, Openshaw. (c) Manchester Local Image Collection. Click here to view full image [1].

The Vulcan was an old Chesters then Whitbread house on the corner of Elysian Street and Ashton Old Road in Openshaw.  Elysian Street still runs down the east side of Openshaw Park just north of here but today doesn't run all the way down to the old road.  These days, the line of the old street is taken up by a Domino's and Subway.  The Vulcan was one of maybe 50 pubs that Ashton Old Road used to boast back in the 1960s.  Already covered are the Clock Face, General Birch, George, Old House at Home, Openshaw Inn, Pack Horse, Seven Stars, Shakespeare, Smithfield and Wrexham Inn.  We'll cover them all, eventually.

Former location of the Vulcan, Ashton Old Road. (c) Google 2014. View Larger Map.

1. http://images.manchester.gov.uk.

Pier 6 / Waterside, Clippers Quay

Pier 6, Clippers Quay, Salford Quays, 1989. (c) All Rights Reserved Andrew Watson at flickr [1].

Pier 6 was a large bar and restaurant opened by Bass Taverns on Clippers Quay, Salford Quays, during its first post-Manchester/Salford Docks regeneration in the 1980s and '90s. 

Pier 6, Clippers Quay, Salford Quays. (c) All Rights Reserved Andrew Watson at flickr [1].

Along with Banks's Old Pump House also on Clippers Quay, Pier 6 was a nice little pre-cinema and match day destination, easily accessed from the Manchester side of the Quays.

Pier 6, Clippers Quay, Salford Quays (18). (c) novaloca.

Before closure Pier 6 became the Waterside in the 1990s, but larger scale regeneration of the Quays saw its demolition and replacement by flats.

Former location of Pier 6, Clippers Quay (right). (c) novaloca.

1. www.flickr.com/photos/watty1964/4861713618.

2. www.flickr.com/photos/54006570@N00/5614082797.

Criterion / Griffin, Higher Cambridge Street

Criterion, Higher Cambridge Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock. (c) Manchester Local Image Collection. Click here to view full image [1].

The Criterion stood on the corner of Boundary Street and Higher Cambridge Street, just off Stretford Road just over border from Hulme in Chorlton-on-Medlock.  The Criterion, previously known as the Griffin, was a Taylor's Eagle Brewery house when it closed in 1965 at No.18 Higher Cambridge Street in for Hulme's redevelopment.  The Criterion, seen here in 1959, is mentioned in Alan Lawson's lovely nostalgic book, The True Story of Manchester's Music 1958-1965, subtitled It Happened in Liverpool Manchester [2]:

"I went into a pub called the Criterion on Stretford Road," remembers Charlie Barker. "There was music playing and it was so good that I thought it was a record. It was only when I looked round that I realised it was a group." That group was the Staggerlees. Charlie Barker joined them as a vocalist and took the name of one of his heroes, Jerry Lee. "We didn't stay at the Criterion too long. It was a really rough place. They used lids of cherry blossom shoe polish tins as ashtrays!" [2].

Former location of Criterion, Higher Cambridge Street. (c) Google 2014. View Larger Map.

1. http://images.manchester.gov.uk.
2. The True Story of Manchester's Music 1958-1965, Alan Lawson (1990).

Oddfellows Arms, Every Street

Oddfellows Arms, Every Street, Ancoats. (c) Manchester Local Image Collection. Click here to view full image [1].

This building on the corner of Harding Street and Every Street was the old Oddfellows Arms.  By the time it was photographed by T Brooks in 1964 [1], it had closed under Walkers & Homfray brewery in the 1950s.  The building retained its W&H tiling on the ground floor and the cellar door where barrels of beer would be rolled down could be seen at the pavement level.  The Oddfellows Arms had opened in 1858 and the landlord when it closed, Thomas Fitton, lived in the old boozer for years afterwards [2].  Nothing of note stands on this corner today, which is diagonally opposite the All Souls Church.

Former location of Oddfellows Arms, Every Street. (c) Google 2014. View Larger Map.

1. http://images.manchester.gov.uk.

2. The Old Pubs of Ancoats, Neil Richardson (1987).

Lord Clyde, Inkerman Street

Lord Clyde, Inkerman Street, Collyhurst. (c) Bob Potts (1985).

The Lord Clyde stood at No.23 Inkerman Street, on the corner of Alma Street, Collyhurst.  This was just off Queens Road and Topley Street.  The Lord Clyde opened in 1868 and saw out its century, closing under a compulsory purchase order in 1969 as a Cornbrook Brewery public house [1].  The pub is pictured here in 1958, and although some of Inkerman Street still runs through Collyhurst today, the stretch that had the Lord Clyde is today lost beyond the new houses over the other side of Topley Street.

Former location of Lord Clyde, Inkerman Street. (c) Google 2014. View Larger Map.

1. The Old Pubs of Rochdale Road and neighbourhood Manchester, Bob Potts (1985).

Ram, Oldham Road

The Ram, Oldham Road, Miles Platting. (c) Manchester Local Image Collection.  
Click here to view full image [1].

The Ram was an estate-style Tetley's pub built on the site of an original Ram, which stood next to the Empress Electric Theatre on the main Oldham Road, Miles Platting.  Like its earlier incarnation, the Ram was practically built onto the side of the Empress.

The Ram, Oldham Road, Miles Platting. 
(c) Manchester Local Image Collection.  
Click here to view full image [1].

The new Ram was built in the late 1960s and is pictured at the archives in the late '60s and 1970.  The new Ram didn't last too long and was replaced by a petrol station, which itself has been more recently erased from the landscape along with the Empress.

Former location of the Ram, Oldham Road (left). (c) Moston & Harpurhey Facebook [2].

1. http://images.manchester.gov.uk.

2. www.facebook.com/groups/MostonandHarpurhey/photos.

Stonemasons Arms, Lower Cambridge Street

Stonemasons Arms, Lower Cambridge Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock. (c) Manchester Local Image Collection. Click here to view full image [1].

The Stonemasons Arms stood on the corner of Whittaker Street and Lower Cambridge Street, on the border of Hulme and Chorlton-on-Medlock.  It closed at No.73 Lower Cambridge Street in 1961 as a Hardy's Brewery house [2], and has since been swallowed up by expansion of the University.  The Stonemasons Arms used to stand on the other side of Cambridge Street and a little further north of where the still-serving Church Inn is, near the Cambridge Halls of Residence and the Cambridge Street roundabout of the Mancunian Way.  

Former location of Stonemasons Arms, Cambridge Street. (c) Google 2014. View Larger Map.

1. http://images.manchester.gov.uk.

2. The Old Pubs of Hulme & Chorlton-on-Medlock, Bob Potts (1997).