Tuesday 7 March 2017

Lives revealed ...... another story from Colin

Here we are back with the Whitehurst family, coal merchants in Hulme, except now time has moved on from May Day 1905 to May Day 1930, and again a commercial photographer is in the area to capture the moment; possibly the same one as in 1905.*

Mr Whitehurst 1930 on Bangor Street
Here is William Whitehurst, now a third generation to hold that name, in his smart clogs.

He has just unhitched the horse, decorated for May Day, so that the photographer can get a good picture.

The coal wagon can just be seen in the background.

The photo was taken on Bangor Street just off the junction with Tamworth Street.

The Tamworth House pub, which stood on the corner, is just out of shot on the left but is visible in the next photo.

Although the Whitehursts were to use horses to deliver coal right up until 1952, William's father had surprisingly purchased a bullnose Morris Cowley (production 1919-1926) way back in the 1920s and was the first person in Tamworth Street to own one!

William and Doris in their Morris Crossley
So, in 1930, this motorcar was an inevitable subject for another photograph and as it was parked just round the corner from the previous shot, the young Mr Whitehurst and his wife, Doris, sat in his father's motorcar for the photographer!

Behind the proud couple is the Tamworth House pub, the name just visible on the windows and signage, and was also known locally at the time as the "Little Tamworth" to distinguish it from the "Big Tamworth", which was the local name given to the larger Tamworth Inn further along Tamworth Street.

Outside 59 Tamworth Street, beside the pub
The car is parked right outside the Whitehurst family's front door at 59 Tamworth St. No trouble finding a parking space in those days!

The coal business office was also run from this address and a gold-leafed wooden plaque dating from the late 1800s is visible to the left of the door and reads, "W Whitehurst Coal Merchant and Furniture Remover".

The plaque still survives and hangs on a wall today, but its original surroundings and streets in Hulme all disappeared in the 1960s. I wonder what happened to the motorcar?

Pictures from the collection of Colin

*Colin; https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/The%20Whitehurst%20family

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