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Sharing our memories of Heald Green
Last Updated 4th May 2025
260 to 268 Finney Lane
By Helen Morgan
First Published 04/05/2025
Last Updated 04/05/2025
Originally numbered 150-156 from the chemist to a bungalow, the bank did not have a number to begin with.
The first shop was actually just a lean to in the early 1920s, the other two were there by the later 1920s. The date for the bank has proved harder to pin down.
District Bank/260 Finney Lane
Fig. 1 Heald Green Garage in 1925.
© Peter Watson
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This is a photo of Mary Rogerson from Rogerson’s Garage (where the Coop is now). In the background is the District Bank on the corner of Neal Avenue. The photo courtesy of her grandson, Peter Watson, is dated 1925 and has the name District Bank on the back. According to Wikipedia, the Manchester and Liverpool District Bank shortened its name to District Bank in 1924, and there was a huge expansion of branches after WW1. A further major expansion came in 1935 with the acquisition of the County Bank. There was one of those on the corner of Outwood Drive (now Good Burger) that was the scene of a bank robbery in October 1935.
All the dates fit the photo. However, the spanner in the works is an aerial photograph dated 1927 that the bank is not on!!
In 1962 the District Bank was taken over by The National Provincial Bank. Then in 1968 it merged with the Westminster Bank (we had one of those too, in the Betfred building) and became the National Westminster Bank from 1st January 1970. For a while we had two NatWest Banks in the village!
The building has had the odd tweak over the years.
"There was a detached art deco building which housed the District Bank, with the door on the corner of Neal Avenue.”
- Anne Rushton memories of 1930s for St Catherine’s Linkline magazine.
Fig. 2 Finney Lane District Bank early 60s
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This is after 1964, as Grant’s is there. The stairs to the flat upstairs have changed but on the whole the building looks exactly the same.
"Just for the record in the days of Crowther’s, I am fairly sure the bank was the District Bank which became NatWest. Above the bank up a flight of stairs was a large flat. This was occupied by a really nice, kind lady called Kathleen Harrison who had a Pekinese dog that thought it was an Alsatian and would have a go at all and sundry.”
- Michael Richardson, Facebook 2021
The car parked on the forecourt was the bank managers. Looking back on any photos of the bank it was his spot.
"Parked outside the now NatWest is a MK1 Cortina introduced in 1962.”
- Phil Jones, Facebook 2021
"Staff were still allowed to park there in the early 1980s and down the side between the wall and the chains. Although you are right the bank manager still always had a spot out front.”
- Alison Murray, Facebook 2021
The concrete bollards replaced an old fence and used to have chains across them.
"There were some chains hung between those bollards and we used to sit and swing on them.”
- Irene Jagla, Facebook 2021
"I used to jump over them. Luckily, I always cleared them.”
- Janet Woolf, Facebook 2021
It is at this point that I felt the need to add Alison Murray’s comments and research from 2021, about a customer she used to serve in the bank.
"When I worked at NatWest in the early 80s there was a lady used to come in called Fanni Bogdanow. I remember her as a really interesting character, not least because she would often pull up a chair from the banking hall table and set it in front of one of the tills while she sorted out her transactions and had a chat. She would sometimes talk of her time in Germany as a child and her family being in concentration camps. She lived somewhere in Heald Green (later found to be 76 Eastleigh Road), and I knew she was a lecturer in ancient French at Manchester University.”
- Alison Murray, Facebook 2021
It turned out that at 11 years of age Fanni, a Jewish girl from Affaltrach in Germany, came to England in 1939 on the Kindertransport scheme to escape the nazis.
To find out more click here.
"I remember seeing her in the village. She always had bags with her and my mum used to say, you see that lady she was in a concentration camp that’s why she carries her things about.”
- Joan Sharp, Facebook 2021
"She used to live on Eastleigh Road and I’d see her walk past every day to go into the village with her bags. Really nice lady and would always say hello with a smile.”
- Dave L Hardman, Facebook 2021
From 1961 the address changed from just the District Bank Finney Lane to 260 Finney Lane.
In 2007 the bank was raided twice in a short space of time around September and November. A frightening thing to happen to staff members and their customers.
"I was a customer that was in the last raid, never forget it.”
- Joelle Jackson, Facebook 2024
Afterwards the bank installed a new type of door, almost like an airlock. A door had to close before another could open. There would be no more quick getaways for raiders.
"Unfortunately, I worked there and was present for both raids. They (the doors) were installed following discussions with staff.”
- Denise Clarke, Facebook 2024
National Westminster took the business decision to close the branch. The last day was 11th July 2023. It meant that after the closure of Lloyds Bank over the road the previous year, the village now had no bank. The day after the sign was gone.
Fig. 3 Natwest sign gone 12.7.2023
© H Morgan
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By June 2024 the “To Let” signs were still there, asking for £3000 per month rent.
By January 2025 a refit was obviously underway and rumours were rife as to what it was going to be.
Fig. 4 Natwest refit continues 17.1.2025
© H Morgan
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Kids World Nursery and Preschool will open in April 2025.
Fig. 5 Natwest to Nursery 6.3.2025
© H Morgan
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150/262 Finney Lane
In the Kelly’s directory of 1929, Mrs Christina Scofield was there as a ladies’ hairdresser. However, since then it has been a chemist. By 1935 it was Samuel Robert’s chemist and wine retailer! I had to google Phosferine Tonic. It was said to cure just about everything. Depression, debility, anaemia, neuritis, indigestion, sleeplessness and flu!! On the 1939 register, Samuel and his wife Jennie were both pharmacists.
Fig. 6 Roberts advert 1935
Shadow Moss School Centenary Booklet
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They had moved with the times and were now a photographic chemist too.
Fig. 7 Roberts Chemist, advert sale of work Methodist Church Nov 1935
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Fig. 8 Roberts advert Sept 1947
The Review Ratepayers Association
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"I remember Roberts the chemist as it used to have scales in the window for mothers to take their babies to be weighed there.”
- Bob Downs, In conversation 2021
By 1962 the number became 262 Finney Lane and Roberts were there for another year. The chemist then became R.R. Jackson’s.
Fig. 9 Jacksons chemist Contact Sept 1964 © Ratepayers Association
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There was still no health clinic in the village, so people still saw their family doctor at his own house or he made house calls....imagine that!! You could get your baby weighed at the chemist.
By the 1980s the chemist became Cedric’s and they placed an advert in the Rose Queen programme of 1986.
Fig. 10 Cedrics chemist advert
Methodist church magazine Xmas 1990
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Fig. 11 Cedrics August 2016
© Google Maps
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It then became Pharmacy One that is still there today, 2024, although it does not always seem to be open.
Fig. 12 Pharmacy One March 2017
© Google Maps
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152/264 Finney Lane
No business is listed in Kelly’s 1929 directory, but you had to pay to be in it. However, by 1935 it was a newsagent, tobacconist and stationer’s shop run by Richard “Dickie” Dunn. He lived there in 1939 with his wife Edna and a clerk and traveller in the printing trade called Herbert Lloyd.
Fig. 13 R Dunn, Advert sale of work Methodist Church Nov 1935
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"Dickie Dunn’s newsagent was run by Marion Jackson. She did the newspapers and everything and was the mother of my friend Pip who ran Motcombe Farm.”
- Bob Downs, In conversation 2021
I know he was there in October 1935, as he bore witness to the bank robbery over the road at the County Bank (Now Good Burger). He jumped onto the running board of the escape car and tried to get the keys out of the ignition. He was thumped between the eyes for his trouble and ended up on the road as the car sped off towards Cheadle. He later was recognised and recompensed for his bravery.
"Mr Dunn’s newsagent and tobacconist had adverts on the fencing for all the popular cigarettes at the time- Senior Service, Capstan Full Strength, Players Please, Woodbines (the cheap cigarette) and Craven “A” (good to smoke for your throat’s sake!!).”
- Anne Rushton 1930s Memories for St Catherine’s Linkline
By 1947 Crowther’s newsagents had taken over.
Fig. 14 CW Crowther advert
St Catherine's dedication booklet 1956
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"I delivered newspapers for them. Charlie and his wife Renee owned the shop. They were Londoners who made their home in Heald Green. They used to make fantastic Vimto lollies. When sweet rationing ended, the line of kids with pocket money in hand, stretched as far as the bank. Charlie and Renee were lovely, kind people who were personal friends of my family.”
- Michael Richardson, Facebook 2021
“As teenagers, we used to meet up outside Crowther’s every day for what we called “the gathering of the clans.” Their homemade Vimto lollies were wonderful and very popular with us.”
- Marilyn Connolly, Facebook 2021
“I used to deliver papers for them.”
- Mick Hankinson, Facebook 2021
“I was born in Heald Green but left in 1972 for my first job in Bristol. My memories are bittersweet but my happiest memories were of my first job, a paper round, which I did from Crowther’s. I loved that shop! I “ended up” spending 17 years as Health Editor at the News of the World and talked of my paper round in Heald Green as my all-time favourite job.”
- Monica Garvey, Facebook 2021
In 1964 Patrick Grant took over and I have done an article specifically on the shop because there were lots of comments made on our Facebook page. However some more have been done since. The shop was now numbered 264 Finney Lane.
“I worked as a paper girl and then in the shop – Mrs Grant was strict but fair and all the old ladies who worked in Grant’s were lovely.”
- Rachel Hoyland, Facebook 2024
“I worked aa a paper boy for her and also had the unfortunate task of clearing out the flat upstairs after she passed. She had penny jars everywhere lol, God love her.”
- Richard Leveuf, Facebook 2024
“I was one of the paper boys back in the early 70s that delivered for Paddy Grant.”
- Chris Jay, Facebook 2024
“I had a paper round here in the 80s. I remember Mrs Grant and Mrs Lea.”
- Elizabeth Louise Carpenter, Facebook 2024
“I worked there in the early 90s with Mrs Grant and all the lovely ladies who helped run it.”
- Gaynor Downes, Facebook 2024
“Forgive me father for I have sinned. I may have slipped a bazooka joe, with little comics wrapped around the packaging, from the penny chew stand and left without paying!”
- Gill Crossley, Facebook 2024 You naughty girl!!
Grant’s last advert was in 1990. Then came Centre Point run by Louise’s dad.
Fig. 15 Centrepoint early 1990s
© Christine Kinlin
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“My dad owned the newsagents after Mrs Grant died. I think it was 1988. It was renamed Centre Point and he had it for around 4 years or slightly less! He always says he bought the shop where he had his first paper round from and that was under Mrs Grant, whom I remember fondly. He kept all the ladies who worked with her on when he bought it. It went to Dillon’s when he sold it on.”
- Louise Kirwin, Facebook 2022
It was Dillon’s by 1997 when the Post Office moved in.
“I worked at Dillon’s when the Post Office moved there, that was 97.”
- Sam Stars, Facebook 2022
“I worked for David Greenwood at the little Post Office, 1992-94 and then came back to work for Dillon’s (T&S Stores) when he sold it to them. Definitely late 1997. My sister in law was Post Office manager at the time of the transition and I took over as manager about 2002.”
- Sharon Matthews, Facebook 2022
Next came One stop for quite a while.
“It was Dillon’s before One Stop. It changed approx. 2000 or 2001. I was working there then. The Post Office was there then.”
- Jen Elizabeth, Facebook 2022
Fig. 16 One Stop Oct 2012
© Google Maps
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All change by March 2017 with the arrival of Costcutter/Heald Green Store. However, by August 2017 the Costcutter sign had gone, leaving the smaller Heald Green Store sign with blank white next to it.
Fig. 17 Costcutter March 2017
© Google Maps
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By October 2021, Bargain World next door had begun to move some of their wares into this unit and by November 2022 were operating from this big store along with the smaller premises next door.
Fig. 18 Bargain World 6.11.2022
© H Morgan
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Then in 2023 Jannah cash and carry began to set up shop.
Fig. 19 Jannah cash and carry nearly done 12.7.2023
© H Morgan
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On the photo above you can see a door below the Post office sign, this used to be a window. I believe that D Howell & Co radio engineers traded from there in the 1930s, before Mrs Moore’s wool shop around 1940.
Fig. 20 Howell and Bennett advert 1935
Shadow Moss School Centenary Booklet
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Inside Jannah’s there is an halal butchers and the post office continues to operate at the very back of the shop. There is a very large post box at the front.
Fig. 21 Jannah cash and carry wares on pavement 27.9.2023
© H Morgan
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In August 2024, Jannah cash and carry shop became Al-Madinah superstore. There was talk that perhaps Jannah was going to move over the road, into the vacant premises left by Lloyds Bank. However, that was not the case as that became Mega Mart in December 2024.
Fig. 22 Al Madinah superstore Aug 2024
© Ben Wright
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154/266 Finney Lane
This was a wooden building set back from the road alongside the bungalow next door, not attached to the set of shops there now.
“The first shop to be built in the village was wooden and double fronted, on the opposite side to the railway station. It was owned and run by Miss Brooks as a drapers and my mother always said that there was often just one dress in the window.”
- Emily Rogerson, Linkline memories c.1920s for St Catherine’s
The Kelly’s directory of 1929 shows Mrs Agnes Johnson as a draper there (was she Miss Brooks?) Annoyingly I cannot look at the 1921 census for any answers as it was not there then! Mrs Johnson lived in the bungalow next door (built c.1924) at 156, where in Kelly’s she is classed as a shopkeeper.
Then came Harry Gradwell Norbury from at least 1938. On the 1939 register his occupation was fish, fruit, greengrocery and shopkeeper. He was born in 1887. He lived at 6 East Avenue with his wife Susannah Ceinwen and their son Alan who assisted his father in the family business.
“The first fish shop in Heald Green was a wooden hut and was run by the Norbury’s.”
- Gladys Short, Linkline memories for St Catherine’s
“The first shop, in a large shed, was Mr Norbury’s Greengrocers and Fishmongers but after the war they built a small shop next to Dunn’s newsagents and Tobacconist.”
- Anne Rushton, Linkline memories c.1930s for St Catherine’s
In 1955 a covenant was made for the land use, between the owners of the bungalow alongside and Mr Norbury. By an aerial shot of 1959, Norbury’s building can be seen alongside Crowther’s newsagents.
Fig. 23 Norburys advert Sept 1947
The Review Ratepayers Association
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“My sister married a Norbury. I can remember Mr Norbury senior coming round with a horse and cart. The trailer had rubber wheels and he used to deliver greengroceries down Brown Lane. When he died, my brother in law Alan took it over for a while before he sold it and bought a greengrocers in Gatley. My wife Joan would leave her bike there, when she went to work on the train, which was quite handy.”
- Bob Downs, In conversation 2021
Fig. 24 Norburys Contact Feb 1963
© Ratepayers Association
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I continued to find Norbury’s in trade directories up to 1968. However, as the photo shows, Waterworths greengrocers also had to fit in a timeline before Je Reviens hairdressers.
Fig. 25 Finney Lane c.1965
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“The greengrocer branch of the family started out a family business on the Wirral which expanded into a Liverpool based chain during the 20th century. I am not even sure if any of their family members were directly involved in the Heald Green shop.”
- Jonathan Waterworth, Facebook 2024
“Waterworth Bros was run by the (later) Lord Lt of Merseyside. He had a genealogy chat with our father in the 80s but they couldn’t find a connection; the Heald Green link is just coincidence.”
- Chris Waterworth, Facebook 2024
“Waterworths was a fruit and veg shop and a deli. I used to work there as a Saturday girl, then it became the hairdressers.”
“I had a Saturday job at Waterworths and saved my money to buy my mum a birthday present. It was a beautiful, red and black leather address book from Grant’s. I still have this. My dear mum passed 6 years ago.”
- Joelle Jackson, Facebook 2022 and 2024
Fig. 26 Je Reviens advert
Rose Queen programme 1969
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Heald Green Delicatessen came next, by at least 1972, although it may have been called Continental Corner at one point. It lasted into the 1980s and may have reverted back to a greengrocers before the next business.
Planning was granted to a Mr Whitworth to extend a grocers shop at 266 in December 1983.
Fig. 27 Heald Green Delicatessen
Contact mag Xmas 1972
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The next shop has been remembered by many residents, perhaps not least because of the owner, Mr Bill Greaves. I found Woodford carpets trading here in 1987.
From memory I think he liked a singsong with his guitar. A lady called Glenda was also remembered from here for being very glamorous.
“I have spoken with Bill. He bought the shop from Jimmy Eccleston who had it as a greengrocers, he reckons about 35 years ago.”
- Ged Pilling, Facebook 2022
“The carpet shop was mine for so many years up to retirement. I still miss it. Always crazy busy with the best customers.”
- Bill Greaves, Facebook 2021
Fig. 28 Woodford Carpets advert
Methodist Church magazine Xmas 1990
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“Woodford carpets was a brilliant shop. I had carpets from Bill many times. Miss that shop.”
- Pauline Hyde, Facebook 2021
By 2009 the unit was empty with a To Let sign. There was also now a lean to, on the side of the building, as extra storage.
By August 2011, Bargain World began trading here and are still there today, 2024. After expanding into the shops next door, it is now back where it started with Al-Madinah next door.
Fig. 29 Bargain World 16.11.2022
© H Morgan
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The Briars bungalow/268 Finney Lane
We have no proper photograph of the bungalow that stood here, only tantalising views of the garden wall from afar or aerial shots! Residents recall a photo being hung in the Heald Green pub of a bungalow, but I am not sure whether that would be the one that stood in the grounds of the pub, or this one. Tales also abound of spies at this end of Heald Green and again that may be confusion with the spy that was at the other bungalow!
Fig. 30 This is around 1952 and Norbury’s is not attached yet
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The bungalow’s garden hedge can be seen. Norbury’s would still be set back from the end of the shops, on the smaller piece of land.
It is all very interesting and I have the current owners of the building that stands there now, Mike and Karen Robinson, to thank for giving me lots of information from their deeds.
In 1924 “a conveyance of land and other lands made 7 January 1924 between the London, Midland & Scottish Railway company and Lily Hampson” is noted on the deeds. To sell to a woman back then, she must have had money behind her. In Kelly’s directory for 1929, Mrs Agnes Johnson a draper, was living with Mrs Lily Hampson. Were they related? Was she Miss Brooks the draper that Emily Watson remembered, in her Linkline memories for St Catherine’s? Where is Mr Johnson? Unanswerable questions I am afraid. Whoever she was, Lily built a shed like structure on her land, for Agnes to run her draper business from it. We have an aerial photo, perhaps dated 1927, that shows the shed and the two shops alongside. As Emily recalled the two shops (newsagent and chemist) came after the shed, so it may have been there earlier than that.
By 1935 a lady called Malinda Wilmott lived in the bungalow. She is noted on the 1939 register as a lady of private means and living with Sarah J Ninniss, doing unpaid domestic duties. Both are widows in their seventies.
Fig. 31 Aerial photo 1945
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With little to go on, I have had to make some assumptions here. The lighter road at the top is Neal Avenue. The Bank and the two shops can be seen. Next are two plots of land, both I believe belonging to the bungalow. The bungalow and garden can be seen on the larger plot of land. The smaller one next to it has the shed on it.
Fig. 32 Waterworth's Finney Lane c.1965
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This photo is c.1965 and Waterworths, that had been Norbury’s, is standing in that smaller plot of land. Prior to 1955, the prefab shed would have been further behind it. The bungalow was still there and the garden hedge can still be seen.
I am assuming 1955 was the year that the brick building was added because of a covenant in the deeds that states “A conveyance of the land and other lands made 10 May 1955, between H Norbury and Sons Ltd. and Arthur Hirstwood and Doris Hirstwood (with covenant that greengrocer, fish or poultry business should not be run from the address).”
By 1955 the Hirstwood’s lived at the bungalow. I spoke to Bob Downs and he did not think they were related to the Norbury’s. Having spoken to Peter Watson (grandson of Mary Rogerson from Rogerson’s garage) he told me that Mrs Hirstwood was not very well and confined to her bed, as Mary his grandmother would go and visit her. I would assume that Norbury’s paid rent for their prefab on Hirstwood’s land and that some money would have been paid for so generous a gesture, but again I do not know. The covenant ensured that, whatever came after the bungalow, could not be a business in competition with Norbury’s. The deeds for 154 may have shed some light on this but I have not seen them.
Fig. 33 Aerial photo 1959
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The aerial shot of 1959 shows Norbury’s alongside Crowther’s and the bungalow can still be seen. To get your bearings, the white building on the left is the new mercury telephone exchange from 1958. The private driveway to the “Brockhurst” bungalow, in the grounds of the Heald Green Hotel, can also be seen.
Wouldn’t you love to just go back in time, with your mobile phone, and take some pictures of the bungalow and when it was demolished! It was gone by 1983.
Jordans Estate Agents moved into the brick building that stands there today by 1985.
Fig. 34 Jordans Advert
Rose Queen Programme 1986
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“I worked at Jordan’s Estate agents which became Halifax Estate Agents. Jordan’s was bought out by Halifax and became Halifax Estate Agents and Building Society.”
- Sara Woods, Facebook 2022
Fig. 35 Halifax Advert
Rose Queen Programme 1988
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The Halifax were there until at least 1991 when Royal London Insurance arrived until 1998. They moved on to what is now called 500 Styal Road, opposite the Manchester International Office Centre at the top of Ringway Road. Next came the Cheshire Travel Centre.
“We purchased the building from a company called Cressy Grains (they didn’t trade from there as far as we know and we think it was an investment property. We think they may have bought the bungalow/land and developed the site to have the building that stands today.) We were looking for premises, as we had outgrown our leased premises in Northenden. We purchased the property in late 1998 and moved in in early 1999. Our business was called Northenden Travel Group but we named our retail travel shop and the building Cheshire Travel Centre. We had a travel agency business on the ground floor but ran both business travel and tour operating from the first floor. We employed about 20 people at the premises. Myself, Mike and my father owned the business and the property.
We sold Northenden Travel as a going concern in 2004. The premises were let until 2011 when Cheshire Travel/Northenden Travel went into liquidation. DentalCare Plus rented the premises from 2012- they were subsequently taken over by BUPA. The name was changed a couple of times but all were the same business and was named Manchester Cheadle Dental and Implant Centre.
At the end of September 2023, the sign came down but at present (2024) BUPA still use the building.”
- Karen Robinson via emails
Fig. 36 Cheshire Travel advert
Heald Green Festival Programme 26.6.99
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Fig. 37 Cheshire Travel 2010
© Karen Robinson
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Fig. 38 Cheshire Travel empty Oct 2012
© Google Maps
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Fig. 39 Manchester Implant Centre Apr 2015
© Google Maps
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Fig. 40 Manchester Cheadle Dental and Implant Clinic
© H Morgan 21.8.2022
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Fig. 41 Garage and land at the back of dental place
© H Morgan 27.1.2024
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Figure 41 shows down the side of the building, showing the original larger plot of land, that the bungalow once stood on.
A big thank you once again to everyone who has helped me piece together a timeline for the oldest shops in Heald Green. We got there in the end!
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