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Sharing our memories of Heald Green
A Butcher, A Baker But No Candlestick Maker!
By Helen Morgan
First Published 14/7/2021
Last Updated 13/1/2022
A timeline of 60 years for this set of shops from Peter Herds to Main & Main
Fig. 1a Shopping Parade From Herds to Main & Main 1976
From Main & Main framed photo © Cheshire Life
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Fig. 1b Little has changed ; the same view 2021
© Colin Barnsley
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This set of shops was built by local builder Harry Heywood (Builders) Ltd. on land, which if we go back as far as the Tithe map of 1841, shows as being an old meadow owned by John Worthington . On an aerial photograph from 1959, the area can be clearly seen as an open field with new houses being built on the corner of Freshfields and Finney Lane .
I have been unable to find a definite date for this parade of shops being built ; however, the nearby Beech House parade of shops (Tesco Express to Roger Dean) were built in 1963. The Ratepayers' Contact Magazine of February 1963 states that the Beech House parade “will be in a similar design to those recently built opposite Outwood Road on Finney Lane” . As Main and Main and Herds have been there from the start and are celebrating 60 years this year, I am going to say they were built in 1961.
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Fig. 1c Close-up of Tithe Map, 1841
© F. & T. Mitchell / St. James Church
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Fig. 1d Aerial Photo of Heald Green, 1959
© English Heritage
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Peter Herd of Wilmslow, Bakery
G. Herd the bakers, opened their shop here in 1961 and will celebrate 60 years in Heald Green soon. This family business, now in its 5th generation of bakers, was started by George Herd in 1932. The company is actually named Paddock Bakeries Ltd, but trades as Peter Herd of Wilmslow (Peter being George’s son).
The shop in Heald Green had the bakery in the back. The Parade Cafe (no more) in the bakery has been both upstairs and downstairs and although a licensed premises, it did not sell alcohol. The company now has 3 shops ; ours on Finney Lane, one in The Paddock in Handforth and the third on Chapel Lane in Wilmslow.
Grandmother, Mrs Herd, is still the company chairperson at 91 years of age. Peter Herd’s daughter, Carol Gatto-Hall, is the managing director. George’s great grandchildren, Katrina and her brother Peter, are still in the family business.
"I remember Herds door being on the opposite side and the counter ran down the side where the customers now stand. There was also diner-style seating to eat in.”
- Faye Lomax, 2021
"My Mum said there was an cafe [upstairs at] Herds and she worked there in her teens as the washer-upper.”
- Jenny Smith, 2021
Fig. 2a Advert for Parade Cafe, June 1964 Contact Magazine
© Ratepayers' Association
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Fig. 2b Manager Carol and staff outside Herds 2021
© Colin Barnsley
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Ashworth Opticians
Edwards the Butchers is believed to be the first business to open in this next shop, though the date of opening is unknown. It may well have been part of Louis Edwards’ (then chairman of Manchester United) chain of butchers.
Fig. 3a Three generations of opticians; Ian, grandfather Giles & father Dudley, 1990
© Ashworth
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Mr Dudley Ashworth, an optician, opened a house practice at 201 Finney Lane in 1960 and expanded into number 203 in 1965. In 1984 the family acquired the butchers shop that was still Edwards, becoming the Ashworth Opticians we know today.
It continues to be an independent family optometrists run by Ian Ashworth (Dudley’s son) and his wife Lesley. Last year in 2020, the family celebrated 100 years in the business, a fantastic achievement. They have another shop in Cheadle village. To learn more about Ashworth Opicians, click to read their full history.
Fig. 3b Dudley Ashworth when the shop opened, 1984 © Ashworth
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Fig. 3c Caroline and Ian inside Ashworth Opticians 2021
© Colin Barnsley
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Fig. 3d Caroline and Ian outside Ashworth Opticians 2021
© Colin Barnsley
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Wynors Village Saver, General Store
Goodrich hardware shop was probably here from the opening of the parade in 1961. By 1971 this became EW Jones (Carpets) Ltd and they were still trading there in 1979. It went on to become a video rental shop with names of Mach 1 and Prime Time. Judith Hill ran the shop as The Village Saver hardware store, until it became Wynors Village Saver general store run by Lisa Norris and Chris Wynne since November 2013 .
"The shop was a carpet shop and he sold furniture. My Mum bought me a dining table and chairs for my wedding present in 1972. The table and chairs are still going strong. I gave them to a friend and he still has them 49 years later. Things were made better then.”
- Christine Kinlin, 2021
"[EW Jones had] a sewing room at the back of the shop; it looked like it had been there years.”
- Andrew Low, 2021
Fig. 4a Chris and Lisa inside Wynors Village Saver
Hardware Store 2021
© Colin Barnsley
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Fig. 4b Chris and Lisa outside Wynors Village Saver
Hardware Store 2021
© Colin Barnsley
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Jordan Lea Hairdressing
Coiffure hairdressers was in this location from the beginning. It was bought by Pauline and Wener Wenger in 1971 and they kept the shop name. Husband Wener cut mens' hair upstairs and Pauline did ladies' hair downstairs. Their daughter Heidi took over the business in 2000 and changed the name to Jordan Lea Hairdressing. Heidi’s son is Jordan Paul, but as Terence Paul hairdressers was also on Finney Lane she decided on the name Jordan Lea. A lady called Barbara worked upstairs in the beauty salon.
"I can still remember the smell passing Coiffures...a mixture of perm solution and coffee!”
- Jean Taylor, 2021
Fig. 5a Staff in fancy dress outside Coiffure's Hair Design, year tbd
© Jordan Lea
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Fig. 5b Staff outside Jordan Lea 2021
© Jordan Lea
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Heald Green Pharmacy
For much of its life, number 208 was a newsagents, beginning with Coopers. By the 1980’s this became Tibbets, and then Forbuoys. In 2012 this shop became Heald Green Pharmacy.
N.B. You can just see to the right of this picture that there is a small passageway here that goes to the back of the shops. Before the houses behind were built, this would lead you all the way to Brown Lane.
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Fig. 6a Managers and staff outside
Heald Green Pharmacy 2021
© Colin Barnsley
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Gibbons Greengrocers (Deliveries Only)
W Whitworth Greengrocers became K Brady Greengrocers selling fruit, fish and vegetables by at least June 1968, according to adverts in the Ratepayers' Contact magazine. By 1978 Geoff Gibbons Greengrocers was there. Later his sons, Simon and Nigel took over the business. They branched out from the shop into delivering quality fruit and vegetables to both homes and businesses providing “fruit in a jute”. The shop itself closed in 2017 and the shutters came down. The premises is now used as a base for deliveries only.
Fig. 7a K Brady Greengrocers Ad,
Contact Magazine June 1968 p8
© Ratepayers' Association
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Fig. 7b Gibbons Grocers 2021
© Helen Morgan
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Peak Pharmacy
This pharmacy was formed from the merger of two shops. Lethermans Chemist was the start of a succession of pharmacies in one half. It became Kershaws Chemist in 1968 and then Peter Marks Chemist. Since 2006 it has been Peak Pharmacy, who extended their shop to a double-front in 2007.
The other half was called Patricia's. Olwyn; the daughter of Harry Heywood who built these shops, Freshfields and the newer part of Eastleigh Road with bungalows; ran this shop. She would collect the ground rent for the row for her father. Her shop was probably there from 1961, and was definitely still there in 1979. By 1992 the shop was a cafe/delicatessen called Fleurs. From around 1997/8 the shop reverted back to a ladies clothes shop that also sold other goods. Its name is unknown, but a Liverpudlian lady called Catherine and her daughter ran it. They sold Ty Beanie Bears that were all the craze at the time, along with the plastic clip you had to buy to protect the label from creasing! This shop was definitely still there in 2000 as my daughter bought her millennium bear from there.
The actual shop and its frontage disappeared when Peak Pharmacy expanded into it in 2007.
"I have a vague memory of getting hairspray refills here”
- Jean Taylor
"Oh yes, we had a plastic squeezy bottle you could have refilled.”
Jean, 2021
"You could get hairspray REFILLS!!”
- Michelle Fleming
Fig. 15 Manager Ayat and staff outside Peak Pharmacy 2021
© Colin Barnsley
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Ian Morris Butchers
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Spar (supermarket, convenience store) was a franchise owned by the Wards and the Browns. It may well have been there from the beginning, but can be traced until at least June 1968, when they were placing advertisements in the Ratepayers' Contact magazine. It was still a Spar shop in 1979.
Ian Morris started out in his father's butchers shop in Haddon Road, and was there for 19 years until he relocated to his current position on Finney Lane in around 1984. Ian still runs the shop today, working with his son, Ben.
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"Best butchers I've been to. The kebabs are something else.”
- Laura Stokey, 2021
Fig. 16 Wards Spar Advert from Contact MagazineJune 1968 p8
© Ratepayers' Association
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Fig. 17 Ian and Ben Morris outside their shop 2021
© Colin Barnsley
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Main & Main Estate Agents
Main & Main began with their offices upstairs, and Fairhome wallpaper shop was downstairs. When Fairhome moved out to a new shop on the Beech House parade, Main & Main took over the rest of the building and have been there ever since. Martin Main started his career in the industry in 1970 and took over the business from his father in 1982. The company is about to celebrate their 60th anniversary.
Fig. 18 Main & Main Advert from
Contact Magazine March 1965
© Ratepayers' Association
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Fig. 19 Main & Main 2021
© Colin Barnsley
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Bibliography
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Mitchell, Frank & Mitchell, Teretta (c1976). Tithe Map 1841
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Smith, J.D & Webb, J (2007). Stockport from Above: Yesterday and Today. : SBP Publishing.
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The Editor, February 1963, Beech House/Finney Lane Shopping Development, Contact magazine, 1(2), pp 2
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English Heritage Home Page
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History – Manchester United
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Search for "Finney Lane" in the Museum Library (Google Drive account users only)
Can You Help Us Improve The Museum?
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Do you have any related personal memories, photos or documents that you can share with us on this topic?
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Are any of our facts incorrect?
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Contact us at healdgreenheritage@gmail.com, or via our Heald Green Heritage Facebook Page.
Timeline
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