Some of my own photos of Rochdale this time, as opposed to those of my late Uncle Geoff.
During the 1980s and 90s whilst Miss Franny's parents were still alive we used to make regular trips over to Rochdale to see them. Every now and then I'd go out with the camera, sometimes with Bob if he didn't fancy whatever sporting event was on the telly. This is Rochdale's main town centre road, grandly called The Esplanade.
Designed by William Crossland who won a competition for the honour of doing so, the town hall was opened in 1871. Its clock tower, topped by a spire and a gilded statue of St George and the Dragon was destroyed in a fire in 1883. The preent clock tower is 190 feet tall (58m), some 50 feet shorter than its predecessor and was designed and completed within four years.
Rochdale's parish church is dedicated to St Chad and sits behind and above the town hall, accessed from below by a flight of 124 steps dating from some 400 years ago. It has roots in Anglo Saxon England and a tale that fairies or spirits repeatedly moved stones intended for building from a riverside spot to the top of the hill where it now stands.
A fountain near the site was known as the Packer Spout and in Victorian times the whole are was full of slum housing, many used for prostitution and the area known as the Gank.
The churchyard has kept its old set of stocks although the wooden bits have had to be replaced - more than once I'd guess. Sadly they are not still in used...
Looking further down the town centre, the new council office block was not particularly well-loved by the populace and became known derisively as the Black Box. Given that that unofficial term had become so well-used, it seemed somewhat inappropriate that the Council decided to name it Nelson Mandela House...
The complex included a new bus exchange that no one liked using at night due to its isolated location and its exposure to the elements.
The ABC Cinema, ex-Regal Cinema and shortly after this photo was taken, inevitably, a Bingo Hall. It was showing the Bond film For Your Eyes Only, The Time Bandits and the (ahem) artistic classic Flesh Gordon...
On the very edge of the town centre the River Roche emerged from the widest bridge in the world and flowed past the garages of Yelloway coaches with their familiar yellow and orange livery.
Moving back to opposite the Town Hall, the building to the left of the photograph was the town's main Post Office. A couple of bright red K6 telephone kiosks can be seen just to the left of the buildings front elevation.
The Central Library and Art Gallery seen from the slopes of Broadfield Park. Some of Rochdale's more modern buildings for the backdrop.
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