Glossop Official Handbook Second Edition circa 1953

GLOSSOP, DERBYSHIRE, The Official Handbook Second Edition
Issued by authority of the GLOSSOP TOWN COUNCIL

FOREWORD
The Borough of Glossop, situated near the north-western boundary of Derbyshire, is built on the foothills which lead to the massive grandeur of Kinder Scout, highest point of the Peak District. To the north, east and south are magnificent views of the surrounding hills.
Although Glossop to-day is a busy industrial town, its unique position as the natural gateway to the Peak makes it also an attractive residential area within easy reach of Manchester and the surrounding Lancashire and Cheshire towns. The expected completion of the electrification of the railway in 1954 will provide a quicker and more frequent service between Glossop, Manchester and Sheffield and so increase the importance of Glossop as a business, residential and tourist centre.

Glossop from the air

GLOSSOP through the CENTURIES, An Agricultural Community Revolutionised by Steam Power
Modern Glossop is essentially a product of nineteenth century development but its story goes back to the prehistoric times, when its site is said to have been completely covered by a freshwater lake. Then Palaeolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age peoples settled in the area and later the Ancient British tribe of Brigantes built a fort at Mouselow Castle.
Around A.D. 50 the Romans took Glossop and built a fort at Melandra. The remains of this fort, which lies on the old Roman road from Manchester to Brough, are still to be seen at the spot known as Melandra Castle, reached by a footpath from the Glossop-Stalybridge road near Woolley Bridge, and a considerable quantity of pottery and Romano-British ware has been unearthed there. The fort was probably also used by the ancient British against the Saxon invaders.
At the time of Edward the Confessor Glossop and the surrounding country was split up among several Saxon proprietors ; in the Domesday Survey Glossop was included in the lands of Longdendale granted by William the Conqueror to his son William Peveril. The latter’s son, Richard, however, was disinherited by Henry I and Glossop confiscated to the Crown. In 1157 it passed to the Abbey of Basingwerke, in whose possession it remained until the Dissolution of the Monasteries. In 1535 Henry VIII gave the manor, rectorial tithes and advowson of the Vicarage to the Talbot family, Earls of Shrewsbury, from whom it passed to the Howard family through Lady Alathea Talbot, daughter of the 7th Earl of Shrewsbury, who married Thomas Howard, 24th Earl of Arundel and Surrey. The town’s association with these famous families is recalled in some of the street names— Norfolk Street, Shrewsbury Street, Howard Street, Surrey Street, Arundel Street and Talbot Street.
Glossop does not appear to have taken an active part in the Civil War, probably due, in part, to the comparative seclusion of its position. However, from the fact that Wingfield Manor, one of the seats of the Earl of Shrewsbury, was laid waste by the Parliamentary forces, it is assumed that the town was probably Royalist in sympathy.

A corner of Old Glossop

The High Street

Around this time, Glossop was very rural. From the Old Church, Glossop to Woolley Bridge there were green fields with scarcely a house anywhere. At Howardtown there were only three houses. It is recorded that in 1761 John Wesley preached at Bridgefield, “ in the midst of Derbyshire mountains.” At that time, agriculture, supplemented by the traditional cottage trades, was the normal occupation of its inhabitants, who now numbered around 2,759, and the layout of the town remained as it had been for 100 years or more with the main centre at Old Glossop.
The introduction of steam power, however, brought rapid changes. A cheap and plentiful water supply was an essential requisite of the new factories and Glossop possessed it in abundance. Mills sprang up in and around the town and the population grew as the demands for labour increased.
In 1848, Samuel Lewis, in his “ Topographical Dictionary of England,” described Glossop as a market town, with a population of 3,548. “ It is one of the most romantic parishes in the county,” he wrote, “ particularly the wild mountainous district on its eastern side, of which a considerable portion is moorland. Its western side is a highly flourishing district and by far the most important seat of the cotton manufacture of the county, owing chiefly to which the population within the last fifty years has increased more than two-fold.”
Lewis also records that in 1837 an Act was passed “ for obtaining a more regular supply of water by constructing reservoirs upon the tributary streams of the River Etherow.” An Act for lighting the town with gas was passed in 1845. In 1865 Glossop’s first Waterworks Act was passed.
To meet the needs of the growing population civic improvements were imperative and a great step forward came in 1866 when the town applied for and was granted its Charter of Incorporation. The official crest of the town was the family crest of the Lords of the Manor of Glossop, who allowed the Corporation to use it until 1919, when steps were taken to have a patent of Armorial Bearings passed to the Corporation by the College of Arms. The red rose in the design represents the connection of Glossop with the Duchy of Lancaster, the cross crosslets are from the Arms of the Dukes of Norfolk, Lords of the Manor, and the Crown is the Mural Crown symbolical of a Borough. The Motto “Virtus, Veritas, Libertas” is the Corporation’s own and can be translated as “Courage, Truth and Freedom.” In 1925 Glossop’s ancient ties with the Howard family were broken and the land divided up and sold.
To-day Glossop provides its citizens with the amenities expected of a thriving modern municipality.

GLOSSOP TO-DAY, Its Principal Buildings, Parks and Services
TOWN HALL AND MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS
Situated in the western half of the High Street, the Town Hall is a fine structure, fronting a covered market. These buildings were the gift of the late Mr. Isaac Jackson, founder of a famous belt-fastener firm. The Town Hall is now used as a Magistrates Court and for public functions.
The Municipal Buildings were added at the rear of the Town Hall in 1924 and here are housed the Council Chamber, The Mayor’s Parlour, Committee Rooms and the offices of the Town Clerk, Borough Treasurer, Borough Surveyor, The Rate Office, Sanitary Inspector, Medical Officer of Health and Markets Inspector.

VICTORIA HALL AND PUBLIC LIBRARY
This handsome building is in Talbot Street and has been in existence since 1890, when the land was given by Lord Howard and the building by seven public-spirited men.
The Assembly Hall is on the first floor and accommodates 350 persons for dancing and will seat 450. Details and conditions of letting for this and the Town Hall may be obtained from the Borough Treasurer’s Department in the Municipal Buildings.
The Public Library consists of the following : Newsroom, Lending Library (Fiction, Non-Fiction, Music and Junior), Reference section.
There is a good up-to-date book stock of over 20,000 volumes. Each borrower is allowed two ordinary tickets and two non-fiction tickets and the facilities provided include : free membership for people residing within the county area, temporary tickets for people staying in the town for short periods, subscription tickets for people residing outside the county boundaries, reservations of wanted books and the obtaining of required works by means of the North Western Regional Bureau. Lists of recent additions to the library are printed from time to time in the local press and book lists, guides and displays of special books are arranged in the library. Seasonal displays of holiday guides are arranged and occasional outside exhibitions.

HADFIELD PUBLIC HALL AND BRANCH LIBRARY Situated in Station Road, Hadfield, the hall was the gift of Edward Platt, Esq., J.P., in 1906.
The Assembly Hall is on the top floor and has seating accommodation for 200 persons. Details for the reservation, etc., can be obtained from the caretaker on the premises.
The Branch Library consists of : Newsroom—open daily, Lending Department of some 3,000 books, open three days each week (see below).
In the grounds stands the War Memorial erected in memory of Hadfield men killed in the two World Wars.

WHITFIELD BRANCH LIBRARY A pleasant one-story building in Freetown which was the gift of George Ollerenshaw, Esq., J.P., in 1902 and houses : Newsroom—open daily, Lending Library of some 3,000 volumes, open one day each week (see below).

Hours of Opening Victoria Hall : Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. To 7.30 p.m. ; Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ; Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Hadfield Branch : Mondays and Wednesdays, 4.45 p.m. To 7.30 p.m. ; Fridays, 1.45 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. To 7.30 p.m.
Whitfield Branch : Thursdays, 2 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.
The Library staff consists of the Librarian and five assistants, together with the various caretakers.

PUBLIC BATHS
Situated in Howard Park and erected in 1887 by Mr. Samuel Wood and Mrs. Wood at a cost of £15,000. The swimming bath, 80 by 32 feet, is open from the first Monday in April until the last Saturday in October, special times being allocated for men only (Fridays), women only (Thursdays) and for mixed bathing.
Hours of Opening Mondays to Fridays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ; Saturdays, 9 a.m.to 5 p.m. ; Sundays, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. (from 1st Sunday in May).
The slipper baths are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. April to October inclusive and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. November to April.
There are also slipper baths at Hadfield open Tuesdays to Fridays, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.

PARKS AND OPEN SPACES
Glossop is not only situated near great tracts of open moorland, but it possesses three fine parks. In 1925 the Glossop Dale estate was broken up and sold, and the Corporation purchased Glossop Hall and grounds, which were opened to the public as Manor Park. The Hall was let on lease to Kingsmoor School Limited until purchased by them in 1949. The park’s sixty acres contain many picturesque walks in addition to public tennis courts, bowling and putting greens and a children’s playground.
Another large stretch of grassland and woodland is Bankswood Park in the Hadfield district.
Howard Park situated on Dinting Road affords fine views of the town and the surrounding country. It is twelve acres in extent and formal flower beds, lawns and an ornamental lake make it a delightful retreat. The Park was opened in 1887 and was a joint gift to the town by Lord Howard, Mr. Samuel Wood and Mrs. Wood.
Immediately opposite the Town Hall is Norfolk Square, given by the Hon. Mrs. Bennett-Sidebottom, eldest daughter of the late Lord Doverdale, founder of the famous papermaking company of Olive and Partington Ltd. It is laid out with lawns and flower beds and here stands the Glossop War Memorial.
Harehills Estate was given to the town by Lord Howard of Glossop in 1921 as a memorial to the Hon. Philip Fitzalan Howard, who fell in the 1914-18 war, and also in appreciation of the services of the men of Glossop who served in the two world wars. It consists of over five acres of land between St. Mary’s Road and the Glossop Brook. A wide tree-lined thoroughfare, Philip Howard Road, has been constructed through this area and on it are set numerous seats and two shelters provided by the late Councillor Farnsworth and Mrs. Farnsworth.

In Manor Park

Woodcock Grove Housing Estate

CHURCHES
The Parish Church of All Saints, situated in Old Glossop, has registers dating back to 1620, and a record that William Bagshaw was Vicar of Glossop until, with the passing of the Act of Uniformity after the Restoration, he was one of the 2,000 ministers ejected from their livings. Refusing to be silenced, the Vicar rode over the hills preaching and thus gained the title “ Apostle of the Peak.”
The present church was partly rebuilt in 1831. It is a stone edifice in the Early Gothic style and considerable reconstruction work has been carried out. In 1915 the nave was rebuilt and in 1923 the chancel was reconstructed and a lady chapel added.
St. James’, Whitfield, in Hollincross Lane, was the first of the new parishes (1846). It was enlarged in 1895-6 by the addition of a chancel and vestry and the whole of the interior was reseated. A lady chapel was added in 1928 by Sir John Wood, in memory of Lady Wood and members of his family.
St. Luke’s, Fauvel Road is a fine stone building, the memorial stone of which was laid by the donor, Mrs. A. K. Wood, in 1905, the church being dedicated on St. Luke’s Day, 1906.
St. Andrew’s, Hadfield, was built in 1874. It is also of stone in the Gothic style. The font, worked in native stone, was presented by Mr. James Sheriff, of Canterbury, New Zealand, who was a native of Hadfield.
Holy Trinity Church, in Dinting Vale, was erected by the Wood family in 1875 and was extended in 1931. It is a stone building in the thirteenth century Gothic style, and has an octagonal spire 137 feet high.
There are three Roman Catholic churches in the Borough.
St. Mary’s, in Sumner Street, which owes its origin to Mr. F. J. Sumner and family, is the largest R.C. Church in the Borough, and was completed in 1887.
All Saints’ R.C. Church in Old Glossop is an older building, (1836). It is of moderate size, built in the Etruscan style in local stone, the lack of ornamentation being offset by the solidity and symmetry of the design. It contains eight stained-glass windows. Above the altar hangs a huge oil painting depicting the Last Communion of St. Jerome, which is a faithful copy of the original by Dominichino Lampieri in the Vatican.
St. Charles’ R.C. Church, at Hadfield, is a stone building in the Early English style and was erected by Lord Howard in 1858.
The history of Congregationalism in Glossop dates back to the middle of the nineteenth century when the battle for wider liberty of theological thought was fought out. The four Congregational churches now in use are : Littlemoor, in Victoria Street ; Mount Pleasant, in Princess Street ; Brookfield ; Padfield in Temple Street. Out of the Borough, but still part of the Congregational life of the town, is Charlesworth Chapel, on the hill overlooking the village of Charlesworth.#
The Methodists are represented by a considerable number of churches, many being of the more spacious kind, built in the days of large congregations. The churches are : Wesley, High Street ; Shrewsbury Street ; Princess Street ; Tabernacle, Manor Park Road ; Whitfield, Hague Street ; Zion, Simmondley Lane ; Ebenezer, Ebenezer Street ; Old Glossop, Wesley Street ; Bank Street, Hadfield ; Woolley Bridge Road, Hadfield, and Post Street, Padfield.
There is one Wesley Reform Church in Howard Street.
One of the most beautiful of the smaller churches in the town is the Unitarian Church, Fitzalan Street, which contains a number of memorials to the Doverdale family, including an east window and fine examples of oak-carving in the reredos, altar, choir stalls and pulpit.
The Salvation Army also has meetings in the town and their headquarters are in Edward Street.
There is the Elim Four Square Gospel Church in Ellison Street and the Free Pentecostal Church in High Street East.

EDUCATION
The Educational facilities provided in Glossop to-day are a result of the re-organisation carried out in 1930, in accordance with the Hadow Report of 1926.
The early school life of the child is catered for by two nursery and seven primary schools, where foundations are laid for further academic progress.
Two Secondary Modern Schools, West End and Castle, endeavour to train the older children in the more practical rather than the academic aspects of education.
Glossop Grammar School, founded in 1901, in the buildings given by the second Baron Howard of Glossop, provides full grammar school education up to University Scholarship standard and the school has a distinguished record of successes in public examinations.
The Roman Catholic children of the Borough attend the three Roman Catholic Schools.
In addition to the statutory system of education, there is in Glossop one private preparatory school and also an independent preparatory and secondary school recognised by the Ministry of Education and known as Kingsmoor School. It was opened in Glossop Hall in May, 1927. It is co-educational and its pupils are mostly boarders, although Day scholars are admitted. In some respects the school is unorthodox and its experimental work has undoubtedly had an influence upon modern educational practice. Individual training is largely emphasised ; arts and crafts, music, dancing and drama form a special feature of the school life.
The Derbyshire Education Committee propose further reorganisation and the recasting of the Education system in Glossop. The Divisional Education Office is at 6 The Quadrant, Buxton.

LIST OF SCHOOLS IN THE BOROUGH
Secondary Schools
Grammar School—Talbot Street, Glossop.
West End School—Chadwick Street, Glossop.
Castle School—Hadfield Road, Hadfield.
Primary Schools
Dinting C. of E.—-Dinting Vale, Glossop.
Duke of Norfolk C. of E.—Old Glossop.
Padfield C. of E.—Post Street, Padfield.
St. Andrew’s C. of E.—Railway Street, Hadfield.
St. Luke’s C. of E.—Talbot Street, Glossop.
Whitfield C. of E.—Ashton Street, Glossop.
Zion Methodist—Simmondley Lane, Glossop.
Roman Catholic Schools
All Saints’ R.C.—Church Street, Old Glossop.
St. Charles’ R.C.—Woolley Bridge Road, Hadfield.
St. Mary’s R.C.—St. Mary’s Road, Glossop.
Nursery Schools
Hadfield Nursery School—Jones Street, Hadfield (takes 40 children).
Whitfield Day Nursery—off Victoria Street, Glossop (takes 40 children of working mothers only).
Private Schools
Kingsmoor School—Glossop.
Glossop Private Preparatory School—Ellison Street, Glossop.

Glossop Grammar School

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY
The authority for electricity supply to the Borough is the North- Western Electricity Board—Stalybridge District, with showrooms and office at 5 High Street, West, Glossop.

FIRE SERVICE
The Government in 1941 was able to take over the town’s fully equipped Fire Station in Ellison Street. It is now part of the Derbyshire Fire Service.

GAS SUPPLY
Until nationalisation Glossop Gas Company supplied the district from their Arundel Street works, with showrooms at High Street, West. The concern is now under the North-Western Gas Board— North Cheshire Undertaking, with headquarters in Hyde.

HEALTH SERVICES
The local hospital and specialist services are under the control of the North Western Regional Hospital Board.
Wood’s Hospital, situated in Howard Park, founded and endowed originally by the late Mr. Daniel Wood, is now' used as a continuation hospital for Ashton District Infirmary.
Partington Maternity Home, situated in North Road, built in 1908 by Sir E. Partington (who later became Lord Doverdale) was originally a convalescent home, but for many years has been used as a maternity home.
Shire Hill Hospital, Bute Street, Old Glossop, also takes sick cases, and here are held the physio-therapeutic clinics for the district.
Whitfield House, Charlestown Road, is a residential accommodation centre, under the National Assistance Act.
Isolation Hospital. The local hospital is now closed and infectious cases are accommodated at Hyde, Monsal and Stockport.
Personal Health Services are the responsibility of the County Council and the following clinics are held at the Municipal Buildings :
Minor Ailments : Daily.
Orthopaedic : 2nd and 4th Tuesday in the month, afternoons.
Ear, Nose and Throat : Daily for treatment.
Ante-natal : Weekly.
Immunisation clinics : One Saturday morning each month (also at Hadfield Library).
Maternity and Child Welfare : Weekly at Municipal Buildings.
Alternate Wednesdays at Hadfield Library.
A Psychiatrist visits the clinic by arrangement with the Medical Officer.
The Tuberculosis Dispensary Centre for Glossop is now at Ashton, but information can be obtained from the Medical Officer or Health Visitors.



HOUSING
In common with the rest of the country, Glossop has its housing problems. The Council is alive to the need for new houses, and up to December, 1952, had erected fifty prefabricated houses. Two hundred and twelve permanent houses and flats were occupied or under construction. A further scheme for the erection of one hundred and eighteen permanent houses and flats is in progress on the Pyegrove site off Sheffield Road. The design of the houses and the outer construction has been arranged so as to blend with the amenities of the area. No front gardens are provided. The forecourts are laid out as lawns, and planted with flowering shrubs and trees, which are maintained by the Corporation Parks Department, and a charge made in the rents to the tenants. Ninety-four permanent houses were erected under previous Housing Acts.
The Corporation also have sites for disposal for private development.

POLICE
For Police purposes Glossop is under the Derbyshire County Constabulary, with a Chief Inspector stationed in the town, although up to 1946 Glossop had its own Police Force. The Police Station is situated in Ellison Street, near the town centre.

POSTAL FACILITIES
Five Post Offices serve the area, the Central Post Office in Victoria Street and sub-offices at Old Glossop, Whitfield, Dinting and Hadfield. Further details are given in “ Information-in-brief.”

TRANSPORT
Glossop as a Borough is served by two main line stations, Dinting and Hadfield, which are situated on the main London-Sheffield-Manchester line, while the centre of Glossop is served by Glossop Central Station, the terminus of a one-mile branch line from Dinting. Trains not running directly into the Central Station stop at Dinting, where they are met by a local train service.
Glossop is served with buses by the North Western Road Car Co. in conjunction with Manchester and Ashton Corporation Transport and S.H.M.D. Transport Board.

WATER
Glossop Corporation is responsible for the supply of water to the Borough and it is at present obtained from three reservoirs, Swineshaw Reservoir, supplying about two-thirds of the Borough, and the Hadfield reservoirs, supplying about one-third of the Borough. The water is soft and of excellent quality. Owing to the increased call on the supply from new houses, the Corporation obtained an Act of Parliament in 1952 to convert the Hurst Reservoir, situated adjacent to the Snake Road, for drinking purposes.

OFFICIALS OF THE COUNCIL
Town Clerk and Solicitor H. B. Dolphin, M.C., M.A. (Oxon).
Borough Surveyor and Water Engineer Geo. Faulds, M.I.Mun.E.
Deputy Surveyor and Water Engineer E. C. Allen, M.C., A.R.I.C.S., A.M.I.Mun.E.
Borough Treasurer and Chief Rating and Valuation Officer E. M. Boardman.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Mary Sutcliffe, L.R.C.P. (Lond.), M.R.C.S. (Eng.), M.A., B.Chir. (Cantab), M.B., D.P.H. (Lond.).
Sanitary and Housing Inspector E. Dunsmore, M.R.San.I., M.S.I.A.
Librarian Mrs. A. Warhurst, A.L.A.
Baths Superintendent F. Fennell.
Parks and Cemetery Superintendent W. Cannon, F.Inst.P.A.
Town Hall Caretaker, Market Inspector and Mayor’s Attendant J. Townsend.
Weights and Measures Inspector J. E. Robinson



AROUND GLOSSOP
AS a centre for the exploration of the Derbyshire and North /“A Cheshire moorland, Glossop is very conveniently situated.
Among the surrounding hills the famous Kinder Scout is the highest point, though its 2,088 feet are rivalled by the summits of Edale Moor (2,062 feet), now part of the Peak District National Park, Featherbed Moss (1,762), Fairbrook Naze (2,049) and Bleaklow Hill (2,060 feet). The landscape is wild and rugged, characterised by striking cliff-like “ edges,” great barren moors and fields bounded by grey stone walls. A network of streams or “ doughs ” flow into the valleys and near Glossop are the sources of the River Derwent, which forms the Yorkshire boundary, and of the Etherow, which separates Derbyshire from Cheshire.
Some of the more popular walks, beauty spots and places of interest around Glossop are listed on the pages that follow.
Snake Pass. From Old Glossop by “ Duke’s Drive,” or the Wharf and Mossy Lea, as it is known to-day, the famous “ Doctor’s Gate,” an old Roman road, can be followed on to the Snake Pass. The road from Glossop to Ashopton is one of great grandeur, passing through wild moorland scenery at a height of about 1,700 feet. It affords splendid views of the rugged plateau of the Peak and leads to the Ladybower Reservoir and Derwent Valley. The valley is usually regarded as that part lying between the source of the Derwent river on Bleaklow and the village of Bamford, some miles to the south. In 1899 the Derwent Valley Water Board began its scheme for providing reservoirs here to meet the expanding needs of the industrial population around. By 1912 the Derwent and Howden reservoirs had been constructed and in 1945 the third and southerly extension, Ladybower, was opened by the King and Queen. The largest of its kind in the British Isles, it took ten years to complete. Two villages well-known to lovers of the Derbyshire moorland— Ashopton and Derwent—now lie beneath the waters. Two miles of the old Glossop-Sheffield road are also under the water and a new road is carried over the arms of the reservoir by a massive concrete viaduct. The wide stretches of water in the Derwent Valley add a charm to the landscape which is not diminished by the fact that they are man-made lakes, although the loss of the picturesque villages and of Derwent Hall and Church are to be deplored.
Kinder Scout. The circular trip around Kinder Scout is the classic Peak District walk and the tracks are well defined, but the vast plateau at its summit is a dangerous place in bad weather. It is often approached from Glossop by the Hayfield Road which is a continuation of Chunal. A stiff task for even seasoned walkers, it offers, however, the reward of twenty-two miles of magnificent scenery. Probably the most impressive aspect of Kinder Scout is that seen from the west, when the great gritstone precipices enclosing the Downfall look gigantic from the smaller hills around Hayfield reservoir.
Monk’s Road, an old Roman road linking Chunal with Charlesworth, runs along the top of Whiteley Nab, at about 1,000 feet above sea-level, and affords a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside, of the town itself and even as far as Liverpool on a clear day- From here the little villages of Rowarth and Mellor can be reached over the Coombes Rocks or by a winding road, and such landmarks as the Abbott’s Chair and Robin Hood’s Picking Rods are well-known in the district. Hard by is Marple, famous for its Roman Bridge and boating lakes.
Longdendale Valley. A miniature Lake District is formed by Manchester Corporation Reservoirs at the foot of the range of hills leading from Hadfield to Woodhead (famous for its railway tunnel). To the right towers Devil’s Elbow on the Derbyshire side and to the left, on the Cheshire side, lies Crowden Moor, leading to the Brushes and so to Mossley. In this area, and often plainly seen from the higher points of the town, is the famous television mast of Holme Moss.
Many more beauty spots can be discovered by the rambler or motorist in the Peak District National Park, while even the sea coast resorts of Lancashire and North Wales are possibilities for day trips from the town.

NEIGHBOURING PLACES OF INTEREST

Place Name	Distance from Glossop in miles	Description
Bakewell	38	a charming old market town on the River Wye, with the tombs of the Manners family in its church.
Barnsley	27	market town and centre of the mining area of South Yorkshire.
Belle Vue (nearManchester)	12	the largest pleasure ground in the North, containing King’s Hall, zoological gardens, amusements, dancing and greyhound and speedway tracks.
Buxton	15	this mountain spa famed for its water in the treatment of rheumatism is one of the highest towns in England, parts of it being 1,000 feet above sea- level. The Pavilion gardens are one of its many interesting features.
Castleton	28	famed for its caves, Blue John Mines and Peveril Castle remains.
Chapel-en-le-Frith	10	an ancient market town, lying between Hayfield and Buxton, possessing a fine rebuilt 13th century church, an old cross and stocks, and known the world over through the presence of the Ferodo Factory.
Chatsworth	41	the stately mansion home of the Dukes of Devonshire. Show house open to the public April to mid- October, at stated times.
Edale	20	well-known to ramblers because of the main Sheffield to Manchester railway line running through the valley and for its proximity to Kinder Scout.
Eyam	34	situated above Middleton Dale and famed for its connection with the Great Plague of 1666.
Great Hucklow	32	the home of L. Du Garde Peach’s Hucklow Players, where they perform in their own theatre, a converted barn. Also a well-known centre for gliding.
Haddon Hall	38	ancient castellated home of the Dukes of Rutland and associated with Dorothy Vernon. Open to the public April to October, at stated times. Plainly visible from the Rowsley- Bakewell road.
Hathersage	24	a good centre from which to explore the Sheffield side of the Peak district. Charlotte Bronte described the village as “Morton” in “Jane Eyre.” In the churchyard is the reputed grave of Little John, legendary follower of Robin Hood.
Hayfield	5	a small town, south of Glossop, manufacturing paper and cotton. It is claimed that the old song, “Come Lassies and Lads” was written in connection with Hayfield Fair.
Huddersfield	24	West Riding market town and centre of the wool industry.
Lyme Park andHall, Disley	11	the home for centuries of the Leigh family, now the property of the National Trust. Open to the public by their arrangement with Stockport Corporation.
Manchester	14	the famed cotton centre and nearest city. For learning, business and pleasure.
Matlock	40	holiday spa in the vale of the river Derwent. Known for its caverns and petrifying wells.
Sheffield	25	the city of steel and a useful shopping centre.
Tideswell	26	pleasant village, famed for its well-dressings and church known as “The Cathedral of the Peak.”

INDUSTRY IN GLOSSOP
It is interesting to note that although Glossop is a town of some 18,000 inhabitants only, it possesses many and varied industrial concerns, producing cotton goods, paper, tinned foods, rope, boots and shoes, tools, brushes, gloves, chemicals and many other valuable commodities for the home and foreign markets.
The manufacture of cotton goods is the predominant industry, many of the firms having been established for over 100 years.
Wood Bros. (Glossop) Ltd. was originally established by John Wood in 1815 at the Waterloo Mill in Old Glossop, moving to Howardtown in 1824. The Mills were purchased from the Wood family in 1920 and the present Company constituted in 1924. There are a group of Spinning Mills and Weaving Sheds, manufacturing cotton and rayon fabrics, known as Howardtown Mills, with offices at Manchester and London. Included in the group are Davies Jenkins & Co. Ltd. (Two Cities Fabrics), Converters and Exporters ; the Menswear Department (Master-wood Shirts and Pyjamas) ; and The Cherry Tree (Textiles) Ltd., Makers-up. The Company has also an interest in Australia.
Francis Sumner (Holdings) Ltd. of Wren Nest Mills was started about 1827 and run as a family concern for nearly a hundred years. Modern ideas have been introduced and “Sumnadale” fabrics are sent far and wide.
Edmund Potter’s Dinting Vale Print Works, established 1825, quickly made a reputation for itself in the cotton print industry, with “Potter’s Prints.” In 1889 Potter’s Print Works became one of the largest branches of the Calico Printers’ Association. In 1938 the C.P.A. renewed the plant, modernised every department and later completed a new works canteen and hall. During the last ten years 600 persons have been employed day and night producing some 20,000 miles of cotton and rayon printed fabrics per annum for the home, colonial and foreign markets.
Waterside Mills at Hadfield, founded in 1875 by the Sidebottom family, taken over by Gartside & Co. of Ashton-under-Lyne and since 1900 by the Calico Printers’ Association, began of course with cotton but has gradually been adapted to rayon and other synthetic fibres. It now employs some 450 people and produces terylene, nylon and other continuous filament goods.
The Hurst Mills, built around 1837 as a cotton mill and continued as such for a number of years by the Rowbottom family, was taken over by the Canetti Export Co. in 1946. It now employs about 150 people and is concerned with the spinning and doubling of cotton yarns.


John Walton of Glossop Ltd. originated from a family business which started at Charlestown in 1869. In 1924, it became a subsidiary of Tootal, Broadhurst Lee Co. Ltd., the well-known textile organisation, and in 1952 moved from Charlestown to Longdendale Works. This textile finishing firm employs some 260 operatives and is regarded as one of the most modern finishing works in the industry. Much of its activity is devoted to the development of new machinery and processes. Most types of cotton and rayon fabrics are processed, whilst the wool finishing section handles men’s half-hose and related products.
Also bleachers, finishers and scourers of cotton piece goods are the River Etherow Bleaching Co. Ltd. of Hollingworth, established in 1900 and employing some 250 people.
Silk and rayon weaving is carried on by Hollingworth Silk Mills Ltd., Meadow Mills, Old Glossop, and by Hadfield Silks Ltd., Mersey Mills, Hollingworth, whilst E. Wilman & Son Ltd., of Station Mills, Hadfield, spin silk-noil yarn and make sponge cloths, scourers and dusters, etc.
Webbing Weavers (J. G.) Ltd., Mersey Mills, Hollingworth, established about 1939 by John Greenwood and incorporated as a limited company in 1950, produce narrow fabrics, spindle tapes and webbing from cotton, jute, etc.
The Ritz Manufacturing Co. Ltd. and Lux-Lux Ltd., commenced the production of ladies’ clothing and various kinds of ladies’ knitted garments, e.g., pyjamas, blouses, lingerie, etc., in March, 1947, then employing six people and now finding work for 350.
Other newcomers to the district are Joseph Hadfield, Barratt & Co. Ltd., Hadfield Street, Glossop, who came to Glossop in 1941, having been established in Manchester over 50 years, and manufacturing athletic clothing and industrial wear, etc. ; and James Manning Ltd. of Railway Street, Glossop, shirt and pyjama manufacturers.
The paper manufacturing business of Olive and Partington Ltd. is one of the town’s most important industrial concerns, employing some 550 people. The firm was founded in 1870 by Edward Partington and William Olive, but after a few years came under the sole ownership of Edward Partington. The present limited company was incorporated in 1901 and the Partington family severed their connections with the company in 1927 when it joined the Inveresk Paper Co. Ltd. organisation. There are three separate mills manufacturing various types of printing, writing, wrapping, art, gummed, etc. papers. The Company is one of the only two concerns which manufacture their own sulphite pulp from pulpwood, and the large stocks of pulp-wood stored in the town are of interest to visitors.
Isaac Jackson & Sons Ltd. of Hawkshead, the world-famed belt-fastening firm, was founded in 1884 by the late Mr. Isaac Jackson and became a private limited company in 1905. It employs 130 people and produces belt-fasteners, bolts, set-screws, rivets, etc.
Fishing cordage, rope and twine is made at the Hobroyd Works of Levi Jackson & Sons Ltd., employing about 100 people. This concern has been carried on under the same name longer than any other in the borough, for it has been controlled by five generations of the Jackson family since 1833, and has only very recently passed out of their control.
Cotton fishing lines, ropes and cordage are manufactured by John Booth & Son (Charlesworth) Ltd. of Lee Vale Rope Works.
Production of footwear and rubber components has been increased by the expansion of Volcrepe Ltd., of V.C. Works, who have acquired Albion Mills, Hollingworth. Children’s sandals and shoes with Volacrepe soles, infants’ shoes and slippers are produced and it is hoped to introduce new lines. The management give every encouragement to the employment of local labour and facilities are available for the training of unskilled operatives. The firm’s two factories at present employ about 250.
Waste rubber reclamation is the industry of A. E. Hemsworth & Co. Ltd. of Mersey Mills, Hollingworth.


Pan Yan pickles, sauces, canned soups, canned fruits, etc. are produced at the Maconochie’s Foods Ltd. model factory at Hadfield. Maconochie’s came to Hadfield in 1940, when their Millwall factory was bombed, and they have done much for the industrial prosperity of the district.
Flexy Brushes Ltd., of Brook Mill, are the pioneers of rubber-backed brushes. Included in this range are the Flexy Car Washer and Bus Washer which have a world-wide reputation. A large section of production is devoted to the manufacture of Artist Brushes ; in addition, industrial, paint and wooden backed brushes are manufactured.
Dress gloves are the product of the Glossop Glove Co. Ltd. in George Street, Glossop. The firm commenced in 1919 and to-day employs about 64 people.
The Lancashire Chemical Works, established in 1937 and employing between 18 and 25 persons, manufactures mineral tanning compounds, mordants and absorbents.
Keiner & Co. at Charlesworth produce synthetic and chrome tanning extracts.
Ferro-Alloys and Metals Ltd., of Surrey Street, Glossop, which was established in 1934 and employs about 30 people, is one of the few firms in the country manufacturing metals and alloys for use in the production of high speed steel.
The British Electro Metallurgical Company Limited, of Sheffield, has a branch in Glossop. This firm is engaged in the manufacture of Ferro-Alloys for the Iron, Steel and Non-Ferrous Industries, which cover a wide range and are to-day finding an increasing application in the production of high quality materials. Some of them have been essential in the manufacture of such materials as steel and cast iron in the jet engine. Much of the progress in obtaining high strength materials for specialised applications has been brought about by the use of such alloys so that they become an answer which science gives to the consumers’ demands for better quality. Amongst the commonest of alloys in everyday use in the Iron and Steel Industry are included such essential elements as Silicon, Chromium and Manganese, the requirements of which for this country are handled principally by “Bemco.”
Of the engineers and toolmakers in the Borough, Ferro-Statics Ltd. incorporated in 1940, employ some 36 people on the production of tools, jigs, gauges, moulds, etc.
Stone merchants and quarry owners, John Greenwood of Glossop, a business of about 80 years’ standing, employ 65 persons and produce monumental and building stones and also grindstones and pulp stones, by means of a special plant which is the only one of its kind in the world.
Other industries in the town include builders and contractors, property repairers, electrical engineers, printers, furniture manufacturers, a brick works, a saw mill, a firelighter factory, a mineral water works, wheelwrights and sheet metal workers.
Many and varied though the industries may be, there is always room for more and the Corporation are most anxious to assist and encourage further employment in the Borough.



INFORMATION-IN-BRIEF
Area of Borough : 3,324 acres.
Banks : Barclays Bank Ltd., Norfolk Street, Glossop. District Bank Ltd., Norfolk Square, Glossop. Lloyds Bank Ltd., Henry Street, Glossop. Trustee Savings Bank, High Street West, Glossop.
Baths : Swimming and slipper baths at Howard Park, Glossop. Slipper baths at Hadfield.
Bus Services : Town services are provided by the North Western Road Car Co. Ltd. as follows :—-
Service No. 128 Old Glossop to Hadfield Station (via Woolley Bridge).
128a Whitfield to Padfield (via Dinting Road).
129 Glossop (Town Hall) to Simmondley.
Out of town services as follows :—
Service No. 127 Royal Oak (Sheffield Road) to Stalybridge (via New Shaw Lane and Hadfield).
127a Royal Oak (Sheffield Road) to Stalybridge (via Cemetery, Arundel Arms and Hadfield).
125 Glossop (Norfolk Square) to Manchester, Piccadilly (via Hyde).
6 Glossop (Norfolk Square) to Manchester. Lower Mosley St. (via Stalybridge and Ashton).
85 Glossop (Henry St.) to Buxton (via Hayfield, Chinley and Chapel-en-le-Frith).
124 Glossop (Henry St.) to Marple Bridge (via Charlesworth and Chisworth).
39 Manchester to Sheffield bus (via the Snake Pass) goes through Glossop, summer months only.
Cafes : Boulton’s Cafe, Station Road, Hadfield. Bowden’s Cafe, Norfolk Street, Glossop. Co-operative Cafe, High Street West, Glossop. Co-operative Cafe, Station Road, Hadfield. Lee’s Cafe, High Street West, Glossop. Lord’s Cafe, High Street West, Glossop.
Cemetery : Cemetery Road, off Woodhead Road. Tel. : Glossop 269.
Cinemas : Empire Cinema, High Street, West, Glossop. The Picturedrome, Bank Street, Hadfield.
Citizens’ Advice Bureau : Community House, Market Street, Glossop.
Conveniences : (for men and women)—Market Hall, High St. West (opposite Norfolk Square) Glossop. Manor Park (near Pavilion). Bankswood Park, Hadfield.
Council Meeting : Last Wednesday in month at 7.30 p.m.
Council Offices : Municipal Buildings, Glossop.
County Midwives : Nurse Bailey, 397 Hadfield Road, Hadfield. (Glossop 622).
Nurse Woodmouse, 57 Green Lane, Hadfield. (Glossop 51).
District Nurses : Nurse B. Rowlands, Castle View, Simmondley New Road, Glossop. Tel. : Glossop 140.
Nurses C. E. Lloyd and C. Overstall, 43 Newlands Drive, Hadfield. Tel. : Glossop 741.
Early Closing : Tuesday.
Electricity : Supplies by the North-West area Electricity Board, local showrooms, 5 High Street West, Glossop.
Estate Agents : R. L. Fogg & Co., 8 Market Street, Glossop (Glossop 424). Arthur Goldthorpe, 8 Henry Street, Glossop. (Glossop 319).
Fire Station : Ellison Street, Glossop. (Glossop 569).
Food Office : Employment Exchange, Howard Street, Glossop. (Glossop 493).
Fuel Office : Conservative Club Buildings, Norfolk Street, Glossop. (Glossop 524).
Garages : Glossop Motor Co. Ltd., Arundel Street, Glossop. (Glossop 48). Newton & Heap Ltd., High St. East, Glossop. (Glossop 180). Reliance Garage, Turnlee Road, Glossop. (Glossop 222). F. Lawton & Son, Albert Street., Hadfield (Glossop 728).
Gas : Supplied by the North Western Gas Board. Showrooms : High Street West, Glossop. Station Road, Hadfield.
Hotels : (Residential). Norfolk Arms Hotel, High St. West, Glossop. Howard Arms Hotel, High St. East, Glossop. Arundel Arms Hotel, Cemetery Road, Glossop. Queen’s Arms Hotel, Shepley Street, Glossop. Palatine Hotel, Station Road, Hadfield. Hadfield House Hotel, Hadfield Road, Hadfield. Greenfield Cafe (board residence) Padfield Main Road, Hadfield.
Labour, Ministry of, Employment Exchange : Howard Street, Glossop.
Libraries : Victoria Hall, Talbot Street, Glossop. Branch Libraries—Station Road, Hadfield. Freetown, Whitfield, Glossop.
Licensing Hours : 11.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. Sunday, 12 noon to 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Market Days : Friday and Saturday (covered market).
National Assistance Board Office : Co-operative Cafe, High St. West, Glossop.
National Insurance Office : Victoria Street, Glossop.
Newspaper : “The Glossop Chronicle and Advertiser,” Office, High Street West. (Weekly—out Thursday).
Parking Places : Norfolk Street; Norfolk Square ; Market Ground, Glossop Railway Station (payment) ; Drover’s Arms ; Hadfield Cross ; Hadfield Station (payment).
Parks : Manor Park, Old Glossop (tennis courts, bowls, putting green, children’s playground). Howard Park, Dinting Road, Glossop. Bankswood Park, Hadfield.
Police Station : Ellison Street, Glossop. (Glossop 488).
Population : 18,014 (preliminary survey of 1951 census).
Postal Facilities : Head Post Office, Victoria Street, Glossop. Hours of opening 8.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. Town sub-post offices at Old Glossop (Manor Park Road) ; Whitfield (Victoria Street) ; Dinting (High St. West) ; Hadfield (Station Road). Hours of business : 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ; closed Tuesday, 1 p.m.
Product of 1d. rate : £365.
Rateable Value : £96,581.
Rates in the £ : 24s. 6d.
Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths : Mr. A. Rylatt, 28 Howard Street, Glossop.
Taxis : Glossop Carriage Co. Ltd., Howard Street, Glossop (Glossop 59). F. Lawton & Son, Station Road, Hadfield (Glossop 728). S. & G. Peck, High St. East, Glossop (Glossop 552).
Telephone Kiosks : Norfolk Square ; Rose Green ; Victoria Hall ; Charlestown, Shepley Mill Bridge ; High St. West (the Junction) ; Whitfield Cross ; Woolley Bridge; Old Glossop ; Gamesley; Simmondley; Pikes Lane ; Station Road (Hadfield) and Platt Street (Padfield) ; Spinners Arms (Hadfield).
Weights and Measures Office : Norfolk Street, Glossop.
Youth Employment Bureau : Surrey Street, Glossop.



LOCAL SOCIETIES AND ORGANISATIONS
There are numerous clubs catering for the outdoor sports of cricket, football, hockey, golf, tennis, cycling, angling and bowls, whilst the local baths provide facilities for swimming and water polo.
Among the indoor activities there are clubs for chess, photography, rabbit-keeping, music, choral music, and drama. There is also a Townswomen’s Guild, Rotary Club, Inner Wheel, Workers’ Educational Association branch, United Nations Organisation branch, Women’s Institute, Co-operative Guild, a branch of the Allotments Association and several Parent-Teachers Associations.
A Squadron of the Royal Corps of Signals (T.A.) have their headquarters at Dinting Lane. (Tel. : Glossop 438).
Ex-Servicemen have the British Legion (men’s and women’s sections).
St. John Ambulance have a brigade with headquarters in the town for men, women and children.
Youth organisations include : Glossop Youth Club, Girl Guide and Boy Scout companies, a Junior Cinema Club and youth organisations connected with the various churches.
The elderly folk of the town are looked after by the Old Age Pensioners’ Association, Old Men’s Comers and the Old People’s Welfare Committee.
There is also a flourishing Blind People’s Welfare Organisation.

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Last updated: 2 February 2021