Hercules reflected

Some weeks ago I showed you the statue of Hercules above Pagliacci.

Now here he is reflected in the window of the electric goods shop across the street.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections.

Harry Rutherford's Festival of Britain Mural

This photo is © Dave Williams and shows the mural painted by local artist Harry Rutherford for the Festival of Britain 1951.

It is to be found inside Hyde Town Hall on the wall above the entrance.

A good biography of Harry Rutherford (1903-1985) can be found on the Clark-Art website. They have some of his work for sale at prices from around £1-4000.

A contribution to Monday Murals.

Hercules above Pagliacci

The Italian restaurant Pagliacci ristorante pizzeria on the corner of Market Street and Milk Street was originally a furniture warehouse.

On the corner of the roof is a statue believed to be of Hercules.

It has been there for around a hundred years. It is believed to be one of pair dating from 1910. Its pair is understood to have been on display at Pole Bank Hall but over the years has disappeared.

A contribution to Our World Tuesday.

As we reach the end of the year please visit Best of Hyde Daily Photo 2014 and vote for your favourites. Deadline for voting is 12 noon GMT on Monday 29th December 2014.

Painted Milepost at Swains Valley

I showed you the Sustrans milepost on National Cycle Network Route #62 and Trans Pennine Trail at Swains Valley shortly after it was erected in May 2014.

This is how it looks now that it has been painted.

1000 Millennium cast iron mileposts were funded by the Royal Bank of Scotland to mark the creation of the National Cycle Network, and are found along the cycle routes through the UK.

There are four different types of posts, "Fossil Tree" by John Mills, "The Cockerel" by Iain McColl, Rowe Type by Andrew Rowe, and "Tracks" by David Dudgeon. The four artists are from each country of the UK though all posts can be found in all four countries.

For some close-up views see Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to signs, signs.

Weekend in Black and White: Who Knows What This Is?

Thought I'd post a little puzzle today.

I'll reveal its secret later in the week when I might surprise some people although I expect a few might be familiar with it.

Just one clue, it wasn't here this time last year but similar things have been appearing around the country for more than a decade.

A contribution to The Weekend in Black and White.

Update: for the answer see here.

Painted Fossil Tree Milepost

In my post of 17th July 2014 I showed you the "fossil tree" signpost near Stockport Road.

It is one of several erected by Sustrans on the former Godley to Apethorn railway line, now Trans Pennine Trail and National Cycle Network Route 62. 1000 Millennium cast iron mileposts were funded by the Royal Bank of Scotland to mark the creation of the National Cycle Network, and they are now to be found along the cycles routes through the UK.

Since then work has begun on painting the signs. This one probably still has a little more work to be done on it yet.

A contribution to signs, signs.

I Love Where I Live

"I Love Where I Live" is a mural that stretches along the wall of the passageway to the toilets in the Clarendon Square Shopping Centre.

It was commissioned by the centre and created by young people from Alder Community High School, Godley Community Primary School and Flowery Field Primary School alongside tenants of the shopping centre.

Groups worked with artist Jacqui Symons to draw, sketch, paint, collage and print the buildings and houses of Hyde to create this 15 metre long artwork that features over 300 pieces of art.

Its positioning makes it difficult to photograph. This is the leftmost panel nearest the entrance.

Photos showing the length of the mural can be found on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Monday Murals.

A sideways view of Minerva on Hyde Library

On the top of Hyde Library is a statue of Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom and sponsor of the arts, trade, and strategy, holding a book.

Hyde Library was originally Hyde Technical School and Free Library. It opened in 1897 replacing the former Mechanics Institute.

In recent years the building was shared between the library and Tameside College but after the college moved out the library was extensively refurbished between 2006 and 2010 and a gallery to local artist Harry Rutherford was opened. However in 2012 the gallery was moved to the Central Art Gallery in Ashton under Lyne.

In the first round of "council austerity cuts" the public were presented with three "choices" regarding the future of library services. Smaller local libraries were closed in the light of promised improved facilities at main libraries such as Hyde. Now, in a new round of service cuts, the proposal is to move library services to the Town Hall.

The plan is then to sell the library building.

Petitions opposing the move of library services and the selling of the building are being presented to the council by local people opposed to what appears to be a growing centralisation of services in Tameside Metropolitan Borough in Ashton-under-Lyne and the stripping of assets in Hyde and other towns.

See another view of Minerva on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

Onward at Hyde Library

The frieze above the entrance to Hyde Library on Union Street features the coat of arms of Hyde Borough. Hyde Borough coat of arms was granted in 1882. It is based on the design of the arms of the Hyde Family and to these are added articles of local industries of that time, namely a hatters' bow, cotton sprig and shuttle, Davy lamp and two picks. The motto is "Onward".

The foundation stone for Hyde Library was laid in 1897 by Elizabeth Ashton and the building was opened in 1899 by Letitia Mary Ashton as Hyde Technical School and Free Library.

See the foundation stones on Old Hyde.

It replaced the former Mechanics Institute.

I posted about the library in January 2014 and published further photographs of the library on Hyde DP Xtra.

I reported then that whilst in the first round of "council austerity cuts" the public were presented with three "choices" regarding the future of library services. Smaller local libraries were closed in the light of promised improved facilities at main libraries such as Hyde, but now, in a new round of service cuts, library services are being moved to the Town Hall and the council want to sell the library building.

An e-petition opposed to those plans can be found at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/62460.

A contribution to signs, signs.

Fencing by Hyde Town Hall

This old wrought iron fence runs along the front of the Town Hall. On the right is the back of the sign, the front of which can be viewed on yesterday's post.

In the background is the memorial to the Hyde Seal Water Polo Team.

A contribution to Friday Fences.

Skywatch Friday: The Clock & The Bells

The B6468 through Gee Cross used to just bend right at its junction with Smithy Lane. In 2006 a roundabout was built to accommodate the James North Clock which had previously stood in the grounds of the Slack Mill which had closed in 1998 and was subsequently demolished.

The Ring o' Bells pub in the background has recently closed and is now boarded up.

See the view from further down Market Street on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

ABC Wednesday: V is for Voting

The time has come to vote for the best of Hyde DP 2012.

View the twelve contenders at Best of Hyde 2012 and vote for your favourite three photographs.

Voting closes 12 noon GMT, 28th December 2012.

For ABC Wednesday.

Bennett Street War Memorial

The Bennett Street War Memorial sits in front of the George & Dragon public house, surrounded by railings. It was designed by J.H. Wood, the borough surveyor and sculpted by J.J. Hirst of Denton, the memorial - a stone column - is 16ft 3ins high. The main shaft is 10ft high and 2ft square. It is made of a solid block of the best white selected Windaway stone from Bollington - chosen for its weathering qualities.

At the top across is the word "Honour" and the town coat of arms. Inscribed on the plinth is "to the glory of God and in affectionate memory of the men of Newton who gave their lives for their country and the cause of liberty in the Great War 1914-1919".

To the right below a cross are crossed swords and the inscription "In thanksgiving for the sacrifice of parents, wives, and relatives of the fallen for the safe return of those who have been spared".

On the back are wings and the inscription "Subscribed for and erected by the inhabitants of Newton".

On the left is an anchor and the inscription "Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends".

The memorial was paid for by money raised for the George and Dragon Soldier's Comfort Fund. Originally, the plan was for a small scroll of honour, but £329 was raised, allowing for a grander scheme eventually costing £450. It was unveiled on August 15, 1925, by Mr EWH Wood, the M.P. for Stalybridge and Hyde, in front of a crowd of 1,500 people.

Earlier a procession headed by the Chief Constable of Hyde, Mr J.W. Danby, left the town hall, accompanied by Kingston Mills Band and featuring many members of the British Legion. After the hymn "O God Our Help in Ages Past", prayers were led by Pastor Black of Muslin Street (now Talbot Road) and Daisyfield United Methodist churches. A passage from Scripture was then read by the Rev. T.E. Lee of St. Stephen's. Speeches followed by Mr B. Winterbottom, chairman of the memorial committee, and Mr Wood M.P.

A contribution to Friday Fences.

The Blue Window Club

The building at the corner of Lumn Road and Smithy Lane was known as the Blue Window Club. Its official name was the Werneth Unionist Working Men's Club. It closed in the late 1980s but re-opened briefly in the 1990s as the "Irish Club". It has since been converted into residential use.

More information on the Hydonian Blog.

The site of the original smithy is now a carpark for the Ring o' Bells pub which is around the far corner. In the centre of the roundabout at the end is the clock from the now demolished James North factory.

For Ruby Tuesday.

Garden of Tranquility

The Garden of Tranquility in Hyde Park is a memorial for those patients who suffered at the hands of Harold Shipman.

The garden includes a granite trickle fountain, designed by Mel Chantry and is surrounded by herbs reclaimed from the old Newton Lodge which once sat on the site.

I am away in St Annes until next Monday. A series of posts have been scheduled over the period but as I expect to be offline they won't be tweeted by me nor posted on Facebook.

End of the Crown Pole

In preparation for the refurbishment of Hyde Market the Crown Pole has been dug out of its foundations. As I said in my post of 20th January which shows the pole from the opposite direction, the pole is to be re-sited (but the plans do not say where) whilst the telephone box is to be retained.

The benches between the pole and Clarendon Shopping Centre (the other end to the entrance I showed yesterday) have already been removed.

A closer view of the base of the uprooted pole can be seen on Hyde DP Xtra.

See how it looked when newly erected on Old Hyde.

Skywatch Friday: Looking past the Crown Pole

A view from the South end of Hyde Market looking down Corporation Street.

Immediately on the left is the Midland Bank. Across Market Street on the corner of Corporation Street is the Royal Bank of Scotland. Further down Corporation Street on the opposite side of the road can be glimpsed the domes of the Jamia Mosque. Nearer is the Town Hall from which a flag is flying.

In the foreground on the left is a board showing details of the plans to revamp the Market ground. Behind it lies the Crown Pole erected in 2002 to commemorate the Queen's golden jubilee. The pole is to be re-sited but the plans do not say where. The telephone box is to be retained.

More about the revamp on Hyde DP Xtra.

For more skies around the world visit Skywatch Friday.