Reddish

Before I tell you a bit about Reddish I have to admit that I have plagiarised the following books,

Reddish Remembered by John A Condon (ISBN 0905164857)
Gregs, the story of Albert Mills by Peter O'Connell (ISBN ??)

Pre-Industrial History

Reddish (apparently a corruption of Reed Ditch and by association with St. Nico's Ditch an ancient earthwork which forms the boundary between Reddish and Manchester), stretches for about 4 km along the line of Gorton and Reddish Roads. It is really the coalescence of three hamlets during the 19th century, especially after 1865 with the building of Houldsworth Mill and estate.

In 1774 the population of Reddish was 302 living in 54 homes and there was small scale development of bleachworks, hatting and handloom weaving. By 1801 the population had grown to 456 and then to 1363 in 1861, But by 1901 the population was 8668 and 14 252 by 1911.

Reddish Hall was demolished around 1780, before the canal came to Reddish. The hall overlooked the Tame Valley near to where Reddish Vale School is now. It was built of timber, wattle and daub, was moated and looked like a typical 'black and white' Tudor building. There was another hall in the area and that was Hulme Hall, the home of the Hulme family from before 1421 (rebuilt 1637). The Hulme family founded the 'Hulmean Exhibitions' at Brasenose College, Oxford in 1691. Hulme Hall was renamed Broadstone Hall and was finally demolished in 1945.

Industrial Development

The earliest industry was Barlow and Shawcross hatworks at the junction of Gorton Road and Priory Lane but the major impulse came when the canal was opened in 1797. The canal allowed the development of the cotton mils, in 1845 Robert Hyde Greg opened Reddish's first cotton mill, this was the '1845 Mill' which became the basis of Albert Mills. Robert Greg was the son of Samuel Greg the builder of Quarrybank Mill, Styal, which is a National Trust property.

R. H. Greg was a supporter of the Mechanics Institute movement and in 1854 founded one in the his mill in Reddish, this was combined with a library. It existed in the mill until 1891 when it moved into a cottage on Greg Street. The club, Reddish Working Man's Club has been recognized by the Club and Institute Union as the oldest club on it's register.

	Reddish Before I tell you a bit about Reddish I have to admit that I have plagiarised the following books, Reddish Remembered by John A Condon (ISBN 0905164857) Gregs, the story of Albert Mills by Peter O'Connell (ISBN ??) Pre-Industrial History Reddish (apparently a corruption of Reed Ditch and by association with St. Nico's Ditch an ancient earthwork which forms the boundary between Reddish and Manchester), stretches for about 4 km along the line of Gorton and Reddish Roads. It is really the coalescence of three hamlets during the 19th century, especially after 1865 with the building of Houldsworth Mill and estate. In 1774 the population of Reddish was 302 living in 54 homes and there was small scale development of bleachworks, hatting and handloom weaving. By 1801 the population had grown to 456 and then to 1363 in 1861, But by 1901 the population was 8668 and 14 252 by 1911. Reddish Hall was demolished around 1780, before the canal came to Reddish. The hall overlooked the Tame Valley near to where Reddish Vale School is now. It was built of timber, wattle and daub, was moated and looked like a typical 'black and white' Tudor building. There was another hall in the area and that was Hulme Hall, the home of the Hulme family from before 1421 (rebuilt 1637). The Hulme family founded the 'Hulmean Exhibitions' at Brasenose College, Oxford in 1691. Hulme Hall was renamed Broadstone Hall and was finally demolished in 1945. Industrial Development The earliest industry was Barlow and Shawcross hatworks at the junction of Gorton Road and Priory Lane but the major impulse came when the canal was opened in 1797. The canal allowed the development of the cotton mils, in 1845 Robert Hyde Greg opened Reddish's first cotton mill, this was the '1845 Mill' which became the basis of Albert Mills. Robert Greg was the son of Samuel Greg the builder of Quarrybank Mill, Styal, which is a National Trust property. R. H. Greg was a supporter of the Mechanics Institute movement and in 1854 founded one in the his mill in Reddish, this was combined with a library. It existed in the mill until 1891 when it moved into a cottage on Greg Street. The club, Reddish Working Man's Club has been recognized by the Club and Institute Union as the oldest club on it's register.

	The other major development came in the 1860's. The Houldsworth family had a number of spinning sites in Manchester but the business had outgrown the premises. Sir William Houldsworth bought land in Reddish in 1864, Houldsworth Mill was started in 1865 and finished in 1867.