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Name changed to hide drunken past

2/12/2002

DRUNKEN debauchery is not just a modern problem - 18th century Hazel Grove even had to change its name because of it!

A group of respectable citizens chose the current name in 1796 to try to distance the area from the bad reputation that grew up around 14 drinking dens in a one mile stretch of road.

Hazel Grove began as four farms in Saxon times and was later known as Bosden, Bramhall, Norbury and Torkington.

It gained a parish church in 1601 at Norbury, principally to allow the people to pay the rates that has been introduced by Elizabeth I.

However, it was the increase in horse-drawn traffic along the country lane there, now the A6 to Stockport, which led to a greater number of houses being built in the 18th century - along with the notorious wayside inns.

A prominent feature at that time was the Bullocks Smithy, which carters would use as a meeting place, and this landmark gave its name to the area at that time.

However, Bullocks Smithy's reputation was terrible, thanks to drunks who spent their time in the many inns.

This was particularly true during Bullocks Smithy Wakes Week which was attended by people from far and wide.

The reasons for choosing Hazel Grove as the new name are unclear, but 40 years later the sons of the original namers decided to organise a celebration day with a "grand procession" to mark the name change, pictured above.

Despite this, the urban district council of Hazel Grove and Bramhall was not created until 1901, by which time the area was full of successful cotton mills and other industries.

Although the people of Bramhall, deciding that they were a cut above the "common" folk of Hazel Grove, tried to have the name changed to Bramhall and Woodford UDC, Hazel Grove and Bramhall remained united until the reorganisation of local boundaries many years later.

TWENTY YEARS AGO
The closure of Bredbury Steelworks was announced, with the loss of 404 jobs coming into effect early in the new year. Workers at Exors of James Mills on Redhouse Lane were informed of the news when parent company GKN revealed plans for an amalgamation with British Steel and Brymill Ltd. The amalgamation deal was subject to the consent of the Secretary of State for Industry and the European Commission. Disley's Tony Fahey's attempts at the world water speed record were dogged by bad weather and minor setbacks. Strong gales and a fault with a panel that began to let in water caused the team problems during their attempt on Coniston Water. Undeterred, Tony was still battling away this week to break the 317 mph record.

THIRTY YEARS AGO
Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe was due to visit Cheadle at the weekend. His plans for the informal visit included taking tea provided by women members of the Cheadle Liberal Association and chatting to Liberal Party workers from other parts of the area including Hazel Grove. Residents in the Carrington Road-River Street "smokeless" area of Stockport said their lives were made a misery by a local foundry which they claimed poured out "black smoke and filth". One resident said: "Why should they get away with puffing out thick black smoke seven days a week? We can even taste the sulphur and this must be bad for health." The foundry, J Needhams and Sons Ltd, was inspected by the deputy public health officer who was quite satisfied that the company was taking the necessary steps to control emissions.

FORTY YEARS AGO
Stockport Police were preparing for Monday when they would switch on a radar set on one of the town's main roads and for the first time ever they would be using the "magic beam" to trap speeding drivers. Warning notices had gone up on the busiest roads telling drivers of the imminent change. Three officers would be needed for the new radar system, two to operate it and one positioned further down the road to apprehend any speeding drivers. Policemen on the beat had been instructed to look out for malicious telephone callers who were sabotaging the business of a taxi firm. The firm claimed they were getting calls to their Hempshaw Lane headquarters from phone boxes and then blocking the receiver rest, leaving the phone engaged. Sometimes the taxi firm's phone could be out of action for up to four hours as workers had to check all phone boxes in the town to find the one with the rest wedged. The firm were now trying to get a second line installed.

Published November 20, 2002