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Hope/Oak Farm
 

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By Helen Morgan

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First Published on Facebook 06/01/2025
Last Updated 13/03/2025
 

The farmland became the Thornton and Kirkham estate, and Roseacre Drive.

Hope Farm was already an established farm by the 1750s. Some of the field names here related to an ancient way of farming. For instance, Long Shutt field, Odd Flatt and Marl Meadow. The name shutt refers to an open field system used well before the Land Enclosure Acts and a flatt refers to pockets of fertile ground that would have been farmed long ago.  We all know our village has a clay base and marl means clay.

The 1839 Cheshire Tithe Map shows just how much land was owned and occupied by John Cross. What was then Hope Farm was over 80 acres. The farmhouse and outbuildings are in the top left hand corner within the red border. Land stretched from Finney Lane, east to the turnpike road of Long Lane/Wilmslow Road, and south to weaver’s cottages on Outwood Road, where Chantler’s nursery would eventually start up. The fields were a mixture of meadows and pasture with lots of ponds!

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OF Fig 1 Cheshire Tithe map 1839.jpg

Fig. 1 Tithe map 1839
© Cheshire Tithe Maps
Click On Image To View

In 1841 Joseph Finney owned fields around the corner of Finney Lane and Wilmslow Road, but in 1843 he advertised to sell them. Joseph’s land would be bought by Manchester Royal Infirmary, Dispensary and Lunatic Hospital and formed the core of its site.

Note the Lord’s rent of 17s 6d.

“This was rent paid to the Lord of the Manor in lieu of military service. The Lord would use this to hire mercenaries. This went out in medieval times, so I can’t explain the connection to land as I understand it.”

Peter Stanton Davies.

Fig. 2 Joseph Finney Farm Manchester Courier 22.4.1843
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OF Fig 2 Joseph Finney farm Mcr Courier 22.4.1843.jpg

By 1851 at Hope Farm, Joseph recorded himself as a farmer of 26 acres and 57 statute acres. A statute acre just means an acre laid out by law. Joseph was 39 and lived with Harriet his 36 year old wife. They had seven children, two sons and five daughters. Son Charles worked on the farm and was 18, the other son Alfred was 8. 16 year old Hannah worked as a milliner in Manchester. Then there was 12 year old Martha, 10 year old Mary Ellen, 6 year old Elizabeth and 3 year old Emma Jane. Three agricultural labourers worked there. James Falkner was 21, George Moores was 30 and John Walton was 40.

 

I have made an educated guess for who lived at the farm in 1861. The Finneys had moved on. At this time along Finney Lane, Joseph Davies was farming 63 acres and employing 6 men, although only five were recorded on the census count. Joseph was 57 and farmers’s wife Hannah was 49. Their three children were scholars. Daughter Jane was 11, and sons Henry and Thomas were 8 and 6. Farm servants William Leah and Jane Pearson were 33 and 15. Farm labourers Henry Tallow and James Beardsley were 50 and 45. Joseph also employed a carter. He was 17 year old James Edwards.

 

On the 1871 census the farm was noted by its new name, “Oak Farm”, and here now lived the Simpson family. Prior to this they were farming on land towards the Schools Hill area called Wilds Tenements.

Fig. 3 Oak Farm
Courtesy of Frank and Terreta Mitchell and St James’ Church, Gatley archives
Thank you to Martin Davey for sharing
Click On Image To View

OF Fig 3 and 34 SWScan00727-3 Oak Farm.jpg

42 year old John recorded himself as “farmer of 26 Cheshire acres employing two men.” Sarah his wife was also 42. One son and six daughters are on the census. John junior was 17 and worked on the farm along with his sister, 19 year old Annie. The other girls were scholars. Ada was 14, Marian 13, Agnes 11, Alice 9 and Mary aged 7.

There was also an indoor farm servant. He was 36 year old Martin Rafferty from Ireland and two boarders on the day of the census. Farmer’s wife Elizabeth Griffiths who was 33, along with 1 year old Adrien James Griffiths.

Fig. 4 Poem
Courtesy of Frank and Terreta Mitchell and St James’ Church, Gatley archives
Click On Image To View

I think that Mary E Mellor may have been Mary Ellen Finney, who now aged 35 and married, wrote down her childhood memories?

Have a read of it and walk through the fields with her. Just idyllic of a time long gone......

OF Fig 4 SWScan00728-3.jpg

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The Simpson family were still at Oak Farm in 1881 but were now farming 75 acres of land. John and Sarah lived there with their son John and daughters Agnes, Alice and Mary. By 1891 they were grandparents. John and Sarah lived with Agnes and her daughter Bertha Simpson, who was 6. A grandson also lived there. He was Tom Burton aged 14. They also had a 17 year old domestic servant called Alice Edwards. By 1901, John now aged 75 and 74 year old Sarah, retired to live at 217 Stockport Road, Cheadle. Sarah died in 1906 and John in 1908.

According to the fantastic Mitchell’s archive, there were eight children, with both sons dying before their parents. I could only find John junior, who could have died in 1890. According to the Williams’ book, Long Lane Cheadle Remembered, Rinder Pest, a cattle plaque hit this part of Cheshire in 1866.   The Mitchell archive says that the farm was badly hit by the plaque and losing everything they had to move to a rented cottage in Long Lane. However, they were still at the farm up to at least 1891 before retiring to Cheadle according to the censuses.

All change again into the 20th century and the arrival of the Nixon family by 1901. 44 year old farmer William and his wife Annie aged 45. They had five sons and two daughters recorded as living there on the day of the census. James, William, Joseph, Charles and Frederick were 20, 18, 17, 15 and 12 years of age. The four older boys worked on the farm. Annie and Edith, who were 9 and 8, were scholars.

The 1911 census still had the Nixon family farming there. William and Annie lived there with four sons and two daughters on census day. James and Charles worked on the farm with John aged 14, who was not on the last census. Another son Edward, also not on the last census was 24 years of age and a printer’s machine man. Annie was now a teacher and Edith did dairy work on the farm.

The acreage for Lot 12, roughly fits Big Turnpike Field, a pasture field alongside the Bruckshaw field where the Long Lane Chapel was built. This was where Mableden Close, Alder Close and Bamford Close now stand.

A fantastic description of all the farm and residential buildings there.

Fig. 5 Alderley and Wilmslow Advertiser. 23rd July 1920
Click On Image To View

OF Fig 5 Oak farm sale 23.7.1920 Ald and Wilm Adv.jpg

In 1921 the farm had to very different families living there. They were the Pritchards and the Prices.

The story of the Pritchard family is truly quite amazing. In 1921, Wilfred Pritchard aged 24 lived here with his 22 year old wife Dorothy. He was a manufacturing chemist of drugs and food stuffs in the family business, Pritchards Ltd on Bulkeley Road, Cheadle.

Fig. 6 Pritchard's advert
Manchester Evening News 25.1.1901
Click On Image To View

OF Fig 6 Pritchard MEN 25.1.1901.jpg

The powders were a cure for childhood illnesses from teething trouble to fits, convulsions and worms!! It contained no narcotics!

Mail order in 1901: A sample packet would be sent upon receipt of a stamped addressed envelope!

OF Fig 7 Pritchards Lanc Evening Post 22.4.1901.jpg

Fig. 7 Pritchard's advert
Lancashire Evening Post 22.4.1901
Click On Image To View

However, the majority of the adverts for their teething powders were in publications from Blackpool and Preston.....I was intrigued.

This is Wilfred’s grandfather, John. He was the founder of the family business. Having served an apprenticeship in London, he returned to Manchester to start his own business.

In 1873 he opened a chemist shop opposite Cheadle Church. His earlier discovery of the teething powder formula, now produced in the rear of the shop, became a lucrative business.

He was assisted by his two sons, Joshua and William. The business grew so well and so fast, that the house adjoining, which formed part of the property John erected in 1873, was requisitioned for offices for the wholesale trade.

This gave the product “world wide fame”!!

OF Fig 8 John Pritchard wilfred gfather died 1907.jpg

Fig. 8 John Pritchard, who died 1907,
Wilfred's grandfather
Click On Image To View

John and his wife moved to Victoria Terrace, South Shore, Blackpool in the 1890s. They celebrated their golden wedding there in 1905. He was a freemason and a peer of the community, using his wealth for charitable and Christian causes. His wife died in March 1907 and was interred in St Mary’s church, Cheadle. John quickly became ill and died in the May. He too was brought back to be buried alongside his dear wife. Therefore, returning back to where it all began.

The following words are taken from a large piece in the Alderley and Wilmslow Advertiser of 10th May 1907, paying tribute to John upon his funeral:
“Earth indeed is poorer when death robs it of such useful, generous and conscientious characters as Mr and Mrs Pritchard. Their work however is done; their race run; and the henceforth laid upon crown is their reward.”

In 1921 the Price family were the farmers. Head of the family was 30 year old John. He had been born and brought up on a farm off Styal Road. His father, also called John, moved the family to Poplar Farm, off Bolshaw Road. John junior lived at Oak Farm with his 34 year old wife Amelia and their 7 year old son, Stanley. They had two servants. Bertha Smith aged 16 was doing domestic duties and Harold Bailey aged 20 was a farm hand.

OF Fig 9 Job advert Midland Counties Tribune 12.12.1924.jpg

Fig. 9 Job advert
Midland Counties Tribune 12.12.1924
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Fig. 10 Job advert
Stockport Advertiser and Guardian 7.12.1934
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OF Fig 10 Youth wanted 7.12.1934 St Adv and Guardian.jpg
OF Fig 11 Strong girl wanted 21.12.1934 St Adv and Guardian.jpg

Fig. 11 Job advert
Stockport Advertiser and Guardian 21.12.1934
Click On Image To View

The 1939 register showed that the Price family were still there and had grown. John recorded his occupation as a farmer and butcher heavy worker, with Amelia doing unpaid domestic duties (housewife). Stanley now 19 was assisting his father and their daughter, Mary Price was assisting her mother. There were two school children there as well. Sidney and Walter (Neville N) Wilcox aged 8 and 10.

The farm was now recorded as 83 Finney Lane. Some of the land was requisitioned for the war effort.

“I remember the R.A.F. stations being built during the war. I was a pupil at Cheadle Etchells School in East Avenue, Heald Green, and we were allowed out of school to help the local farmer, John Price, of Finney Lane, gather his potato and turnip crops. The Ministry of Defence had given him three weeks to clear his fields before they confiscated some of his land to build the R.A.F. stations. What was Price's farm is now a housing estate."
                                           - Jack Finegan From RAF Wilmslow recollections website

In 1941 the farm got its own telephone!! All 22 new numbers from the Gatley telephone exchange were recorded in the Stockport County Express of 5th June 1941. John Price was GAT 4473.

OF Fig 12 Gelding sale 6.4.1945 St Adv and Guardian.jpg

Fig. 12 Gelding sale
Stockport Advertiser and Guardian 6.4.1945
Click On Image To View

Fig. 13 From the Manchester Evening News 14.10.1948
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OF Fig 13 oak farm engagement MEN 14.10.1948.jpg

Mary and Leslie were married at St Mary’s Methodist Church in Handforth on October 14th 1950. Sadly, in October 1951, after a long illness, Amelia died at the farm. She was 66 years of age. The newspaper notification of her death gave a clue that they had had another son called John. He married in June 1950.

OF Fig 14 Price son wedding 23.6.1950 St Adv and Guardian.jpg
OF Fig 15 Price Hoole wedding 2.jpg

Figs. 14 and 15 Price Hoole wedding
Stockport Advertiser and Guardian 23.6.1950
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OF Fig 16 Birds for sale 12.6.1953 Ald and Wilm Adv.jpg

Fig. 16 Birds for sale
Alderley and Wilmslow Advertiser 12th June 1953
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Fig. 17 Price stock sale
Alderley and Wilmslow Advertiser 17th July 1953
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OF Fig 17 Price stock sale 17.7.1953 Ald and Wilm Adv.jpg

Not long after Amelia’s death, some of the farmland was sold off for Wimpeys to build the Thornton and Kirkham estate.

By 1955 some houses were built and up for sale, with Wimpeys offering a lift to view them!

Fig. 18 Oak Farm houses 
Manchester Evening News 4.11.1955
Click On Image To View

OF Fig 18 Oak Farm houses MEN 4.11.1955.jpg

The Evening Chronicle dated 17.5.1956 ran an article on the new estate. The prices were quoted as £2525 for a detached, £2220 for a semi and £2375 for a semi with a garage.

The showhouse was number 31 Thornton Road.

OF Fig 19 Thornton Rd 1.jpg
OF Fig 20 Thornton Rd 2.jpg

Figs. 19, 20 and 21 Show House on Thornton Road
The Evening Chronicle 17.5.1956
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OF Fig 21 Thornton Rd 3.jpg

“We live on Thornton Road, lovely to see how they looked and how they've changed over the years."
                           - Julie Green, Facebook 2023

“My house on Thornton Road had the same owner from new until we bought it."
        - Lyndsay McDonald, Facebook 2023

“We lived in a type W4 in Kirkham Road, the one with the built in garage. The garage meant more floor area, so three full sized bedrooms rather than the usual two and a half. Some cars did drip oil into the gravel. It was also handy for us lads to playfully throw at each other. All the drives were either paved or tarmacked over by the “Boys from the Blackstuff” turning up with some “leftover” stuff."
                                                                               - Laurence Wyche, Facebook 2023

This prompted recollections of those days. Honestly, we don’t know we’ve been born today!!

“Funny to look back on what we would be grateful for when moving into an empty house. It took us 5 years before a carpet was fitted. Pure luxury. No washing machine. We all used launderettes, and no fridge let alone a freezer."
                                                                           - Brenda McDougall, Facebook 2023

“My mother had one like that but it wasn’t until I had my second child that I had a wonderful (at the time) twin tub. I washed every item I could find in the house including all my curtains. I thought it was wonderful but when you think about it, if you’ve ever had one, they still take a lot of work. Thank God for automatics. Our generation learnt to appreciate modern inventions to cut down housework."
                                - Brenda McDougall, Facebook 2023

“I remember every Monday was washing day but it was a tub with rollers on the top!! I used to help mum put the clothes through them."
            - Gillian Hollingworth, Facebook 2023

“My mum had one of those it was called a Parnell washing machine."
                      - Lynda Jackson, Facebook 2023

“I started off with a twin tub when I got married. When I had my first baby in 1978, I still had it but it was getting me down a bit. Then you could buy washing machines that were ex display, so I ended up buying one of those. Had it for many years until it flooded my kitchen!!"
                                                             - Gillian Hollingworth, Facebook 2023

With farmland being sold for housing, John began to sell off farm equipment and animals.

OF Fig 22 Oak Farm sale John Price 26.7.1957 Alderley and Wilm Advertiser (2).jpg
OF Fig 23 Farm sale of equip and livestock 19.7.1957 Ald and Wilm Adv (2).jpg

Fig. 22 Oak Farm sale John Price
Alderley and Wilmslow Advertiser 26.7.1957
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Fig. 23 Farm sale of equip and livestock
Alderley and Wilmslow Advertiser 19.7.1957
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In September 1957, widower John remarried. By now he had retired as a farmer, handing over to his son Stanley.

OF Fig 24 Oak farm Price marriage 6.9.1957 Ald and Wilm Advertiser.jpg

Fig. 24 Oak farm Price marriage
Alderley and Wilmslow Advertiser 6.9.1957
Click On Image To View

OF Fig 25 School on farm land 5.9.1958 Ald and Wilm Adv.jpg

The farm reached all the way to Outwood Road. At first, I thought this was for Outwood Primary School but fields owned by the Bruckshaw family were used for that.

Fig. 25 School on farm land
Alderley and Wilmslow Advertiser 5.9.1958
Click On Image To View

Many residents remembered this farm.

“If you mimicked the turkeys while walking past, they would do it back to you. Childish I know, but amusing."
                          - Colin Haine, Facebook 2021

“I only remember the barn; it used to spook me out going past."
                      - Dawn Barratt, Facebook 2021

“At the side of the barn, there was an old gypsy style horse drawn caravan that had been left to rot away. I passed it every morning going to Cheadle Etchells."
                   - Mick Hankinson, Facebook 2021

“I remember the turkey farm as a child in the late 60s."
                     - Amanda Smith, Facebook 2021

“The turkey farm was the sad remnant of what was once a typical mixed farm. Much of it was taken by the RAF, then by more housing. Mr Price was trying to scrape some sort of living with the turkeys. I grew up on Kirkham which backed onto a long, thin field which was a playground for us."
                                - Laurence Wyche, Facebook 2021

“My parent’s house on Kirkham Road used to back onto the turkey farm. It was always very noisy up to Christmas and very quiet after!"
                     - Janet Rowlands, Facebook 2021

“I used to go to Cheadle Etchells with a lad called John Knight and he worked on that farm. Can’t remember if his parents had something to do with it or not."
                                                                                               - Gillian Hollingsworth, Facebook 2021

“I remember a lady ran it like a market garden in the 60s."
                                                                                                           - Madeline Hall, Facebook 2021

The lady people can remember was Betty Knight. She used to live with her husband Jack Knight in Lily Pond cottage that is still there today, side on to St Ann’s Road North. Jack worked as a handyman for Cheadle Royal and Betty worked for the Grainger’s, in the farm at the bottom of Pig’s Valley.

“When her son John was born, Betty would stick him in the pram and take him to work with her, putting the pram in the shippon. When Wimpeys built St Anns Road they wanted to knock down Lily Pond cottages but Cheadle Royal wouldn’t let them. Betty moved into Stan Price’s farm"
                                                                                    - Raymond Hodgkinson, In conversation 2023

“Betty Knight was a character and one hell of a worker. She ran that farm with the poultry. After the farm closed, her and another lady who lived on Bradshaw Hall Farm became the first lady road sweepers for the council. That was unheard of at the time and left a lasting impression."
                                                                                    - Walter Slack, In conversation 2023 and 2025

“Her name was Betty and when the farm had to go, she became a road sweeper. She said she couldn’t bear to work inside and she loved her new role. She used to come and “despatch” our chickens because we couldn’t!"
                                                                                                          - Nicolette Bond, Facebook 2021

“I remember the farm and the lady who ran it, she also worked in the greengrocers where the barbers is now.” (Christ Church shops)"
                                                                                               - Suzanne Hall Willans, Facebook 2021

Stanley Price died on February 6th 1972 leaving £5521 (£65,000 at today’s value). What was left of the farm, furniture and fittings went up for sale by his executors.

OF Fig 26 Oak farm sale of equip Crewe Chronicle 7.6.1973.jpg

Fig. 26 Oak farm sale of equipment
Crewe Chronicle 7.6.1973
Click On Image To View

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Roseacre Drive now stands where the farm once was. The land was bought for development by Roy Howarth Ltd and the farm was demolished. However, by Spring 1974 the old barn was still standing.   It took until September 1975, to resolve a misunderstanding over it, before it was finally demolished in preparation for the start of building work.   Councillor Ron Stenson continued to be vigilant after two trees were demolished in error and he made sure they were replaced.

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OF Fig 27 Roseacre sale MEN 4.3.1976 Howarth build.jpg

Fig. 27 Roseacre sale Howarth build
Manchester Evening News 4.3.1976
Click On Image To View

In 1979 there were long drawn out negotiations with the builder and Ron Stenson over drainage issues.

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How house prices have changed!

Fig. 28 Roseacre sale built c 1976
Alderley and Wilmslow Advertiser 9.11.1978
Click On Image To View

OF Fig 28 Roseacre sale 9.11.1978 Ald and Wilm Adv built c 1976.jpg

The development was a mixture of houses, including flats.

OF Fig 29 Roseacre Flats Alderley and Wilmslow Adv 6.4.1978.jpg

Fig. 29 Roseacre Flats
Alderley and Wilmslow Advertiser 6.4.1978
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OF Fig 30 Roseacre sale Macc Express 8.9.1983.jpg

Fig. 30 Roseacre sale
Macclesfield Express 8.9.1983
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OF Fig 31 Roseacre sale Stockport Times 30.6.1989.jpg

Fig. 31 Roseacre sale
Stockport Times 30.6.1989
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Fig. 32 Roseacre house sale
Stockport Times 28.5.1998
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OF Fig 32 Roseacre house sale Stockport Times 28.5.1998.jpg

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With the housing development built, there was still spare land to the side on the corner of Finney Lane and St Anns Road South. As far back as 1963, permission had been refused for a licensed premises and car park there.   In Autumn 1973 there were proposals to build a school on this corner, once the farm had gone, with an entrance off Queensway.   By 1979 Councillor Ron Stenson was asking for the land to be used as a recreation garden, flats for the elderly or single persons.

The land had been used as a horse and pony paddock but gave way to a small housing development called The Hollows, off St Ann’s Road South, by the 1980s.

“Mr Hollows was a builder who lived on St Ann’s Road. There was a paddock on the corner of the road and his daughter Joy had horses there. Her and one of my sisters used to ride them. The land there now, with houses on, is named “The Hollows” after them."
                                                                                                    - Jacqueline Garnett, Facebook 2021

“There was Price’s farm and Joy Hallow’s pony paddock between St Ann’s Road and the farm. We always referred to farms by the farmer’s name years ago and not by its actual name."
                                                                                                                 - Phil Jones, Facebook 2021

“I think The Hollows were built about 1979. I used to live on St Ann’s Square and remember it being a field to cut across to the shops on Finney Lane. The Hollows was named after a lady called Miss Joy Hollows who lived at 9 St Ann’s Road South. I think she owned the land. She told us her dad built the houses in St Ann’s Square and St Ann’s Road South in the 1920s."
                                                                                                          - Nancy Lavelle, Facebook 2025

OF Fig 33 From corner of St Anns North to show The Hollows estate 6.1.2025(c) H Morgan.jpg

Fig. 33 From corner of St Anns North to show The Hollows estate
© H Morgan 6.1.2025
Click On Image To View

OF Fig 3 and 34 SWScan00727-3 Oak Farm.jpg

Fig. 34 Oak Farm
Courtesy of Frank and Terreta Mitchell and St James’ Church, Gatley archives
Thank you to Martin Davey for sharing
Click On Image To View

Then and now.

OF Fig 35 Roseacre Estate 6.1.2025 (c) H Morgan.jpg

Fig. 35 Roseacre Estate 
© H Morgan 6.1.2025
Click On Image To View

Thank you to everyone for your memories of the farm, Thornton and Kirkham and The Hollows.

Bibliography

  1. Williams, K & Williams, J.T (1998). Long Lane Cheadle Remembered. pp.18, 26.

  2. Williams, K & Williams, J.T (1998). Long Lane Cheadle Remembered. pp.29.

  3. The Editor, Spring 1974, Round and About, Contact Magazine, 43 (1) pp.9

  4. The Editor, September 1975, Secretary’s Notes, Contact Magazine 49 (2) pp. 3

  5. The Editor, Spring 1978, Councillor’s Report Jottings Rose-acre Estate (Off Finney Lane), Contact Magazine 59 (1) pp. 7

  6. The Editor, Summer 1979, Councillor’s Report Rose Acre Estate, Contact Magazine 64(2) pp.3

  7. The Editor, December 1963, Heald Green Jottings, Contact Magazine 5(1) pp.19

  8. The Editor, Autumn 1973, The Jottings New school for Heald Green, Contact Magazine 41(3) pp.7

  9. The Editor, Christmas 1979, Councillor’s Report, Land at corner if St Ann’s Road South/Finney Lane, Contact Magazine 66(4) pp.3

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