Reddish
Encyclopedia
Reddish is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport
, in Greater Manchester
, England
. It is 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Stockport
and 4.6 miles (7.4 km) southeast of Manchester
. The population is 30,055 in an area of 7.08 square kilometres (2.73 mi²).
Historically
a part of Lancashire
, Reddish grew and developed rapidly during the Industrial Revolution
and still retains landmarks from that period, such as Houldsworth Mill
, a former textile mill
.
Reddish Vale
is a country park
close to the locality.
hrēod-dīc) or "red ditch" (OE rēad-dīc). Ekwall (1922) allows either form, stating "red" is less probable; Mills (1991) and Arrowsmith (1997) only give the "reed" option. The ditch referred to is possibly the Nico Ditch
, an earthwork of uncertain origin bordering Reddish, Manchester and Denton. Folklore has it that the names Gorton
and Reddish arose from a battle between Saxons and Danes. John Higson wrote in 1852
Farrer and Brownbill dismiss this interpretation as "popular fancy".
Reddish does not appear in the Domesday survey
; this is in common with most of the then southeast Lancashire area. A corn mill is known to have existed at the junction of Denton Brook and the River Tame from about 1400 onwards. The two main mediaeval houses were Reddish Hall at (demolished 1780, but visible on maps dated 1840) and Hulme Hall at , later known as Broadstone, then Broadstone Hall (demolished 1945). The Reddish family were major landowners in the area from at least 1212 to 1613 when title passed by marriage to the Coke family. It passed down the family to Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester who sold his land in Reddish at the end of the 18th century, and in 1808 it was bought by Robert Hyde Greg
and John Greg. There were Hulmes in Reddish in the 13th century, and the land passed through the family until about 1700 when it was given to a charitable trust.
Very few buildings in Reddish pre-date the 19th century. Canal Bridge Farm, close to Broadstone Mill, is dated to the mid to late 18th century (the name is later). Hartwell dates a small group of farm buildings and cottages at Shores Fold, near the junction of Nelstrop Road and Marbury Road, to the sixteenth and late seventeenth to early 18th century. These would have been on the traditional Reddish – Heaton Norris border, but are now firmly inside Heaton Chapel.
passed through Reddish and opened in 1797. It seems to have had little effect by 1825, when Corry's description of Reddish, in full, was "The population of Reddish is but thin". Booker states that in 1857 Reddish was almost entirely agricultural, being made of meadow and pasture (1320 acres (5.3 km²)); arable land (90 acres (364,217.4 m²)); wood and water (50 acres (202,343 m²)); and buildings and streets (44 acres (178,061.8 m²)). At that time, Reddish contained "neither post-office, schoolmaster, lawyer, doctor, nor pawnshop". The population increased over tenfold in the next fifty years with the Industrial Revolution.
The water-powered calico printworks in Reddish Vale on the River Tame
is known to have been working before 1800. Industrial development followed the line of the canal and was steam-powered throughout. A variety of manufacturers moved into Reddish during this period.
Robert Hyde Greg and John Greg, sons of Samuel Greg of Quarry Bank Mill
, who owned about a third of Reddish by 1857, opened Albert Mills for cotton spinning in 1845. Moor Mill, manufacturing knitting machines, was built around the same time. William Houldsworth's Reddish Mill
for cotton spinning was opened in 1864. Hanover Mill was built in 1865 for cotton spinning, but in 1889 was converted to make silk, velvet, woven fur etc.
The Reddish Spinning Company, partly owned by Houldsworth, opened in 1870. Furnival's steelworks, making printing presses, opened in 1877. Andrew's Gas Engine works opened in 1878. The Manchester Guardian's printworks opened in 1899. Craven Bothers' engineering works, making cranes, opened in 1900. Broadstone Spinning Company opened a large double mill in 1906/7. These major employers were accompanied by numerous smaller concerns, including dyeworks, bleachworks, wire ropeworks, brickworks, screw manufacturers, makers of surveying equipment, and a tobacco factory.
A small number of closures of major industrial employers took place in the first half of the 20th century, due to the ebb and flow of trade. Andrews Gas Engine Works was taken over in 1905 by Richard Hornsby & Sons
of Grantham
, the business was transferred to Grantham and the Reddish works closed some time during the great depression
following WWI
. Cronin indicates that the works were still in operation in 1930. The Atlas wire rope works closed in 1927.
Reddish took its share of the decline in Lancashire cotton production and finishing. Broadstone Mills ceased production in 1959; Reddish Mills closed in 1958 with the loss of 350-400 jobs; Spur Mill followed in 1972; and the long-lived Reddish Vale printworks closed by 1975; Albert Mill continued to trade as R. Greg and co under new ownership, but finally closed in 1982. Ashmore wrote in 1975 that "Stockport has ceased to be a cotton town."
The decline of Broadstone Mills was accompanied by high farce. In November 1958 the company sold a number of spinning mules as scrap for just over £3,000. By agreement, the machines remained in the mill over the winter. A small number had been broken and removed by April 1959, when the government announced a compensation package for firms that agreed to scrap spinning capacity. As the title in the mules had passed to the scrapman, it was decided that the company was not entitled to compensation amounting to over £60,000, despite the fact that the machinery was still on its premises. Actions in the High Court
and the Court of Appeal
in 1965 were fruitless.
Some of the mills vacated by the spinners found other uses. The Reddish Spinning Company's mill was taken over by Friedland who became the world's largest manufacture of doorbells; an extension to the mill won several architectural awards. The mill is now residential. Broadstone Mill was partly demolished, but now houses small commercial units. Regeneration efforts at Houldsworth Mill were instrumental in Stockport Council winning British Urban Regeneration Association's award for best practice in regeneration. £12 million has been spent to convert the mill into mixed use. The area around Houldsworth mill is now designated as a conservation area.
Reddish has been home to at least three breweries. Richard Clarke & Co brewed in the area for over 100 years, before being taken over, and later closed, by Boddingtons
in 1962. David Pollard's eponymous brewery opened in the former print works in Reddish Vale in 1975, moving out to Bredbury in 1978; the business went into liquidation in 1982. The small 3 Rivers Brewery has been brewing in Reddish since August 2003. This has now closed down as the company was no longer viable.
The pub stock is not well-regarded: "Never offering the best selection of pubs in the borough, it is now easily the worst area for real ale availability ..." is a typical description. It has been suggested that this may be a consequence of Robert Hyde Greg
's disapproval of alcohol, (due to the alcoholism of an uncle of his father, see also Samuel Greg
).
The pubs are supplemented by several working men's
and political clubs. The Houldsworth WMC was awarded a blue plaque
by Stockport MBC in December 2006. Reddish WMC was founded by in 1845 by millowner Robert Hyde Greg as a Mechanics' Institute and Library. Its members claim it to be the oldest club registered with the CIU
.
, but lay outside the Manor of Manchester. This had the effect that boundaries of Reddish were described by the boundaries of the Manor of Manchester, with the exception of that with Cheshire
, which was the River Tame
. The manor boundaries were surveyed and recorded in 1322, and the relevant part was:
"Mere" means boundary in this context. The description was traced into early 20th century features by Crofton and can be cast as
However, Black Brook cannot be le Merebroke as it does not flow to the Tame, but joins Cringle Brook, which flows into the Mersey several miles away via Chorlton Brook. With this exception, Crofton's interpretation of the 1322 boundaries matches those shown on Ordnance Survey
maps of the 19th century.
Reddish became an urban district
in 1894. By 1901 the neighbouring County Borough of Stockport
had effectively run out of land, and was overflowing into abutting districts. In 1901, after petitioning the Local Government Board
, Stockport expanded into several areas including the whole of Reddish, described by Arrowsmith as Stockport's "greatest prize". Stockport gained Reddish's tax income
and building land, and in return Reddish received several civic amenities. A council school opened in 1907, and a combined fire station, free library, and baths opened in stages during 1908 (Cronin identifies a small building at the rear as a mortuary). The council opened new municipal parks at Mid Reddish (on land presented by Houldsworth) and at South Reddish. A park at North Reddish followed, described in 1932 as "recently laid out, provid(ing) a number of horticultural features combined with recreation facilities, and illustrat(ing) the layout of a modern recreation park". At that time, the Stockport Canal and the Reddish Iron Works made up two of the park's boundaries.
The separate civil parish was merged into Stockport parish in 1935. Reddish's position north of the Tame means it was historically
part of Lancashire
. On the merger with Stockport in 1901 the boundary between Lancashire and Cheshire was moved to place it in Cheshire. In 1974 Stockport and several adjacient territories became a unified metropolitan borough
in the newly-created metropolitan county
of Greater Manchester
.
(Labour
)has represented the seat since the 2005 general election
. At the 2010 general election, Gwynne attracted 51% of the votes cast, and the second-placed Conservative
candidate scored 25%. The seat has been held by Labour since its creation in 1983.
and Reddish South
) for the purpose of electing councillors to Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council
. Each ward returns three councillors.
As of October 2011, Paul Moss (Labour
), David Wilson (Labour) and Anne Graham (Labour) represent Reddish North, and Walter Brett (Labour), Tom Grundy (Labour) and Andy Verdeille (Labour) represent Reddish South.
and Brinnington
of Stockport
, Denton
of Tameside
, and Gorton
and Levenshulme
of the City of Manchester.
Reddish is a densely populated area and is near to affluent parts of Greater Manchester (such as Heaton Chapel
and Heaton Moor
). However, in common with many urban areas of the United Kingdom
Reddish suffers from a certain degree of crime-related activity. Despite this, Reddish continues to be an attraction to many people in the Greater Manchester
area to work, live and relax.
As a comparison, Temperatures on any given clear night throughout the year, can be between 1-3 degrees C warmer than the Manchester weather station, situated in nearby Woodford Aerodrome in Cheshire, near to Bramhall but on a cloudy night are almost equal.Daytime highs are pretty similar, and predominately almost exacting to 'Woodford', though fluctuations due to localised weather patterns can produce variations.
Again, on a cloudy day the temperatures can be slightly cooler than Woodford.Though, dependant on the prevailing weather patterns and the wind direction can be either lower by around 1 degree C and occasionally (more noticeably on a warm sunny day)and in the absence of early morning mist/fogs(common in Woodford and Reddish Vale) can be up to 2 degrees C warmer than Woodford.
Due to its Suburban nature and geographical location, close to the municipal centres of Stockport and Manchester, it benefits from an 'urban heat island' effect.
Most of Reddish would be equivalent to Usda Zone 8B/9A in recent years and with the influence of global warming, with typical annual minimum lows of around -5/-6C.
Summer High temperatures average around 20-21C and peak at around 28C in any given year, occasionally to around 32C.
With overnight lows, averaging around 12-14C typically.
Winter High temperatures average around 6-9C. Winter overnight lows, typically average around 3C.
Many tender plants can grow here and in the Stockport/Manchester area in general and the municipal planting consists of much New Zealand flora, such as Phormiums and Cordylines and Mediterranean plantings such as European Fan Palms and Canary Island date palms and Yuccas in residential gardens are commonplace.
Weather data specifically for South Reddish can be found here : http://www.everyoneweb.com/palmsnexotics/
The most recent data is from the United Kingdom Census 2001
. The census data below is based on the North Reddish and South Reddish wards. The modern South Reddish ward contains a small area that was traditionally part of Heaton Chapel
and Heaton Norris
, and some of Reddish has been transferred to Heaton Chapel.
White British is the predominant ethnicity
. For the North Reddish ward, just under 97% of the population of 16120 were identified as white (including Irish
and other white), 1.48% as mixed-race, 0.73% as black, 0.6% as Chinese, and 0.43% as Asian. For the South Reddish ward, just under 96% of the population of 13935 were identified as White, 1.28% as mixed race, 1.28% as Asian, 0.86% as Black, and 0.84% as Chinese.
The housing stock remains mainly terraced and semi-detached. For the North Reddish ward, the 6914 housing units were divided into 8% detached house, 46% semi-detached, 36% terraced, and 10% flats. For the South Reddish ward, the 6598 housing units were divided into 5% detached house, 29% semi-detached, 44% terraced, and 22% flats. There are no tower block
s in Reddish, unlike several neighbouring areas.
Some housing built by factory owners for their employees remains. Greg Street, Birkdale Road, and Broadstone Hall Road South have mid-19th century terraces built by the Gregs for the workers at their (demolished) Victoria and Albert Mills. Furnival Street was built in 1886 to house workers at the (demolished) Furnival's ironworks The largest collection is that built by Houldsworth near to his Reddish Mill, even though only Liverpool Street and Houldsworth Street remain after clearance in about 1974. The houses on Houldsworth Street, directly facing the mill, are grander, and would have been for the higher placed workers.
-funded project to reverse the decline in local shopping areas.
Stockport MBC describes Reddish as one of the eight major district centres in the borough that offer "local history, modern convenient facilities and traditional high street retailing". The other seven are
Bramhall
, Cheadle
, Cheadle Hulme
, Edgeley
, Hazel Grove
, Marple
, and Romiley
.
Reddish is home to many tertiary services. Houldsworth square (named after local Victorian era
mill-owner, William Houldsworth) has many shops and banks, serving the local population. There are also many well-performing schools such as Reddish Vale Technology College
in South Reddish, which in 2006 became the only school in Greater Manchester to be announced by the Government as a 'Trust Pathfinder' school. It is served by two railway stations Reddish North
and Reddish South
, the latter being used mainly for freight services, apart from the once-a-week "Parliamentary train
" to Stalybridge
.
calculates a value based on longevity, literacy, unemployment, and income. High values indicate increasing poverty. The parliamentary constituency scores 14.4, close to the UK average of 14.8. This compares well with neighbours Manchester Gorton
(20.5) and Stockport
(14.2), but poorly with the other Stockport constituencies of Hazel Grove
(10.9) and Cheadle, placed third best in the UK with a value of 7.9.
On a narrower level, the estimated household weekly income for the period April 2001 to March 2002 for North & South Reddish wards was £440 and £400 respectively. In comparison with nearby wards, this is higher than Gorton North, Gorton South and Brinnington (at £350, £330, and £340), slightly lower than Denton West (£480), and significantly lower than Heaton Moor and Heaton Mersey (£590). The averages for the North-West region and the UK were £489 and £554 respectively (2001–4).
*Grade I
for Manchester or the M60
/M67
junction at the north, and to Stockport and the M60 to the south. It was designated a Quality Bus Corridor
in 2004 and a number of modifications made. As of 2006, any improvements have not been quantified. The main bus route runs from Stockport via Reddish and Gorton to Manchester. Less-frequent services run to Ashton
via Gorton & Droylsden
, Ashton via Denton, Manchester via Didsbury
and Rusholme
, Hazel Grove
, and Wythenshawe
. Trains from Reddish North station run to Manchester Piccadilly and New Mills
, with some trains continuing to Sheffield
. Reddish South station does not provide a significant service. A few dedicated cycle routes cross the area.
and the Stockport Branch Canal were built to join Manchester and Stockport to the coal mines in Oldham and Ashton-under-Lyne
. The branch was dependent on the main for its utility, and hence its planning, passing through parliament, and construction came after that of the main. The main opened in 1796 and the branch in 1796. The branch was just under five miles (8 km) long, and left the Ashton Canal at Clayton, passed through Gorton and Reddish, and terminated just over the boundary in Heaton Norris, adjacent to what was then the main turnpike
between Manchester and Stockport. The Beat Bank Branch Canal
was planned as a sub-branch and was intended to cross Reddish Vale to a colliery at Denton, but the scheme was abandoned by 1798. By 1827 the canal was bringing coal to Stockport from as far as Norbury
and Poynton
.
The canal was purchased by the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway in 1848. Traffic declined and the canal was described as derelict as early as 1922. Commercial traffic ceased in the 1930s and the canal was declared officially closed in 1962 and filled in.
running between Manchester Piccadilly
and London via Crewe
was opened in 1840-2 by the Manchester and Birmingham Railway
(M&B), crossing the Mersey
valley on a large viaduct at Stockport. In 1849 a line was opened from the north side of the viaduct via Reddish South
and Denton stations
to join the Woodhead Line
(Piccadilly to Sheffield) of the Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway
(SA&MR) at Guide Bridge
. A short branch went to Denton Colliery. The station at Reddish South contained a large goods yard, and trade through the station played an important role, alongside the canal, in the industrialisation of the area.
The M&B became part of the London and North Western Railway
(LNWR) by 1849: the SA&MR became part of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
(MS&L) in 1847. At this stage both companies used Piccadilly as their Manchester terminus. The LNWR held a monopoly on the important London route.
to near Compstall
on the River Goyt. In 1865 this was extended over the river to New Mills
, and later joined the Midland Railway
's Derbyshire lines. By 1867 Midland trains were running from London to Piccadilly via this (considerably longer) route, providing competition to the LNWR. In 1875 the Sheffield and Midland Railway Companies' Committee
, a joint venture between the MS&L and the Midland, opened a new more direct route from near Romiley to Piccadilly, and gave Reddish its second station, Reddish North
.
started. The Fallowfield Line
was opened in 1892 to allow access from the Woodhead Line to Manchester Central and Trafford Park
, and passed through a corner of Reddish. Stations were built just outside Reddish at Hyde Road
and Levenshulme South
. In 1936 the MS&L's successor, the London and North Eastern Railway
, planned to electrify the Woodhead Line and the Fallowfield Line, primarily for shipping coal from Yorkshire
, but World War II interrupted progress. After the war, the railways were nationalised as British Rail
(BR). The electrification plan was put in place as the Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railway
, opening in 1954 using a 1500 V DC system. A 400 ft (120 m) depot was constructed at Reddish to maintain the Class 76
and 77
locomotives. However, electrification was not continued beyond the depot to Trafford Park. Shortly afterwards, BR adopted the 25 kV AC
system for electrification, with the effect that the Woodhead Line "passed very quickly from ultra-modern to obsolescent."
Local passenger services stopped using the Fallowfield Line in 1958 (though through trains continued until 1969). The Beeching Report of 1963 recommended that the Woodhead Line be retained and the Hope Valley line (serving Reddish North Station) closed; in 1966 BR controversially implemented the reverse.
The depot was used to house the prestigious Midland Pullman
in the early 1960s and continued to service locomotives until it and the Woodhead Line were closed in 1981. Despite rumours that the depot would be used to service the Manchester Metrolink
, the depot fully closed in 1983, was quickly vandalised, and has been demolished. The Fallowfield line closed completely in 1988 and the track was taken up.
. Sited on the edge of the green belt
, the school has its own farm and is characterised by OFSTED
as " a good school". It teaches about 1400 pupils from the ages of 11 to 16, but does not have a sixth form
.
As of 2007 Reddish has ten nursery and primary schools, including some church schools (Roman Catholic
and Church of England
). It has been proposed to close three of these and build a new school. The site chosen was formerly a clay pit for a brickworks, and later a landfill site. Much of the landfill took place before modern controls, and there is local concern about the suitability of the site.
for the Church of England
, and the Diocese of Salford
for the Roman Catholic Church
.
. Baron Foster is one of the leading architects in the world and is noted for his works which include 30 St Mary Axe
, the new Wembley Stadium
, Hearst Tower
, Torre Caja Madrid
& Deutsche Bank Place
Some of his work under-construction include, APIIC Tower
, Hermitage Plaza, the new Camp Nou
stadium, home of FC Barcelona
& 200 Greenwich Street the second tower of the world trade complex in Lower Manhattan
, New York City
.
Metropolitan Borough of Stockport
The Metropolitan Borough of Stockport is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in north west England, centred around the town of Stockport. It has a population of about 280,600 and includes the outyling areas of Cheadle and Cheadle Hulme, Marple, Bredbury, Reddish and Romiley...
, in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Stockport
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
and 4.6 miles (7.4 km) southeast of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. The population is 30,055 in an area of 7.08 square kilometres (2.73 mi²).
Historically
Historic counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
a part of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, Reddish grew and developed rapidly during the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
and still retains landmarks from that period, such as Houldsworth Mill
Houldsworth Mill, Reddish
Houldsworth Mill, also known as Reddish Mill, is a former mill in built in 1865 in Reddish, Stockport, Greater Manchester, England . Designed by Abraham Stott, it was constructed for Henry Houldsworth, a prominent mill owner at the time...
, a former textile mill
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
.
Reddish Vale
Reddish Vale
Reddish Vale is a loosely defined area in the Tame Valley close to Reddish in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. The generally-accepted centre of the vale is around the bottom of Reddish Vale Road. Reddish Vale Country Park is a country park managed by Stockport...
is a country park
Country park
A country park is an area designated for people to visit and enjoy recreation in a countryside environment.-History:In the United Kingdom the term 'Country Park' has a special meaning. There are over 400 Country Parks in England alone . Most Country Parks were designated in the 1970s, under the...
close to the locality.
Toponymy
Reddish is recorded as Redich (1205, 1212), Redych, Radich (1226), Radish, Rediche (1262), Redditch (1381), Redwyche, Radishe and Reddishe (16th century). The name either means "reedy ditch" (OEOld English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
hrēod-dīc) or "red ditch" (OE rēad-dīc). Ekwall (1922) allows either form, stating "red" is less probable; Mills (1991) and Arrowsmith (1997) only give the "reed" option. The ditch referred to is possibly the Nico Ditch
Nico Ditch
Nico Ditch is a six mile long linear earthwork running between Ashton-under-Lyne and Stretford in Greater Manchester, England. It may have been dug as a defensive fortification, but more likely it was intended to be a boundary marker...
, an earthwork of uncertain origin bordering Reddish, Manchester and Denton. Folklore has it that the names Gorton
Gorton
Gorton is an area of the city of Manchester, in North West England. It is located to the southeast of Manchester city centre. Neighbouring areas include Longsight and Levenshulme....
and Reddish arose from a battle between Saxons and Danes. John Higson wrote in 1852
The neigh'ring trench is called the Nicker Ditch
Flowing with blood, it did the name convey
To th' bordering hamlet, Red-Ditch. Near here, Where
the last 'tween the foes was fought,
Where victory was won, that memorable
Eminence proudly was distinguished
By the name of Winning Hill. The streamlet
Aforemention'd gains appellation
Of Gore Brook, also the contiguous
Happy hamlet through which it floweth still
Bears, in glorious commemoration,
And e'er shall, the honour'd name of Gore Town.
Farrer and Brownbill dismiss this interpretation as "popular fancy".
1066 to late 18th century
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
; this is in common with most of the then southeast Lancashire area. A corn mill is known to have existed at the junction of Denton Brook and the River Tame from about 1400 onwards. The two main mediaeval houses were Reddish Hall at (demolished 1780, but visible on maps dated 1840) and Hulme Hall at , later known as Broadstone, then Broadstone Hall (demolished 1945). The Reddish family were major landowners in the area from at least 1212 to 1613 when title passed by marriage to the Coke family. It passed down the family to Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester who sold his land in Reddish at the end of the 18th century, and in 1808 it was bought by Robert Hyde Greg
Robert Hyde Greg
Robert Hyde Greg , was an English industrialist, economist and antiquary.Born in Manchester, the son of Samuel Greg, the creator of Quarry Bank Mill, he was brother to William Rathbone Greg and the junior Samuel Greg. His mother, Hannah, was a descendant of Philip Henry...
and John Greg. There were Hulmes in Reddish in the 13th century, and the land passed through the family until about 1700 when it was given to a charitable trust.
Very few buildings in Reddish pre-date the 19th century. Canal Bridge Farm, close to Broadstone Mill, is dated to the mid to late 18th century (the name is later). Hartwell dates a small group of farm buildings and cottages at Shores Fold, near the junction of Nelstrop Road and Marbury Road, to the sixteenth and late seventeenth to early 18th century. These would have been on the traditional Reddish – Heaton Norris border, but are now firmly inside Heaton Chapel.
Industrial Revolution
The Stockport Branch CanalStockport Branch Canal
The Stockport Branch Canal was a 5 mile branch of the Ashton Canal from Clayton to Stockport-Route:The canal left the main line of the Ashton Canal at Stockport Junction , between locks 10 and 11 at Clayton, and it terminated at Stockport Basin just beyond the top of Lancashire Hill...
passed through Reddish and opened in 1797. It seems to have had little effect by 1825, when Corry's description of Reddish, in full, was "The population of Reddish is but thin". Booker states that in 1857 Reddish was almost entirely agricultural, being made of meadow and pasture (1320 acres (5.3 km²)); arable land (90 acres (364,217.4 m²)); wood and water (50 acres (202,343 m²)); and buildings and streets (44 acres (178,061.8 m²)). At that time, Reddish contained "neither post-office, schoolmaster, lawyer, doctor, nor pawnshop". The population increased over tenfold in the next fifty years with the Industrial Revolution.
The water-powered calico printworks in Reddish Vale on the River Tame
River Tame, Greater Manchester
The River Tame flows through Greater Manchester, England.-Source:The Tame rises on Denshaw Moor in Greater Manchester, close to the border with West Yorkshire but within the historic West Riding of Yorkshire.-Course:...
is known to have been working before 1800. Industrial development followed the line of the canal and was steam-powered throughout. A variety of manufacturers moved into Reddish during this period.
Robert Hyde Greg and John Greg, sons of Samuel Greg of Quarry Bank Mill
Quarry Bank Mill
Quarry Bank Mill in Cheshire, England, is one of the best preserved textile mills of the Industrial Revolution and is now a museum of the cotton industry. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building.-Water mill:...
, who owned about a third of Reddish by 1857, opened Albert Mills for cotton spinning in 1845. Moor Mill, manufacturing knitting machines, was built around the same time. William Houldsworth's Reddish Mill
Houldsworth Mill, Reddish
Houldsworth Mill, also known as Reddish Mill, is a former mill in built in 1865 in Reddish, Stockport, Greater Manchester, England . Designed by Abraham Stott, it was constructed for Henry Houldsworth, a prominent mill owner at the time...
for cotton spinning was opened in 1864. Hanover Mill was built in 1865 for cotton spinning, but in 1889 was converted to make silk, velvet, woven fur etc.
The Reddish Spinning Company, partly owned by Houldsworth, opened in 1870. Furnival's steelworks, making printing presses, opened in 1877. Andrew's Gas Engine works opened in 1878. The Manchester Guardian's printworks opened in 1899. Craven Bothers' engineering works, making cranes, opened in 1900. Broadstone Spinning Company opened a large double mill in 1906/7. These major employers were accompanied by numerous smaller concerns, including dyeworks, bleachworks, wire ropeworks, brickworks, screw manufacturers, makers of surveying equipment, and a tobacco factory.
A small number of closures of major industrial employers took place in the first half of the 20th century, due to the ebb and flow of trade. Andrews Gas Engine Works was taken over in 1905 by Richard Hornsby & Sons
Richard Hornsby & Sons
Richard Hornsby & Sons was an engine and machinery manufacturer in Lincolnshire, England from 1828 until 1918. The company was a pioneer in the manufacture of the oil engine developed by Herbert Akroyd Stuart and marketed under the Hornsby-Akroyd name. The company developed an early track system...
of Grantham
Grantham
Grantham is a market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It bestrides the East Coast Main Line railway , the historic A1 main north-south road, and the River Witham. Grantham is located approximately south of the city of Lincoln, and approximately east of Nottingham...
, the business was transferred to Grantham and the Reddish works closed some time during the great depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
following WWI
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Cronin indicates that the works were still in operation in 1930. The Atlas wire rope works closed in 1927.
Reddish took its share of the decline in Lancashire cotton production and finishing. Broadstone Mills ceased production in 1959; Reddish Mills closed in 1958 with the loss of 350-400 jobs; Spur Mill followed in 1972; and the long-lived Reddish Vale printworks closed by 1975; Albert Mill continued to trade as R. Greg and co under new ownership, but finally closed in 1982. Ashmore wrote in 1975 that "Stockport has ceased to be a cotton town."
The decline of Broadstone Mills was accompanied by high farce. In November 1958 the company sold a number of spinning mules as scrap for just over £3,000. By agreement, the machines remained in the mill over the winter. A small number had been broken and removed by April 1959, when the government announced a compensation package for firms that agreed to scrap spinning capacity. As the title in the mules had passed to the scrapman, it was decided that the company was not entitled to compensation amounting to over £60,000, despite the fact that the machinery was still on its premises. Actions in the High Court
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
and the Court of Appeal
Court of Appeal of England and Wales
The Court of Appeal of England and Wales is the second most senior court in the English legal system, with only the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom above it...
in 1965 were fruitless.
Some of the mills vacated by the spinners found other uses. The Reddish Spinning Company's mill was taken over by Friedland who became the world's largest manufacture of doorbells; an extension to the mill won several architectural awards. The mill is now residential. Broadstone Mill was partly demolished, but now houses small commercial units. Regeneration efforts at Houldsworth Mill were instrumental in Stockport Council winning British Urban Regeneration Association's award for best practice in regeneration. £12 million has been spent to convert the mill into mixed use. The area around Houldsworth mill is now designated as a conservation area.
Brewing, pubs and clubs
Boddingtons
Boddingtons Bitter is a bitter ale originally brewed at the Strangeways Brewery, Manchester, England. It was promoted as The Cream of Manchester from the late 1980s until 2004, when the Strangeways brewery was closed and production moved to Magor, South Wales and Salmesbury, Lancashire...
in 1962. David Pollard's eponymous brewery opened in the former print works in Reddish Vale in 1975, moving out to Bredbury in 1978; the business went into liquidation in 1982. The small 3 Rivers Brewery has been brewing in Reddish since August 2003. This has now closed down as the company was no longer viable.
The pub stock is not well-regarded: "Never offering the best selection of pubs in the borough, it is now easily the worst area for real ale availability ..." is a typical description. It has been suggested that this may be a consequence of Robert Hyde Greg
Robert Hyde Greg
Robert Hyde Greg , was an English industrialist, economist and antiquary.Born in Manchester, the son of Samuel Greg, the creator of Quarry Bank Mill, he was brother to William Rathbone Greg and the junior Samuel Greg. His mother, Hannah, was a descendant of Philip Henry...
's disapproval of alcohol, (due to the alcoholism of an uncle of his father, see also Samuel Greg
Samuel Greg
Samuel Greg was a British entrepreneur and pioneer of the factory system at Quarry Bank Mill.He was born in Belfast, Ireland as the second son of a successful merchant. At the age of eight, he went to live with his uncle, Robert Hyde, at Ardwick Hall, Manchester...
).
The pubs are supplemented by several working men's
Working men's club
Working men's clubs are a type of private social club founded in the 19th century in industrial areas of the United Kingdom, particularly the North of England, the Midlands and many parts of the South Wales Valleys, to provide recreation and education for working class men and their families.-...
and political clubs. The Houldsworth WMC was awarded a blue plaque
Blue plaque
A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event, serving as a historical marker....
by Stockport MBC in December 2006. Reddish WMC was founded by in 1845 by millowner Robert Hyde Greg as a Mechanics' Institute and Library. Its members claim it to be the oldest club registered with the CIU
Working Men's Club and Institute Union
The Working Men's Club and Institute Union is a voluntary association of private members' clubs in Great Britain & Northern Ireland, with about 3,000 associate clubs. One club in the Republic of Ireland, the City of Dublin Working Men's Club is also affiliated. Most social clubs are affiliated to...
.
Governance
The extents have been well-defined for at least several hundred years. Reddish was a township in the ancient parish of ManchesterManchester (ancient parish)
Manchester was an ancient ecclesiastical parish of the hundred of Salford, in Lancashire, England. It encompassed several townships and chapelries, including the then township of Manchester...
, but lay outside the Manor of Manchester. This had the effect that boundaries of Reddish were described by the boundaries of the Manor of Manchester, with the exception of that with Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, which was the River Tame
River Tame, Greater Manchester
The River Tame flows through Greater Manchester, England.-Source:The Tame rises on Denshaw Moor in Greater Manchester, close to the border with West Yorkshire but within the historic West Riding of Yorkshire.-Course:...
. The manor boundaries were surveyed and recorded in 1322, and the relevant part was:
following the said water [Tame] to the mid [stream] between the county of Chester and Assheton unto the Mereclowe at Redyshe so following Mereclowe unto Saltergate, from thence following the ditch of Redyshe unto Mikeldiche, following that unto Peyfyngate, following that unto Le Turrepittes between Heton Norreyes and Redishe, from thence following Le Merebroke unto the confluence of the waters of Tame and Mersey
"Mere" means boundary in this context. The description was traced into early 20th century features by Crofton and can be cast as
following the middle of the Tame as far as Denton Brook at Reddish; and so following Denton Brook and a tributary as far as Thornley Lane South; and then following Thornley Lane as far as Nico Ditch; and following Nelstrop Road as far as the turf-pits between Heaton Norris and Reddish (these are lost); and from there following Black Brook as far as near the conjunction of the waters of the Tame and Goyt.
However, Black Brook cannot be le Merebroke as it does not flow to the Tame, but joins Cringle Brook, which flows into the Mersey several miles away via Chorlton Brook. With this exception, Crofton's interpretation of the 1322 boundaries matches those shown on Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
maps of the 19th century.
Reddish became an urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
in 1894. By 1901 the neighbouring County Borough of Stockport
County Borough of Stockport
Stockport was a local government district centred on Stockport in the northwest of England from 1835 to 1974.The district was created by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 when the existing Borough of Stockport was reformed as a municipal borough. Until 1835 the town was governed by a charter...
had effectively run out of land, and was overflowing into abutting districts. In 1901, after petitioning the Local Government Board
Local Government Board
The Local Government Board was a British Government supervisory body overseeing local administration in England and Wales from 1871 to 1919.The LGB was created by the Local Government Board Act 1871 The Local Government Board (LGB) was a British Government supervisory body overseeing local...
, Stockport expanded into several areas including the whole of Reddish, described by Arrowsmith as Stockport's "greatest prize". Stockport gained Reddish's tax income
Rates (tax)
Rates are a type of property tax system in the United Kingdom, and in places with systems deriving from the British one, the proceeds of which are used to fund local government...
and building land, and in return Reddish received several civic amenities. A council school opened in 1907, and a combined fire station, free library, and baths opened in stages during 1908 (Cronin identifies a small building at the rear as a mortuary). The council opened new municipal parks at Mid Reddish (on land presented by Houldsworth) and at South Reddish. A park at North Reddish followed, described in 1932 as "recently laid out, provid(ing) a number of horticultural features combined with recreation facilities, and illustrat(ing) the layout of a modern recreation park". At that time, the Stockport Canal and the Reddish Iron Works made up two of the park's boundaries.
The separate civil parish was merged into Stockport parish in 1935. Reddish's position north of the Tame means it was historically
Historic counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
part of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. On the merger with Stockport in 1901 the boundary between Lancashire and Cheshire was moved to place it in Cheshire. In 1974 Stockport and several adjacient territories became a unified metropolitan borough
Metropolitan borough
A metropolitan borough is a type of local government district in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted...
in the newly-created metropolitan county
Metropolitan county
The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level administrative division of England. There are six metropolitan counties, which each cover large urban areas, typically with populations of 1.2 to 2.8 million...
of Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
.
Parliamentary representation
Reddish is located in the parliamentary constituency of Denton and Reddish. Andrew GwynneAndrew Gwynne
Andrew John Gwynne is a British Labour Party politician and has been the Member of Parliament for Denton and Reddish since 2005, replacing the retiring Andrew Bennett.-Early life:...
(Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
)has represented the seat since the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
. At the 2010 general election, Gwynne attracted 51% of the votes cast, and the second-placed Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
candidate scored 25%. The seat has been held by Labour since its creation in 1983.
Council representation
Reddish is divided into two wards (Reddish NorthReddish North (Stockport electoral ward)
Reddish North is an electoral ward in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport. It elects three Councillors to Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council using the first past the post electoral method, electing one Councillor every year without election on the fourth....
and Reddish South
Reddish South (Stockport electoral ward)
Reddish South is an electoral ward in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport. It elects three councillors to Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council using the first past the post electoral method, electing one councillor every year without election on the fourth....
) for the purpose of electing councillors to Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council
Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council
Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council is the local authority for the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. The council is currently in no overall control since the 2011 local elections when the Liberal Democrats lost their majority. The Liberal Democrats now have 31...
. Each ward returns three councillors.
As of October 2011, Paul Moss (Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
), David Wilson (Labour) and Anne Graham (Labour) represent Reddish North, and Walter Brett (Labour), Tom Grundy (Labour) and Andy Verdeille (Labour) represent Reddish South.
Geography
Reddish borders Heaton ChapelHeaton Chapel
Heaton Chapel is an area in the northern part of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. It borders the Manchester districts of Levenshulme to the north, the Stockport districts of Heaton Moor to the west, Reddish and Heaton Norris to the east and Heaton Mersey to the west and south...
and Brinnington
Brinnington
Brinnington is a north-eastern suburb of Stockport, Greater Manchester. It is known locally as "Brinny".It is situated on a bluff above a bend in the Tame Valley and is an area of vast regeneration, including the demolition of the Top Shops in 2007, which were replaced by new shops, 53 shared...
of Stockport
Metropolitan Borough of Stockport
The Metropolitan Borough of Stockport is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in north west England, centred around the town of Stockport. It has a population of about 280,600 and includes the outyling areas of Cheadle and Cheadle Hulme, Marple, Bredbury, Reddish and Romiley...
, Denton
Denton, Greater Manchester
Denton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, in Greater Manchester, England. It is five miles to the east of Manchester city centre, and has a population of 26,866....
of Tameside
Tameside
The Metropolitan Borough of Tameside is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England. It is named after the River Tame which flows through the borough and spans the towns of Ashton-under-Lyne, Audenshaw, Denton, Droylsden, Dukinfield, Hyde, Mossley and Stalybridge. Its western...
, and Gorton
Gorton
Gorton is an area of the city of Manchester, in North West England. It is located to the southeast of Manchester city centre. Neighbouring areas include Longsight and Levenshulme....
and Levenshulme
Levenshulme
Levenshulme is an urban area of the City of Manchester, in North West England. It borders Longsight, Gorton, Burnage, Heaton Chapel and Reddish, and is approximately halfway between Stockport and Manchester City Centre on the A6 road. The A6 bisects Levenshulme. The Manchester to London railway...
of the City of Manchester.
Reddish is a densely populated area and is near to affluent parts of Greater Manchester (such as Heaton Chapel
Heaton Chapel
Heaton Chapel is an area in the northern part of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. It borders the Manchester districts of Levenshulme to the north, the Stockport districts of Heaton Moor to the west, Reddish and Heaton Norris to the east and Heaton Mersey to the west and south...
and Heaton Moor
Heaton Moor
Heaton Moor is a suburb located in Stockport, Greater Manchester, in North West England. It is one of the Four Heatons and borders onto Heaton Chapel, Heaton Norris and Heaton Mersey...
). However, in common with many urban areas of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Reddish suffers from a certain degree of crime-related activity. Despite this, Reddish continues to be an attraction to many people in the Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
area to work, live and relax.
Climate
Reddish has a mild climate.The main population is situated along a linear stretch parallel with Reddish Vale.Reddish vale and the lower lying land in the valley is often cooler and effectively a 'frost pocket'. Albeit still mild comparatively speaking, temperatures on a clear night will likely be colder than the land at the top of valley floor or roughly speaking along Reddish Road/Gorton Road. The effects of a Fohn Wind are often present here, where the Warm air rises from the valley floor,tempering the air at the top and thereby reducing overnight lows, more particularly in winter.As a comparison, Temperatures on any given clear night throughout the year, can be between 1-3 degrees C warmer than the Manchester weather station, situated in nearby Woodford Aerodrome in Cheshire, near to Bramhall but on a cloudy night are almost equal.Daytime highs are pretty similar, and predominately almost exacting to 'Woodford', though fluctuations due to localised weather patterns can produce variations.
Again, on a cloudy day the temperatures can be slightly cooler than Woodford.Though, dependant on the prevailing weather patterns and the wind direction can be either lower by around 1 degree C and occasionally (more noticeably on a warm sunny day)and in the absence of early morning mist/fogs(common in Woodford and Reddish Vale) can be up to 2 degrees C warmer than Woodford.
Due to its Suburban nature and geographical location, close to the municipal centres of Stockport and Manchester, it benefits from an 'urban heat island' effect.
Most of Reddish would be equivalent to Usda Zone 8B/9A in recent years and with the influence of global warming, with typical annual minimum lows of around -5/-6C.
Summer High temperatures average around 20-21C and peak at around 28C in any given year, occasionally to around 32C.
With overnight lows, averaging around 12-14C typically.
Winter High temperatures average around 6-9C. Winter overnight lows, typically average around 3C.
Many tender plants can grow here and in the Stockport/Manchester area in general and the municipal planting consists of much New Zealand flora, such as Phormiums and Cordylines and Mediterranean plantings such as European Fan Palms and Canary Island date palms and Yuccas in residential gardens are commonplace.
Weather data specifically for South Reddish can be found here : http://www.everyoneweb.com/palmsnexotics/
Demography
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1774 | 302 |
| 1811 | 456 |
| 1821 | 574 |
| 1831 | 860 |
| 1841 | 1188 |
| 1851 | 1218 |
| 1861 | 1363 |
| 1901 | 8668 |
| 1911 | 14252 |
The most recent data is from the United Kingdom Census 2001
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
. The census data below is based on the North Reddish and South Reddish wards. The modern South Reddish ward contains a small area that was traditionally part of Heaton Chapel
Heaton Chapel
Heaton Chapel is an area in the northern part of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. It borders the Manchester districts of Levenshulme to the north, the Stockport districts of Heaton Moor to the west, Reddish and Heaton Norris to the east and Heaton Mersey to the west and south...
and Heaton Norris
Heaton Norris
Heaton Norris is now a mainly residential area of Stockport, England bordering on Heaton Chapel, Heaton Mersey and Heaton Moor. Formerly it was the name of the parish, that included Heaton Chapel, Heaton Mersey and Heaton Moor and was in Lancashire....
, and some of Reddish has been transferred to Heaton Chapel.
White British is the predominant ethnicity
Ethnic groups of the United Kingdom
People from various ethnic groups reside in the United Kingdom. Migration from what are now the Northern European states has been happening for millennia, with other groups such as British Jews also well established...
. For the North Reddish ward, just under 97% of the population of 16120 were identified as white (including Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and other white), 1.48% as mixed-race, 0.73% as black, 0.6% as Chinese, and 0.43% as Asian. For the South Reddish ward, just under 96% of the population of 13935 were identified as White, 1.28% as mixed race, 1.28% as Asian, 0.86% as Black, and 0.84% as Chinese.
The housing stock remains mainly terraced and semi-detached. For the North Reddish ward, the 6914 housing units were divided into 8% detached house, 46% semi-detached, 36% terraced, and 10% flats. For the South Reddish ward, the 6598 housing units were divided into 5% detached house, 29% semi-detached, 44% terraced, and 22% flats. There are no tower block
Tower block
A tower block, high-rise, apartment tower, office tower, apartment block, or block of flats, is a tall building or structure used as a residential and/or office building...
s in Reddish, unlike several neighbouring areas.
Some housing built by factory owners for their employees remains. Greg Street, Birkdale Road, and Broadstone Hall Road South have mid-19th century terraces built by the Gregs for the workers at their (demolished) Victoria and Albert Mills. Furnival Street was built in 1886 to house workers at the (demolished) Furnival's ironworks The largest collection is that built by Houldsworth near to his Reddish Mill, even though only Liverpool Street and Houldsworth Street remain after clearance in about 1974. The houses on Houldsworth Street, directly facing the mill, are grander, and would have been for the higher placed workers.
Economy
The shopping area around Houldsworth Square contains about eighty small shops and has been chosen as one of eight areas to benefit from the Agora Project an EUEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
-funded project to reverse the decline in local shopping areas.
Stockport MBC describes Reddish as one of the eight major district centres in the borough that offer "local history, modern convenient facilities and traditional high street retailing". The other seven are
Bramhall
Bramhall
Bramhall is a suburb of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It has a population of about 25,500.Research by the University of Sheffield has placed Bramhall as the "least lonely" place in Britain. Bramhall is also regarded as an affluent area where most residents...
, Cheadle
Cheadle, Greater Manchester
Cheadle is a suburb in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport in Greater Manchester, England. It borders the districts of Cheadle Hulme, Gatley, Heald Green and Cheadle Heath in Stockport, and the East Didsbury area of Manchester. As of 2001 it had a population of 14,261.-Early history:There has...
, Cheadle Hulme
Cheadle Hulme
Cheadle Hulme is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southwest of Stockport and southeast of the city of Manchester. It lies in the Ladybrook Valley on the Cheshire Plain, and the drift consists mostly of boulder clay, sands and gravels...
, Edgeley
Edgeley
Edgeley is a residential area within the town of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. The suburb is characterised largely by Victorian close-packed terraced housing and council estates with some larger properties around Alexandra Park. Edgeley includes Edgeley Park, home of Stockport County F.C...
, Hazel Grove
Hazel Grove
-Education:Hazel Grove has a number of primary schools and Hazel Grove High School, the local high school. Some do decide to go to other local high schools, such as local Marple Hall, in neighbouring village Marple. The main primary schools in the area are, Hazel Grove Primary School, Torkington...
, Marple
Marple, Greater Manchester
Marple is a small town within the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Goyt southeast of Stockport.Historically part of Cheshire, Marple has a population of 23,480 .-Toponymy:...
, and Romiley
Romiley
Romiley is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. It borders Marple, Bredbury and Woodley. In Roman times there is thought to have been a settlement along Sandy Lane...
.
Reddish is home to many tertiary services. Houldsworth square (named after local Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
mill-owner, William Houldsworth) has many shops and banks, serving the local population. There are also many well-performing schools such as Reddish Vale Technology College
Reddish Vale Technology College
Reddish Vale Technology College is a school in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England and is a mixed community comprehensive Technology College, educating 1400 pupils in the 11-16 range....
in South Reddish, which in 2006 became the only school in Greater Manchester to be announced by the Government as a 'Trust Pathfinder' school. It is served by two railway stations Reddish North
Reddish North railway station
Reddish North railway station is one of the two stations serving Reddish, in Stockport, England, the other being Reddish South railway station....
and Reddish South
Reddish South railway station
Reddish South is a station in Reddish, Stockport, England, on the Stockport-Stalybridge Line, famous for having only one train a week in one direction. A single track serves a single, bare platform....
, the latter being used mainly for freight services, apart from the once-a-week "Parliamentary train
Parliamentary train
A Parliamentary train or Parly is, nowadays, a British English term for a train that operates a Parliamentary service - that is to say a token service to a given station, thus maintaining a legal fiction that either the station or, in some cases, the whole line is open, although in reality the...
" to Stalybridge
Stalybridge
Stalybridge is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside in Greater Manchester, England, with a population of 22,568. Historically a part of Cheshire, it is east of Manchester city centre and northwest of Glossop. With the construction of a cotton mill in 1776, Stalybridge became one of...
.
Affluence
There are several measures of overall wealth and poverty. The Human Poverty IndexHuman Poverty Index
The Human Poverty Index is an indication of the standard of living in a country, developed by the United Nations . For highly developed countries, the UN considers that it can better reflect the extent of deprivation compared to the Human Development Index....
calculates a value based on longevity, literacy, unemployment, and income. High values indicate increasing poverty. The parliamentary constituency scores 14.4, close to the UK average of 14.8. This compares well with neighbours Manchester Gorton
Manchester Gorton (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester, Gorton is a parliamentary constituency in the city of Manchester, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-1885–1918:...
(20.5) and Stockport
Stockport (UK Parliament constituency)
Stockport is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
(14.2), but poorly with the other Stockport constituencies of Hazel Grove
Hazel Grove (UK Parliament constituency)
Hazel Grove is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
(10.9) and Cheadle, placed third best in the UK with a value of 7.9.
On a narrower level, the estimated household weekly income for the period April 2001 to March 2002 for North & South Reddish wards was £440 and £400 respectively. In comparison with nearby wards, this is higher than Gorton North, Gorton South and Brinnington (at £350, £330, and £340), slightly lower than Denton West (£480), and significantly lower than Heaton Moor and Heaton Mersey (£590). The averages for the North-West region and the UK were £489 and £554 respectively (2001–4).
Landmarks
Reddish is home to several listed buildings and structures. All the Grade I and Grade II* listsings are part of Houldsworth's community.- St. Elisabeth's church & wall at St. Elisabeth's Church (Grade II*)
- Grade II*
- Houldsworth MillHouldsworth Mill, ReddishHouldsworth Mill, also known as Reddish Mill, is a former mill in built in 1865 in Reddish, Stockport, Greater Manchester, England . Designed by Abraham Stott, it was constructed for Henry Houldsworth, a prominent mill owner at the time...
, Houldsworth Street. Designed by Abraham Henthorn Stott. Opened 1860s, closed as a cotton mill 1958. - Houldsworth Working Men's Club, Leamington Road. Designed by Abraham Henthorn Stott. Opened 16 May 1874.
- St Elisabeth's C of E Primary School (Houldsworth School), Liverpool Street. Wall at St. Elisabeth's C of E Primary School, Liverpool Street. Designed by Alfred Waterhouse. Consecrated 1883.
- St. Elisabeth's Church Rectory & wall at St. Elisabeth's Church Rectory, Liverpool Street. Designed by Alfred Waterhouse.
- Grade II
- Broadstone Mill House, Broadstone Road
- Clock and drinking fountain, Houldsworth Square
- North Reddish Infant & Junior School, Lewis Road
- Tame Viaduct, Reddish ValeReddish ValeReddish Vale is a loosely defined area in the Tame Valley close to Reddish in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. The generally-accepted centre of the vale is around the bottom of Reddish Vale Road. Reddish Vale Country Park is a country park managed by Stockport...
- 40 Sandy Lane
- Shoresfold Farmhouse and numbers 2 & 4 Marbury Road
Transport
The B6167 is the main road through Reddish. It allows access to the A57A57 road
The A57 is a major road in England. It runs east from Liverpool to Lincoln, via Warrington, Cadishead, Irlam, Patricroft, Eccles, Salford and Manchester, then through the Pennines over the Snake Pass , around the Ladybower Reservoir, through Sheffield and past Worksop...
for Manchester or the M60
M60 motorway
The M60 motorway, or Manchester Orbital, is an orbital motorway circling Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. It passes through all Greater Manchester's metropolitan boroughs except for Wigan and Bolton...
/M67
M67 motorway
The M67 is a urban motorway in Greater Manchester, England which heads east from the M60 motorway passing through Denton and Hyde before ending near Mottram. It had originally conceived as the first part of a trans-Pennine motorway between Manchester and Sheffield connecting the A57 motorway to...
junction at the north, and to Stockport and the M60 to the south. It was designated a Quality Bus Corridor
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
in 2004 and a number of modifications made. As of 2006, any improvements have not been quantified. The main bus route runs from Stockport via Reddish and Gorton to Manchester. Less-frequent services run to Ashton
Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton-under-Lyne is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it lies on the north bank of the River Tame, on undulating land at the foothills of the Pennines...
via Gorton & Droylsden
Droylsden
Droylsden is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, in Greater Manchester, England. It is to the east of Manchester city centre, and west-southwest of Ashton-under-Lyne, it has a population of 23,172....
, Ashton via Denton, Manchester via Didsbury
Didsbury
Didsbury is a suburban area of the City of Manchester, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Mersey, south of Manchester city centre, in the southern half of the Greater Manchester Urban Area...
and Rusholme
Rusholme
-Etymology:Rusholme, unlike other areas of Manchester which have '-holme' in the place name is not a true '-holme'. Its name came from ryscum, which is the dative plural of Old English rysc "rush": "[at the] rushes"...
, Hazel Grove
Hazel Grove
-Education:Hazel Grove has a number of primary schools and Hazel Grove High School, the local high school. Some do decide to go to other local high schools, such as local Marple Hall, in neighbouring village Marple. The main primary schools in the area are, Hazel Grove Primary School, Torkington...
, and Wythenshawe
Wythenshawe
Wythenshawe is a district in the south of the city of Manchester, England.Formerly part of the administrative county of Cheshire, in 1931 Wythenshawe was transferred to the City of Manchester, which had begun building a massive housing estate there in the 1920s to resolve the problem of its inner...
. Trains from Reddish North station run to Manchester Piccadilly and New Mills
New Mills Central railway station
New Mills Central railway station serves the town of New Mills in Derbyshire, England. It is on the Hope Valley Line between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield...
, with some trains continuing to Sheffield
Sheffield Midland station
Sheffield station, formerly Pond Street and later Sheffield Midland, is a railway station in Sheffield, England and is the busiest station in South Yorkshire...
. Reddish South station does not provide a significant service. A few dedicated cycle routes cross the area.
Canal
The Ashton CanalAshton Canal
The Ashton Canal is a canal built in Greater Manchester in North West England.-Route:The Ashton leaves the Rochdale Canal at Ducie St. Junction in central Manchester, and climbs for through 18 locks, passing through Ancoats, Holt Town, Bradford-with-Beswick, Clayton, Openshaw, Droylsden,...
and the Stockport Branch Canal were built to join Manchester and Stockport to the coal mines in Oldham and Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton-under-Lyne is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it lies on the north bank of the River Tame, on undulating land at the foothills of the Pennines...
. The branch was dependent on the main for its utility, and hence its planning, passing through parliament, and construction came after that of the main. The main opened in 1796 and the branch in 1796. The branch was just under five miles (8 km) long, and left the Ashton Canal at Clayton, passed through Gorton and Reddish, and terminated just over the boundary in Heaton Norris, adjacent to what was then the main turnpike
Turnpike trust
Turnpike trusts in the United Kingdom were bodies set up by individual Acts of Parliament, with powers to collect road tolls for maintaining the principal highways in Britain from the 17th but especially during the 18th and 19th centuries...
between Manchester and Stockport. The Beat Bank Branch Canal
Beat Bank Branch Canal
The Beat Bank Branch Canal was an abortive canal near Manchester, England. It was to leave the Stockport Branch Canal in South Reddish and it was to be lock free but with a short tunnel. It was to follow the contour above the right bank of the River Tame, firstly in a northerly direction and then...
was planned as a sub-branch and was intended to cross Reddish Vale to a colliery at Denton, but the scheme was abandoned by 1798. By 1827 the canal was bringing coal to Stockport from as far as Norbury
Norbury, Greater Manchester
Norbury is a locality in Greater Manchester, England. It formed a civil parish in Cheshire from 1866 to 1900 and now forms part of the Hazel Grove area of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport....
and Poynton
Poynton
Poynton is a town within the civil parish of Poynton-with-Worth, and the unitary authority area of Cheshire East, England. For ceremonial purposes it is part of the county of Cheshire. Poynton is located at the eastern most fringe of the Cheshire Plain, north of Macclesfield, south of Stockport...
.
The canal was purchased by the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway in 1848. Traffic declined and the canal was described as derelict as early as 1922. Commercial traffic ceased in the 1930s and the canal was declared officially closed in 1962 and filled in.
Turnpike
The road currently designated the B6167 (Sandy Lane, Reddish Road, Gorton Road, and Reddish Lane) was turnpiked by the Manchester, Denton and Stockport Trust following an Act of 1818.Rail
The history of the development of rail infrastructure in the UK is complicated, with lines and stations being built by a myriad of railway companies and joint ventures. Routes did not always follow the best path, but were created, altered, or blocked through lobbying of parliament by interested parties intent on protecting their interests and preventing competition. Due to their strategic position between Manchester and London, Stockport and Reddish played their parts. Reddish played host to three railway lines, two railway stations, and a traction depot. To improve readability, the names of the stations and lines are the latest (or last) used.Reddish South
The West Coast Main LineWest Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
running between Manchester Piccadilly
Manchester Piccadilly station
Manchester Piccadilly is the principal railway station in Manchester, England. It serves intercity routes to London Euston, Birmingham New Street, South Wales, the south coast of England, Edinburgh and Glasgow Central, and routes throughout northern England...
and London via Crewe
Crewe railway station
Crewe railway station was completed in 1837 and is one of the most historic railway stations in the world. Built in fields near to Crewe Hall, it originally served the village of Crewe with a population of just 70 residents...
was opened in 1840-2 by the Manchester and Birmingham Railway
Manchester and Birmingham Railway
The Manchester and Birmingham Railway was built between Manchester and Crewe and opened in stages from 1840. Between Crewe and Birmingham, trains were worked by the Grand Junction Railway...
(M&B), crossing the Mersey
River Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
valley on a large viaduct at Stockport. In 1849 a line was opened from the north side of the viaduct via Reddish South
Reddish South railway station
Reddish South is a station in Reddish, Stockport, England, on the Stockport-Stalybridge Line, famous for having only one train a week in one direction. A single track serves a single, bare platform....
and Denton stations
Denton railway station
Denton railway station is a station in Denton, Greater Manchester, on the Stockport-Stalybridge line, famous for having one train a week in one direction only , christened the "Denton Flyer"...
to join the Woodhead Line
Woodhead Line
The Woodhead Line was a railway line linking Sheffield, Penistone and Manchester in the north of England. A key feature of the route is the passage under the high moorlands of the northern Peak District through the Woodhead Tunnels...
(Piccadilly to Sheffield) of the Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway
Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway
The Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway was an early British railway company which opened in stages between 1841 and 1845 between Sheffield and Manchester via Ashton-under-Lyne...
(SA&MR) at Guide Bridge
Guide Bridge railway station
Guide Bridge railway station serves Guide Bridge, a part of Audenshaw, Tameside in Greater Manchester, England and is operated by Northern Rail. The station is 4¾ miles east of Manchester Piccadilly on the Glossop Line.-History:...
. A short branch went to Denton Colliery. The station at Reddish South contained a large goods yard, and trade through the station played an important role, alongside the canal, in the industrialisation of the area.
The M&B became part of the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
(LNWR) by 1849: the SA&MR became part of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
(MS&L) in 1847. At this stage both companies used Piccadilly as their Manchester terminus. The LNWR held a monopoly on the important London route.
Reddish North
In 1862 the MS&L built a line from Hyde JunctionHyde North railway station
Hyde North railway station lies north of Hyde, Greater Manchester, England. Hyde North is operated by Northern Rail.Originally "Hyde Junction" when opened in 1862, it was at the junction between the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway extension to New Mills, , and the...
to near Compstall
Compstall
Compstall is a suburban village within the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport in Greater Manchester, England, between Marple Bridge and Romiley. It was formerly a mill village, built by George Andrew in the 1820s to house his 800 workers...
on the River Goyt. In 1865 this was extended over the river to New Mills
New Mills Central railway station
New Mills Central railway station serves the town of New Mills in Derbyshire, England. It is on the Hope Valley Line between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield...
, and later joined the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
's Derbyshire lines. By 1867 Midland trains were running from London to Piccadilly via this (considerably longer) route, providing competition to the LNWR. In 1875 the Sheffield and Midland Railway Companies' Committee
Sheffield and Midland Railway Companies' Committee
The Sheffield and Midland Railway Companies' Committee was incorporated by Act of Parliament in 1869 as a joint venture between the Midland Railway and the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway.-Origins:...
, a joint venture between the MS&L and the Midland, opened a new more direct route from near Romiley to Piccadilly, and gave Reddish its second station, Reddish North
Reddish North railway station
Reddish North railway station is one of the two stations serving Reddish, in Stockport, England, the other being Reddish South railway station....
.
Reddish Electric Depot
The Midland was given notice to leave Piccadilly in the same year that Reddish North opened, and construction of Manchester Central railway stationManchester Central railway station
Manchester Central railway station is a former railway station in Manchester City Centre, England. One of Manchester's main railway terminals between 1880 and 1969, it now houses an exhibition and conference centre named Manchester Central.-History:...
started. The Fallowfield Line
Fallowfield Loop railway line
The Fallowfield Loop railway line was a local railway route in Greater Manchester, England. Trains on the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway line from Sheffield Victoria and Guide Bridge used the 'Loop' to access Manchester Central railway station.The line was fully opened in 1892 and...
was opened in 1892 to allow access from the Woodhead Line to Manchester Central and Trafford Park
Trafford Park
Trafford Park is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. Located opposite Salford Quays, on the southern side of the Manchester Ship Canal, it is west-southwest of Manchester city centre, and north of Stretford. Until the late 19th century it was the...
, and passed through a corner of Reddish. Stations were built just outside Reddish at Hyde Road
Hyde Road railway station
Hyde Road was a railway station in Gorton, Manchester, England, on the Fallowfield Line. It opened in 1892 and closed in 1958 when local passenger services on the line stopped. The station was sometimes advertised as Hyde Road for Belle Vue, that is, convenient for Belle Vue Zoo, about one mile...
and Levenshulme South
Levenshulme South railway station
Levenshulme South railway station was a railway station located in Levenshulme, Manchester. It was located on the Fallowfield Line which is now a cycle path.-History:The station opened on 2 May 1892, originally being named Levenshulme...
. In 1936 the MS&L's successor, the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
, planned to electrify the Woodhead Line and the Fallowfield Line, primarily for shipping coal from Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, but World War II interrupted progress. After the war, the railways were nationalised as British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
(BR). The electrification plan was put in place as the Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railway
Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railway
The Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railway was an early electrification scheme on British railways. The route featured long ascents on both sides of the Pennines with the long Woodhead Tunnel at its central summit close to the Woodhead pass...
, opening in 1954 using a 1500 V DC system. A 400 ft (120 m) depot was constructed at Reddish to maintain the Class 76
British Rail Class 76
The British Rail Class 76, also known as Class EM1 , is a class of 1.5 kV DC, Bo-Bo electric locomotive designed for use on the now-closed Woodhead Line in Northern England.-Tommy — the prototype:...
and 77
British Rail Class 77
The British Rail Class 77, also known as Class EM2, is a class of 1.5 kV DC, Co-Co electric locomotive. They were built by Metropolitan-Vickers in 1953–1954 for use over the Woodhead Line between Manchester and Sheffield.-Description:...
locomotives. However, electrification was not continued beyond the depot to Trafford Park. Shortly afterwards, BR adopted the 25 kV AC
25 kV AC
The 25 kV Alternating current railway electrification system is commonly used in railways worldwide, especially for high-speed rail.-Overview:This electrification system is ideal for railways that cover long distances and/or carry heavy traffic...
system for electrification, with the effect that the Woodhead Line "passed very quickly from ultra-modern to obsolescent."
Local passenger services stopped using the Fallowfield Line in 1958 (though through trains continued until 1969). The Beeching Report of 1963 recommended that the Woodhead Line be retained and the Hope Valley line (serving Reddish North Station) closed; in 1966 BR controversially implemented the reverse.
The depot was used to house the prestigious Midland Pullman
Midland Pullman
The Midland Pullman was the name given to a former express passenger train service operating on British Railways' old Midland Main Line between and via and Millers Dale...
in the early 1960s and continued to service locomotives until it and the Woodhead Line were closed in 1981. Despite rumours that the depot would be used to service the Manchester Metrolink
Manchester Metrolink
Metrolink is a light rail system in Greater Manchester, England. It consists of four lines which converge in Manchester city centre and terminate in Bury, Altrincham, Eccles and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. The system is owned by Transport for Greater Manchester and operated under contract by RATP Group...
, the depot fully closed in 1983, was quickly vandalised, and has been demolished. The Fallowfield line closed completely in 1988 and the track was taken up.
Education
Reddish's only secondary school is Reddish Vale Technology CollegeReddish Vale Technology College
Reddish Vale Technology College is a school in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England and is a mixed community comprehensive Technology College, educating 1400 pupils in the 11-16 range....
. Sited on the edge of the green belt
Green Belt (UK)
In United Kingdom town planning, the green belt is a policy for controlling urban growth. The idea is for a ring of countryside where urbanisation will be resisted for the foreseeable future, maintaining an area where agriculture, forestry and outdoor leisure can be expected to prevail...
, the school has its own farm and is characterised by OFSTED
Office for Standards in Education
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
as " a good school". It teaches about 1400 pupils from the ages of 11 to 16, but does not have a sixth form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
.
As of 2007 Reddish has ten nursery and primary schools, including some church schools (Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
). It has been proposed to close three of these and build a new school. The site chosen was formerly a clay pit for a brickworks, and later a landfill site. Much of the landfill took place before modern controls, and there is local concern about the suitability of the site.
Community facilities
Of the 1907 facilities provided by Stockport, only the library is still open, though under threat of closure. The baths closed in 2005; there is a campaign to reopen them, but it does not have the backing of the council. The ground floor of the fire station is used as a community centre. The mortuary closed in the 1980s.Religion
Reddish falls in the Diocese of ManchesterAnglican Diocese of Manchester
The Diocese of Manchester is a Church of England diocese in the Province of York, England. Based in the city of Manchester, the diocese covers much of the county of Greater Manchester and small areas of the counties of Lancashire and Cheshire.-History:...
for the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, and the Diocese of Salford
Diocese of Salford
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Salford is a Latin Rite Roman Catholic diocese centred around Salford Cathedral in the City of Salford in Greater Manchester, England....
for the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
.
- St Agnes, Gorton Road; (Church of England). 1908, brick, some good glass.
- Bethel Christian Centre/Reddish Community Church/Bethel Apostolic Church, Sykes Street; (Apostolic ChurchApostolic ChurchThe Apostolic Church is a Pentecostal Christian denomination which can trace its origins back to the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival. Despite the relatively recent origin of the denomination, the church seeks to stand for first century Christianity in its faith, practices, and government.The purpose of the...
). - Christ Church, Lillian Grove; (MethodistMethodist Church of Great BritainThe Methodist Church of Great Britain is the largest Wesleyan Methodist body in the United Kingdom, with congregations across Great Britain . It is the United Kingdom's fourth largest Christian denomination, with around 300,000 members and 6,000 churches...
/United Reformed ChurchUnited Reformed ChurchThe United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
). - St Elisabeth, Lemington Road; (Anglo-Catholic - Church of England); 1883 Victorian GothicGothic Revival architectureThe Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
building by Alfred WaterhouseAlfred WaterhouseAlfred Waterhouse was a British architect, particularly associated with the Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. He is perhaps best known for his design for the Natural History Museum in London, and Manchester Town Hall, although he also built a wide variety of other buildings throughout the...
. Paid for by Houldsworth - Holy Family, Thornley Lane North; (Roman Catholic).
- St Joseph, Gorton Road (Roman Catholic).
- St Mary, Reddish Road; (Church of England). Reddish's first church, built 1862-4 at a cost of £2500 in the "decorated English style". The parish was carved from Heaton NorrisHeaton NorrisHeaton Norris is now a mainly residential area of Stockport, England bordering on Heaton Chapel, Heaton Mersey and Heaton Moor. Formerly it was the name of the parish, that included Heaton Chapel, Heaton Mersey and Heaton Moor and was in Lancashire....
, and is still known as Heaton Reddish. - Reddish Christian Fellowship, Broadstone Road; sited in an end-of-terrace house.
- Stockport Seventh-day Adventist Church, Coronation Street; (Seventh-day Adventist ChurchSeventh-day Adventist ChurchThe Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
); modern building.
Notable people
In 1935 Norman Foster was born in Reddish and went onto study architecture at the University of ManchesterUniversity of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
. Baron Foster is one of the leading architects in the world and is noted for his works which include 30 St Mary Axe
30 St Mary Axe
30 St Mary Axe, the Swiss Re Building , is a skyscraper in London's main financial district, the City of London, completed in December 2003 and opened at the end of May 2004...
, the new Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, Hearst Tower
Hearst Tower (New York City)
The Brilliant Hearst Tower is located at 300 West 57th Street, 959 8th Avenue, near Columbus Circle in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, New York...
, Torre Caja Madrid
Torre Caja Madrid
The Torre Caja Madrid is a skyscraper located in the Cuatro Torres Business Area in Madrid, Spain. With a height of and 45 floors, it is the tallest of the four buildings in the Cuatro Torres Business Area complex, surpassing Torre de Cristal by less than a metre, and the tallest building in...
& Deutsche Bank Place
Deutsche Bank Place
Deutsche Bank Place is a skyscraper in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located at 126 Phillip Street in the north-eastern end of the central business district, across the road from Chifley Tower. Construction began in 2002 and was completed in 2005. The building's architect is Norman...
Some of his work under-construction include, APIIC Tower
APIIC Tower
The Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Tower is a supertall skyscraper planned for construction in Hyderabad, India. At a height of and 100 storeys, it is the second tallest building in construction in India after India Tower in Mumbai...
, Hermitage Plaza, the new Camp Nou
Camp Nou
Camp Nou , sometimes called "the Nou Camp" in English, is a football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The stadium, located in the west of the city, has been the home of FC Barcelona since its construction in 1957....
stadium, home of FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
& 200 Greenwich Street the second tower of the world trade complex in Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the City of New York...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.