Edgeley and Shaw Heath Stagger
We start
tonight at the Alexandra and left and right we see the Alexandra both in 1975 and today, but which is which? The trees in the older photo right have now gone and the cars are a little more modern but what else has changed?
Around the corner
at the start of Castle Street we reach the Royal Oak. Back in 1979 the Royal Oak was in the hands of Wilson's Brewery from Newton Heath, Manchester. This is the first of many former Wilson's houses we will meet this evening.
A little along
Castle Street, and on the next street corner, we come across the Prince Albert. This was also a Wilson's house back in 1979. For a time it was bereft of cask ale but back in 2012 it started to serves Marston's beers so is back in the real ale fold.
Next up,
again on the next street corner we see the Sir Robert Peel, known to generations of locals as the Bobby Peel. Back in 1979 it was another Wilson's house and presumably served real ale. This was unfortunately lacking until a year or so ago when thankfully cask ale returned, but not Wilsons!
Now for a bit
of variety. Yes the Pineapple is still a Wilson's house, but this time in the middle of a row of shops and not a street corner! Unfortunately these days there is no real ale.
We are back to the norm,
with the Jolly Crofter being yet another street corner establishment. Unfortunately it is difficult to determine whether this was yet another Wilsons house or not. Judging by the typeface used for the pub's name and size and shape of the end of brewery sign, it does appear to be a Wilsons house.
We now have an interesting array of photos of the Armoury. The initial photo (below left) has been dated as 1901 but the caption admits it could have be any time between 1895 and 1912. The middle photo is undated but the building has been rebuilt and/or modernised and looks closer to todays layout and now is obviously a Bells & Co. house. The third photo (below right) shows what the Armoury looks like today when it is firmly a Robinsons outlet.
The final photo from
yester-years took some tracking down because in days gone by Ye Olde Vic was known as the Victoria Vaults. The older photo is undated, but can't be that long ago as shown by the municipal flats which loom in background. Nowadays Ye Olde Vic is a multi-ale free house, whereas then it was yet again a Wilsons house.
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Edgeley and Shaw Heath |
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Timing |
Pub Name |
Address |
Bus & Rail |
Notes |
7.30pm Starting point |
Alexandra |
195 Northgate Road |
Map |
|
Then |
Royal Oak |
124 Castle Street |
Map |
No real ale |
8:30pm Mid-point |
Prince Albert |
107 Castle Street |
Map |
|
Followed by |
Sir Robert Peel |
83 Castle Street |
Map |
No real ale |
Pineapple |
50 Castle Street |
Map |
No Real Ale |
|
Jolly Crofter |
15 Castle Street |
Map |
No Real Ale |
|
Armoury |
31 Shaw Heath |
Map |
||
Finishing at |
Olde Vic |
1 Chatham Street |
Map |
|
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