Research & Heritage : Shopping for Stories

Image: Mr & Mrs Wood at the ‘Top Shop’ or ‘Ten O’Clock Shop’ on Carhill Road via Mossley Old Photos & Historical Facts

OUR RESEARCH WITH MOSSLEY HERITAGE CENTRE & TAMESIDE IMAGE ARCHIVE

Mossley Heritage Centre

Mossley Heritage Centre is a little historical gem, based in the corner of the Emmaus building on Queen Street, just a couple of minutes walk from the station. The centre is occupied by a massive baling machine, artefacts, archives, memorabilia, maps, books by local historians, furniture, photographic collections, a schoolroom, kitchen and living area. It’s literally jam packed with extraordinary stories of local folk and the incredible histories of this former mill town that was once at the hear of the wool and cotton industry.

Our research on the history of Mossley’s high streets has been made all the easier thanks to this wonderful book, ‘Mossley Shops Through The Years’ by local historians Alison Wild and Shirley Howard, published by Mossley Civic Society. Copies are £9 and available to buy at Mossley Heritage Centre.

These three new artworks by Signs by Umberto re-imagine signs for old Mossley Shops, inspired by Almanacs in the collections of the Mossley Heritage Centre. They are part of a new exhibition at Mossley Train Station, featuring eleven intricate sets of panels fitted along the platform and in the waiting room, which draw inspiration from the vintage signage and advertising typography of Mossley's local retailers through the ages, including long-gone butchers shops, photography studios and drapers.

 

 

 

Just some of the adverts for old shops taken from the many almanacs at Mossley Heritage Centre, which have formed the basis for new work by Signs by Umberto for the Signs of the Times exhibition.

This old packaging at the Mossley Heritage Centre inspired the colours in the new work by Signs by Umberto. See all the new artwork at in the 'Signs of the Times' exhibition at Mossley Train Station. Click the link below for more information...

This old packaging at the Mossley Heritage Centre inspired the colours in the new work by Signs by Umberto. See all the new artwork at in the 'Signs of the Times' exhibition at Mossley Train Station. Click the link below for more information...

This old packaging at the Mossley Heritage Centre inspired the colours in the new work by Signs by Umberto. See all the new artwork at in the 'Signs of the Times' exhibition at Mossley Train Station. Click the link below for more information...

This old packaging at the Mossley Heritage Centre inspired the colours in the new work by Signs by Umberto. See all the new artwork at in the 'Signs of the Times' exhibition at Mossley Train Station. Click the link below for more information...

Tameside Local Studies and Archive Centre

Opening up the past through it’s public archives, photographs and official records, material relating to the history of Tameside’s nine towns (Ashton-u-Lyne, Audenshaw, Denton, Droylsden, Dukinfield, Hyde, Longdendale, Mossley, Stalybridge) is centralised at the Tameside Local Studies and Archives Centre. You can find educational resources, research guides, family history, and a wealth of information on people, places and events throughout the borough and history. And the Tameside Image Archive have over 21,000 images available online for you to search and purchase, with new images being added all the time. Follow the links to dive in and find your histories!

 

Do you recognise the Mossley streets and shops in these archive images?

All images © Tameside Image Archive

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