J. Oswald ( Ozzy) Stead and farm worker Jack Creaser
Mr. J. Oswald Stead, was the farmer and former occupant of Hunt’s Farm for many years until his death. In his lifetime the farm was known as ‘Stead’s Farm’. Mr. Stead is shown here on the left with his farm worker, Mr. Jack Creaser, holding the horse. They have probably been ‘hedging’ (tidying, cutting and layering hedges) with the flat cart and heavy farm horse. A later occupant of the farm was Mr. George Hirst and his family and he is succeeded by his sons and the farm is now referred to as ‘Hirst’s Farm.
Main Street from Hunt’s Farm
On the right (south) side of Main Street are no houses, no footpath, just bushes and spare ground.
On the left (north) side a stone wall marks the boundary of the front garden of the farm house. The long, low farm building hiding two cottages -Rose Cottages. Standing well back from the road, they had long, neat and colourful gardens in front. The entrance was through a small gate in the stone wall, approximately where the child is standing.
The path divided into two, one going to each house. Behind Rose Cottages you can see the chimneys of 5 houses of Wesleyan Chapel Yard, or Chapel Square or Terrace, owned by Waide’s executors. Rose Cottages and Chapel Square houses were vacated in 1959 and subsequently demolished, with no replacement, just a spare overgrown grass site adjoining the Methodist Chapel.
Beyond is a side and front view of the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel and the roof of the 2 storey Sunday School; then Mrs. Crewe’s high-gabled draper’s shop, jutting out and hiding the Commercial Inn. There is the long, low butcher’s house and shop at the bottom of Pit Lane and, in the rear, the gable of the Red House.
All images are available for purchase. Please quote the image reference number when ordering.