history
ROCHDALE IN 1921 1921 – like 2021 - was a census year. For many Style readers the prospect of the publication of that year's census is very exciting. Census details are published a century after they took place and the 1921 census will be available early next year. This led to this writer thinking about Rochdale a hundred years ago. The Great War had finished in 1918 and Rochdale was recovering from the terrible losses of that conflict. This was before radio, television or the NHS. People's lives were harder and certainly shorter. Most children left school at just 14. What did Rochdale look like in 1921? First of all, the most noticeable difference was the transport. There was a well established electric tram network with routes to Bacup (via Whitworth), Heywood, Norden, Castleton, Newhey and Littleborough.
Town Centre c1920s 46 | Rochdale Style
Yorkshire Street c1920s
There were also through services to Manchester and other towns. These were usually double decker trams similar to Blackpool's heritage trams. There was little motor transport in 1921 so mostly bicycles and horse-drawn vehicles were seen alongside the trams. Things were slowly changing; in July 1921, Rochdale's old horse ambulance was replaced by the first motor ambulance. A company called Hills were advertising motor coach tours. Without the dual carriageway of St Mary's Gate, the main road from west to east twisted around the centre of Rochdale, hence the name: Yorkshire Street! Manchester Road was narrower and surrounded by mills and terraced housing. A century ago, our town centre had far more industrial buildings and housing close by. People generally lived and worked in the same area.
Broadway c1925
