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Stretford Public
Hall
 Stretford Public Hall stands
beside
Chester Road near the junction with Kingsway.
The building was designed by the
architect N. Lofthouse and built in 1878. It was one of
the
contributions made to the community by John Rylands, the textile
millionaire. The image above is show with the permission of Bill Boaden from his collect on the Geograph website.  The image above is show with the permission of Mike Faherty from his collect on the Geograph website.  Above: Enriqueta and John Rylands. The Rylands moved to Stretford
in 1857 to take up residence in Longford Hall. Previously
they had lived in a house in Ardwick Green, which in later years was
converted into St. Gregory's R. C. School.
His generosity towards the residents of Stretford led to his donation of a public baths, a church, homes for the elderly and a coffee house, in addition to the Public Hall. When Rylands died in 1888, his widow, Enriqueta, made the hall available to the local council for a nominal rent. When she died in 1908 the hall was sold to Stretford Council for £5,000. Stretford Public Hall became
home to the
Stretford Civic Theatre but over the years fell into a poor state of
repair. It was designated a Grade II Listed building in 1987 and
was refurbished, in the 1990s, when Trafford Council used it as
offices.
The Rylands' home, Longford Hall, was demolished in 1995 but the grounds survive as Longford Park. Close Window |