Limekiln Bank, Bucknall, Stoke-on-Trent

Limekiln Bank, Bucknall, Stoke-on-Trent

Limekiln Bank, Bucknall at the junction with Leek Road c.1950's
Limekiln Bank, Bucknall at the junction with Leek Road c.1950's
to the left is the Ivy House Estate

street map of the area c.1955

1898 map showing Finney Gardens and the Bucknall & Northwood Station

Finney Gardens:

Finney Gardens gets its name from a the name of the field which was "Big Finney Field" - in the 1860's the Finney Gardens area was a market garden covering 16 acres on both sides of the railway track. The plant nursery was owned by Theophilus Cartlidge who developed his nursery, having areas for picnics and serving ales and wines.

Over the next few years the gardens were developed and became a big attraction - many events were held there.

1864 - Grand Gala and Great Rose Show - with Vocalists, Brass and string bands and Dancing.

1867 - Grand Tulip Show.

1868 - Grand Gala with Hanley Brass Quadrille Band, Croquet, Globe Shooting, Skittles, Fireworks.

1868 - Bucknall Horse Races, Donkey Race, Waggon Horse racing. Sports, Brunt's Band. Stalls, Shooting.

1868 - Bucknall Horse Races, Hurdle Races, Shooting Galleries, Trapeze Performance, Balloon Ascents, Fireworks.

1870 - Grand Gala, Burslem Rifle Volunteer Band, Dancing.

1873 - Pigeon Shooting.

1873 - North Staffordshire Ironworkers Demonstration and Gala, Procession, Bands.

1875 - Hanley Cricket Ground, Finney Gardens - Cricket match.

Leek Road and Finney Gardens

The Biddulph Valley Railway:

Running through the centre of the picture is Leek Road, at the bottom left is Cromer Road. Running parallel with Leek Road is Biddulph branch of the North Staffordshire Railway which was opened in 1859 for mineral traffic.

In 1864 the line was certified for passenger traffic and this opened the Bucknall area open to day visitors who visited the Finney Gardens.

To the left of the picture is the Caldon Canal and between the canal and Leek Road is the River Trent.

To the bottom right is part of Finney Gardens and Bucknall Park, in the centre right is Heath House Lane.

In the front left is Cromer Road which roughly follows the line of a tramway which ran from the Bucknall Railway station to Northwood Colliery.

Limekiln Bank and the roundabout at Leek Road

To the left is the Caldon Canal which was opened in 1779 - it joins the Trent and Mersey Canal at Etruria and was built to carry minerals from the uplands of the Peak District to the Potteries.

Bucknall Road runs left to right across the picture and it crosses the canal at the Ivy House Bridge. The roundabout is the junction of Bucknall Road and Leek Road (the section of the road nearest the camera was originally Abbey Road).

At the crossroads is a saw mill. Front left is Beeches Garage and front far right is the Bucknall Station platform.

Ivy House Road and Goodwin's Foundry

To the left is the Caldon Canal, Ivy House Road runs from Leek Road over the wooden drawbridge at the top left.

In the forground is the football pitch and sports ground belonging to J & G Meakin's Eagle Pottery. The works in the centre are the ironworks and enggineering works of R. Goodwin & Sons (Engineers) Ltd. who started operation on this site in 1883.

On the corner, in front of Goodwins, is Heaths - originall wooden crate makers for the pottery industry and at the time of this photograph they produced wooden sheds and garages.

contents: 2011 photos