Location of the Gaping Goose on Fitzwilliam Street, Swinton
This public house, also known as the Swan with Two Necks, was a Coaching Inn but was eventually converted into a house. Families called Jenkinson and Kemp lived here. It was demolished in the early years of the 20th century.
Highfield Court, Swinton
This house was built on Fitzwilliam Street. Thomas Brameld, a partner in the Rockingham Pottery business, lived here. After the death of Thomas, Swinton Council purchased the house and used it for their offices. The house and gardens disappeared circa 1980 and are now the site of Highfield Court. On the 1891 Census, Frederick Harrop and his family are living here.
Harrop Gardens, Swinton
Rock House in Station Street was originally the home of Edwin Thomas Harrop. In 1932, this house was purchased by Swinton Council and for a time used for educational and child welfare purposes. The Misses Harrop, granddaughters of Edwin, donated the grounds of the house to the Council with the intention of them being used by the elderly people of Swinton. In the 1960s, this house and the gardens were removed to make way for Swinton Precinct, municipal buildings and a pocket park called Harrop Gardens.
Robin Hood, Swinton
This early 20th century building appears to have replaced an earlier structure named the, Robin Hood & Little John Inn.
Landlords have included:-
Butter Cross, Swinton
This Butter Cross would have provided a meeting place and a location to trade goods. The actual cross was probably destroyed in the 16th or 17th centuries and all that survives is a plinth and a base. It was removed from its original location of Chapel Hill to the Church and finally back to Chapel Hill again in 2004 when a new cross was added in an attempt to recreate how it perhaps had originally looked.
Swinton Post Office
The Post Office on Station Street occupied the building it was in for all or most of the time it has been standing. In 2014, it closed and relocated to a nearby Spar convenience store, also on Station Street. It is now occupied by the B.A.R.C. animal charity shop.
The Darby family ran the above Post Office in the 1970s.
Most of the other Post Offices in the area have also closed:-
Highthorn Post Office in Kilnhurst closed in January 2004.
Roman Terrace Post Office closed in the 1990s.
Swinton Common Post Office closed in February 2004.
Victoria Street Post Office in Kilnhurst closed in February 2004.
Another Post Office, in Swinton, that closed many decades ago, was on Bridge Street, in the building to the right of the bric-a-brac shop in the photo below on Bridge Street.
Dolly Morgans’ (left) & Former Post Office (right)
Swinton Bridge School
This was a Board School built in 1878 and is currently occupied by a number of business units. It closed as a school in 1981 and the tower was removed in January 2017.
Teachers at this school have included (please supply service years if known):-
Mr. Boswell – 1970s
Mrs. Bouley
Mrs. Carr – 1970s
Mrs. Chappell – 1970s
Mr. Drury – 1970s
Mrs. Eady – 1970s
Mrs. Gibson (Head Teacher) – 1970s
Mrs. Horsley
Mrs. King
Mrs. Ingham (Head Teacher) – 1960s
Mr. Jones (Deputy Head Teacher)
Mrs. Lockwood – 1970s
Mrs. Loyd
Miss Pontefract – 1970s
Mr. Randerson
Other staff included (please supply service years if known):-
Mrs. Wagstaff (Dinner Lady) – 1970s
Talbot Road Bridge, Swinton
THE ADVERTISER, THURS., DEC. 31st, 1981 FOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 1st, 1982
A £40,000 railway footbridge, that cuts out a one and a half mile detour for workers on the Morphy Richards industrial estate at Swinton, was opened.
The bridge, which spans the main Doncaster to Sheffield line, will make life easier for workers living on the Swinton side.
Ship Inn, Swinton
A weekend night around Swinton was a very popular activity in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Swinton was the place to be and people would travel from far and wide from around South Yorkshire to get here.
The three main venues were the Red House, Ship Inn and the Tow Path (latterly called the Canal Bar). Other nearby watering holes included the Don Hotel, Station Hotel, Swinton Bottom Club and Swinton Victoria Club.
The decline of the above pubs seemed to occur sometime between 1999 and 2004, but when exactly? Did something happen to cause the decline? Personally, I put it down to a shift in tastes. The Ship Inn etc were basically traditional pubs and the younger generation wanted more trendy ‘bars’ that sold cocktails in a more refined atmosphere.
The Canal Bar was the demolished in 2006 and the Ship Inn in 2012. The Don Hotel closed for business in early 2010 and is now a catering and retail establishment.
Did you ever have a night out around Swinton? Have you any photos or stories to share? Did you perhaps meet your future husband/wife around Swinton?
Racecourse & the entrance to it
Swinton Racecourse was established by Earl Fitzwilliam in the 19th century. The track is still visible and can be walked upon, although a section of it has disappeared underneath a Wath housing development. The entrance to the racecourse can still be walked along.
The stables for this racecourse were demolished in the 1980s and houses have now been built in their place.
WEEK 42 