Hyde, Cheshire Genealogy

Hyde, Cheshire was historically a township in the Stockport Ancient parish of Stockport St Mary. It became a civil parish in 1866 and in a series of changes to boundaries and administrative changes grew to become part of Greater Manchester in 1974.

Newton Hall was present in the 13th century. The area formed a township of the parish of Stockport, St Mary. Its name is derived from the hide, a measure of land for taxation purposes, taken to be that area of land necessary to support a peasant family. In later times it was taken to be equivalent to 120 acres (0.5 km²).

The population of Hyde increased due to the success of the cotton mills during the Industrial Revolution of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. At one stage there were forty working mills. By 1872 only twenty-seven remained. Half of the remaining mills closed between 1921 and 1939. There is one working mill in the town today. There were many mill owning families, including the Sidebotham, Hibbert and Horsfield families. The main employers in the mills were the Ashton family who successfully ran a combined spinning and weaving company. Most mills concentrated on one process only. The Ashton family built Hyde Chapel on Stockport Road, Gee Cross. The Ashton Brothers' Mill has recently been demolished to make way for a housing estate.

St George's Church was built in 1832 as a chapel to St Mary's, Stockport. It was built at the instigation of John Hyde Clarke of Hyde Hall and was the first Church of England place of worship in the town. St George's became the Parish church of part of Hyde township in 1842. Later additions include the lychgate, boathouse by the canal, hearse house, parish rooms and numerous vicarages. The church has a 110-foot (34 m) tower housing eight bells and a clock.

The Peak Forest Canal was constructed through Hyde from Ashton-under-Lyne to Woodley, Romiley and Marple. Captain Clarke's Bridge, originally named Wood End Canal Bridge is situated at the end of Woodend Lane. The bridge was erected before Captain Clarke rose to prominence and therefore probably became known as Captain Clarke's bridge after he retired and resided there.

There was also a coal mine in the town and in January 1889 an explosion there killed 23 miners. The following month Ardwick AFC, modern day Manchester City, played Newton Heath, modern day Manchester United, under floodlights at Belle Vue to raise money for the victims' families. The game was watched by 10,000 people and this was the first floodlit match played by either team.

Churches and Chapels
Stockport St Mary, Cheshire. The ancient parish church for Hyde. Hyde St George, Cheshire. Church Street/Great Norbury Street. Built in 1832 as a chapel to Stockport St Mary, becoming the parish church for part of Hyde in 1842. Registers of Baptisms 1832–1971, Marriages 1839–1983 and Burials 1832–1973 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record Office. See Hyde St George Hyde, St. Thomas (C of E). Lumm Road. Founded 1846 as the parish church for part of Hyde. Registers of Baptisms 1847–1924, Marriages 1869–1919 and Burials 1869–1900 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record Office. Gee Cross, Holy Trinity (C of E). Higham Lane. Built in 1874 as a chapel to St George, becoming the parish church for parts of Hyde and Werneth in 1880. Registers of Baptisms from 1874, Marriages from 1875 and Burials from 1874 are held at the church. Bishop's Transcripts 1891–1902 are held at the Cheshire Record Office. Hyde, St. Paul (Roman Catholic), Newton Moor. Founded 1848, the present church was Built in 1854. Registers of baptisms 1856–1957, marriages 1856–1955 and burials 1857–1942 are at the Cheshire Record Office. Hyde, Friends' Meeting House (Quaker), Chapel Street. Built in 1873. Hyde, Baptist Union Chapel, Chapel Street/Union Street. Built in 1869. Hyde, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Reginald Street. Hyde, Methodist Chapel (Primitive), Hoviley Brow. Built in 1813. Registers of baptisms 1848–1934 and marriages 1909–1953 are at Manchester Central Library. Hyde, Methodist Chapel (Wesleyan), New Street. Founded 1823. Registers 1820–1837 are at the Cheshire Record Office. Hyde, Methodist Chapel (Wesleyan), Norfolk Street. Built in 1850. Hyde, Methodist Chapel (New Connexion), George Street. Built in 1858. Gee Cross, Methodist Chapel, Joel Lane (Primitive). Registers of marriages 1910–1969 are at the Cheshire Record Office. Hyde, Spiritualist Church, George Street. Gee Cross, Unitarian Chapel. Founded 1708, Built in 1846. Hyde, Unitarian Chapel. Built in 1878. Later undenominational. Hyde, United Reformed Church (Independent/Congregational), Union Street. Founded 1814, Built in 1822, rebuilt in 1843. Registers 1822–1837 are at the Cheshire Record Office. Hyde, United Reformed (Zion) Church (Independent/Congregational), Stockport Road. Built in 1847.