Junction Inn (Newton, HYDE)

The former Junction Inn in 2009.

The Junction Inn was situated at 150 Ashton Road and built sometime around 1850 as a private residence. In 1874 it was converted into a public house by its first and longest serving landlord Rolla Oldham who brewed his own beer. It's clear that Rolla was very patriotic as a portrait of Queen Victoria was hung behing the bar and after the Battle of Rorke's Drift the bar was draped in black as a sign of respect. Rolla Oldham and his wife Mary were still there in 1916 when they received three lots of bad news in the space of three days. Their son's boss at Ashton Brothers Mill (and their son's Captain), a Mr Sayce, was killed in action on the 1st July. Then the following day their son Joe died of his wounds in France and the day after that their son-in-law Charles Beaumont was also killed in action. One can only imagine what the Junction Inn was like after that sort of tragedy. The Junction Inn closed around 2004 and has since been used by a variety of businesses. As of 2012 an application is pending for the demolition of the Junction Inn and the erection of three 2 bedroom houses with parking.