Middleton Local Studies Archive
Middleton Library holds the Local Studies archive for the Middleton area.
Resources held in the archive include parish records, census returns, trade directories, newspapers, a large collection of maps and plans, and a large collection of books, pamphlets and articles which cover all aspects of the area's past.
The Local Studies archive is a reference collection - it is freely accessible to the public (during library opening hours), but materials may not be borrowed.
Middleton Library Opening Hours:
Mondays 9:00am – 5:00pm
Tuesdays 9:00am – 5:00pm
Wednesdays 9:00am – 5:00pm
Thursdays 9:00am – 6:00pm
Fridays 9:00am – 5:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am – 3:00pm
We look forward to welcoming you soon to uncover more of this hidden treasure, featuring bygone streets, mills, schools, churches and many other local landmarks.
Resources held in the archive include parish records, census returns, trade directories, newspapers, a large collection of maps and plans, and a large collection of books, pamphlets and articles which cover all aspects of the area's past.
The Local Studies archive is a reference collection - it is freely accessible to the public (during library opening hours), but materials may not be borrowed.
Middleton Library Opening Hours:
Mondays 9:00am – 5:00pm
Tuesdays 9:00am – 5:00pm
Wednesdays 9:00am – 5:00pm
Thursdays 9:00am – 6:00pm
Fridays 9:00am – 5:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am – 3:00pm
We look forward to welcoming you soon to uncover more of this hidden treasure, featuring bygone streets, mills, schools, churches and many other local landmarks.
We are especially proud of our Photographic Archive, which we hope to show off with this walking trail.
We owe the largest part of the collection to the photographic skill, and amazing productivity of one man - Lawrence Kaye.
Lawrence Kaye was a keen amateur photographer, and member of the Manchester Amateur Photographic Society.
The Society had sent out its members to take a street-by-street survey of Manchester, prior to major clearances and new developments. Lawrence Kaye covered Middleton, Harpurhey and Blackley – from Manchester town centre to Victoria Avenue, producing thousands of photographs.
He was subsequently commissioned to take many more pictures of Middleton; for example the shops that were to make way for Middleton Shopping Centre, and the building of the central roundabouts.
Upon his death in 2000, “Middleton’s Mr Photo”, as he was hailed by the Middleton Guardian at the time, bequeathed almost 4000 photos, taken mostly in the 50s, 60s and 70s to the Archives and Local Studies Departments at Manchester Central Library, Middleton Library and Touchstones Rochdale.
The L. Kaye collection is the heart of the photographic collection at Middleton Library – which has since grown, with many more commissioned pictures chronicling the changing face of Middleton, and many donations.
We owe the largest part of the collection to the photographic skill, and amazing productivity of one man - Lawrence Kaye.
Lawrence Kaye was a keen amateur photographer, and member of the Manchester Amateur Photographic Society.
The Society had sent out its members to take a street-by-street survey of Manchester, prior to major clearances and new developments. Lawrence Kaye covered Middleton, Harpurhey and Blackley – from Manchester town centre to Victoria Avenue, producing thousands of photographs.
He was subsequently commissioned to take many more pictures of Middleton; for example the shops that were to make way for Middleton Shopping Centre, and the building of the central roundabouts.
Upon his death in 2000, “Middleton’s Mr Photo”, as he was hailed by the Middleton Guardian at the time, bequeathed almost 4000 photos, taken mostly in the 50s, 60s and 70s to the Archives and Local Studies Departments at Manchester Central Library, Middleton Library and Touchstones Rochdale.
The L. Kaye collection is the heart of the photographic collection at Middleton Library – which has since grown, with many more commissioned pictures chronicling the changing face of Middleton, and many donations.