Tameside Through Time

The Local Government Reorganisation Plan of 1971 brought together the nine townships of Ashton under Lyne, Audenshaw, Denton, Droylsden, Dukinfield, Hyde, Longdendale, Mossley and Stalybridge and, from 1 April 1974, the towns came together under the nomenclature of Tameside. We have attempted to illustrate through old photographs and their modern counterparts a glimpse of these very individual townships. The Kings Head in Droylesden will be forever associated with Guardsman Neil 'Tony' Downes, son of licensees Ronnie and Sheryl. Twenty-year-old Tony was killed in Afghanistan in June 2007. His funeral at St Mary's Church, with full military honours, was on the 28 June, the very day he had been due home on leave. Tony wrote letters home and his words were set to music by chart act, 'The Soldiers'. Entitled Letters Home it was released in 2010.