Sid’s Sites – Memories of Heeley by Sid Wetherill

Cat Lane is an ancient lane, there were 12 terrace cottages that numbered 12 to 24, and in 1898 when it was called Lees Hall Lane, an entry in the baptism register of Heeley Church shows that Eleanor, daughter of John and Rachael Dawson of 12 Lees Hall Lane, was baptised on August 17.  Her father was a brick maker at Meadowhead Quarry, now the site of Morrison’s supermarket. 

The house between no 24 and the shop would have been delivering to the bakehouse which is still there baking for Lembas.  Further down the lane we come to Rose Cottage, a detached house which had been converted from semi-detached, the other cottage was called Ivy, they were built for two farm labourers employed by Farmer Booker of Lees Hall, the large mansion which stood at the bottom of the golf course. 

I knew it as Earp’s Farm, my father-in-law as Clarke’s Farm.  It came up for sale with the golf club and the pair of cottages opposite the River Meersbrook in 1920.  There are numerous entries of baptisms, marriages, and burials at St James Church Norton, many during the reign of Elizabeth I. 

Another resident of the hall was a Master Cutler, who owned Vulcan Dam and the wheel that was fed by the River Porter.  Ellin Street was named after him and the dam site is now Staples and Mothercare.  There is a painting of the dam with St Mary’s Church in the background.