COPEC Housing scheme Eaton Road Bowdon Vale

This development consists of 16 houses – two blocks of four houses on Eaton Road, and one block of four and two blocks of two on Eaton Court. There are plaques on each of the Eaton Road blocks, recording the laying of the foundation stones. COPEC was a Conference on Christian Politics, Economics and Citizenship held in Birmingham in April 1924. It was a multi-denominational enterprise and its aim was "to think out the application of Christian principles to the problems of contemporary life". Regional conferences followed and the one in Manchester took place between 6^th and 9^th October 1924. One of its specific aims was to produce good quality housing at reasonable rents, and as a result a Copec Housing Committee was set up in Altrincham, chaired by John Goodier Haworth. Haworth was a prominent public figure and lived at Hurst Dale, the Dunkerleys’ former house in Bowdon. Dunkerley was appointed honorary architect, and George Faulkner Armitage served on the committee. The Earl of Stamford donated one acre of land, and the enterprise was funded by share capital and loan stock.  Bowdon Vale was a working class district lying to the south of Langham Road and made a stark contrast to the opulent villas and mansions to the north. In the days before council housing, the scheme was a significant and welcome development and was strongly supported by the local medical practitioners amongst others. [RF]

Reference           Information from Richard Fletcher 22 October 2016