Six Houses, Hale Road, Hale Barns

•    Nos 223 and 225, semi-detached, known as “Barrowcroft”
•    Nos 227 and 229, semi-detached, known as “White Thorn Lodge” and “Turvelaws”
•    No 231, detached, known as “Cross Heyes”
•    No 233, detached, known as “Tiverton”

From 1907 to 1908, Cocker built six houses on Hale Road. The designs are all different and seem to have borrowed stylistic features from the nearby Edgar Wood houses on Park Road and Plane Tree Road. Indeed, John Archer, in his 1963/4 article for the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society, “Edgar Wood: A Notable Manchester Architect”, identified White Thorn Lodge and Turvelaws as having been designed by Edgar Wood. However, later research has revealed that Cocker was the architect responsible. All six are Grade II listed buildings. [Richard Fletcher]