Freehold, Greater Manchester

In the early 1860s John Platt (MP), the son of Henry Platt who founded Platt Brothers textile machinery manufacturers in 1770, purchased the land now known as Freehold from the Lees family, incumbents of the manorial Werneth Hall. Platt, at that time Mayor of Oldham, commenced a programme of house building, enabling workers of Platts and other local manufacturers to become Forty-shilling freeholders. thus giving the workers the right to vote. Platts' were for a time the largest manufacturers of machinery for the cotton industry in the world employing some 15,000 people.[1]

A footpath linking Manchester Road with the ancient road of Block Lane was built up to become Oxford Street.[10] The opening of Oxford Street led to the construction of numerous side streets linking to Manchester Road and Block Lane and by 1914 the area had been completely covered by rows of terraced housing.[1]

Freehold had a number of public houses only one of which remains. The Royal Oak, Manchester Road, opened in 1825.[11]

The district once had its own cinema. The Gem Cinema, Suffolk Street, was opened in 1920. It later had a Western Electric (WE) sound system and the proscenium was 20 ft wide. The Gem Cinema was closed in the early-1960s. It became a cabaret club known as the Consul Club, which attracted artists such as Engelbert Humperdinck and Frank Ifield. Initially it was a success, but business dropped off after a few months. In 2006 it was occupied by a soft furnishing company but had been demolished by 2009. Houses now occupy the site.[12]

Freehold is part of the parish of Christ Church (Church of England), Block Lane. Christ Church was built in 1870 and remains an active Anglican church with many community projects in addition to its primary school well into the 21st century.

Freehold's increasing population in the mid 19th century saw Cowhill Methodist Church expand its ministry into this area and a decision was made to build a chapel in Rutland Street, Werneth, half a mile away from Cowhill, and in 1861 the foundations were laid for one of the largest churches in Oldham, Brunswick Wesleyan Methodist church which opened in 1862. The church closed in 1954.[13] Cowhill became prolific at building churches. Two more building projects including a new school for Brunswick, on Oxford Street, opened in January 1890.[14]

The congregation moved to Edward Street Methodist Church (500 yards from Rutland Street) which itself dates back to 1861. That church closed in 1967 when it amalgamated with several other local churches, including Cowhill Methodist Church, to form South Chadderton Methodist Church at Butler Green.[15]

Freehold is home to a large Muslim population and three mosques serve the area, the Werneth Jamia Masjid, Manchester Road, the Markazi Mosque (capacity 1,600), Suffolk Street and Jamia Islamia Ghamkolia Mosque on Warwick Street.

Werneth Jamia Masjid was the first masjid to be established in the Werneth area of Oldham. The building was previously used as a grocery store and was purchased in 1976 to be converted into a much needed place of worship. The local community helped raise the £7,200 required to purchase the property through donations.[16][17][17]

Freehold Metrolink Station

First Greater Manchester operate bus services 81 and 83 linking Freehold with Oldham town centre and with Manchester City centre, via Moston and Failsworth, with evening services on route 81 continuing to Derker operated by Stagecoach Manchester.

Manchester Community Transport operates bus services 159 to Oldham via Chadderton town centre and to Middleton via Hollinwood, Woodhouses, Failsworth and New Moston plus service 419 providing links to Ashton-U-Lyne and to Middleton via Chadderton town centre.[18][19][20]

Freehold Metrolink station provides direct tram links to Manchester and beyond and to Rochdale railway station and town centre.[21]

• Werneth Freehold Masterplan
• Werneth and Freehold Community Development Project
• Freehold Community School
• Werneth Jamia Masjid