Ladybarn, a suburban area which lies to the east of Withington, centred on Ladybarn Lane - now Mauldeth Road, features in early 19th century records as a group of small buildings surrounded by fields.

It is part of the urban sprawl of Manchester, but some of the original cobbled streets remain today.

The name ‘Ladybarn’ may refer to a tithe barn, related to Layday - a date in the agricultural calender, or could be named after Lady Barn House, formerly the home of Lady Barn House School.

The tithe map of 1845 to 1848 records Ladybarn as a district and field name.

(Image: Manchester Local Image Collection at Manchester City Council)

(Image: Manchester Local Image Collection at Manchester City Council) (Image: Manchester Local Image Collection at Manchester City Council)

Lady Barn House School, an independent school now based in Cheadle, moved to its current location in the 1950s, but spent many years in Ladybarn.

It was founded by William Henry Herford in 1873, in a bid to reform education methods practiced in England, using techniques used in Switzerland and Germany, and was originally located on Wilmslow Road in Withington as The Day School for Boys and Girls.

Within a few years it moved to nearby Lady Barn House, was renamed, and became supported by the German community in Manchester.

By 1904, around 70 boys and girls attended the school. It was controversial for promoting co-education, as many experts of the time disagreed with the idea of boys and girls being educated together.

C. P. Scott, the editor of the Manchester Guardian, was chairman of the board of governors at Lady Barn House School between 1904 and 1934.

Miss C. M. Jenkin Jones became headmistress in 1922, and remained in the role until 1960, after the school had moved to Cheadle.

Pupils were evacuated to Great Budworth in Cheshire for three years during the Second World War, then the school moved to Ashdale in Cheadle in the 1950s.

While the next headmistress following Miss Jones - Miss B. Noakes - was in post, in 1961, the school moved to Langlands, also in Cheadle.

(Image: Manchester Local Image Collection at Manchester City Council)

(Image: Manchester Local Image Collection at Manchester City Council) (Image: Manchester Local Image Collection at Manchester City Council)

Another local institution, Ladybarn Social Club, was originally called Ladybarn and District Royal British Legion CLub.

It was one of the first legions in the UK, although it has now left the organisation and become a social club in its own right.

After the First World War, in 1919, ex-servicemen discharged from the army wanted somewhere to meet and socialise, so they set up the club.

Lord Egerton donated a piece of land on Edward Street, now known as Beverley Road, and a simple wooden hut was constructed.

After Lord Egerton’s death in 1958, the hut was demolished and a new brick building was built, with a concert room, lounge and bars.

Next to the club stood Derby Hall, owned by Lord Egerton until February 1909, then bought by Thomas Turnball, from Burnage.

He left the building to his three children, who set up the Turnball Institute and Ladybarn Lads’ Club to provide a religious, educational and social centre for local men.

The institute was later demolished, and after the new club building was built in 1962, the founders bought the 1,170 square yards of land on which it had sat.

An new extension of the club was built, with snooker tables, a television room, additional toilets and a committee room.

This building saw the club through four decades and is still in use today

(Image: Manchester Local Image Collection at Manchester City Council) (Image: Manchester Local Image Collection at Manchester City Council) (Image: Manchester Local Image Collection at Manchester City Council)

Lord Egerton had a hand in another key building in Ladybarn’s history - St Chad’s Church.

He made a site on the south side of Mauldeth Road available, and in 1890 a tender was accepted to build a wooden hut, porch and vestry. The first service was held on June 12 that year.

In February 1900, the existing building was deemed too small for the newly-established St Chad’s parish and it was closed.

The same year a temporary ‘iron church’ was erected on the Mauldeth Road site under an initiative by the Bishop of Manchester to cater for the spiritual needs of Manchester’s expanding population.

The church’s popularity grew and between March and July 1901 it was extended so that it could hold 250.

An new building, designed to seat 500, was built from Accrington brick with bands of Alderney stone in 1906 and 1907.

Earl Egerton laid the foundation stone and the building was consecrated by the Bishop of Manchester on St Luke’s Day, October 18, 1907.

Construction of the church rectory began in June 1914 and was expected to be completed by October the same year, however the First World War delayed proceedings, and it was finally finished in June 1915.

In October 1952, a fire broke out in the church’s organ chamber, probably caused by an electrical fault in the organ blower.

Some 30 firemen stopped the fire spreading to the nave by hacking through the roof above the chancel and considerable damage was done.

Repair work got underway quickly, thanks to an insurance claim and appeal for donations, and the chancel was brought back into use in October the following year, with a replacement organ installed at a cost of £3,130.

A new church hall was built in 1969, and the fist ‘Talent Sunday’ was held on June 4, 1995, when parishioners took £10 and sought to increase it by Harvest Festival.

Some 13 people took part, and others held smaller fundraising activities without the £10 injection, and a total of £1,110 was returned by Harvest. This scheme is still running today.

(Image: Manchester Local Image Collection at Manchester City Council) (Image: Manchester Local Image Collection at Manchester City Council) (Image: Manchester Local Image Collection at Manchester City Council)

Ladybarn is now an attractive place to live, with houses of various ages, a shopping area and a railway station.

The area also features Ladybarn Park, with its Poplar Walk, outdoor gym, bowling club, sports facilities and children’s playground.