Regulars at one of Saddleworth’s oldest pubs have stepped back in time by recreating a photograph believed to have been taken 80 years ago.
Customers, residents and friends of the White Hart Inn gathered outside the historic pub on Saturday, May 30, to replicate an image that has hung on the wall of the venue for decades.
The original black-and-white photograph is believed to date from 1946 and shows a large group of villagers and pub-goers assembled outside the inn.
Keen to preserve a piece of local history, owner Charles Brierley organised the recreation, bringing together many of the pub’s regular customers and local residents.
The resulting photograph captures a modern-day snapshot of community life at the White Hart, mirroring the spirit of the original image taken shortly after the end of the Second World War.
The White Hart itself has a rich history stretching back more than two centuries. The handsome stone-built inn was originally constructed in 1788 by local landowner John Buckley and has played a variety of roles throughout its lifetime.
Over the years, parts of the building have served as a schoolhouse, a weaver’s cottage, a local police station complete with holding cells and even a lookout point during the Second World War.
The Buckley family sold the premises to Gartside Brewery in 1921 and the Grade II-listed property remained brewery-run until 1987.
In June 1994, Charles Brierley purchased the freehold and has overseen the pub ever since, helping it remain a focal point of village life in Lydgate.
The recreation of the historic photograph not only celebrates the pub’s long history but also highlights the strong sense of community that continues to thrive around one of Saddleworth’s most iconic inns.
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