WITH its roof domes and arches, stonework and balcony, Radcliffe Town Hall cuts quite a dash in the town centre.

Built in 1911 in a prime position at the junction of three major roads, it’s hard to miss this historic example of civic pride which replaced an earlier building in that spot.

From its tall windows, Water Street, Spring Lane and Blackburn Street can be seen running along, although the traffic was remarkably more quiet in the bygone eras pictured here.

On the photograph, dating back to 1963, the war memorial in front of the town hall is clearly visible. The other picture, taken 15 years later, omits the Grade II-listed cenotaph which was built in 1922 to remember those killed in “the war to end all wars”. Like other such memorials, it now honours casualties from all conflicts since the First World War.

The year 1978 was a time of “anger” for a former mayor of Radcliffe, it was reported at the time, because Radcliffe Town Hall wasn’t included in Bury Council’s list of buildings for preservation. However, 76 other buildings were recommended to the Department of the Environment to be “listed” as of historic or architectural interest.

The town hall formed the public administrative centre for the district for some time, with a large council chamber with pubic gallery on the first floor, along with four committee rooms.

Under the Local Government Act 1972, the town’s urban district status was abolished and in April 1974 Radcliffe became an unparished area of the Metropolitan Borough of Bury.

For many years after that, the building was empty, but it was put into service again after extensive renovation. In 1999, the town hall was converted to private accommodation to give 10 single homeless people a roof over their heads in the shape of self-contained one-bedroom flats of various sizes.