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HISTORY
Before the 1930s, the original route of Humphrey Lane would have passed northwards in a straight line through the current location of the community centre building and bowling green, up to the Stretford boundary at Cars Ditch. It was a narrow lane with trees and shrubs on both sides. In the vicinity of the current community centre location, the grounds of Gorse Hill Farm were on one side of the lane and The Manor Buildings and The Grove were on the other.
Humphrey Lane, once nicknamed Humpty Dumpty Lane, is thought to have got its name from Sir Humphrey de Trafford of Trafford Hall, who used to ride his horses and travel with his hounds throughout the area in the mid 1800s, apparently regardless of people's gardens and hedges.
In a Deed dated 1866, part of Humphrey Lane close to Gorse Hill Farm was named as Cow Lane - the name has been added to this 1846 map of the area.
When the Humphrey Park estate was built in 1937/8, the lane from its junction with Chadwick Lane (now Bradfield Road) was made to gradually swing eastwards, and it now joins on to Derbyshire Lane West. The 1910 and 2025 overlaid map below shows the original and more recent routes of the lane. The aerial image of the area shows a definite line across the bowling green, which is sometimes visible during dry weather. The line is thought to be the original route of Humphrey Lane.
Humphrey Lane 1920s - looking towards Stretford Road.
The unusual tree on the left, and the Victoria Villas on the right (built in 1897), still stand.
Humphrey Lane 1920s.
Looking southwards, with Gorsey Brow cottages on the right.
Looking northwards along Humphrey Lane, about 1930, with the land on the left belonging to Gorse Hill Farm, and Manor House and Cottages to the right just outside the picture.
The Gorse Hill Farm sign would advertise potatoes, tomatoes and other vegetables for sale.
Humphrey Lane 1930s.
Looking northwards, with Gorsey Brow cottages on the left.
Humphrey Lane 1930s.
Summerfield Terrace / Gorsey Brow on the left.
Humphrey Lane 1949 - looking towards Stretford Road.
The estate was built in the late 1930s.
Humphrey Lane 1971.
Gorsey Brow on the left.
The line of trees down the middle of the road were originally on the Humphrey Park Allotment boundary. Two alotment plots were lost when Humphrey Lane was widened in the 1930s.
Humphrey Lane 1910 & 2025.
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