Hobson’s Choice (1954)

The sign hanging outside Hobson's Salford boot shop creaks and sways in the wind as the proprietor arrives home from his Mason's meeting . . . drunk. A set constructed at Shepperton Studios in Middlesex.

The following day, a church bell strikes the hour of eleven. Looking over Stockport in Cheshire from Lancashire Hill with St. Mary's church behind the Produce Hall on Market Street to the left of centre and the boiler house and tall chimney of Millgate power station on the left. Tony Sims recalls that the boiler house of the power station was an odd shaped steel clad building and Dave Moran tells us that St. Mary's churchyard can be seen in 'A Taste of Honey'.

An Ind Coope dray pulls away after making a delivery to The Moonrakers. A set in the foreground and smoke pouring from the distant chimneys seen in the previous capture make a puzzle out of this scene but it appears to be made up of, from bottom to top, live action, a matte then film of Stockport.

Henry Horatio Hobson (Charles Laughton) and grocer Jim Heeler (Joseph Tomelty) make their way to join Tudsbury the tailor and Denton the butcher in the bar.

After putting her proposal to boot hand Willie Mossop, Maggie Hobson (Brenda de Banzie) sets off to Peel Park the next Sunday. Greg identifies this as the grounds of Salford Museum on Windsor Crescent in Salford, Lancashire with the spire of St. John the Evangelist Cathedral and the clock tower of St. Philips church in the left distance.

The camera follows Maggie as she walks across the terrace. The Upper Terrace to the south of Peel Park in Salford where the Maxwell Building of the University of Salford now stands.

With a matching view now impossible to replicate, Mark Alford captures the next best.

Maggie passes her sister Alice sitting with her sweetheart Albert Prosser. Greg explains that the panning shot finds the benches that were located overlooking the right or, west, bank of the River Irwell south of Peel Park. "Wikipedia tells us that in 1954 the statues of Robert Peel, Richard Cobden and Joseph Brotherton were dismantled and put into storage to make way for the extension of Salford Technical College, now the University of Salford."

Again, Mark Alford takes an approximate match.

As she reaches the end of the terrace, Maggie spots the man that she intends to wed. Looking north towards Peel Park from the terrace in the grounds of Salford Museum. David Hopkins found that the distinctive pattern of pathways seen on the left wasn't an original feature of the park and Tony Stebbings tells us that the design was added between 1890 and 1908.

William Mossop (John Mills) looks up as Maggie descends towards him. Peel Park in Salford seen from the Upper Terrace.

Struggling for an angle with the Maxwell Building hard to the right, Mark Alford took this comparison.

Maggie faces Willie before the two walk through the park together. Peel Park in Salford, Lancashire.

The pair look for a bench and sit down together before Willie discloses that there is another woman. The recreation ground within the loop of the River Irwell, now named Crescent Meadow, with houses on Nora Street to the top left. Rick Holt identifies the buildings to the right as Sir James Farmer Norton & Co, Adelphi Iron Works, just below Adelphi weir, and the River Irwell is also confirmed by Bill Jones, who tells us that his Grandfather Dunn worked as a night watchman at the Adelphi Iron Works. Bill watched the scene being filmed as he lived in nearby Persia Street and explains that there was a footbridge not far from the scene that connected Hough Lane and St. Andrews Primary School to Peel Park. He believes that the benches and the lamp were props and recalls that, owing to the hot weather, Salford fire brigade were recruited to spray water and create smoke in some scenes. Peter Wright adds that whilst off work and sitting on his sofa watching the film, he could look out of his window at the place where John Mills sat.

Mark Alford returned to the location that has seen many changes.

Willie and Maggie make their way to the home of Ada Figgins at the house where he lodges. Church Street in Salford with East Market Street running alongside the Town Hall which stands to the right. Graham Leslie explains that the foreground road has been renamed to become part of Cleminson Street and East Market Street has become Browning Street. David Hopkins remembers that his Mother's cousin was an extra somewhere in this scene. Sadly his acting career went downhill after that!!

The same corner by Mark Alford.

As they walk, Willie protests to Maggie that he would rather wed Ada. Church Street with the Town Hall as the backdrop.

Mark Alford captures a closer view of the details in the background wall.

Willie warns Maggie about Ada's mother, Mrs. Figgins. This is the southern end of Rosamond Street with Church Street and the Town Hall in the left background.

Taken from a similar position by Mark Alford.

The camera follows the pair through a gap in the terraced houses once known as Ford Place. Looking from west Rosamond Street, across Ford Street and waste ground towards buildings on River Place with Market Street in the right distance.

A corner is turned and Willie starts to run towards the house. Alan James Jennings identifies the the corner of Waterloo Place and Uxbridge Street. Helen Clayton tells us that her mother Eileen O'Malley remembers a local boy being paid to swing round the lamppost at the corner. Of course he had to do this repeatedly until the scene was satisfactorily filmed.

Willie lets himself in and tells Ada and her mother that Miss Hobson is coming. Alan James Jennings explains that this is looking west on Waterloo Place with Picton Street in the distance. The the white building just visible to the left of centre is the Farriers Arms public house at the corner of Bombay Street and Alan adds that the landlord at the time was Albert Spiby. The pub closed in 1957.

While Maggie speaks with Ada and Mrs. Figgins, Willie is sent to wait outside. Waterloo Place with Waterloo Square and the rear of buildings on Bury Street to the left. The A34 Trinity Way now occupies the site. Helen Clayton explains that her mother Eileen lived at number 18 when filming took place adding that the people next-door at that time were Tilly, Andy and their lodger. "On Sundays after a drink at the pub and having eaten his dinner, Andy would play Irish songs on his flute. Eileen used to leave the living room door open to best hear the music across the hallway from the house next door."

Leaving the house, Ada (Dorothy Gordon) and Mrs. Figgins (Madge Brindley) continue to voice their objections on the doorstep. Looking east along Waterloo Place in Salford with Brussels Street in the left background. Alan James Jennings tells us that the householders in the area were paid £5.00 each to change their front doors to better reflect the period of the film.

Grabbing Willie's arm, Maggie leads him away as Mrs. Figgins shouts after them. Waterloo Place with the corner of Bombay Street immediately to the left, Uxbridge Street crossing to the right and Brussels Street in the distance. Helen Clayton points out the people leaning out of the upstairs window at number 18 where her mother Eileen was instructed to stay in the bedroom sitting on the bed while the actors were at the window. Also visible in the capture are the coal grids by the front steps of each house. "The grid was opened from inside so coal could be dropped into the cellar by the local merchant who traded from the corner of Bombay Street. When the proprietor dies, his wife managed the business and she continued delivering coal by barrow to each house."

Mrs. Figgins' voice fades away as Maggie tells Willie that they're going round to see Tubby Wadlow to arrange new lodgings.

Slipping into an alley, Maggie tells Willie that he can kiss her.

When Hobson vents his outrage, Willie and Maggie leave the shop . . . and their employment. More of the set at Shepperton.

Maggie leads Willie to the tram stop and a journey to see the wealthy Mrs. Hepworth in the hope that she may help the couple start their own business.

With a loan of £100 from Mrs. Hepworth, Maggie and Willie set off to buy furniture after finding premises to set up shop.

In a market, a bedstead is examined.

Willie looks shyly on.

Evening draws in as the pair struggle home with a loaded barrow. Facing north on Rosamond Street with the corner of Mount Pleasant to the left and the junction of Brewery Street in the right background.

Mark Alford found massive changes at the redeveloped location.

When the barrow starts to lean it speeds up going downhill, Maggie lets the back end go. Panning with the cart we now look along Ford Street from the corner of Rosamond Street with the backs of properties on Cleminson Street and St. John's Cathedral in the background. Martin Green identifies the location adding "Ford Street has since been lost under Rosamond Drive and the chimney seen to the right of the Cathedral was that of the Tinsmith Works on the corner of Cleminson Street and Melville Street." (RL)

Waiting for his in-laws to arrive on the wedding day, Willie looks up at the church as ships hoot in the distance and a bell chimes the hour. The background is the same view seen behind the studio set earlier and Dave Moran confirms that the backdrop is of Stockport viewed from Hanover Chapel on Lancashire Hill. In the distance stand the boiler house of Millgate power station and St. Mary's church . . . however, the view is a matte shot.

Maggie asks how Willie is feeling before the couple enter the church. In the left distance stands the cooling tower of Millgate power station to the left of a dry gasometer at Portwood gas works. Confirming the background, A. Cavanagh advises that the power station was finally demolished in around 1981, prior to the M63 (M60) motorway being built, yet parts of Stockport town centre remain pretty much unchanged since the 50s while Dave Moran tells us that the cooling tower also makes an appearance in 'A Taste of Honey'.

Time passes and, with Maggie's help, Willie Mossop's business flourishes. A matte incorporating the same chimneys and church tower in the distance that are seen throughout the production.