Stockport Rd, Denton
It was reported in the Manchester Guardian on the 18 Jan 1896 that Denton was to have a new-build police station. The architect was Henry Littler Jr (1865-1933) who was the County Architect acting for the Lancashire County Council Police Authority. He also designed the elementary school on Duke St. Initially, he was in practice with his father, trading as Henry Littler and Son of Cross St, Manchester. Henry Littler Jr was born at Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, and by 1911 he was resident at St Anne's on the Sea.

The police station backs onto Market St, which was the entrance for vehicles. It was formerly the Lancashire County Police Station and Petty Sessional Court for Ashton-under-Lyne and in the early 20th century cases were heard there on a fortnightly basis. It was built in 1896 and magistrates sat in the court for the first time on the 4 Feb 1898. Slater's Trade Directory for 1914 lists the following policemen as resident there:

This historic building has now been converted into apartments and at the rear a terrace was built across the Market St entrance.

The original court house and lockup on Town Lane became disused and a temporary police station was required until the new one on Stockport Rd opened. The 1891 census records that this was at No. 40 Hyde Rd, where William Featherstone, a police constable, was living with his wife, Catherine. There were two boarders, George Campbell and George Robertson, both of whom were police constables. The census omitted a record of No. 38 and it is possible that this was also being used as part of the police station. Subsequently, Nos 40 & 42 were occupied by Isaiah Cheetham & Sons, estate agents, and William F Cheetham, a solicitor.

Old Denton Police Station, Jul 2005.

Petty Sessional Courtroom
This courtroom is now located at the Greater Manchester Police Museum in Newton St, Manchester. It was re-located at the museum following a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £126,000.

The grand opening ceremony at the Police Museum took place on the 7 Oct 2004 in the presence of the Denton Local History Society, Tameside Local History Forum, representatives of Denton Constabulary and other guests. At 12:30pm everyone was 'upstanding in court' and then a 'prisoner' was brought in to be tried before the court. The prisoner was Les Battersby of Coronation Street fame, aka the actor Bruce Jones who was the guest of honour.

Petty Sessional Courtroom, Jul 2005.

Detail of a courtroom window,
Jul 2005.

Previous use of the Police Station Site
Between c.1851 and the early 1890s Grove Mill, used for cloth weaving, occupied the site of the police station. This was then demolished to make way for the new building.