Description:A large group of people pictured at The Brooms on Stafford Road, Stone. This could be the occasion of a works treat for the staff of McIlroy's department store in Hanley.
At the time of this photograph The Brooms was the home of Clarke McIlroy, owner of McIlroy's department store at Miles Bank, Hanley. He was born in Aghadowey, County Londonderry on 25 March 1857. He moved from Ireland to Reading, England aged 17 and then to the Potteries in 1883. He took over Boulton & Thomas’s shop on Lamb Street, Hanley and shortly afterwards built McIlroy’s Stores. He had moved to The Brooms by 1896 and lived there with his family until his death, aged 78, on 2 June 1935. Shortly after his death McIlroy's store was sold to Lewis's. His widow and second wife Jessie (nee Brown) stayed on at The Brooms until 1947. She died aged 88 in 1969.
Originally built around 1800, the house became the Brooms Hotel in the late 1950s and the name had changed to the Stone House Hotel by 1988. Around 2000-02 a large extension was added and the frontage was remodelled.
Additional information provided by Tim Cockin.