It is easy also to forget that until recently fresh livestock came into Manchester to be delivered to butchers shops. So at the bottom of Water Street there is a ramp, which would originally have served the purpose of unloading animals. The alignment was changed at the beginning of the 20th century to run parallel with Water Street instead of feeding into the road. This may have been done when the original 1830 bridge over Water Street was rebuilt and reflects the growing busy nature of Water Street. Robert Roberts in his book The Classic Slum records his memories of animals still being walked through the streets of Salford to butchers shops.
The ramp terminates in the Museum car park and it is possible to gain access through the arches of the viaduct to see what is left of stables used to house horses. A similar
building with ramps still existed in the 1970s near Piccadilly Station.
The station complex continued to grow; although the very success of the passenger side meant that this was transferred in 1844 to a new station.
The area continued to be at the very heart of the transport network. And it is still possible to stand on the site and look over to the Irwell, while beyond the river, main line trains still pass on their way into the city over viaducts resting in the canal basin, one of which now carries the Metro. And while the new motorway has taken some of the heavy traffic away from Liverpool Road, there is enough to remind one of how busy an area this really is.
So, it is no exaggeration to describe Castlefield as a giant switching point for rail river canal and road. As late as the 1950s it must have been even more busy than today. Since the closing of Central Station in the late 60s and the demolition of the approach bridges over Deansgate, much of the rail traffic has disappeared.
By the 1950s Castlefield had become the centre of the motor trade. Now very little is left. Andrews at 12-14 Southern Street, and a few workshops in the viaduct arches on Bridgewater Street. While the few remaining bike shops are closing with two going off Deansgate in the last 5 years. One remains on Liverpool Road at 13/15. Originally two buildings in 1848, number 13 sold beer and number 15 was a furniture brokers. It is a constant surprise how you can still come across features that must date back along time. So the floor of the bike shop still retains its wooden floor.
Working at numbers 12-14 Southern Street was a man who had worked in the area since he was 15 and could remember Castlefield in the 1950s.
The area was still full of houses many of which were back to back. Liverpool Road, and the surrounding streets of Barton Street, Great Bridgewater Street were still lived in. He confirmed that the area was the centre of the motor trade. At the top of Liverpool Road there was a wire works. The gentleman in question had started work in a cellar round the corner. Numbers 12-14 was a print works but now is a garage. Little remains of the original house. There is evidence inside of the two houses and the dividing wall. This has been demolished and replaced by brick pillars, which hold up steel girders. We couldn’t get access to the upstairs but the owner may be willing to supply further information.
Printing was also a feature of the area. The early street directories record printing activities in various streets. A few have survived. At 8-12 Bridgewater Street, which joins Southern Street there is a printing, sign making engraving business, and in the cellar of number 11 Liverpool Road after it had been demolished following a fire, there was evidence that it had once been used a print works as had 12-14 Southern Street.
The owner of 8-12 Bridgewater Street referred to the deeds of the building, which dates it back to the 18th century, which rather confirms the earlier research. He also drew comparisons with the rooms on the upper floors with the famous picture of 13 Southern Street drawn during the Cotton Famine of 1862-1864.
The local police station is still standing on Bridgewater Street. The badge of the Corporation is there. And Mr Harris remembers when the police station was still in use. The building dates from the 1890s. After the 1850s the City Council was charged with running a local police force. It included a horse ambulance station and mortuary.
In the last fifteen years many of the old buildings I remember have gone. Some were long past their time while others might have been saved. But the upside of this has been that people have returned to live in the area. The old crumbling and damp houses of the past have been replaced by flats and town houses, so the place is no longer a desolate and empty collection of streets but a vibrant part of the city.
And soon after the story went live, my facebook friend Alan Jennings, posted
"Another very interesting article, I remember the Ramp well, and lots of sheep milling around, and the Hide & Skin Merchants under the arch in your photo, this was in the 1950's, men in heavy leather aprons and big heavy gauntlets".
Pictures; the ramp on Water Street, the canal basin & the old police station now a block of flats from the collection of Andrew Simpson, 2001-2022
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