Parks and pubs are pretty much places we take for granted.
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I used to pass Alexandra Park regularly on the bus and when I varied the route swapped the trees and flowers for a view of the Whalley Hotel, neither of which sadly I regularly visited.
All of which is a great shame.
The park has been there since 1868 and has just had its makeover which has not been without a bit of controversy.
But back in 1868 there will have been those who muttered at the expense, the encroachment on open countryside and the size of the flowerbeds.
During those 146 years it has been a wonderful resource drawing in generations of people and it has also been the venue for everything from carnivals to demonstrations.
Its closeness to the city centre made it a good choice for protests meetings with marches which began in Manchester and ended in the park.
In 1902 upwards of 20,000 people marched to the park demonstrating against the Education bill, while six years later a large meeting in the park closed a weekend of activities calling for the extension of the vote.
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Now I wasn’t around for either of those but I did march in a huge anti racist demonstration through the city sometime in the 1980s from Strangeways to Alex Park.
And at different times the park has also been the destination for Whit Walks, hosted Fun Days and just been somewhere to go on a summer’s day.
For some I suppose that morning stroll in the park might be followed by an afternoon in the Whalley Hotel which is not that far away.
It has for over a century and a bit been another of the landmarks of the area and there will be plenty with fond memories of the place.
From the days of the horse drawn bus to the Corporation tram it was one of those places you saw as you left Brooks Bar for Chorlton.
And in 1951 the departure of Whalley Summer as publican gave the Manchester City News one of those headlines you just don’t ever forget.
“Wally of the Whalley” Says Goodbye appeared in the Manchester City News for November 16th 1951 and featured Mr and Mrs Summer who had run the Whalley Hotel for four years.
Mr Wally Summer and his wife Ethel were leaving Manchester for Anglesey, where they were to take over the Anglesey Arms by the Menai Bridge.
“It's going to be a wrench leaving” he told the City News, “we’ve made hundreds of friends since we came to Brooks’ Bar. I’ve been amazed at the number of people who have come up to wish us luck.”*
I rather wish I had been around to do the same, but given that I was only two at the time I shall content myself with the thought that there will be plenty of people with pictures and stories of nights in that pub and days in the park which would stand beside the tale of Mr Wally Summer.
Now I am sure some of these will be covered by the Alexandra Park Heritage group who I am told have some fascinating archive material, and no doubt these will be matched by some equally fascinating material from the Whalley Hotel.
All of which just points to that simple observation that you should never take your park or pub for granted.
Pictures; Alexandra Park, 2013 from the collection of Andrew Simpson, and the Whalley Hotel late 19th century from the Lloyd Collection
*Manchester City News November 16, 1951
Coming next; the Park during its make over courtesy of Andy Robertson
All of which is a great shame.
The park has been there since 1868 and has just had its makeover which has not been without a bit of controversy.
But back in 1868 there will have been those who muttered at the expense, the encroachment on open countryside and the size of the flowerbeds.
During those 146 years it has been a wonderful resource drawing in generations of people and it has also been the venue for everything from carnivals to demonstrations.
Its closeness to the city centre made it a good choice for protests meetings with marches which began in Manchester and ended in the park.
In 1902 upwards of 20,000 people marched to the park demonstrating against the Education bill, while six years later a large meeting in the park closed a weekend of activities calling for the extension of the vote.
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And at different times the park has also been the destination for Whit Walks, hosted Fun Days and just been somewhere to go on a summer’s day.
For some I suppose that morning stroll in the park might be followed by an afternoon in the Whalley Hotel which is not that far away.
It has for over a century and a bit been another of the landmarks of the area and there will be plenty with fond memories of the place.
From the days of the horse drawn bus to the Corporation tram it was one of those places you saw as you left Brooks Bar for Chorlton.
And in 1951 the departure of Whalley Summer as publican gave the Manchester City News one of those headlines you just don’t ever forget.
Mr Wally Summer and his wife Ethel were leaving Manchester for Anglesey, where they were to take over the Anglesey Arms by the Menai Bridge.
“It's going to be a wrench leaving” he told the City News, “we’ve made hundreds of friends since we came to Brooks’ Bar. I’ve been amazed at the number of people who have come up to wish us luck.”*
I rather wish I had been around to do the same, but given that I was only two at the time I shall content myself with the thought that there will be plenty of people with pictures and stories of nights in that pub and days in the park which would stand beside the tale of Mr Wally Summer.
Now I am sure some of these will be covered by the Alexandra Park Heritage group who I am told have some fascinating archive material, and no doubt these will be matched by some equally fascinating material from the Whalley Hotel.
All of which just points to that simple observation that you should never take your park or pub for granted.
Pictures; Alexandra Park, 2013 from the collection of Andrew Simpson, and the Whalley Hotel late 19th century from the Lloyd Collection
*Manchester City News November 16, 1951
Coming next; the Park during its make over courtesy of Andy Robertson
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