Going to vote ......... May 3

Now I remain as fascinated by local and Parliamentary elections as I was when I first joined the Labour Party 52 years ago, although I am now less active than I once was.

And May 3rd which will be polling day id fast approaching.

So far we have had just the one leaflet through our which coincidentally is for the Labour Party.

But just up Beech Road from where we live which is in Chorlton Park Ward, the posters are already up and pretty soon our stretch which is in Chorlton Ward will have its share.

This year it is what they call "an all out" when all the councillors are up for election.

In Chorlton there are 14 candidates representing the four main parties and two independents, while in Chorlton Park the contest will between three from Labour three from the Conservative and Lib Dems and tow from the Greens.

This is the election address of the three Progressive candidates who stood for election here in Chorlton in 1904.

This was the first local election after we had voted to join the city of Manchester and of the six candidates who put themselves forward, three were Progressives, two Conservatives and one an Independent.

The three Progressive candidates stood on the platform of advancing “good government” which involved “exercising a rigorous protest against extravagance” and “preserving as far as possible the residential character” of Chorlton coupled with the need for “adequate Schools, Libraries, Open Spaces, Public Baths and everything which counts for the better health and morality of the people”

The result was one of those odd outcomes with one Progressive, one Conservative and the Independent being elected.

Location; Chorlton

Picture; the election address of the Progressive Party, from the collection of Andrew Simpson