Now any story on Piccadilly Gardens is guaranteed to bring forth memories of the old sunken gardens, along with plenty of comments on what replaced it, many of which will be less than complimentary.
I know, because I have poured out my own memories and feelings over the years.
But, today I want just to reflect on what I suspect is all that is left of old Gardens.
And it comes in the shape of the low stone wall and its iron railings which separates the tram track from the pavement and Gardens
You could easily miss the wall and the railings, and I guess many who pass them, just assume they were put there to act as safety barrier.
And I suppose that now is their primary function, but they were and remain a reminder of what many of us thought was a fine place to go and sit, enjoying the floral displays and watching the occasional musical performance.
And the story took another historical turn when David Bailey commented "I think this wall is even older than the gardens we remember. It could have been the perimeter of the Manchester Royal Infirmary and Mental Asylum buildings that occupied the site until around 1908".
Location; Piccadilly
Picture; the wall, 2019, from the collection of Andrew Simpson
I know, because I have poured out my own memories and feelings over the years.
And it comes in the shape of the low stone wall and its iron railings which separates the tram track from the pavement and Gardens
You could easily miss the wall and the railings, and I guess many who pass them, just assume they were put there to act as safety barrier.
And I suppose that now is their primary function, but they were and remain a reminder of what many of us thought was a fine place to go and sit, enjoying the floral displays and watching the occasional musical performance.
And the story took another historical turn when David Bailey commented "I think this wall is even older than the gardens we remember. It could have been the perimeter of the Manchester Royal Infirmary and Mental Asylum buildings that occupied the site until around 1908".
Location; Piccadilly
Picture; the wall, 2019, from the collection of Andrew Simpson
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