We are in east Manchester, with two pictures that perfectly sum up the extent of the house clearance programmes of the middle decades of the last century.
It is easy to take a hard line against the policy that swept away whole communities, along with their streets, homes and identities.
Friends point to the destruction of properties which with a bit of tender care might have lasted for another fifty or sixty years, pointing out that in many cases what replaced the rows of terraced houses were themselves poorly built and badly planned, with the result that they too have vanished.
But there is no doubting that large numbers of the city’s housing stock was past saving, and what we forget is that the policy of clearance and rebuild had been going since the beginning of the 20th century, with the creation of places like Wythenshawe which pre-dated the last world war.
What I never fully understood was the extent to which the rebuilding plans totally obliterated not only the houses, but patterns of streets which had in many cases existed from the early years of the 19th century.
And for a historian that can be frustrating, because having found a location in the historic record it can prove difficult to even come close to finding it, added to which some of the remaining streets had their names changed.
Still it is a small niggle, when set against the destruction of old and tired housing stock, much of which sat in the shadow of factories, iron works, and circumvented by dirty rivers and neglected canals.
And here I have to own up to getting confused about the location of some of streets, which Paul Forrest kindly pointed out, "Actually it was Bradford/Lower Openshaw and not Beswick although part of the Beswick Electoral Ward.
When the planners cleared the area in the mid 60s and later built the concrete monstrosity nicknamed Fort Beswick (now also demolished) the planners mistakenly extended the borders of Beswick as far as Grey Mare Lane. I grew up amongst those same streets shown in the photos".
In my defence they wouldn't let me do Geography O level and as a result I fell back on old street directories. So thank you Paul. And I shall close with more from Paul.
"The districts were all quite close together in this part of Manchester; hence I think the reason for the confusion. Beswick extended from Ancoats (Every St) up Ashton New Road as far as Rowsley St and Ardwick extended up Ashton Old Road as far as Blackthorn St where I was born although even my father recorded my place of birth as Beswick!
I was baptised at St Jerome Ardwick near Rylance Street which was three streets away. Bradford began after Blackthorn St on Blackrock St and from Rowsley St and went up to the border of Clayton on Ashton New Road, and Lower Openshaw on Wellington St off Ashton Old Road where I remember there was a boundary marker sign between the two districts.
People probably will think I am a bit of a pedant on this matter but I think it important from a historical perspective and old maps show the districts quite clearly. Ashford St may have been in Beswick as I don’t recognise the name after 50+ years, but Windcroft St was in Bradford.
Location; Manchester
Pictures; Clearing the lot, 1967, "Courtesy of Manchester Archives+ Town Hall Photographers' Collection",
https://www.flickr.com/photos/manchesterarchiveplus/albums/72157684413651581?fbclid=IwAR35NR9v6lzJfkiSsHgHdQyL2CCuQUHuCuVr8xnd403q534MNgY5g1nAZfY
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| Windcroft Street, 1967 |
Friends point to the destruction of properties which with a bit of tender care might have lasted for another fifty or sixty years, pointing out that in many cases what replaced the rows of terraced houses were themselves poorly built and badly planned, with the result that they too have vanished.
But there is no doubting that large numbers of the city’s housing stock was past saving, and what we forget is that the policy of clearance and rebuild had been going since the beginning of the 20th century, with the creation of places like Wythenshawe which pre-dated the last world war.
 |
| Ashford Street, 1967 |
And for a historian that can be frustrating, because having found a location in the historic record it can prove difficult to even come close to finding it, added to which some of the remaining streets had their names changed.
Still it is a small niggle, when set against the destruction of old and tired housing stock, much of which sat in the shadow of factories, iron works, and circumvented by dirty rivers and neglected canals.
And here I have to own up to getting confused about the location of some of streets, which Paul Forrest kindly pointed out, "Actually it was Bradford/Lower Openshaw and not Beswick although part of the Beswick Electoral Ward.
When the planners cleared the area in the mid 60s and later built the concrete monstrosity nicknamed Fort Beswick (now also demolished) the planners mistakenly extended the borders of Beswick as far as Grey Mare Lane. I grew up amongst those same streets shown in the photos".
In my defence they wouldn't let me do Geography O level and as a result I fell back on old street directories. So thank you Paul. And I shall close with more from Paul.
 |
| Windcroft Street, 1967, well a bit of it |
I was baptised at St Jerome Ardwick near Rylance Street which was three streets away. Bradford began after Blackthorn St on Blackrock St and from Rowsley St and went up to the border of Clayton on Ashton New Road, and Lower Openshaw on Wellington St off Ashton Old Road where I remember there was a boundary marker sign between the two districts.
People probably will think I am a bit of a pedant on this matter but I think it important from a historical perspective and old maps show the districts quite clearly. Ashford St may have been in Beswick as I don’t recognise the name after 50+ years, but Windcroft St was in Bradford.
Location; Manchester
Pictures; Clearing the lot, 1967, "Courtesy of Manchester Archives+ Town Hall Photographers' Collection",
https://www.flickr.com/photos/manchesterarchiveplus/albums/72157684413651581?fbclid=IwAR35NR9v6lzJfkiSsHgHdQyL2CCuQUHuCuVr8xnd403q534MNgY5g1nAZfY
I lived at no. 53 Windcroft Street Openshaw I lived the happest days of my life there. Wonderful people so hard working and honest my Mother and Father amongest them.
ReplyDeleteI lived at 53 Windcroft Street with my Mum and Dad and three sisters Windcroft St was actually Lower Openshaw and not Bradford. I remember it with very fond memories it must gave been hard for my parents no bathroom outside toilet but they made our house very comfortable we were very loved children. Christine Stevens (Mullen)
ReplyDeleteWould you or anyone be able to clarify for me as what became of 34 Sawley Street, Beswick, Manchester? Was this address included in the destruction? Thank you.
ReplyDeleteWould anyone be able to confirm as to what became of 34 Sawley Street, Beswick, Manchester? Was this address included in the destruction would anyone know? Thank you.
ReplyDeleteCan anyone pinpoint exactly where Blackthorn Street was as it no longer shows on current maps
ReplyDeleteI remember Blackthorn Street well and all the rows of houses on the left hand side of Ashton New Rd heading towards Manchester Central. Bernard Adler
DeleteHad a shop, where I worked as a lad. I delivered furniture to Blackthorn St.
I was born at 25 Rylance street M11 and on my original birth certificate it is Ardwick and my doctor had his house on my street Dr Joe Taylor who later became Lord mayor
ReplyDelete