Lost and forgotten streets of Manchester nu 94 ….. Portugal Street

I don’t suppose Portugal Street was ever anything to set the heart beating.

Portugal Street looking north, 2021

It runs parallel to Oldham Road in New Cross, is narrow and forbidding with a big chunk of it bordered on both sides by car parks, and scrap yards.  At one end there is some new build with views of barbed wire and the backs of properties, some of which look to be very old, while at the other end it faces on to Ancoats Green.

It was cut sometime before 1793, and with in a year the entire northern side had been developed.

And by 1851 the south side had also been built over and the street with a mix of industrial units, and terraced housing some of which were back to back and looked out on to closed courts, and for good measure a  branch of the Rochdale Canal terminated at the street end.

Portugal Street, looking north, 2021

So not exactly a street to feature in the 19th century equivalent of House and Home.

Nor was it worthy enough to be included in street directories at the time, and when by 1911 it makes it into Slater’s Directory, of the 81 properties only 10 are mentioned.

That said I was drawn to the entry for 16 & Portugal Street which was occupied by “Simon Robino, mechanical organ maker” who has featured on the blog already.*

Of the other nine, there are a few shop keepers, a coal merchant and a selection of industrial manufacturers including a toy maker.

Portugal Street, facing north, 1962

All of which suggests Portugal Street never really lifted itself out of obscurity, and while there may be photographs f the street dating back into the 19th century, so far most of the  ones I have uncovered date from the 1960s and show scenes which are no more memorable than the ones captured by Andy on a recent visit.

None of which is surprising, as the residents of our street were never going to move amongst the circles of the great and good of Manchester’s social circle.

In 1851 the annual rents for the properties varied from £7 down to £2, and given that what you got was what you paid for, we can be pretty confident that it wouldn’t amount too much.

Portugal Street, 1849

But there are plans a foot to lift the street.  When I was last down there in November of 2020, the plot on the corner with Poland Street, stretching back to the main road had been developed with a new block which incorporated the  frontage of the old Refuge Assurance Building at 180 & 182 Oldham Road.**

And the year before an exciting volunteer project had begun to improve Ancoats Green.***

So maybe after two centuries and more  something is happening to Portugal Street.

Portugal Street, 1907

After all many of its terraced properties were well past their sell by date by the beginning of the last century.

Location, New Cross

Pictures;  Portugal Street, 2021, from the collection of Andy Robertson, Portugal Street facing north, 1962, T. Brooks, m10415a, Portugal Street & No. 3 Prussia Street, near Oldham Road, 1907, Jackson, J, m10411courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass Portugal Street in 1849, from the OS map of Manchester & Salford, 1849, courtesy of Digital Archives Association, http://digitalarchives.co.uk/ 

*A story that has yet to have a conclusion... Simon Robino from Italy, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/2015/06/a-story-that-has-yet-to-have-conclusion.html

**New for old ……. Oldham Street

*** Volunteers transform Ancoats park to create community space for all residents, Maya Black, January 21st, 2019, MEN, https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/in-your-area/volunteers-transform-ancoats-park-create-15710129