My back buildings ........ posh places with history

Now there is no doubting that 11 St John Street in the heart of the city was a pretty impressive address and it was the home of the very wealthy Holt family.*

It had been built around 1794 and despite some very modest cottages on Camp Street and the surrounding streets it was still  open countryside with fields west all the way down to the river, and the same south to the canal basin at Castlefield.  This was very much living on the edge of the city.

And the rear of the house, has always fascinated me, with that tall window which dominated the central staircase giving views down on the surrounding streets.

Views which included the mean and cheap poperties of Camp Street and its courts.

All of which were in direct contrast to John Street and especially number 11 which was the only double fronted property on John Street.

The Holt's were very comfortably well off, and by degree each generation decamped to a a fine country house in Chorlton-cum-Hardy

Location; Manchester

Pictures; 11 John Street, 2022, and 2010, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

*The Holt Family, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Holt%20family