Levenshulme’s Culture Hub ... another story from Tony Goulding

Levenshulme Old Library

This building currently houses the studio of All F.M. 96.9, a Manchester Community Radio Station “The Real Voice of Manchester” and a Community Arts Centre with a varied range of activities. 

It was built in 1904 as one of the libraries gifted by the philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, an American industrialist.

Born in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1835 Andrew Carnegie emigrated with his family as a 12-year-old to the United States. 

Having amassed a huge fortune by establishing the American steel industry, in the form of The Pittsburgh Carnegie Steel Company, he spent the last 20 years of his life engaged in various philanthropic endeavours. 

Andrew Carnegie in 1913

His main benefactions were the provision of upwards of 2,500 public libraries, worldwide, of which over 650 were in the U.K.  These included, as well as this one in Levenshulme, Stockport’s Central Library and those at Eccles and the 3, then new, suburbs of South Manchester – Didsbury, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, and latterly, Withington.

The Library's Foundation Stone

The Carnegie funding of a library was dependent on the local authority meeting a number of requirements to demonstrate their community’s need for a library and its commitment to sustain the operating costs once the new library had been built. Design plans for the new building would then be sent to Carnegie’s office in New York, for approval. (1)

In 1904,  Levenshulme was the first area of South Manchester to provide its citizens with a free library in this way, while it was still governed by the Levenshulme Urban District Council. The residents of Didsbury, Withington and Chorlton-cum-Hardy had to wait until they were incorporated into the City of Manchester. Each area was promised a library as an inducement to vote for incorporation. (2)

The new library was opened on the 3rd December, 1904 by Mr. C. A. Cripps K.C. (3) the member of parliament for the Stretford constituency which at that time included Levenshulme.

 

Library side view

A notable user of the library was Lord Norman Foster the renowned architect, responsible for the designs of “The Gherkin” and the New Wembley Stadium amongst many others, who was born in neighbouring Reddish and lived from the age of two at 4, Crescent Grove in Levenshulme. He was an avid reader and frequent visitor to the library as he studied Architecture at The University of Manchester.

The library closed when the service removed to the new “Arcadia” Library and Leisure Centre on Stockport Road opened in February, 2016. The building remained empty for almost two years before being re-opened as a community arts centre and the new studios of All F.M. 96.9 Radio. 

  All F.M. began broadcasting in 2000 and prior to its re-location to the Old Library was based at a former doctor’s surgery, 19, Albert Road, Levenshulme. Its output is a varied mixture of shows aimed at giving a “voice” to all the different communities in the area. In 2019/20 it won the award: Community Radio Station of the Year and more recently was a recipient of The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Immediately opposite the library at the junction of Barlow Road and Cromwell Grove is another iconic building of old Levenshulme, the public baths.

An early user of this facility was Ethel Ivy “Sunny” Lowry, one of the first British women to swim across the English Channel, who lived at Lindeth Lodge, Rushford Avenue, Levenshulme. 

The Swimming Baths showing separate entrances for Males and Females!

She was born, in neighbouring Longsight on the 2nd January, 1911, so was only 22-years-old when she accomplished her epic feat on the 29th August, 1933. 

Built in 1921, it closed on the same day as the library opposite but sadly, as yet, has not had a new lease of life.

Her father, William Henry Lowry, who was a successful fish and game merchant sadly died just over 3 months after Ethel Ivy completed her swim. She was also said to be the second cousin of the celebrated artist L. S. Lowry.

Pictures; Levenshulme Library and Swimming Baths from the collection of Tony Goulding, side view of the library courtesy of Andrea Martinez. Andrew Carnegie in 1913 by Theodore C. Marceau in Public Domain from United States Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID cph.3c01767.

Notes

1) Famously, Manchester City Council submitted the plans for the Library at Chorlton-cum-Hardy aboard the ill-fated liner “The Titanic” and they had to be re-sent.

2) Although both Chorlton and Didsbury soon got their libraries (in 1914 and 1915 respectively), Withington had to wait until 1927 before the council made good on this promise.

3) Sir Charles Alfred Cripps (later Lord Parmoor) was a Conservative member of Parliament who famously "crossed the house" and later became Lord President of the Council and Leaderof the House of Lords in the Cabinet of Ramsay MacDonald’s first Labour Goverment of 1923. He was also appointed Britain’s representative to the newly-formed League of Nations of which he had been a great supporter. His  youngest son Richard Stafford Cripps held a number of posts in both the Wartime and the post-war Labour Cabinets, culminating in the position of Chancellor of the Exchequer.

In Levenshulme with a now lost historic pub

Now, this image of the Midway Hotel has sat in the collection for ages, so long in fact that I had forgotten I had it.

But as you do, as part of a “spring clean” I revisited the Levenshulme picture postcards and decided this was a must to show.

I think I once drank in the pub, but it will haven a long time ago, and never knew its history.

But with the help of that excellent site, Pubs of Manchester, I can now say that, “The Midway was rebuilt in 1904 as this imposing pub at the junction of Matthews Lane and Stockport Road in Levenshulme.  

The original Midway dates back an impressive 300 years earlier, first licensed in 1604. 

 Sadly, the Midway has closed and has been taken over by an obscure college having been a cash & carry at some point previously.  The pub may have had an Irish name in the 1990s but I'm not sure”.*

And that just leaves me to comment on the message on the back which reads, "I heard you wanted this", which was sent to a Miss Greaves of 9 Bristol Avenue, in Levenshulme, and also contained this odd series of numbers, 4 .15. 18. 9. 19., for which I have no explanation.

Location; Levenshulme

Picture; The Midway Hotel before and after its rebuild, circa 1906, from the collection of David Harrop

*Pubs of Manchester, https://pubs-of-manchester.blogspot.com/2012/07/midway-stockport-road.html

On Stockport Road …………. Looking for clues

Now I don’t as a rule do then and now stories, but I am intrigued by these picture postcards of Stockport Road in Levenshulme.

I can’t exactly date either.

In the case of the first I know we are sometime between the 1950s and 60s but the post mark is obscure, and all I can be sure of, is that it was sent in the summer to Mr. Hayes who was in a caravan in Wales.

The card was from his mum by his mum who thank him for his picture postcard, “which arrived this morning”, went on to ask if he was enjoying himself, and if he had met anyone he knew and concluded with “S& D are still beautifying.  Auntie Alice has been here for her tea”.

The older one was addressed to someone in Longsight, but was never sent, although there is a comment written on the reverse “Showing the Pack Horse Hotel before it was rebuilt”.

At which point I am confident someone will come forward with a set of answers.

Location; Stockport Road, Levenshulme

Pictures; Stockport Road, Levenshulme, dates unknown, from the collection of David Harrop

Tram Terminus Levenshulme

Now I don’t know either Stockport Road or Levenshulme very well, and despite the clue on the back which referred to the Pack Horse pub, I gave up trying to locate exactly where we are.

There is no date, and so I await those with greater knowledge to offer up more.

Location; Levenshulme

Picture; Tram Terminus Levenshulme, date unknown from the collection of David Harrop

The Red Cross Badge ........... a lost Burnage hospital and the lives of Ms Madge Millwood and Mrs Humphreys

This is less a story and more an example of just where detective work can go.

Red Cross Badge, date unknown

It started with a Red Cross badge which my friend David Harrop acquired recently.

David has an extensive collection and without that collection the book on Manchester Remembering 1914-18 couldn’t have been produced.*

A similar badge for Dover House which was on Oxford Road appears in the book but here is the one he purchased which belonged to a Red Cross volunteer at  Brook House in Levenshulme.

Now there is no inscription on the back so I doubt we will ever know who it  belonged to, but I now have a list of 43 women who served in the hospital, along with references to others from the Manchester Guardian who were awarded honours for their work.

They range from Miss Madge Millward engaged in the November of 1916 to Lillian Allen of Stockport Road, and Miss Winifred Ashcroft who volunteered at the very beginning of the Great War.

Some were married but most were single and they carried out a range of jobs from nursing to cleaning and working in the kitchens.

And during the new year I want to explore in detail as many of the 43 as I can. 

In this I will be helped by the Red Cross database which covers those who served in the hospitals.**

Many of the hospitals vanished at the end of the war. Most reverted to their pre-1914 use, while a few continued as hospitals and some became private schools.

Today people express surprise that there was once a Red Cross hospital in their midst.

Brook House, 1900

The site of Brook House on Burnage Lane has been redeveloped and the old house long gone.

And as you do I went looking for it.  There is a fine picture in the ManchesterCollection along with references in the press and street directories.

Location, Burnage, Manchester

Pictures; Red Cross badge, Brook House Levenshulme, date unknown from the collection of David Harrop, and Brook House, 1900, m16669, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council.

*Manchester, Remembering 1914-18, Andrew Simpson the History Press, to be published in February with a book launch at Central Ref on February 18.

**War-time volunteers and personnel records, the Red Cross, h

The lost pubs of Levenshulme ............. nu 1 The Midway Hotel

Before 1904

Now here are two interesting pictures of the Midway Hotel  which deserve plenty of research.

Doris sent the picture postcard to Miss Greaves of 9 Bristol Avenue, Levenshulme on January 13 1906.

It would seem that Doris had heard that Miss Greaves wanted a picture of the two buildings which made sense given that the old pub had been demolished to make way for the new one which had been opened just two years earlier.

In time I think I will delve deep into the history of the two pubs but for now will content myself with this extract from that excellent site the Pubs of Manchester.

After 1904

“The Midway was rebuilt in 1904 as this imposing pub at the junction of Matthews Lane and Stockport Road in Levenshulme.  

The original Midway dates back an impressive 300 years earlier, first licensed in 1604 and shown here as Midway House in 1900 and 1902 just before its replacement (1907).  

To the left of the Midway is a supermarket car park which was once a bowling green,.

Sadly, the Midway has closed and has been taken over by an obscure college having been a cash & carry at some point previously.  The pub may have had an Irish name in the 1990s but I'm not sure.”

2015

And if you want to check out what has happened to a whole range of our once busy and popular buildings now down on their luck or just transformed I always go to the images of Andy Robertson who as regular readers will know has been recording the pubs, warehouses, and mills of Greater Manchester along with those posh places.

And sure enough he had been down in Levenshulme and caught this one of the Hotel last year.

Location; Levenshulme

Pictures; the Midway Hotel 1904 from the collection of David Harrop and the Midway in 2014 courtesy of Andy Robertson

*Manchester Pubs, http://pubs-of-manchester.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/midway-stockport-road.html

Walking through Levenshulme’s history part 3 ............. the railway and the Town Hall

This is one of those images I wish I had taken.

We are on the on the railway line and behind the row of houses is the old Town Hall.

I could say more but I think the picture does it all.


Picture; Levenshulme July 2015, from the collection of Andy Robertson

Walking through Levenshulme’s history part 2 ............. a police station, and some Victorian antique lace

Now somewhere I should be able to find the name of the architect who designed the police station in Levenshulme and with a bit of digging discover the exact date it was built.

I have passed it loads of times but it has taken Andy Robertson’s picture to focus my attention on the place.

It resembles pretty much the one on Beech Road which was built in 1885 and I guess will have been part of Lancashire Constabulary’s push to modernise its police stations.

The answer will lie in the archives of the Greater Manchester Police of the Lancashire County Archives, which will also offer up a date for when it closed.

That said there will be someone out there who knows and I hope supplies the answer.

For now it is just another of those buildings in Levenshulme which have long since become something else.

It’s neighbour the imposing old Town Hall deals in all manner of antiques and the bits and bobs that once were popular, then became unpopular and are again much sought after.

I should know on many a wet Saturday in the winter we have wandered through its many rooms.

For Tina who is Italian much of the stuff is fascinating and attractive, while for me the items bring back a shedful of memories and a realisation that what was once banal or commonplace has achieved collector’s status.

Who knows perhaps buried deep inside the cellars of the old police station will be some treasures as yet undiscovered.

Pictures; Levenshulme Police Station, 2015, from the collection of Andy Robertson, and the station in 1959, H Milligan, m39759, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass

Walking through Levenshulme’s history part 1 ............. a railway station

Now there is a lot in Levenshulme that I have missed over the years so here is a short series focusing on the bits that have gone, the bits that may soon go and a lot more that is still there if you know where to look.

And that is where Andy Robertson comes in because on a grey and very unpromising July day he set off to record a place he knows well.

I could have started with any one of the four-eight images he recorded but given our joint fascination for all things railway, here is Levenshulme Station and associated pictures, and because someone has done its history far better than I here also is a little bit about when the railway arrived.*

The station which many will remember as Levenshulme South was originally just called Levenshulme and was opened by the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway on May 2nd 1892 and was on the Fallowfield Loop line.

And for those of us living in Chorlton it would have been just a few minutes down the line, but alas the station was closed as a passenger service in 1958.

Freight traffic continued to be handled until June 1965 when the station was downgraded to a coal depot only.

The building is still there and you can now walk the walk where once trains thundered past.

We have yest to do this bit of the loop but will do in time.

And that I think is where I shall stop for today, but as Levenshulme is a place I never lived and my knowledge of railway history is sketchy I shall await the experts to add more to the story of the station and the surrounding area.

And no sooner had the story been posted and  Anthony commented, "just a quick comment Andrew, although Levenshulme South closed to passengers in 1958, the line remained in passenger use, I think until the closure of Manchester Central in 1969. Liverpool Central - Manchester Central - Harwich Parkeston Quay boat trains had been routed via Levenshulme and Guide Bridge to Sheffield Victoria. In 1957-61 generally hauled by B1 class steam locos, with 61002 'Impala' and 61161 making regular appearances."

Which was followed up by Cedric who wrote, "so sad to see it today. I have a distant memory of catching a train at Levy south but I can't have been more than 3 years old at the time. 

I remember playing on the platform after the station closed, you had to be careful as there was broken glass everywhere after the vandals finished off the station buildings. 

The KK cash and carry shown in the photos was a hardware merchants after the station closed and I remember there was a shoe repairers next door who had the necessary leather working tools to restitch my school satchel when it started to come apart. 

Do kids still have satchels? I guess not." 

And I shall finish with a correction, Brian who runs that excellent facebook site,Greater Manchester History, Architecture, Faces and Places  added "Oh and Andrew, the loop was opened throughout on 2.5.1892, but it had been opened from Chorlton Junction to Fallowfield on 1.10.1891."

Now that is how I like my history, local, instant and full of new things to learn.

Next; that cinema

Pictures; of Levenshulme Station and more July 2015, from the collection of Andy Robertson

*Disused Stations, http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/l/levenshulme_south/index.shtml