A little bit of Salford’s history from 1979

Now I came across this image in the large collection of old negatives which have sat in our cellar for forty years.

Just when I took it and where is lost in time, but it will be from around 1979.

Location; Salford

Picture; banner, 1979, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

Travelling the Salford way …………. buses from the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester

Now there will be plenty of people who will have travelled on one of these, during the 1960s into the following decade.

And befitting their importance both are now happily part of the collection at the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester. *

The first is a Leyland Atlantean Double deck bus, and the second a Leyland Atlantean Double deck bus, from 1972, operated by SELNEC.**

Andy Robertson’s recorded the two on a recent visit to the museum, and I am indebted to their database for the details of each bus.***

Location; Museum of Transport Greater Manchester

Pictures; 2019 from the collection of Andy Robertson

*Museum of Transport Greater Manchester, http://www.gmts.co.uk/index.html

** 214 - DBA 214C - PDR1/1 - Double deck bus, from 1965, Salford Corporation Transport 7001 - VNB 101L - Leyland Atlantean AN68/1R - Double deck bus, from 1972, SELNEC

***The full collection, http://www.gmts.co.uk/vehicles.html

Down on Chapel Street not so long ago

It is easy to forget there was a time when there were still plenty of small independent shops selling all manner of electrical goods.

In fact if you were born say before 1980 the chances are that your telly, wireless, fridge and hoover came from places like this one on Chapel Street.

And that is all I am going to say.

Location Salford





Picture; Chapel Street, date unknown, m77304, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass

Salford People through the camera of Phil Portus ...... "This House Is Occupied"

Phil took this photograph in 1978 for a documentary project on the Ordsall area of Salford.

"This House is occupied" - Ordsall, 1978

"Joe Hunter, pictured in the doorway and surrounded by boarded up buildings, had a sign in the window to show he was still living in his house on Nashville Street.  

Joe was born in Salford in 1906 working in a local mill as a seed crusher to make oil. 

He was married to Savilla, born 1907, who was a cotton spinner and died in 1984.  Joseph played the drums at St Josephs and the Ship pub, and was also a keen photographer".
© Phil Portus 2017

Pictures; courtesy of Phil Portus, 1977-2016

*Phil Portus, http://www.philportus.co.uk/

Salford People through the camera of Phil Portus ......Sandra Opoku & Michelle Darby

In the 1970s Phil Portus set out to record  Salford people.

He writes, Sandra,  as a child,  lived in a large terraced house on South Anne Street opposite the Langworthy Estate.  They both attended St Joseph's Infant School in Ordsall and then went on to Sacred heart School (Cathedral High)

Sandra  recalls "Happy times for me, however they did have a lot of racism at that point and coming from a mixed parentage, that had an impact on my life as well as growing up in the Salford environment.
But we are in multicultural society now which is a bit more accepting, but back then it was quite tough. I had lovely friends like Michelle who kept me going and kept me smiling"

Sandra and Michelle lost touch after secondary  school, eventually Sandra  got married and moved away.

She has 2 grown up children and currently works in the accounts department for Unilever and has a telecommunication business in Africa.

As a child, Michelle had lived in one of the  council flats above the arch on the Langworthy Estate.

Michelle recalls that it was safer for children to play out when she was a child. Children  generally belonged to  large extended families living in close proximity and they all looked after each other.

Michelle now works on reception at the Trafford Cricket Ground.  She has 2 grown up sons and lives in Peel Green, Eccles.

© Phil Portus 2016

Pictures; courtesy of Phil Portus, 1977-2016

*Phil Portus, http://www.philportus.co.uk/

Today ............. Salford in 1977 ...... the exhibition of pictures and the talk

Thirty seven years ago ............ Salford in 1977, pictures ..... interviews ......and  talk by Phil Portus.

I posted the full story of Phil’s exhibition and talk a few days ago,* so this is just a timely and gentle reminder that Salford - Photographing Urban Change, by Phil Portus is on between 12.00-2.30pm. at Charlestown Community Camera Club, St Sebastians Community Centre, Douglas Green, Salford M6 6E.  And it’s free.
How good is that?

And as a way of seeing just what is on offer I suggest you  follow the link to Phil’s site and his story.



Picture; courtesy of Phil Portus

*Thirty seven years ago ............ Salford in 1977, pictures ..... interviews ......and a talk by Phil Portus Wednesday March 18 http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/thirty-seven-years-ago-salford-in-1977.html

**Salford Project, http://www.philportus.co.uk/salford-project/

Thirty seven years ago ............ Salford in 1977, pictures ..... interviews ......and a talk by Phil Portus Wednesday March 18

Now thirty-seven years is a long time in the history of many inner cities, especially Salford.

So I am keen to see a collection of photographs taken by Phil Portus in 1977.

They will be part of a fascinating afternoon at Charlestown Community Camera Club this Wednesday  when Phil talks about some of the changes that have taken place in Salford and shows new portraits and video interviews of people he photographed  37 years ago.*

At which point I shall quote from Phil’s own account of the project and suggest you follow the link to the site and see some more of those pictures.**

"In 1977 I became involved in an urban documentary photographic project in Salford. After several months of taking photographs we had a collective exhibition  of our black and white prints at the Salford theatre on Liverpool Street.    

Our aim was to record what was left of the past in Ordsall, Langworthy and adjacent areas after extensive demolition  of the old Victorian terraced houses.  

After the exhibition the photographs were kept by the authors of the work and not officially archived.

In 2001 I returned to  the areas covered by the project.  The old housing had been replaced by a council estate in the 80s,  but on the other side of Trafford  Road, in sharp contrast,  the former Manchester Docks had been redeveloped as “flag ship” luxury apartments, and the cultural centre The Lowry.  

This was part of the urban regeneration of the 90s.

In 2012 I decided to find some of the people I photographed in the late 70's and take new portraits. With the help of articles in the Salford Reporter, BBC radio and salfordonline.com I have found several people I had photographed 37 years ago. 

My talk looks at the social and economic background to that part of  Salford  and demonstrates my ongoing work on this project using both photographs and video interviews".

Pictures; courtesy of Phil Portus

* Salford - Photographing Urban Change, a talk by Phil Portus: Wednesday March 18 , 12.00-2.30pm. Free, Charlestown Community Camera Club, St Sebastians Community Centre, Douglas Green, Salford M6 6E

**Salford Project, http://www.philportus.co.uk/salford-project/