One to do today ....... Who Built Wythenshawe ......... at Central Ref from 11 am

 Now for many people Ernest and Sheena Simon will for ever be connected with Wythenshawe.

How to abolish the slums, 1929

They donated Wythenshawe Hall and its surrounding land as part of the project to build a new housing estate south of the city which would offer new homes to thousands of Mancunians who up until then had lived in properties which were at best inadequate, and many of which qualified for the title of slum.

And they were actively engaged in the project.

The exhibition at the Forum, May-July, 2022

But as the event, Who Built Wythenshawe will testify there was much more to both of them.  

The event  "will feature talks from the curators, and from local historians on the Simon and Tatton families, as well as unseen footage of the Simons. 

Visitors will be able to look at the many books written by the Simons and a number of photos of them alongside maps of Wythenshawe as well as have a chat with the curators”.

And so as well as talks on various aspects of their contribution to improving conditions for the people of Manchester there will be sessions on Ernest Simon's German parents and on the Tattons of Wythenshawe.

Shena and Ernest Simon visiting a hospital, date unknown

The event will be at Manchester Central Library on August 15th, starting at 11 am, and follows on from a very successful exhibition of the same name which ran from May to July at the Forum Library in Wythenshawe.*

But if you can’t get to the event you can follow the story on the web site, Who Built Wythenshawe.**

Location; Manchester Central Library, St Peter’s Square

Pictures; courtesy of John Ayshford

* Who Built Wythenshawe, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/2022/05/who-built-wythenshawe-exhibition-today.html

**Who Built Wythenshawe, https://whobuiltwythenshawe.wordpress.com/

Spend a morning in the company of two Manchester pioneers ..... the Simon's of Wythenshawe at Central Ref ....... Monday August 15th

 Now for many people Ernest and Sheena Simon will for ever be connected with Wythenshawe.

How to abolish the slums, 1929

They donated Wythenshawe Hall and its surrounding land as part of the project to build a new housing estate south of the city which would offer new homes to thousands of Mancunians who up until then had lived in properties which were at best inadequate, and many of which qualified for the title of slum.

And they were actively engaged in the project.

The exhibition at the Forum, May-July, 2022

But as the event, Who Built Wythenshawe will testify there was much more to both of them.  

The event  "will feature talks from the curators, and from local historians on the Simon and Tatton families, as well as unseen footage of the Simons. 

Visitors will be able to look at the many books written by the Simons and a number of photos of them alongside maps of Wythenshawe as well as have a chat with the curators”.

And so as well as talks on various aspects of their contribution to improving conditions for the people of Manchester there will be sessions on Ernest Simon's German parents and on the Tattons of Wythenshawe.

Shena and Ernest Simon visiting a hospital, date unknown

The event will be at Manchester Central Library on August 15th, starting at 11 am, and follows on from a very successful exhibition of the same name which ran from May to July at the Forum Library in Wythenshawe.*

But if you can’t get to the event you can follow the story on the web site, Who Built Wythenshawe.**

Location; Manchester Central Library, St Peter’s Square

Pictures; courtesy of John Ayshford

* Who Built Wythenshawe, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/2022/05/who-built-wythenshawe-exhibition-today.html

**Who Built Wythenshawe, https://whobuiltwythenshawe.wordpress.com/

Who built Wythenshawe ...... the exhibition .... today

 Now, this is an exhibition I will be visiting ….. 

And here I have to declare a personal interest because Wythenshawe was where I spent my 35 years teaching career history.

John Ayshford who is one of the organizers of the exhibition told me

The Simons visiting Manchester residents, 1922

“The exhibition is on the history of Wythenshawe and the fascinating lives of the somewhat forgotten local social reformers Ernest and Shena Simon. 

The Simons played an instrumental part in realising Wythenshawe's development as a garden city to provide better housing for the tens of thousands of families previously forced to live in Manchester's slums. 

Ernest Simon was a pioneering industrialist, politician and housing reformer whilst Shena Simon was a leading feminist and campaigner for comprehensive education who served on the education committee of Manchester City Council for over forty years. 

How to abolish the slums, 1929

When Ernest was appointed to the House of Lords the Simons took the name Lord and Lady Wythenshawe in recognition of the pride they took in Wythenshawe. 

Invitation to industry, 1932

We hope the exhibition will engage the local community in Wythenshawe with their history and foster local pride.

The exhibition will be held at the Wythenshawe Forum Library from 21st May–2nd July. The launch event for the exhibition is at 11:00 on 21st May at the Library. 

Local societies and councillors will be in attendance”.

Leaving me just to add that one of my first teaching projects was the story of Wythenshawe which always proved popular amongst the students who grew in the Woodhouse Park and Benchill areas of the estate.

Added to which my school which had been Oldwood Secondary had been adopted by Shena Simon as her own and she regularly attended Speech Days, although sadly the photographs of her visits have long since vanished.

I could add more but wont, leaving it to the references below provided by John to fill any gaps in people's knowledge.

Location; Forum Library, Wythenshawe M22 5RX

Wythenshawe Civic Week 1955

Pictures; courtesy of John Ayshford

*Shena Simon; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shena_Simon

**Ernest Simons, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Simon,_1st_Baron_Simon_of_Wythenshawe

***In Search of Athens: Ernest Simon’s Campaign to Bolster Britain’s Democratic Culture (1932-1939), by John Ayshford, https://manchesterhistorian.com/2021/in-search-of-athens-ernest-simons-campaign-to-bolster-britains-democratic-culture-1932-1939-by-john-ayshford/

And two more to read ........

Who Built Wythenshawe: The Forgotten Story of Ernest & Shena Simon and the Creation of Manchester’s Garden City, https://whobuiltwythenshawe.wordpress.com/

Who Built Wythenshawe? The Forgotten Story of Ernest & Shena Simon and the Creation of Manchester’s Garden City, https://manchesterhistories.co.uk/news-list/who-built-wythenshawe-the-forgotten-story-of-ernest-shena-simon-and-the-creation-of-manchesters-garden-city/

Who Built Wythenshawe? ........ the exhibition to visit

 Now, this is an exhibition I will be visiting ….. 

And here I have to declare a personal interest because Wythenshawe was where I spent my 35 years teaching career

John Ayshford who is one of the organizers of the exhibition told me

The Simons visiting Manchester residents, 1922

“The exhibition is on the history of Wythenshawe and the fascinating lives of the somewhat forgotten local social reformers Ernest and Shena Simon. 

The Simons played an instrumental part in realising Wythenshawe's development as a garden city to provide better housing for the tens of thousands of families previously forced to live in Manchester's slums. 

Ernest Simon was a pioneering industrialist, politician and housing reformer whilst Shena Simon was a leading feminist and campaigner for comprehensive education who served on the education committee of Manchester City Council for over forty years. 

How to abolish the slums, 1929

When Ernest was appointed to the House of Lords the Simons took the name Lord and Lady Wythenshawe in recognition of the pride they took in Wythenshawe. 

Invitation to industry, 1932

We hope the exhibition will engage the local community in Wythenshawe with their history and foster local pride.

The exhibition will be held at the Wythenshawe Forum Library from 21st May–2nd July. The launch event for the exhibition is at 11:00 on 21st May at the Library. 

Local societies and councillors will be in attendance”.

Leaving me just to add that one of my first teaching projects was the story of Wythenshawe which always proved popular amongst the students who grew in the Woodhouse Park and Benchill areas of the estate.

Added to which my school which had been Oldwood Secondary had been adopted by Shena Simon as her own and she regularly attended Speech Days, although sadly the photographs of her visits have long since vanished.

I could add more but wont, leaving it to the references below provided by John to fill any gaps in people's knowledge.

Location; Forum Library, Wythenshawe M22 5RX

Wythenshawe Civic Week 1955

Pictures; courtesy of John Ayshford

*Shena Simon; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shena_Simon

**Ernest Simons, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Simon,_1st_Baron_Simon_of_Wythenshawe

***In Search of Athens: Ernest Simon’s Campaign to Bolster Britain’s Democratic Culture (1932-1939), by John Ayshford, https://manchesterhistorian.com/2021/in-search-of-athens-ernest-simons-campaign-to-bolster-britains-democratic-culture-1932-1939-by-john-ayshford/

THE STORY OF LORD SIMON OF WYTHENSHAWE'S FAMILY tonight in Didsbury

I first came across the Simon family soon after I started teaching in Wythenshawe.

It was 1973 when  I came found a speech Lady Simon had given at Oldwood Secondary school sometime in the 1958

Oldwood had opened its doors in the 1950s and became the lower school of Poundswick High School in 1967.

In that pre National Curriculum age I often wandered off the history syllabus to introduce my students to Ernest and Shena Simon, their gift of Wythenshawe Hall to the city and their unswerving work to improve the provision of social housing and education in Manchester.

More recently I discovered that Shena Simon had been a councillor here in Chorlton.

All of which means I will be a little disappointed to miss the talk by Diana Leitch on the story of Lord Simon of Wythenshawe at the Emanuel Church on Barlow Moor Road, tonight at 7 tonight.