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A brief history of
Manchester for those who may not know any of it - or know some of it - or know
all of it and want to read it again?
Manchester is a city in NW England, 31 miles east of Liverpool
and on the river Irwell, and is linked to the sea, via the river Mersey, by the
Manchester Ship Canal, opened in 1894.
Industry:
Its
damp climate made the city particularly suitable for cotton productions, and
from about the middle of the 18th century it became the world's centre for
cotton manufacturing - using importation chiefly from North America by way of
Liverpool.
However:
After the 1939-45 war, the cotton industry experienced a rapid
decline; but - fortunately for the area - many of the disused mills were
preserved and used for other activities.
The
city also developed manufacturing related to textile machinery, chemicals,
rubber, electrical equipment, paper - these amongst other industries - and also
became an important financial centre.
Culture, Education and Architecture:
It has the Royal Northern College of Music, Chetham's School of
Music, the Hallé Orchestra, Manchester Grammar School, founded in 1515,
the Royal Exchange, built in 1869 - but now used as a theatre.
It also possesses a spectacular Town Hall, opened in 1877 and
designed by Alfred Waterhouse. Also the Free Trade Hall, built in 1843; and,
further more, the oldest passenger station at Liverpool Road - now uses for
other purposes.
In addition, it has the
Whitworth Art Gallery and the Cotton Exchange - the latter now used as a
leisure centre.
Last but not least: There's the
Castlefield Urban Heritage Park which includes the Granada television studios,
incorporating the set of "Coronation Street".
Manchester has always been a major centre of cultural and
intellectual activities. It developed the Manchester school of political
economists; including amongst its members John Bright and Richard Cobden - the
campaigners for the repeal of the Corn Laws in the first half of the 19th
century.
Also, it became the starting place for
the radical "Guardian" newspaper - first appearing as the Manchester Guardian,
in 1821.
Origin:
It
started as a Roman camp (Mancunium) and became mentioned in the Domesday Book
as an important centre of trade, and by the 13th century became a centre for
the wool trade.
Note:
Does
anyone know the meaning of "Mancunium"?
Please help to complete this
page!
In reply to the
above request, a reader (Stuart Peers - salc@btinternet.com) kindly sent the
highly interesting information - which I quote,
below:
Mamucium Roman Fort
The Romans
spent 300 years at Mamucium, building four forts, each one bigger and stronger
than the last. From A.D. 43 to 410, Britain was known as the province of
Britannia. The Roman Emperor, Claudius, sent his soldiers to invade these small
islands and take advantage of the mineral and agricultural wealth. His army
arrived in Manchester in A.D. 79, led by General Julius Agricola, who ordered a
fort to be built as a communications post between the towns of DEWA (Chester)
and EBORACUM (York). Castlefield was the perfect place to build such a fort
because it overlooked the spot where the Rivers Irwell and Medlock converged.
The Roman name for this chosen site was Mamucium, which meant breast shaped
hill - referring to the sandstone ridge where the fortress was positioned.
Agricola was the Governor of Britain from A.D. 77 to 83 and born into a high
ranking family who lived in the ancient European region of southern Gaul. He
became a senator in early adulthood and later promoted to spend many years in
Britain, waging war against anyone who stood in the way of Roman supremacy. His
daughter married Tacitus, a famous historian, who wrote about his
father-in-law's life and times. It is largely thanks to him that we now know so
much about Roman Britain during this period. (end of quoted
information)
Comment from the Website Manager: Who would have thought the
name "Manchester" arose from an imaginative Roman disposition which might've
incline them towards being avid viewers of page three displays in the Sun
Newspaper - that's if they were around today? People never change - it
seems!
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In addition to the above,
concerning the name's origination, a reader (Tony Medlock - design@uksign.com)
sent this interesting information which provides an alternative
"slant":
In the year 79 the
town was conquered by Agricola, who changed its British name of Mancenion to
MANCUNIUM. It was afterwards called Mancestre, from whence its present name is
derived. William the Conquerer gave Roger de Poictiers all the land between the
Mersey and the Ribble. It appears that De Poictiers did not hold Manchester
long, before it came into the hands of Robert de Gredley; from whose family it
passed to that of West, with the title of Lord de la Warr, one of whom, about
1600, sold the manor to Sir Nicholas Mosley, Knight, whose descendant is Sir
Oswald Mosley. Manchester is joined to Salford by 4 bridges, and they appear
one town, though each have their separate officers and government, in the same
way that London and Southwark are connected, and to which place the situation
of the united towns, on the river Irwell bear a resemblance. (Hope this
helps)
Comment from the
Website Manager: The "plot" thickens. I wonder how many more possibilities
exist? The past gets more fascinating the deeper one digs into it.
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