A walk around Ancoats

On a cold December day I managed to get to Ancoats and have a little walk round. Going behind Piccadilly station wasn’t something I’d ever done before as far as I know and it felt a bit eerie as the streets were deserted, lined by imposing old buildings which all seemed to be empty. I passed by the basin of the lock where the water was still frozen since the bout of freezing weather not long previously. It could have been a photo opportunity but the car parks that are abundant in the area don’t make for pretty pictures. In fact, the overwhelming impression of the area is that of old, abandoned buildings and car parks.

Cornwall Street where John Regan, Martha Clunie’s father lived with his family in 1871 has now been renamed Cornell Street for some reason I can’t fathom. Adjoining Anita Street was originally called Sanitary Street and the reason for this stems apparently from some creative vandalism to the street sign as well as a change in what we think is appropriate for street names. At one time Sanitary Street would have been an accolade to progress and hygiene.

I found what remains of Loom Street, where the Regan family lived at number 108 in 1861. It is now a kind of gloomy alley cut off at the end with a couple of dark buildings on either side, one of which seems to house some kind of business activity. Looking closer I found a plaque erected to some long forgotten clergyman and some old lettering depicting the name of the street.

Later, on the way back to Piccadilly station I found a bookshop and browsed the Manchester section where I found a history book with a whole section on the excavation of Loom Street houses undertaken by the University in 2007.

Manchester: The Hidden History by Michael Newell: The History Press, 2008

The most common houses excavated were back to back properties and the book gives details of various kinds of properties. It disclaims some remarks made by Engels about the thickness of the walls and the living conditions described in his book in the 1840s. Whilst living conditions were certainly poor and sanitation and sewerage were still lacking it would appear that by the 1860s things were quite different than in the 1830s. As well as looking at the structure of the houses the excavation uncovered remains of ‘high quality pottery such as creamwares and fine porcelains’ and ‘glass and stoneware bottles, showing the consumption of mineral water, carbonated cordials or ginger beer……these beverages were often drunk in preference to the local well water that was frequently contaminated’.

On George Leigh Street just along from Loom Street is the church of St Michael’s which was once the keystone of the thriving Italian community which came to Ancoats at the end of the nineteenth century. By 1881 most of our family had left the area and gone over to Salford. They were replaced by Italian immigrants who made the area their own and were well-known for starting the ice-cream business. There is a beautiful website about these Italians here.

The church is now the object of a campaign to keep it open and there appears to be quite a bit of animosity between the locals and the bishop.

I didn’t manage to walk further up the streets to find Portugal and Elizabeth Streets were the Clunie’s lived due to cold feet and hands.

Another time maybe.