Manchester

[skyep]

Is there any truth in there being old war bunkers situated under piccadilly gardens? Also, any history buffs got any interesting facts about central Manchester I might not already know about??

[dot.hawkes]

It has an excellent Primark just across the road from Debenhams.

I taught Genealogy in Piccadilly Manchester for a number of years and the buildings around there are amazing. There is also a brilliant Police Museum that is worth a visit as it contains some amazing reconstructive displays.
the Manchester Jewish Museum also is worth looking at as the Jewish community in Manchester was behind a great deal of the commercial and urban development of the city.

The Manchester Record Office has a huge collection of material and one of the sources used often is the records of the railway companies in the area, who were giants of the industry.

Oh one thing that is interesting about Manchester Cathedral, there was a short period of time when the incumbent there, would carry out mass weddings, several couples at a time could be married and they could be from anywhere in the Country and as long as they swore they were free to marry they could be. If you research the registers (I think in was around the 1860s) you find dozens if not hundreds married in one day. This is why a random marriage in many Families can seem to have taken place in Manchester Cathedral when in fact the couple both appeared to live up to 80 miles away, and very often Family Historians have ignored the marriage thinking it was the wrong one. However, for many reasons, whether they be religious, family or legal, couples would walk for days to reach the Cathedral for the ceremony.

[skyep]

Dot.hawkes- Thanks for all your input, really interesting! I must pay the police museum a visit. Anybody else out there with history on Manchester?

[dot.hawkes]

http://www.cybertrn.demon.co.uk/guardian/
try this link too.

[skyep]

Dot.hawkes- fantastic! Do you think these tunnels still exist?

[dot.hawkes]

it would appear they do but as it says access is denied.

[gary baldy]

Check this out - written by some really clever fella who shall remain nameless (or shall remain Baldy at least).

http://www.manchestercivic.org.uk/forum/30/F30 _07.pdf

Check out the rest of the civic society site for lots more interesting articles (mostly the ones written by me!!!)

[skyep]

gary baldy - Thanks for your link, haven't been able to open it as yet, waiting for my son to get in & enlighten me! Thanks for your input :0)

[gary baldy]

Ah ha! You will need a pdf reader - something like acrobat to read that link.
Most computers have them pre installed but if not you can download it for free here otherwise.
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep 2.html

[Glossopswift]

A few other good answers were given a while back:
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/People_and_Plac es/Question116472.html

[skyep]

Glossopswift - Thanks for that , really interesting! I managed to get the book mentioned ' lost rivers of Manchester ' a while back. Didn't know about the other facts mentioned :0)