Cottonopolis

There is so much to see and do in Manchester, I couldn't fit it all into one weekend, or one blog post.

This place is brilliant, and will require a second visit.

Cotton is at the centre of Manchester's industrial, financial and social history. In 1781, Richard Arkwright built the first steam-driven textile mill in the city, ten years after he established his factory at Cromford Mill in Derbyshire (you can read about our visit here).

By 1853, there were 108 mills in Manchester, and twenty years later, the city produced over 30% of the world's cotton. 

The ready supply of water and coal, and the development of canals and railways made Manchester the perfect location for an industrial boom. Even the copious rain for which the city is infamous was beneficial; the damp air meant the cotton threads were less liable to snap.

Many of the huge number of warehouses built to accommodate raw materials and finished products have been redeveloped.

The Cotton Exchange where manufacturers and traders came to do business is now the Royal Exchange theatre.

Children were a significant part of the 18-19th Century textile workforce; here are Uncle Gary and the kids re-enacting a moment of mill-working brutality with great aplomb.

Fabulous street art and face-pulling. 

Oh Nina...

1970s cotton maxi dress - prize from The Queen's Drawers

Cardigan, necklace and bangles - charity shopped

Sandals - retail (sale)

Here's a hidden gem which is well worth a visit; the Gallery of Costume, part of Manchester Art Galleries. It's in Platt Hall, an elegant Georgian house in Fallowfield.

 There was an exhibition of wedding dresses...

and gorgeous hats...

and examples of beautiful clothing from the 17th Century to the present day.

 

  

It's the ideal place for a vintage lover to while away an hour or so on a wet Sunday morning in Manchester.

I haven't heard yet whether I've got an interview for the charity shop job. To take my mind off the waiting, I've finally got round to starting some sewing.

 

And yes, of course the fabric is cotton. This isn't just thrown together, you know...

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

xxx

The rain falls hard on a humdrum town

It has become a family tradition to meet up with my sister Sabena and her partner Gary for a city break at the end of March; this year's destination was Manchester. 

 

The weather was distinctly Mancunian, but it would be foolish to go to the UK's North West at this time of year and not expect grey skies and rain.

We were certainly windswept in Salford, visiting the Imperial War Museum North and the Lowry.

Claudia's nearly as tall as her auntie these days.

Another beautiful visitor; I've never seen a swan diving like that before, its feet were enormous.

I lived in Salford between 1989 and 1992, just as the Quays began to be developed but before MediaCity existed. 

 

 

I didn't care for much for Manchester at the time; I found the city a hard place, edgy and intimidating, and it never felt like home. 

Revisiting it after many years (and since it's a mere hour away on the train, I really don't know why I haven't been back more often), I can appreciate the grandeur and vibrancy of the city centre.

The Town Hall is a magnificent example of Victorian Gothic.

Albert Square is named for Prince Albert, who has a memorial there...

 

 

while his missus is in Piccadilly Gardens...

crowned by pigeons and smelling of wee, poor old love. (Some things don't change, Piccadilly Gardens is still a bit rough.)

Hands up who can do an impression of Gladstone?

There are interesting architectural sights galore...

reminders of the city's political past...

 

and lovely public art works to admire.

The Central Library is gorgeous...

and so is the majestic Midland Hotel...

where we couldn't afford to stay, but we did manage to have a coffee and pretend to be guests for the purposes of photo-taking!

That's a commemorative plaque in the background showing Henry Royce and Charles Rolls, who were introduced to each other in the Midland Hotel in 1904. 

 

We all adore spending time with Beanie and The Bloob!

1970s cotton maxi skirt - vintage fair

Denim jacket, top and scarf  - charity shopped

Boots - retail

I'd better leave the rest of our Manchester adventures for another post, and get going with a massive blog reading/commenting catch-up...

  I'm horribly behind!

xxx