From: Karen atkinson50@btinternet.com
Re: Irlam Steel Works

Hi

My grandfather was traffic manager at the steelworks about 1933 and would love to find out more about the steelworks, what my grandfather did there and how long he worked there.

Can you give me any more information and suggest where I might start looking?

Regards Karen

When I was doing the feature in Irlam, I called in at the local library and they had a lot of information about the steelworks, as well as the history of the area. That would be a good place to start. You can access the library services in the City of Salford by going to the local authority website www.salford.gov.uk

From: Revd Denis Nadin amgene@ntlworld.com
To: <aidan@anamaria.u-net.com>
Re: Burnage

Would like to mention my site on Burnage
www.geocities.com/burnageheritage
email: burnageheritage@yahoo.co.uk

I am just trying to complete Bombs Over Burnage and would welcome contact with those interested in Burnage and its history.

Revd Dennis Nadin

Best of luck with your Burnage site - here's a recent photo of Burnage

From: "emas" <emas@supanet.com>
To: <aidan@anamaria.u-net.com>
Subject: Can you help me please?

Hi my name is Ema Murphy and I attend sixthform in Liverpool city centre.

I am currently in my final year of doing my A level in Art, and as part of my final exam grade I have to produce a Personal Study of my own choice, I have chosen to study Jesse Hartley concentrating on his design of Liverpools Albert Docks.

My project needs to be quite in-depth therefore I would be grateful for any information anyone could supply me with.

If you could supply me with any information on this topic could you please contact me as soon as possible at: Emma1@postmark.net I would really appreciate it.

Thank you. Ema Murphy.

I haven't got any information myself, but hopefully someone out there can help this enterprising student.

>From: tc-wood <tc-wood@home.com>
>To: aidan@anamaria.u-net.com
>Subject: Kennedy Street

Dear Aidan, I enjoy your EWM site very much. I have only visited Manchester once, but I would certainly like to return in a couple of years when so many projects will be wrapping up.

I have a few questions:

Where in the city centre is Kennedy Street? I have seen references to a redevelopment proposal for the street (I think on manchestercivic.org), and it looks like it has some nice buildings. Is it off Deansgate? In Salford? And, are there any proposals for it?

Also, as I recall from my visit, there were a few buildings along Mosley Street whose absence would enhance the street - they looked as though they were from the seventies or so. There was the one on St Peters Square, and some other ones closer to the Portico Library. My question is if any of these have been torn down/redesigned (or if there are any plans), and, if so, would you please take some photos of Upper Mosley when you have the chance?

Have you seen any indication of the design for the new hotel on Deansgate (the one to replace Northcliffe House)? If so, how does it look?

Further down that same street, can you tell me what is being done in the part of the GN warehouse that fronts Deansgate?

And finally, in Vancouver, there seem to be trees along every sidewalk. I seem to recall Manchester lacked much greenery along its streets. Are there any signs of an improvement, perhaps in time for the Commonwealth Games?

Sorry for all the questions, but you're my eyes in Manchester.

Thanks, Tim Wood Vancouver, Canada

Yes, Mosley St has some typical examples of 1970's mediocrity - I believe a very impressive Victorian building was torn down to make way for one of them. As far as I'm aware there are no plans to remove any of these modern buildings. Incidentally, the City Art Gallery extension is currently well in progress.

The design of the hotel to replace the inspiring art deco Northcliffe House is apparently yet another well-behaved, clean and contemporary brick and glass box. Deansgate will have lost one of its major landmarks and be a lesser place once Northcliffe House has gone.

The GN warehouse is being extensively remodelled and extended - the long facade facing onto Deansgate is also being cleaned and renovated. The fabric of the buildings is being extensively retained. It looks like a good job, though the extension to the warehouse hides its southern facade, and blocks the view of GMEX, the former Central Station.

Hope this helps and thank you very much for your e-mail!

From: "John Duffield" <john.duffield@dial.pipex.com>
To: "Aidan O'Rourke" <aidan@anamaria.u-net.com>
Subject: More drawings and paintings

No, I wouldn't like drawings and paintings. I see you featured the Refuge building again. It's your favourite, isn't it? Mine's the CIS Regards

Yes, the CIS is great - I like the Refuge, but the reason I seem to feature it so much is that I'm often in that part of town. I was working in Gateway House on that day and saw some amazing views out the window. I'd like to do some views from the CIS building - on the day I visited it was pouring rain - the black and white night shot was taken after that visit. Thanks for your feedback regarding drawings and paintings - in your usual to-the-point style!

>From: "P.V.HOPWOOD" <hopwood@iafrica.com>
>To: aidan@anamaria.u-net.com
>Subject: Manchester Ship Canal - Partington.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed your article on the Manchester Ship Canal
(MSC), I was disappointed not to hear any mention of my home town -
Partington.

Having lived in South Africa for many years I am under no illusions of the
type of place that Partington has now become but in my childhood days the
MSC was a major part of our new and developing town.

I can still vividly remember being "sculled" across the canal to Cadishead
in a row boat so that we could spend an afternoon at the Irlam Swimming
Baths, or visit my Auntie Alice who also lived in Irlam.

The introduction of an outboard motor to the "ferry" was the talk of the
Partington when it was introduced, although in later years when the outboard
broke down or ran out of petrol, meaning we had to return to "sculling",
that was also something to tell the neighbors !!

Walking down the long canal path (both sides) was as exciting as waiting for
the "Manchester Miller" to pass before we could begin our crossing and the
local pride that we all felt at being able to view the Manchester Liners
sail past our own doorstep is still a vivid memory.

A gas explosion on the canal (caused by spillage from a local chemical base)
which killed some shiftworkers on their way to work kept the dangerous aura
of the canal alive for years, as well as the odd drowning of a local
inhabitant, which (sadly) inevitably happened every so often.

So although all this may seem quite boring to the casual reader, the MSC at
Partington was a massive landmark to the locals and to read such an in-depth
report of the MSC cruise which made no mention of Partington was quite
disappointing.

Is Partington such a terrible place these days that it doesn't warrant a
mention ?

Is there still a ferry at Lock Lane ?

What happened to the familly that made a business of running the ferry ?

These are all questions that cannot be answered by taking the MSC cruise but
perhaps somebody can identify with my memories and shed some light ???

Regards,

P.V.Hopwood.

I'm sorry I didn't mention Partington in the report - no offence intended. The view is personal, and I tend to mention the places I know. I hope to do a "Ship Canal Revisited" feature in future, mentioning Partington! There is no longer a ferry at Lock Lane - the photo on the left was taken aboard the MV Mountwood as it passed by Lock Lane on the Manchester Ship Canal Cruise, featured in September 1999.

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