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READER MESSAGES EARLY TO MID JUNE 1999 (SEE ALSO MID & LATE MAY AND THE EXHIBITION GUEST BOOK WITH 47 MESSAGES)

To: <aidan@anamaria.u-net.com>
From: "Stephen Mcguire"John.Mcguire@tesco.net
Subject: Piccadilly - where's the cash?
Date: Sun, 23 May 1999 20:03:32 +0100

I tend to agree with readers over a new building in Piccadilly Gardens not being a very bright idea. However, the city council needs the money from the sale to fund the redevelopment - and we must all agree that the Gardens are a complete eyesore at the moment.

Of course if Manchester actually incorporated all it's districts (I don't mean Stockport or Oldham or other satellite towns - just the Manchester districts like Old Trafford, Worsley, Stretford, Urmston, Salford, Denton etc.) then with 1.2 million Mancunians helping to support their city centre ("town"), the city might have the muscle and cash to really spend on "town" instead of selling bits off. Manchester is the only city in the UK where two thirds of its citizens live outside the city boundary (in silly concoctions like "Trafford", "Tameside" etc.).

Leeds and Birmingham on the other hand are the other way around and after 1974 spread out to incorporate such towns as Whetherby, Ilkley and Sutton Coldfield etc. In consequnce, these cities, which are smaller in reality than Mcr, have had the muscle to put much more resources into their city centres.

Manchester will always be at a serious disadvantage until the boundaries are changed (though it's done very well with its limited resources) Anyone who really cares about Manchester should recognise that a system which leaves the poorest one third of Mancunians to be the only source of funding for England's second city is unsustainable.

Chester Road Old Trafford -
Manchester is one mile down the road!

How is it that in 1999, even Old Trafford, which is as Mancunian as you can get, is still not part of the city proper? That is far more shocking to me than selling off part of Piccadilly Gardens!!

PS It's all well and fine saying Mcr is the ten districts of Greater Manchester, but that doesn't help the city council finance the city centre.

I see what you mean, but the neighbouring boroughs don't want their territory to be gobbled up by Manchester. Something must be done about this. Sorry this message from May has only appeared now - it got lost in the "system". Thanks for your contribution, as ever.

Envelope-to: aidan@anamaria.u-net.com
Date: Sat, 05 Jun 1999 16:36:26 -0700
From: George Greatbanks <george_greatbanks@bc.sympatico.ca>
Reply-To: george_greatbanks@bc.sympatico.ca

Subject: Thanks for the kind word

Hi Aidan,
As usual, you gave an insightful written and photographic snapshot of the celebrations that erupted after United did the unthinkable and won the treble. Like you, I too want to congratulate City on their own triumph. My sister supports the Blues, as does her husband and for her, and all the other City fans, a tribute of some kind in your pages wouldn't be amiss.

Thanks too for the compliment regarding a compilation of memoirs. I love writing, but I have to wonder who would be interested in the autobiography of a man who has accomplished nothing startling and has no claim to fame outside of a good memory. Besides, who would publish it?

I'd also have to write it as being based on life experiences, I'd have to use different names for some characters, or else get their approval, and I don't know where most of them are nowadays.But getting away from that, I have a question. The picture you took from Werneth Low, looking over Winter Hill. Can you be more specific about where you were standing, you see my sister lives in Gee Cross, and talking to Brenda Triggerson the other day, she asked me to ask my sister for information about it, but I thought it better to ask you obviously. Brenda mentioned a nice pub that is up there somewhere.

Incidentally, I am currently using that photograph as my wallpaper, it's a nice reminder of the pretty scenery you have always been able to see just a few minutes outside the city.

Your pictures of Fairfield prompted my talking to Brenda, you see she and I are from the same neck of the woods and some of her relations attended the same elementary school as me, Elysian Street. I wanted to compare notes with her about the area, as it seems she knew more about it than I did. You see, as usual, those pictures stirred my little grey cells, as Hercule Poirot would say.

My mother's aunt used to live in one of the quite stately homes just before you hit the Trough, (apparently they are still there) which is on the fork in Manchester Road - what Ashton Old Road became at Fairfield. The house she lived in was one of 2 gate houses to Ryecroft Hall. I remember the Fairfield High School for Girls, can't for the life of me think why, but I didn't realize the area was a Moravian settlement until I talked to Brenda. It was a beautiful little enclave on the fringe of what was a grimy
industrial area.

After getting married, June and I lived for a time in Audenshaw, branching off Manchester Road onto Audenshaw Road at the Trough, across the dog-legged railway bridge, past the Blue Pig to Lumm Lane. We lived on Edward St., just off Lumm Lane. You probably remember the pea-soupers we used to get in the days of heavy fossil fuel use. One Christmas, we were driving home in my 1936 Standard Limousine, and couldn't see the end of the bonnet. With the lights on the road, and the brilliantly lit Trough pub, we took the right fork and plunged into instant darkness. Gently edging along, I remarked to my wife that I'd better get out and check where we were, thinking of the dog-leg in the road. It was just as well, because my front wheels were only inches from going over the unguarded edge onto the tracks. Obviously, we made it home okay.

I saw your pictures of the construction of the M-60 in your photo album, you mentioned the draining of one of the Audenshaw reservoirs, that was close to where I lived I expect. Maybe, when you get a chance, a fond remembrance photo of the Blue Pig will appear in your page, who knows.

Talk to you again soon

George

Blue Pig Blue Pig Blue Pig, right I'll try and remember that. It's an interesting area, but much of it has been obliterated by the motorway. I'd like to find an old map of the area and trace where you were talking about. Thanks as ever for your contrubution.

The ice-cream cone was very mouthwatering which also brings back memories of childhood days in Manchester. Aidan, keep smiling! keep up the excellent work, all the best from myself at this end of the world.

Thanks for your comment - The Queens Park Art Gallery is no longer used as a gallery, and spend much of the time locked up. Shame. As a child I had a painting on display at Stockport Art Gallery. Glad you liked the 99. Do you have anything like that where you are?

From: Robert.Amstutz@wdr.com
Date: Wed, 9 Jun 1999 11:12:48 +0200
Subject: Re: The Newsletter is Online

Just wanted to say that I enjoy your newsletter and pictures. Even though I have been living in Switzerland for the last 28 years I am still a Mancunian at heart and avidly follow events back home. Keep up the good work.

Regards
Robert

Thanks for your comment. Switzerland - went there once - is the definition of a picturesque country, but personally, I prefer Manchester and northern England! Where are you from in/near Manchester?

From: RAYOPINT@aol.com
Date: Thu, 3 Jun 1999 18:06:44 EDT
Subject: Mcr Utd
To: aidan@anamaria.u-net.com

Thanks you very much for the pictures of the United homecoming, it took me back to 1968, I was at the game then but got back in time for the celebrations. This really brought back memories, although that seems to be your primary vocation, I really appreciate it . Thanks again Aiden.

Ray O'Neill

They're memories to you, because you're away from Manchester, but to me, they're day to day reality. It's just that I go to the trouble of taking photos of them and presenting them to people via the web. Very glad you liked the photos.

Envelope-to: aidan@anamaria.u-net.com
From: j.burns@sympatico.ca
Date: Wed, 02 Jun 1999 14:12:01 -0400
Reply-To: j.burns@sympatico.ca
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: "Aidan O'Rourke" <aidan@anamaria.u-net.com>
Subject: Re: Images

Dear Aidan,

Congratulations on your 1000th! As I have said before, I love your site and visit it every week.

Have written to you a couple of times lately to no avail...no response and not on reader messages....must have disappeared into thin air.

Anyway, this is one more try. When you are up near Mottram-in-Longdendale, would love a picture of the church on the hill and the churchyard.

Thanks in anticipation of making it this time.

J.B.

I was up there recently, but the weather wasn't very good. Sorry about the lack of response - The problem with e-mail is you get a lot of it, and it can be difficult to deal with every message. I've also found it difficult recently to keep the Reader Messages fully up to date. Hope to bring you a pic of Mottram church & yard soon. In the meantime, here's a landmark that's not too far away, Hartshead Pike.

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