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Then and Now: Platt Chapel, Rusholme

THEN: The Chapel in 1924

The sprawling quarter plot of land originally cost £99, and the present building, formerly a non-conformist church, has been in place since 1790.

But even in the 18th century, everything at the church had a price - down to the hire of a pew and pulpit cushions for parishioners.

The records also show that you also had to buy meat, drink, ale, a pipe, and tobacco.

Although the older image, pictured top, was taken in 1924, it doesn't look a lot different today.

NOW: Not much has changed

Today, the building on Wilmslow Road, bounded by the Nico ditch, a protected iron age road, is still in regular use, not least by members of Manchester Amateur Photographic Society (founded 1885), and the Russell Leite Theatre School which has hired the premises for the last six years.

A member of the theatre school who was far from impressed when viewing the property from outside had an instant change of heart once inside, as the building oozed "atmosphere" which was ideal for her theatre productions.

THE archive photograph is part of a collection chronicling the changing face of Manchester during the past 250 years on a computer at Manchester Central Library.

What memories do you have of the chapel and the surrounding area?

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