History

Jimmy Savile implicated in the tragic story of a 15-year-old Top of the Pops dancer who took an overdose and died after spending the night with a “well-known disc jockey” in 1971

Admin | Sunday 7 October 2012

Back in May I wrote about the tragic story of a 15-year-old girl who killed herself in 1971. A news report in The Guardian on April 6th of that year describes how she had danced on Top of the Pops on four occasions and, according to her diary, spent the night with a man the … Jimmy Savile implicated in the tragic story of a 15-year-old Top of the Pops dancer who took an overdose and died after spending the night with a “well-known disc jockey” in 1971

The end of the Oxford Road Show (video)

Admin | Monday 24 September 2012

How the BBC’s studios nearly ended up opposite Platt Fields Park in Rusholme Here in Manchester, New Broadcasting House is being demolished. But back in the mid-1950’s, when the BBC decided to build new northern regional headquarters, this famous location on Oxford Road wasn’t the first choice. At the beginning of 1956 the BBC was … The end of the Oxford Road Show (video)

Robert Rose’s grave and headstone have been found

Admin | Monday 14 May 2012

Last November I wrote about Robert Rose who was known as the “Bard of Colour” in 1840’s Manchester. I’ve had some great news. A group of people are documenting the headstones at the Manchester General Cemetery at Harpurhey. You can visit their website here. Following my research into Robert Rose, in March I wrote to … Robert Rose’s grave and headstone have been found

The changing face of…?

Admin | Wednesday 14 March 2012

You may struggle to identify this location at first glance because it looks so different. Certainly I got a big surprise last Sunday as I turned the corner from behind the Central Library.

A public discussion with Julia Grant (video)

Admin | Monday 5 September 2011

Following my recent interview with Julia Grant, she suggested that perhaps I could organise a public discussion about the future of the August Bank Holiday event (which has been known as Manchester Pride since 2004) and the gay village. This was arranged with the help of other members of the Facebook group Facts About Manchester … A public discussion with Julia Grant (video)

Rewriting history to promote the gay village and Manchester Pride

Admin | Thursday 7 July 2011

You may have heard about the notorious raid on a drag ball at a temperance hall in Manchester in 1880? An article in The Guardian (Village People, 7 August 2004) refers to the incident, but it begins with the scene just over one hundred years later. In 1988 “Canal Street in Manchester city centre was … Rewriting history to promote the gay village and Manchester Pride

Manchester Libraries make the Guardian and Observer archives available online

Admin | Friday 11 March 2011

If you have a card for Manchester Libraries you can now access full-content archives of The Guardian and The Observer newspapers via the online 24 Hour Library service. The newly-added archive covers The Guardian from 1821-2003 and The Observer from 1791-2003. The years from 2003 to date can be seen via the existing NewsBank service. … Manchester Libraries make the Guardian and Observer archives available online

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