Manchester in Colour

This is a  selection of historic photographs  from locations in and around Manchester from different periods in time. All have been digitally colourised from black and white originals. Where possible, they have been carefully researched to ensure correct colour reproduction.

A Salford Corporation tram approaches the City Centre in the fog. Route 81 ran from Irlams o' th' Heights to Deansgate. Trams operated in Salford until March 1947.

A Manchester Corporation trolleybus on Fairfield Street.  Alongside is a Scammell Scarab, three wheeledd articulated lorry and trailer. British Railways operated a large fleet of these. In the background is PiccadillyStation.

Children make the most of an abandoned car in Moss Side. A 1957 photograph by  Robert Smithie.

 Airport buses outside the Royal Exchange in the 1950s.  Passengers were able to check in for their flights at the City Centre Air Terminal.

Barton Aerodrome. The view of the main hangar from the Control Tower. Now re-named City  Airport, it is one of the busiest general aviation airfields in the country and home to police and air ambulance helicopters.

Playing in the water. Manchester in the 1970s.

Bullock's garage at 6 Manchester Road, Cheadle. In the background can be seen The Cheadle Institute. Parked at the kerbside is a Renault taxi. The site is still occupied by a car sales business. More details about this photograph may be found here: http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/garage-cheadle.htm

 Looking from Cathedral Gates towards the Chapter House. On the left is the Mitre Hotel whilst on the right, the site is now occupied by the re-located Old Wellington Inn.

The concourse of Central Station on a busy day in the 1950s.

Off to training camp. Members of the Territorial Army line up at Central Station in 1957.

Not much work for the porters to do.

Shortly before Central closed in 1969. Services by that time had been reduced to two suburban lines.

 

Pupils of Chetham's in the 1930s

Chorlton Street in 1961. The Mechanics Arms has since been re-named Churchill's and incorporates the cafe on the corner of Canal Street.

Corporation Street. The slender building in the background was left isolated after wartime bombing. It was demolished when Exchange Square was created.

A DeHavilland DH-60 Moth is seen at Wythenshaw Airport in 1929. This was the City's first airport but was only operational for about 18 months while Barton was prepared.

 

Manchester in 1960 and something important has been lost down the grid. Photograph by Shirley Baker.  

Actress Violet Carson who played Ena Sharples in Coronation Street looks out over the streets of Old Trafford.

An afternoon arrival at Exchange Station.

A murky evening on Victoria Street, 1950.

A line of trams on Grosvenor Street, All Saints in 1935.

A horse tram pauses at the Farmyard Hotel in Blackley in 1898 on its journey to Harpurhey

Hulme in 1965. The carts appear to belong to the scrapyard on the left.

King Street in 1892. Halfway up on the left is the former Town Hall. The portico was relocated to Heaton Park after demolition.

A 19th century  street scene believed to be in the Angel Meadows area.

Scrubbing the steps in 1958.

Queueing for the phone. A Manchester street scene photographed in 1970 by Martin Parr

Market Street in the 1930s. The Rylands Building seen in the background was completed in 1932. It was converted into a department store by Paulden's in 1957 and is now a branch of Debenhams.

Mirabel Street in 1965.

Dismantling cars in Moss Side in 1968.

Photograph by Shirley Baker in 1963. A coutryard off of Upper Brook Street, Chorlton on Medlock.

Manchester had a number of these police telephone columns. This one was on Oldham Road, Miles Platting

Oxford Street in 1921.In the distance is the Palace Theatre and the tower of the Refuge Building. On the right is the former Hippodrome.

The Sun Inn was on Long Millgate, near Manchester Cathedral. The pub was known as "Poet's Corner" due to its literary associations.

 This is the junction of Portland Street and Oxford Street. Trams head towards Piccadilly.

 

A policeman controls traffic at the junction of Portland Street and Princess Street in 1904. Many of these buildings including the Circus Tavern, still stand.

Royle Street Bridge in Ancoats in 1908. The Rochdale Canal Lock in No81, Butter Lane Lock. Although the bridge and lock remain, all of the surrounding buildings have been demolished.

Wash day in Salford in 1962. A photograph by Shirley Baker, digitally colourised.

 Salford in 1971 and a boy takes his siblings out for a walk.

At play on the streets of Salford.

Children at play in Manchester. A photograph by Shirley Baker, digitally colourised.

 Skipping in the streets. A 1968 photograph by Shirley Baker.

Abandoned cars always seemed to attract youngsters.

A wet evening in Piccadilly. A route 210 trolleybus waits to depart for Hyde.

 

Blanche Wilkes and Michael Culverwell at their stall on Stockport Market. The prices show that this was before the currency decimalisation of 1971 

 

 Visiting time at Strangeways in the 1940s. 

Police officers try out their new motor bikes in the 1950s. 

 Entertainment at the Union on Princess Street in 1974.

Trainspotting at Victoria. A train from Yorkshire approaches platform 11.

 Ye Olde Rover's Return on Shudehill. The oldest pub in Manchester closed in 1958 and was demolished. The site is now occupied by a branch of Greggs by an entrance to the Arndale Centre.

 

A "knees up" at Yates's Wine Lodge in Ashton in 1983.