Rusholme Calendar 2017
This page compliments the Calendar published in October 2016 by Creative Rusholme. Sold to make money for community organisations to carry our activities to further ‘green’ Rusholme, the Calendar features many of the parks and buildings featured in the Rusholme and Victoria Park Archive. As well as some contemporary photographs, this page provides links, (click on the underscore), to the organisations mentioned in the Calendar and links to the Archive pages.
All photographs and text are ©Phil Barton 2016, a local resident. He can be contacted for permission to use any material by clicking on his name. The Calendar was produced free of charge by Scott Dawson Advertising as part of their commitment to supporting community endeavour. Creative Rusholme is grateful to rusholmearchive for hosting this page.
Front Cover
A brief history of Dalton-Ellis Hall.
January
Manchester Royal Infirmary has been located in north Rusholme on Oxford Road since 1908. Today it is managed by Central Manchester University Hospitals Trust.
February
Christian Science church, Daisy Bank Road, Victoria Park. Built in1903 by architect Edgar Wood. Find out more about Edgar Wood in this article by John Archer of Manchester University published in 1987. The English Heritage Listing Notification. sets out the reasons why it has a Grade 1 listing, one of only twelve such buildings in Manchester.
March
Find out more about Platt Hall and the Worsley Family and the campaign to save the Hall and estate from housing redevelopment at Platt Hall and Platt Fields. Today you can visit the Gallery of Costume housed in the Hall. It is currently being regenerated, so some rooms will be closed.
April
The history of BirchFields area and St James’ Church is set out in Birch Park, Birch in Rusholme and ‘A quiet part of the countryside’. Today a number of community organisations are active in the area, including the Friends of Birch Fields (contact at birchfieldsfriends@gmail.com) and Birch Community Centre. It is also home to Manchester Grammar School, which has put its Archives on-line.
May
Rusholmearchive.org includes a detailed history of Victoria Park. Today the area is a designated conservation area and home to a number of Manchester University Halls (including Dalton-Ellis featured on the cover), Xaverian Sixth Form College, Manchester Central Mosque and the Chinese Consulate – all of which are featured on the May Calendar spread.
June
Rusholmearchive.org contains a number of entries on the history of Platt Fields Park, which celebrated its centenary in 2009, including Creating the Park and Boating Lake and A gentle stroll around the Park. Managed by Manchester City Council, there is an active Friends of Platt Fields Park.
July
Whitworth Park and Gallery were opened in 1894 and 1896 respectively. The Calendar spread focuses on the most recent extension to the Gallery opened in 2015 and since winning several awards. A refurbishment of the Park, actively supported by the Friends of Whitworth Park, paved the way for the installation of contemporary artworks throughout the Park. You can also become a Friend of the Whitworth Gallery.
August
Rusholmearchive.org contains an account of the history of Moon Grove (off Dickenson Road), scroll some way down 1971 Photographic Survey.
September
Holy Trinity Church, Platt Lane provides more information on the origins and history of the church which still has an active congregation. A hundred and fifty years later, the Shah Jalal Mosque opened on Sumner Street, close to the Trinity House Community Centre which runs a wide range of community support and empowerment activities. In the nearby terraced streets, the Upping It initiative has reclaimed the back alleys where residents now grow food, sit out in the sunshine and support one another in improving the area. The Upping it contact is : Annetucker85@gmail.com
October
The Toastrack is a true icon beside Wilmslow Road opposite Platt Fields Park. Subject to a project - Toastrack – by the Manchester Modernist Society just before it was closed by MMU in 2013 and sold, it is now awaiting redevelopment.
November
If you are interested in getting involved at Ronald McDonald House, you can apply to volunteer.
December
For many years synonymous with Rusholme, the Curry Mile runs from Oxford Place south to Dickenson Road. You can see what it looked like over 100 years ago by taking A tour of Wilmslow Road.
Back Cover
Victoria Baths on Hathersage Road are featured on Borders of Rusholme. Today the Victoria Baths Trust run the building on behalf of Manchester City Council and is committed to their full restoration. There are numerous opportunities to get involved.
The Birch Villa, now Hardy’s Well, dates from the 1830s but now stands empty awaiting redevelopment. Declared a community asset in 2015 an active local campaign is underway for it to be retained as a pub. Equally important would be retention of the Lemn Sissay poem which has adorned the building since 1995.