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Stockport Road
The Biscuit Tin
This biscuit tin has been sitting in the archive for many years.
Hidden inside is a little treasure trove that links us to our industrial heritage and to a lady who was born almost a century and a half ago.
A handwritten label states “Weaving Tools belonging to Miss Hannah Hayes age 85 – died 1961. A weaver in Hollins Mill, Marple”.
Some of the items are easily recognisable – the threads, metal comb and tweezers - some less so; why is there a razor blade, what about the metal tube only 2.5 cms long and the box of black lead?
March 2025: ‘Deansgate’
Keith Warrender
Deansgate 1988Once upon a time, in a distant past, the River Dene flowed elegantly through Manchester’s Hanging Ditch, creating an essential link between the Irk and Irwell rivers at the northern end of Deansgate, which is one of the city’s oldest streets. During Roman times, in the era of Mamucium, historical records indicate that there was a mansio situated on Deansgate opposite the Hilton Hotel and that Roman structures were present on the eastern side of Deansgate, specifically on the site where the Hilton Hotel now stands. The land on both sides of the road was utilized for farming until urban expansion began to take over, particularly in the 1730s, when Edward Byrom constructed a significant quay on the River Irwell.
