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Everything from this point showcases my research on the various buildings around Manchester. This includes the history of historic buildings and landamarks.

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Everything below showcases every film / documentary and videos I find relevant for researching abandoned buildings.

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This is a mind map showing our initial ideas and thoughts approaching this topic. Every idea is possible with our courses, and they all showcase Manchester past, present and now.

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Sign up | Miro | Online Whiteboard for Visual Collaboration

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Scalable, secure, cross-device and enterprise-ready team collaboration whiteboard for distributed teams. Join 30M+ users from around the world

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This is a photo of the mind map of all our brainstorming ideas.

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We all decided that we wanted to focus on the history of Manchester by looking at various abandoned buildings in the city. The main focus was to research their past, see what they become now, and what will become of them in the future. Sophie and Gracie would photograph the buildings, and then everyone else would contribute by researching as much as possible for the zine. We thought that a zine would be the best course of action for the project because, it's clear, straight to the point, and we all can add our skills from our courses onto it.

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History in Manchester - Website all about the city

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History in Manchester - Website all about the city

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This is a website that shows various information about Manchester, for example;

Maps

Statistics

Facts

History

Photos

Not only will this give us an idea of what buildings are interesting in the city but, this will also give us an idea of what the various historical facts surrounding Manchester.

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Manchester, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester urban county, northwestern England. Most of the city, including the historic core, is in the historic county of Lancashire, but it includes an area south of the River Mersey in the historic county of Cheshire. Manchester is the nucleus of the largest metropolitan area in the north of England, and it remains an important regional city, but it has lost the extraordinary vitality and unique influence that put it at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution. The city is today famous worldwide for its two top Premier League football clubs, Manchester United and Manchester City.

Manchester was an urban prototype: in many respects it could claim to be the first of the new generation of huge industrial cities created in the Western world during the past 250 years. In 1717 it was merely a market town of 10,000 people, but by 1851 its textile (chiefly cotton) industries had so prospered that it had become a manufacturing and commercial city of more than 300,000 inhabitants, already spilling out its suburbs and absorbing its industrial satellites. By the beginning of the 20th century, salients of urban growth linked Manchester to the ring of cotton-manufacturing towns- Bolton, Rochdale, and Oldham, for example-that almost surround the city, and a new form of urban development, a conurbation, or metropolitan area, was evolving. By 1911 it had a population of 2,350,000. In the following years, however, the pace of growth slowed dramatically. If the 19th century was Manchester's golden age, when it was indisputably Britain's second city, the 20th century was marked by increasing industrial problems associated with the decline of the textile trades (the result of foreign competition and technological obsolescence). Area city, 45 square miles (116 square km); Greater Manchester metropolitan county, 493 square miles (1,276 square km). Pop. (2001) city, 392,419; Greater Manchester metropolitan county, 2,482,328; (2011) city, 503,127; Greater Manchester metropolitan county, 2,682,528.

Physical and human geography

The landscape

The city site

Manchester occupies a featureless plain made up of river gravels and the glacially transported debris known as drift. It lies at a height of 133 feet (40 metres) above sea level, enclosed by the slopes of the Pennine range on the east and the upland spur of Rossendale on the north. Much of the plain is underlain by coal measures; mining was once widespread but had ceased by the end of the 20th century. Within this physical unit, known as the Manchester embayment, the city's metropolitan area evolved. Manchester, the central city, is situated on the east bank of the River Irwell and has an elongated north-south extent, the result of late 19th- and early 20th-century territorial expansion. In 1930 the city extended its boundaries far to the south beyond the River Mersey, to annex 9 square miles (23 square km) of the northern portion of the former administrative county of Cheshire. Two large metropolitan boroughs adjoin the city of Manchester on the west and southwest: Salford and Trafford. Together these three administrative units form the chief concentration of commercial employment. From this core, suburbs have spread far to the west and south, chiefly within the unitary authority of Cheshire East. To the north and east of Manchester, smaller industrial towns and villages, mixed with suburban development, merge into one another and extend as a continuous urban area to the foot of the encircling upland. Close to the upland margin lies a ring of large towns, which were traditionally the major centres of the cotton-spinning industry-Bolton, Bury, and Rochdale to the north and Oldham, Ashton-under-Lyne, and Stockport to the east.

The urban structure of metropolitan Manchester is determined largely by its industrial zones. By far the most important of these is the one bisecting it from east to west. This contains most of the heavier industry-petrochemicals on the Ship Canal near Irlam, electrical engineering in Trafford Park and Salford, and machine tools and metal fabrication in eastern Manchester. Industry in the south is confined to a few compact, largely planned factory estates, notably at Altrincham and Wythenshawe. North and east of Manchester, ribbons of long-established industry follow every railway, river valley, and abandoned canal. The electrochemical industries of the Irwell valley, the dyestuffs of the Irk, and, everywhere, the old textile mills (many converted to new industrial uses) are the dominant features.

Where in the British Isles?

Climate

Manchester's climate is most kindly described as mild, moist, and misty. The temperate climate is without extremes: winters are mild, with a January mean temperature in the high 30s F (about 4 °C), and summers are cool, with a July mean temperature in the high 50s F (about 15 °C). Occasional high-pressure systems produce cold, clear spells in winter or hot droughts in summer, but these rarely persist. Winds from the west and south prevail, and these bathe the city in frequent gentle rain derived from the almost constant succession of Atlantic weather systems. The annual rainfall, 32 inches (818 mm), is not notably high by the standards of western Britain, but it occurs on no less than half of the days in an average year. There is little reliable seasonal variation, but the months of March through May offer the best chance of prolonged dry spells.

The wet Atlantic air banked against the Pennine slopes to the east of the city produces extreme cloudiness; on about 70 percent of the days of the year, the afternoon sky is at least half covered by cloud. This limits sunshine, which was further reduced by air pollution during the decades of the city's industrial prosperity. Up to about 1960 the city centre recorded the abnormally low total of only 970 sunshine hours annually. Foul fogs were another problem of the man-made industrial climate. Manchester then had an average of 55 days of serious fog in a typical year, and the death rate from respiratory diseases surged following these fog episodes. But the city's peculiarly sunless and fog-bound winter climate was transformed by effective air-pollution control. Annual hours of bright sunshine have risen to about 1,300, and serious fogs have been reduced to about 20 days each year. This has been a major factor in reducing the incidence of two formerly endemic diseases, bronchitis and tuberculosis, which had given the city an unenviably high death rate.

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Manchester | History, Population, Map, & Facts

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Manchester, city and metropolitan borough, northwestern England. It is the nucleus of the largest metropolitan area in the north of England. In many respects Manchester could claim to be the first of a new generation of huge industrial cities created in the Western world during the past 250 years.

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The council has given various information about the city. Each piece of information given has its own group within the website. Each group includes facts, statistics and photos archived by the council.

When moving forward, I believe that this is an ideal website to look back on, just to see the perfect buildings to photograph/film for our final design.

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Start here for all Archives and local history services and searches including: family history, archives catalogue, national and local papers and church registers

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This website shows the past, present and future of the city. They've created this sit to let us imagine what was and what will become of Manchester and, it also shows places we could visit within the city to learn more such as;

Churches

Library

Cathedral

Buildings

They are all landmarks within Manchester, past and future.

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Step back in time and explore the rich heritage of Manchester with our guide to historical attractions. Uncover the city's fascinating past through iconic landmarks, museums, and heritage sites that tell the story of Manchester's evolution. Immerse yourself in the architectural splendour and cultural significance of historical treasures, showcasing the unique character of this vibrant city. Our curated recommendations invite you to journey through time, offering a glimpse into Manchester's legacy and contributions to history. Experience the charm of bygone eras and embark on a captivating historical exploration that defines the essence of Manchester's heritage.

Things to do

What's On

Accommodation

Shopping

Food & Drink

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Heritage and historical attractions in Manchester | Visit Manchester

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"Step back in time and explore the rich heritage of Manchester with our guide to historical attractions. Uncover the city's fascinating past through iconic landmarks, museums, and heritage sites that tell the story of Manchester's evolution. Immerse yourself in the architectural splendor and cultural significance of historical treasures, showcasing the unique character of this vibrant city.

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This website shows various abandoned buildings around Manchester. It's a good starting point to see what buildings we could visit and start photographing / shooting.

The website contains facts and stories about each building listed, which we could mention during our final piece.

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From decaying factories to abandoned hospitals, Manchester has a rich history that's reflected in its abandoned places. In this article, we'll take a closer look at 10 abandoned buildings and places in Manchester that are just begging to be explored.

So grab your camera, put on your exploring shoes, and read on to discover some of the most fascinating abandoned places in Manchester!

Hulme Hippodrome

The Hulme Hippodrome was established in 1901 and was a hub for entertainment in Manchester for many years. However, it was abandoned in the 1990s and has remained untouched for over two decades.

Despite its abandonment, the Hippodrome has managed to retain its beauty and charm, and it remains a popular destination for urban explorers and photographers looking to capture its haunting atmosphere.

I was blown away by the grandeur and elegance of this historic building, despite its current state of decay. In general, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of events and performances had taken place within its walls over the years.

Although it is now a derelict building and entering it is not recommended due to safety concerns, the unique atmosphere of the place can still be appreciated from a safe distance outside.

Access: Undergoing renovations; Closed to the public
Local Authority: Local Group: info@hulmehippodrome.org.uk Manchester City Council
How to get there: By car or bus; Nearest bus stop is Hulme Library

The Market Centre

The Market Centre, also known by some Mancunians as the Arndale Underground Market, is another fascinating abandoned building in Manchester that's worth exploring.

This multi-story structure was once a bustling shopping centre in the heart of the city, with a wide variety of shops and stalls catering to all kinds of customers.

However, like many other shopping centres in the area, The Market Centre eventually fell victim to changing times and trends, and it was forced to close its doors.

Today, the building stands abandoned, with shattered windows and graffiti-covered walls. It's a stark reminder of a bygone era, but it still holds a certain appeal for those who love to explore abandoned places.
Local Group: Local Authority: https://www.manchester.gov.uk/ https://www.mandg.com/
Exploring The Market Centre is a fascinating and eerie experience, and it's a great way to get a glimpse into Manchester's past. For brave urban explorers and photographers, it's a great opportunity to capture unique and haunting images of an iconic building.

Access: Not open for any public events or activities at this time.

How to get there: The nearest tram stop is Exchange Square, which is served by several tram lines.

Old Adelphi Building

The Old Adelphi Building is another must-visit abandoned place in Manchester that's sure to leave a lasting impression on anyone who visits.

This stunning 19th-century building was once home to the University of Salford's School of Art and Design, and it was a hub of creative activity (indoor activities manchester) and inspiration for many years.

Despite its grandeur and rich history, the Old Adelphi Building now stands abandoned and neglected, with broken windows and crumbling walls.

However, even in its abandoned state, the building still manages to captivate and inspire, with its elegant architecture and intricate details still visible beneath the layers of decay and neglect.

The dilapidated state of the building, with broken windows and boarded-up entrances, serves as a stark reminder of its abandoned status. Despite this, the Old Adelphi Building remains a significant landmark for art enthusiasts and history buffs alike.

Its grandiose features and cultural significance are undeniable, representing a piece of Manchester's rich heritage.

Although access to the building is restricted, its historical significance and aesthetic charm are enough to inspire a sense of awe and wonder, even from the outside.

The architectural beauty and cultural significance of the Old Adelphi Building make it an essential part of Manchester's history that cannot be ignored.

Access: The Old Adelphi Building is currently closed and abandoned.

Local Authority: ​​ https://liverpool.gov.uk/

How to get there: The nearest tram stop is Salford Central, which is served by several tram lines.

The Church of Scientology

The Church of Scientology in Manchester is an abandoned building that's sure to intrigue and captivate anyone with an interest in history and urban exploration.

This striking building, which was once a hub of activity for the controversial religious organisation, now stands abandoned and neglected, with broken windows and overgrown weeds.

Despite its current state of disrepair, the Church of Scientology still exudes a certain sense of grandeur and intrigue that's hard to ignore. Its imposing exterior, with its towering columns and intricate stonework, is a testament to the building's rich history and grandiose past.

Exploring the abandoned Church of Scientology is a unique and unforgettable experience, as you navigate its maze-like corridors and marvel at its grandiose features.
Local Group: https://www.scientology.org/
As you wander through the empty rooms and hallways, you can't help but imagine the many meetings and ceremonies that once took place within its walls, and wonder what stories this abandoned building still holds.

For those with an interest in the history of religion and spirituality, the Church of Scientology is an absolute must-visit destination.

It's a haunting and poignant reminder of the controversial past of this religious organisation, and a testament to the many different beliefs and practices that have left their mark on Manchester over the years.

Access: The Church of Scientology is a privately owned building that is open to the public for certain events and activities. However, some areas of the building may be restricted to members only.

How to get there: It is easily accessible by car or public transportation. The nearest train station is Bury, which is served by several train lines.

Chorlton Swimming Baths

HIGHLIGHTS
Chorlton Swimming Baths was a historic swimming pool complex located in the Chorlton district of Manchester, England.
It was a popular local attraction for over 80 years, and it was known for its Art Deco architecture.

The thought of exploring an abandoned building with such an intriguing history and stunning Art Deco features filled me with excitement as I imagined entering the Chorlton Swimming Baths.

Despite the building's current state of neglect, I could still envision the vibrant activity that once filled the halls, and I felt a sense of reverence for the history that was embedded within its walls.
Local Group: Local Authority: https://www.manchester.gov.uk/ https://www.better.org.uk/
With its broken windows and overgrown vegetation, the Chorlton Swimming Baths offered an almost mystical atmosphere, drawing me in with a magnetic pull.

I didn't have the opportunity to physically visit the site, but as a fitness and health enthusiast, I was fascinated by its unique historical significance.

I was intrigued to learn about the various physical activities that had occurred within its walls and the rich history of health and fitness in Manchester.

I was eager to witness the building's grandeur and elegance up close and personal, but unfortunately, I could only imagine what it would be like to see it from the street.

Access: The Chorlton Swimming Baths is currently closed and abandoned.

How to get there: It is easily accessible by car or public transportation. The nearest tram stop is Chorlton, which is served by several tram lines.

Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre

HIGHLIGHTS
Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre was a small shopping mall located in the Ancoats neighbourhood of Manchester, England.
It was a popular shopping destination for local residents and visitors to the area.

The Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre is an abandoned building that's bound to pique the interest of anyone who loves to explore forgotten spaces and lost pieces of history.
Local Group: https://www.nrr.co.uk/
It's a sprawling complex that once buzzed with activity from shoppers and retailers, but now stands empty and forgotten, with broken windows and overgrown weeds.

Despite its current state of neglect, the Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre still radiates a certain sense of grandeur and commercial energy that's hard to ignore.

Its vast layout and diverse array of shops and services are a testament to the building's rich history and the many different businesses and industries that have left their mark on Manchester over the years.

As you make your way through its maze-like corridors and explore its empty shops and storefronts, you can't help but feel a sense of curiosity and wonder about what the building once looked like when it was filled with bustling shoppers and lively retailers.

For those who are interested in the history of commerce and retail, the Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre is a must-visit destination.

It's a haunting and poignant reminder of the different ways people have shopped and conducted business over the years, and a tribute to the many different forms of consumerism that have left their mark on Manchester.

Access: The Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre is a publicly accessible shopping centre. It is open to the public during regular business hours.

Local Authority: https://www.rochdale.gov.uk/

How to get there: It is easily accessible by car or public transportation. The nearest bus stop is Rochdale Interchange, which is served by several bus lines.

The Toast Rack Building

The Toast Rack Building is an iconic structure located in Fallowfield, Manchester. It's a unique piece of architecture that once housed the Manchester Metropolitan University's Faculty of Art and Design.
Local Group: Local Authority: https://www.manchester.gov.uk/ https://www.mmu.ac.uk/
Its distinctive name comes from its unusual shape, which resembles a traditional toast rack, with a series of rectangular towers arranged in a row. Despite its interesting design and historical significance, the Toast Rack Building has been abandoned for several years now.

Its once-bustling hallways and classrooms are now empty and silent, with only the sound of the wind and occasional pigeon coo to be heard. However, the building's abandoned state only adds to its allure for those who enjoy exploring abandoned places.

Although the Toast Rack Building is currently inaccessible to visitors, I feel curious and excited about what it would be like to explore its empty halls and witness the art that was created there in the past.

It's interesting to imagine stepping back in time to an earlier era of education in Manchester. For anyone with a passion for urban exploration, architecture, or the history of education, the Toast Rack Building is an absolute must-see destination.

Despite its restricted status, the building's unique and fascinating features make it a true gem of Manchester's cultural heritage.

I can only hope that one day I'll have the chance to step inside and explore the Toast Rack Building for myself, to experience its hidden wonders, and to appreciate the history that it holds.

Access: It is not open to the public, and access to the building is prohibited for safety reasons.

How to get there: The nearest bus stop is Withington Library, which is served by several bus lines.

Park Hall Hotel

The Park Hall Hotel, located in the outskirts of Manchester, was once a thriving destination for travellers seeking a serene getaway from the bustling city.

The hotel's stunning architecture and picturesque grounds drew visitors from far and wide. Its elegant facade welcomed guests with a sense of grandeur and sophistication.
Local Group: Local Authority: https://www.chorley.gov.uk/ https://lavenderhotels.co.uk/
However, the Park Hall Hotel has now been abandoned for several years. The once-beautiful building has fallen into a state of disrepair, with shattered windows and crumbling walls.

The overgrown weeds and wildflowers on the grounds add to the eerie and desolate atmosphere.

As I gaze upon the Park Hall Hotel from a distance, my curiosity is piqued by the faded grandeur of its decaying facade.

It's truly disappointing that the Toast Rack Building is restricted and off-limits to visitors. However, I still feel a strong desire to explore its empty hallways and contemplate the experiences of the people who lived there.

This magnificent building is frozen in time, a testament to the passage of time and the transience of even the most magnificent things in life.

Although the Park Hall Hotel is currently in a dilapidated state, it remains a haunting and beautiful reminder of the human spirit's resilience. Its walls may be crumbling, but the memories of those who once lived and worked there will forever echo through its halls.

Despite its current state of restriction, the Park Hall Hotel is a must-see destination for anyone with an appreciation for history and the beauty of decay.

It's a place that speaks to the soul and invites us to contemplate the impermanence of even the most grand and majestic things in life.

Access: The abandoned hotel is currently closed and not open to the public.

How to get there: The nearest train station is Chorley, which is served by several train lines.

Frozen Farmhouse

The Frozen Farmhouse is a mysterious and intriguing abandoned building located on the outskirts of Manchester.

The origins and history of the farmhouse are unknown. For me, this adds to its allure and makes it a popular destination for urban explorers and thrill-seekers.

Looking at the photos of the Frozen Farmhouse, one can't help but be struck by its eerie and desolate atmosphere. Its exterior is in a state of advanced disrepair, with shattered windows, overgrown vegetation, and crumbling walls.

I can't help but feel a sense of intrigue and fascination about this enigmatic and abandoned place. Though it may not be open for visitation, its mysterious and frozen-in-time atmosphere still captures my imagination.

I can only imagine what secrets and stories lie within its peeling wallpaper, creaking floorboards, and abandoned possessions scattered throughout the empty rooms. The ghosts of past residents still seem to haunt this place, adding to its eerie and unsettling atmosphere.

Its derelict state and haunting backdrop provide a unique opportunity to capture stunning and unforgettable images, and perhaps even uncover some of the mysteries that this abandoned place holds.

Access: The Frozen Farmhouse is an abandoned building that is not open to the public.

How to get there: It is easily accessible by car or public transportation. However, attempting to enter the building is prohibited for safety reasons.

FAQs about Abandoned Buildings in Manchester

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For Urban Explorers: Manchester's Abandoned Buildings [2024]

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Uncover Manchester's rich history and explore its hidden gems with our guide to its abandoned buildings. Discover the city's secrets today!

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This website is some sort of journal of someone's life around Manchester. They describe they're childhood here, their family outings and how the history of the city change there perspective on life.

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Everything from this point shows my research on the various myths and legends surrounding Manchester.

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Myths surrounding abandoned buildings in Manchester: PART ONE

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Myths surrounding abandoned buildings in Manchester: PART ONE

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This is a list of possible myths and stories around several buildings in Manchester. We could focus on this and start thinking on how to tell these stories in a fun and creative way for a final submission.

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Jonathan Schofield debunks some fanciful myths such as that one about Hitler and the Midland Hotel

There are loads of myths about the city that simply do not stand up to scrutiny. These are the first three, there are at least another fifteen to go at. We will be exploding those over the coming weeks.

Midland Hotel - not intended for Hitler Image: Confidentials

Hitler and the Midland Hotel

If there is one story every cabby, concierge and pub philosopher in Manchester knows, it is that Adolf Hitler coveted The Midland Hotel. The legend says that should Germany have successfully invaded Britain in WWII he wanted the largest suite in the hotel as his northern English home from home - his little Manc Berghof. There would be no mountain views but you can see the Pennines from the now defunct roof terrace, maybe that was what attracted him. Hitler could have held events and meetings in the ballroom but no doubt he would have had only one ball.

Another rumour is that the Nazis wanted the Midland Hotel for their Gestapo Headquarters so it was never bombed.

It is all poppycock of course.

WWII bombers on all sides were notoriously inaccurate. The Free Trade Hall was completely bombed out three doors down from the Midland Hotel during the Christmas Blitz of 1940. Indeed a whole string of bombs came down yards from the hotel. At 6,000 feet or more the German planes opened their bomb doors with no idea what they were about to hit and who they were about to kill. The notion that they spared the Midland Hotel because of some predicted future use for the Nazis is made even more absurd when you consider the Germans only bombed Manchester at night and there was a blackout.

How this absurd rumour began is anybody's guess.

There are some reports of an American officer discovering a list somewhere with the Midland Hotel picked out for saving, but nobody seems to know who he was or when he found it. Probably because he never existed.

A blocked-up tunnel, part of the Manchester and Salford Junction Canal complex Image: Confidentials

Tunnels, tunnels, everywhere

There are some but not many fine tunnels in Manchester.

The best is under Manchester Central and the Great Northern, pictured above. These originally hosted the Manchester and Salford Junction Canal from 1839. The overground remnants of this canal are at the junction with the River Irwell by the Manchester Marriott Victoria and Albert Hotel and in front of the Bridgewater Hall and leading back to the Rochdale Canal. Part of the towpath survives in the subway to Manchester Central from the Bridgewater Hall. In WWII this tunnel was converted into bomb shelters - probably not needed as the Midland Hotel is adjacent and of course the German planes were busily avoiding that landmark. The Manchester and Salford Junction Canal remains an atmospheric glory but with no public access. One day it must be turned into a tourist attraction. It's a wasted opportunity at present.

The other cracking tunnel is the long and deep Guardian Exchange devised in the Cold War as a communication network should there be a limited Soviet atomic attack. There are also the Victoria Arches which were again used as bomb shelters, although these aren't tunnels as such just a series of arches formed when Victoria Street was constructed in the 1820s.

My favourite tunnel is the perfectly circular one that curves north from the River Medlock as an overspill for Shooter's Brook, culverted to the north.

And that's it.

Ok, there are sewers and river culverts but nothing much else.

There is certainly no tunnel from Ordsall Hall to Manchester Cathedral or one that follows the whole length of Deansgate, or another from Piccadilly 'Gardens' to Ardwick Green.

The myth of the tunnel from Ordsall Hall, mentioned in William Harrison Ainsworth's 1841 novel Guy Fawkes, may well have been reinforced when in 1887 Woden's Cave was rediscovered. This had been sited close by the River Irwell on the Salford side of the river were the footbridge between Hulme Hall Road and Woden Street crosses. A 20m tunnel was found which connected with an arched entrance to the old cave. The latter was said to have been occupied by a hermit at one time. Or maybe even the boss God of the Anglo-Saxon's, Woden, the equivalent of Odin although in reality the name was probably of some long-forgotten bigwig called Wodern. Either way there has never been a tunnel running from Ordsall to Manchester Cathedral.

People love the notion of tunnels weaving under the city, the idea of an underground city with its own secret inhabitants. But apologies to these fanciful creatures, it's simply not the case. There not as many tunnels as people think.

This didn't happen at The Crescent pub Image:

The Crescent Pub and Communism

I've written about this before but there has been a plan for some years now from a Chinese company to turn the closed and decayed Crescent pub in Salford into a pub, hotel and Chinese Cultural Centre. The pub would be renamed the Red Dragon. Apt for Chinese folk of course, or the Welsh, but in this case accurate too as that was the name of the pub when it opened at the end of the 1860s.

Even more relevant for the Chinese is the story that, and let's quote from the pub's old promo material, 'Karl Marx discussed communist theory over a pint with comrade Friedrich Engels in the Crescent'. That would chime nicely with the deference Chinese commerce pays to the overwhelming muscle of the Chinese Communist Party.

I had to be a spoilsport for them.

The timelines don't add up. Just as the Red Dragon was opening in Salford, Friedrich Engels' time in Manchester and Salford was coming to an end. I had to tell the Chinese how the timing just does not fit for Marx and Engels chatting in the pub especially since there is no letter or record of it.

As far it's known the tale of the Fathers of Communism 'sharing a pint' cropped up first in the 1970s and was repeated so much it became another in the long line of Manchester and Salford urban myths we are exploring and exploding.

Of course, it is just possible Engels nipped in for a pint on the way back from a walk around Peel Park in his final full year here but he doesn't mention it and he was a prolific letter writer and recorder of his life.

Still, it is amusing to think he went into the old Red Dragon and got lary and did a Zheng Xiyuan. Remember him from October this year: Manchester's battling Chinese Consul general helping drag a Hong Konger into the Consulate in Victoria Park for a kicking? I'm thinking of Engels doing something similar, getting rowdy with a pub regular, dragging him around on the floor, because the fellow had doubted the fundamental rationale behind the inevitable dictatorship of the proletariat leading to full communism.

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The real history and truth behind some of Manchester's most popular urban myths including the underground tunnels and the midland hotel

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Myths surrounding abandoned buildings in Manchester: PART TWO

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Myths surrounding abandoned buildings in Manchester: PART TWO

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This is the second section of the previous website listing the possible myths and stories around buildings within the city of Manchester. These could have been real or fake but, we could still mention them and the thoughts the people of Manchester have on them.

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Confidentials debunks more myths, this time about Guy Fawkes, Sunlight House and Joy Division master tapes

8 minute read

THERE are lots of myths about the city that simply do not stand up to scrutiny. These are the second three, there are at least another fifteen to go at. We will be exploding those over the coming weeks.

Our last instalment debunked some fanciful stories about Hitler and The Midland Hotel and the maze of tunnels supposedly built underneath the city.

Guy Fawkes visiting Ordsall Hall goes up in smoke

Persistence factor: 6/10

Ordsall used to be synonymous with numerous spontaneously-occurring bonfires throughout the year and not just on the 5 November. These would light up the evening every time the dimple-cheeked lovable rapscallions of the area came across a stash of wood or, even, an abandoned house. Or even sometimes one that wasn't.

Nowadays Ordsall is a fine upstanding place but there's a mythical association with Bonfire Night. It's said Guy Fawkes visited Ordsall Hall prior to his appointment with destiny under the Houses of Parliament that led to arrest, hanging and the separation of his head from his body along with his arms and legs and some frankly distasteful messing about with his intestines. We're talking being hanged, drawn and quartered. This in turn led to the tradition of burning an effigy of the traitor atop a bonfire.

There's a Guy Fawkes Street, off Ordsall Lane marking his supposed association with this part of Salford.

The problem is it's all poppy cock.

Back in the nineteenth century there was a Manchester novelist called William Harrison Ainsworth who wrote ripping yarns about periods of British history and long-gone personalities. His serialised novels were incredibly popular. He's responsible for creating mythologies around the Pendle Witches and Dick Turpin that remain with us today which might otherwise have been forgotten. One of his novels is called Guy Fawkes and is full of embellished facts and stuff he just made-up.

Ainsworth invented one Viviana Radcliffe, daughter of the Radcliffe family of Ordsall Hall who in the novel became the wife of Fawkes. Several scenes in the novel are set in the hall. Ainsworth even included the alchemist and scholar John Dee, who was Warden of Manchester. Dee, who was the inspiration for Prospero in Shakespeare's Tempest, raises dead spirits in the novel but fails to warn Fawkes of his gruesome fate, a peculiar oversight.

The problem is that Fawkes never visited Ordsall Hall and probably never visited Manchester either, nor did he ever meet John Dee.

Sunlight House: a tall story

Persistence factor 10/10

Sunlight House on Quay Street is well-known for its Art Deco architecture and for a fabulous cocktail bar, Schofields, so dark it is best to wear a head torch while making your way to the toilets. When it was completed in 1932 Sunlight House was said to be the tallest building in Manchester.

That has entered mythology and just about every entry about the building online or in books, even proper academic architectural textbooks, state this.

The man who financed and built Sunlight House was definitely a bit of a legend. Joe Sunlight was the son of Russian Jewish émigrés, he defines the idea of a 'real character'. He adored horse racing, champagne, women and the high life. On one occasion he is said to have lost £30,000 in one day gambling, only to win it back on the next. He even for a short time in the 1920s became an MP far away from his beloved Manchester in Shrewsbury. If he hadn't lost his seat at a subsequent election he would have had a private member's bill before the House of Commons on the standardisation of bricks. Strange, eccentric man. Sunlight by the way was the anglicised version of Shimshlavitch.

From small property speculations, Sunlight rose to be one of the country's greatest property developers. When he completed Sunlight House on Quay Street he became his own principal tenant. One of his passions was Hollywood and he went to extraordinary lengths to court the stars, becoming friendly with Douglas Fairbanks Junior and Gertrude Lawrence who were appearing at the Opera House down the road and persuading them to open Herriots Bath Club in Sunlight House in 1934. The swimming pool still survives as part of a modern health club.

But Sunlight's building was never the tallest. It is 14 storeys or 135ft (41m). Manchester Town Hall's spire from 55 years earlier rises to 280ft (85m). The Refuge tower was higher, and so was Strangeways tower as was the tower of the Holy Name church and many others.

People quibble about these structures and say they are towers and spires on buildings and not lettable office or residential space. I looked up 'building' and a standard definition is 'a relatively permanent enclosed construction over a plot of land, having a roof and usually windows and often more than one level, used for any of a wide variety of activities, as living, entertaining, or manufacturing.' And, ergo, telling the time and ringing bells, such as Manchester Town Hall tower spire.

Even if the narrower definition were to be used about lettable and residential space at the top of a building then Sunlight House still fails. Ship Canal House on King Street, completed five years earlier, 151ft (46m) tall, St James' Building, Oxford Street, from 1912 is 196ft (60m) tall.

So why does every source describe Sunlight House as 'the tallest building in the city when completed'.

Maybe they are conflating what could have happened on the site rather than what did.

As World War II reached its conclusion Joe Sunlight was looking to the skies. In March 1945 he worked up ideas for 'my memorial tower'. Whether he considered this a memorial to himself or for those who'd died in the war is unclear. The city opposed his idea as did the government's man from the ministry. Following a public enquiry the towering proposal bit the dust in April 1949.

Shame though. At 380ft (115m) Memorial Tower would easily have eclipsed all other towers and structures in the city. Manchester lost a building that would have brought a splash of Chicago panache to the city and made it the envy of other UK cities. Its bold lines and ludicrously large clock would have enhanced the skyline immeasurably.

That never happened and the bare rear wall of Sunlight House marks where the skyscraper would have reared. A multi-storey car park presently inadequately fills the gap while recent proposals to finally deliver a tower in the same space have floundered.

Joy Division/New Order master tapes: Unknown Treasures
Persistence factor: 6/10
In 2012 Confidentials.com was at the centre of a parable of internet babble and journalistic foolishness that created its own myth.

On Valentine's Day that year the Holy Moly website misread this Confidential story about the old Midland Bank vault under Jamie Oliver's long-gone restaurant in Manchester (now set to be Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat) and claimed that master tapes for Joy Division and New Order songs had been found in the building.

The NME then thought, nice one, and slapped the bad facts up without checking them. Then The Metro followed suit and then TNT and the story was out of control and flowing world-wide.

In our story we had reported how £1.1m of assorted valuables (and a gun) had been left behind in the safety deposit boxes. But we never said anything about Joy Division master tapes being left there.

We'd put: 'For each box there were two keys both of which had to be used to unlock the box. The person who rented the box had one key and the bank manager kept the other. All sorts were stored down there from diamonds and gold to the master tapes of Joy Division and New Order. When the bank was decommissioned prior to the restaurant refit a problem became apparent. Some of the boxes hadn't been emptied.'

So Holy Moly, NME and The Metro put two and two together and got eighteen, and came up with the master tapes.

This is how the NME put it.

'The new restaurant, which is being built in a former branch of Midland bank, was being excavated when the tapes were found, alongside guns, gold and jewellery. Oliver has since given everything found in the basement to the treasury.'

The headline was 'Jamie Oliver finds Joy Division and New Order master tapes in restaurant basement'.

Confidentials.com couldn't help mocking the lack of that most basic of journalistic essentials displayed by these organs, the total dismissal of any notion of checking the facts.

We wrote: 'Aside from the fact Oliver wasn't even present and nor were the master tapes and that the new restaurant wasn't being 'built' into the building and also that the basement had not needed 'excavating' and that Oliver had not 'given everything found in the basement to the Treasury' the NME got it all right.

'Confidentials would like the press across the country to publish any or all of this as the absolute truth. Jamie found in the Vault these items. An elephant, a Viking ship, Kylie Minogue's golden hotpants, Jack Wilshere, Manchester's transport policy, the Magna Carta, an angry horse, a tin of Creamola Rice, a complete set of white lines from the middle of the road, Lounge Ten Restaurant, toasting forks, Matthew Williamson's first wax designer crayon (red), dust, a spare set of David Beckham's eyebrows and a belt buckle engraved 'I love you NME, I just wish I could believe all you say'.'

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Confidentials debunks more myths, this time about Guy Fawkes, Sunlight House and Joy Division master tapes

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Everything from this point showcases my research on abandoned buildings, and various photographers that specialise in photographing these types of buildings.

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I found this to be an interesting article discussing various artists, styles, buildings, history... Around various buildings not just in Manchester but around the world.

It gives me a good idea on how to photograph these buildings, and the various art styles I can incorporate into my photography for the project.

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t was like hell on earth; everything coated in red dust and rust. The noise was immense, with steam and chemicals belching from all over - at one point I walked into a cloud of ammonia without a respirator. It was a massive nickel refinery and I was there to help shut it down.

I'd started my career as an apprentice fitter and turner in a hot and dirty workshop in the north Queensland city of Townsville. It was such a shit job - every day was stinking hot and we were working on heavy machinery smeared with grease, chemicals or both. But I wanted a trade to fall back on so felt compelled to stick it out. The nickel refinery was one of my first onsite jobs and one I'll never forget.

Yet unpleasant as it was, I found the sight of this hulking mass of steelwork impressive, and the process of refining metals fascinating. Often I'd find myself looking at the machines and architecture and challenging myself to find one single object designed purely for aesthetics.

Craftsmanship made way for efficiency in engineering long before I'd even left school. Nothing in an industrial setting is intended to look good. But I did pick out certain details - the coloured metal swarf debris, a freshly milled piece of steel with perfectly parallel iridescent tool marks across its surface.

Fast forward a decade or so and my work took me to many more places like this - power stations, mines, paper mills, foundries, chemical plants, food production facilities, cigarette factories and even a crematorium. It wasn't until the advent of camera phones that I could show friends just how impressive some of these places are.

In 2011 I was working as a service technician for an air compressor company when I met a colleague who was a keen amateur photographer. I had a little Sony Cyber-Shot that I'd played with in the early 2000s but a proper DSLR was always going to have much more potential.

So, after consulting my workmate, I bought a Nikon D7000 and a 24-70 f2.8 lens and ventured out to shoot the usual suspects: run-of-the-mill cityscapes, graffiti-filled laneways and coloured beach huts. It began to feel very unfulfilling very quickly.

One day I stopped at a vast abandoned factory I passed on my way home from work. There was a long section of fence missing.

I wandered in, camera in hand, and that moment was the unofficial beginning of Lost Collective.

There's this sense of wonder you get when looking at abandoned buildings. You try to imagine what these spaces were like when they were filled with busy workers trying to meet production targets. And why did they close?

A few years later our family moved from Melbourne back to Sydney and, alongside a stint as a stay-at-home dad, I began photographing more New South Wales locations. Yet it wasn't until I sought access to the derelict White Bay power station that I first imagined I could turn this hobby into a full-time job.

This heritage-listed site in central Sydney is something a holy grail for people who do what I do, given the limited access to it and the potential for high-quality compositions in the expansive and well-preserved spaces within.

I decided my images of it needed historical context. This couldn't be another pointless Facebook post with no background information that only my friends would see. So I built a website and called it Lost Collective.

It's been well received. I'm often contacted by people who used to frequent the places I photographed. They share stories that enter the collections as additions or corrections. Sometimes they send their own photos from the same viewpoints, taken decades earlier. Some send memorabilia, engineering drawings or documents from the organisation that ran the site. Connecting with them, Lost Collective uncovers all these personal histories that would otherwise be lost to time. This has become such an important part of the project.

One of my goals is to compile this information into a book.

It can be challenging to find places to shoot in Sydney - anything vacant seems to be replaced by apartments or a freeway within weeks - so in 2016 I travelled to Japan photographing haikyo, or ruins. These are some of my best works to date. About this time it was becoming a challenge to juggle Lost Collective with my full-time job, so I decided to plunge into the unknown and see where the winds would take me.

Leaving a secure job to work as an artist, trying to manage inconsistent income and tempering the self-doubt and self-criticism that came with it has been one of the most difficult things I've done.

It wasn't until late 2017 that it started to click. I began to build some momentum through selling photographs, commissioned shoots and licensing and, finally, this became a sustainable business. Earnings go into growing the project: upgrading the gear, travelling to new locations, building a bigger and better market stall, and travelling further abroad to exhibit. The ultimate goal is to open my own gallery.

Holding a solo exhibition in one of the spaces I've photographed would also be a dream, particularly at a site with a strong community connection - so the images can be enjoyed by the people who made it matter.

There is always more to explore and I think central Australia will offer amazing photos. The outback is so familiar to everyone who lives in this country yet somehow few of us have actually seen it. And internationally there are more countries on the radar - Japan always will be, along with Brazil, Mexico, the post-Soviet states, the US, Europe. I really can't imagine that the Lost Collective project will ever feel complete.

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Beauty in ruins: the wonder of abandoned buildings - a photo essay

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t was like hell on earth; everything coated in red dust and rust. The noise was immense, with steam and chemicals belching from all over - at one point I walked into a cloud of ammonia without a respirator. It was a massive nickel refinery and I was there to help shut it down.

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Matt Emmett is a fun photographer that specialised in photographing abandoned buildings and showing their history in his own art form.

For my contribution I might take his art style on and use it for my photos during the final piece.

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An exclusive interview with multi-award winning abandoned places photographer, Matt Emmett.
Visiting and documenting the remains of abandoned industrial and historical sites could perhaps be deemed somewhat dangerous. Yet, Matt Emmett's fascination with the beauty he finds among the decaying ruins is uplifting and exhibits these derelict sites for the living places they once were.
Matt Emmett is a multi-award-winning, abandoned and historic locations photographer who is best known for his Forgotten Heritage photography project. His aim? To rediscover our forgotten heritage through the mean of photographic storytelling. Subterranean Reservoir, the image that won Matt the award, Architectural Photographer of the Year in 2016, is part of a seven-year-long series of images created in atmospheric abandoned places. Emmett started the series after curiosity led him to join a friend at the National Gas Turbine Establishment back in 2012 and the result is captivating. He went on to win the first Historic Photographer of the Year Award in 2017 and continues to focus on lesser-known locations with fascinating stories to tell.

Though his subjects and locations differ hugely, the common thread is Emmett's fascination with exploring derelict landscapes. His work takes him into environments that have long been forgotten allowing him to discover first-hand past architectural history.

I had the opportunity to talk to Matt about his inspiration, photography and camera gear. So, read on for our exclusive interview to discover the motivation behind Matt's imagery and what exactly he carries with him in his photography kit.

How did you first develop an interest in photography? In other words, what was it that first influenced you to pick up a camera and begin shooting?

I was about to leave home on a year-long trip around India and Asia and my father thought it would be a good idea to get me a decent camera to document the journey. He took me out a few times before I left and taught some of the basics. I came home with about 80 rolls of Fujichrome Velvia to develop and once I had done (in stages because of the cost) the results surprised me, among the huge number of images were some really well-taken shots and a realised it was maybe something I had a natural ability for.

Who were the mentors/early influencers who helped to shape your practice?

I found the work of war photographer Philip Jones-Griffiths utterly fascinating and bought books of his work. As I progressed I came across the work of a Nat Geo photographer called Eric Lafforgue and was blown away with his portraits of different cultures and people around the world. I was also into caving as I got going with photography and the work of Robbie Shone was also a huge inspiration. The photography world is chock full of amazing talent and it's all so different too.

Could you describe the 'moment', when you knew that photographing derelict landscapes was something you just had to do?

I had agreed to help a friend with his newly bought Pentax DSLR, he wanted to go somewhere with a specific focus for lesson two and he picked a large industrial site about a 30-minute drive from where we lived. I was unsure about going somewhere technically on private land but still totally abandoned. Curiosity got the better of me and we found ourselves at the National Gas Turbine Establishment back in 2012.

The site was a design and testing environment for military jet engines until its close down in 2001. Once inside I felt as though we had walked onto the set of a sci-fi film, it was like some vast alien spacecraft with strange machinery and subterranean tunnels with scary looking jet nozzles. At that moment I was hooked and my future photographic direction was sealed. The images from the site can be seen - here.

Your website states that your project, Forgotten Heritage, has taken you to places you could not have dreamed were even real before you began shooting, what's the most memorable place you've visited?

Well most likely the jet engine site mentioned above which was so unique and I am unlikely to see anything like it ever again, it was demolished in 2013. But aside from that, I think it would likely be a large psychiatric hospital in northern Italy. We explored it as the small town beyond its walls woke up. Inside it was so quiet, all you heard were birds, the sounds of your feet against the tiled floors and the hourly clanging of a church bell or passing moped drifting in the shuttered windows. It had a truly magical atmosphere!

We've read that you consider experiencing these places to be of great privilege. But what motivates you to continue to take photographs of these abandoned structures?

They are very addictive places to experience, the atmosphere that hangs over them is very unusual and palpable. You are residing within a small pocket adrift in time whilst you are there it seems. The sights and sounds transport you to a place that is very different to the place you were in before you entered the location and this is the perfect territory for a photographer to capture images in an unhurried and thoughtful way. I think this really comes across in the end result and I (like many others) am in love with the beautiful and poignant imagery they can provide us with.

With a desire to explore and document the history of these desolate landscapes, are there any issues you face in regards to accessing them?

Well, you are not supposed to be there so there obviously is the legal aspect, to begin with. I believe strongly that provided I do no damage on gaining entry to a location which means there has to be an open window or doorway somewhere and that I do not remove anything I find from the location then I am not doing any harm. If you cross certain lines in the way you behave when you could land yourself in trouble.

You also have to be aware of environmental dangers and if something feels instinctive like it could be dangerous when you listen to that inner voice and don't do it.

Your photography has taken you all around the world, what is one of the most eye-opening sites you've photographed?

Recently I took a trip to Hungary and we visited a huge abandoned power station that was used for the filming of several scenes in Blade Runner 2049. I love sci-fi films in general but I particularly enjoyed 2049. Being there in such an impressive space but one where I felt I was walking within the film itself was very powerful. The photographs that I created there are some of my favourite images I have taken in quite a while.

Can you tell us the story behind your favourite image?

One of my favourite images and also the image that won the award 'Architectural Photographer of the Year 2016' was taken in a cistern, a subterranean space used for the storage of drinking water below a busy part of London. It is a brick construction designed and built by Sir Joseph Bazalgette in 1868. It was created using a 15-minute long exposure using 'bulb mode', which holds the shutter open for as long as you need. I lit the shot using a portable 'Scurion' light source and used the pillars of the cistern to hide the light from the camera, shining the light sideways from a parallel brick row to illuminate each arched bay for six seconds before moving onto the next arch and repeating this process to the far end of the space. I then swapped over to the opposite brick row and lit the space from the other side all the way back to the camera. The cistern is entirely dark so despite the shutter being open and the camera sensor recording an image, nothing actually does record until you add light to the subject. Using a moving light source like this gradually builds up the light levels throughout the space.

From a technical viewpoint, how do you as a photographer make sure that the landscape you want to shoot looks the way you want it to? Do you come across any difficulties with this kind of photography?

It helps to look at the work of other photographers to gain some advance concept of how space works. If you have good spatial awareness then you can often 'think' your way around the space before you get there and plan the shoot. Look for gaps in the shots you have seen to try and find angles to help you create original shots. Spending a lot of time in one place also helps a lot. Being there during times when the sun is lower in the sky (dawn and sunset) can really add mood to the image. Architecture doesn't move about or require direction like a model so you have time to get the images working as well as they can. Work on a tripod to achieve sharp images with a large depth of field and lots of detail.

When you're out on a shoot, what do you typically take with you in your kit bag?

The main camera I use is a Pentax K1ii, it's solid and very well built and also has some of the best damp and dust weather sealing going, making it perfect for the kinds of locations I shoot in. I use the following lenses with it: Pentax D-FA 15-30mm, Pentax D-FA 24-70mm and Pentax D-FA 70-200mm. They help me produce images that still excite me and I love working with them. I also take a Manfrotto 55 Carbon Tripod with me and for lighting 2 portable Scrurion lights.
The full list of equipment seen in Matt's Kit Bag photo above:
Lenses for K1ii: Pentax D FA 70-200mm (on camera), Pentax D FA 24-70mm, Pentax D FA 150-450mm

Secondary camera: Pentax K3ii

Lenses: Pentax DA 20-40mm limited (on camera), Pentax DA 55-300mm

Tripod: Manfrotto 55 Carbon

Light: Scurion 1500 (I have two of these)

Among all the gadgets that you own, is there one piece of equipment that you couldn't live without?

I am going to have to mention two because they are both fantastically useful. My Pentax D FA 24-70mm lens. I think well over 60% of the images I shoot fall within those focal lengths. The lens is super sharp and also very well built and durable. The other item is my Scurion 1500 (lumens) light. Originally it was attached to a helmet and I was using it as a way to illuminate and navigate cave systems but since getting into photography I have realised how good they are as a portable light source. The wide beam setting throws a very bright, wide and even spread of white light across the subject, I have two of these lights now and they are so good at entirely lighting up the darkest environments.

In regards to memory, what type of card are you currently using to shoot your images with?

I use a mix of SD cards of varying brands and capacities, mostly 16gb through to 64GB cards. Shooting full frame in RAW format means these can fill up quite quickly.

I keep the images spread over multiple cards in case of failure, although this has only ever happened once in many years of shooting. I also make use of the Pentax's dual card slots to record duplicate images for an extra layer of protection. Brand-wise, I tend to mostly use SanDisk.

What advice, if any, would you give to an amateur photographer who's wanting to turn their passion for photography into a full-time career? Does having fancy equipment come into it?

High-end equipment does indeed play a role but not so much when you are starting out, when you are nearing the point you can begin working on paid projects then a high-end camera can make a big difference to the quality of your images. In the early years just getting out and shooting with whatever camera you own, finding out how it works and how to get the best out of it is enough. You will learn quickly this way, just by having fun and enjoying it. Hopefully, you will discover a niche or two that you feel you enjoy the most, as you progress it helps to focus more on one or two subjects and this can help you build a specialism and start to grow a reputation in that niche or genre.

Do lots of features with magazines and websites and invest time in social media to help get your images seen by as large an audience as possible. It annoys me when I see people talking down social media like it's a fad or a waste of time, done correctly it can help you transform your dreams of wanting to grow from a just-for-fun shooter into someone who gets paid for what they shoot. Build a website as a showcase for your best work. Enter, win or place in international competitions and this will give you a big boost too. There are a lot of people out there all wanting to work in photography so it's tough to stand out but if you persist and keep pushing yourself then you should make progress, be prepared to self promote your work and without shame for doing so, no-one else will do this for you!

Finally, what exactly are you wanting to say through your images?

That our historic built environment should be valued more, it is sometimes demolished or rebuilt with nothing saved or preserved from its before state. Once it is gone then it won't be long before it has been forgotten entirely. Many of these places had important histories and connections to the lives of workers or inhabitants. They form part of the narrative of who we are. The more we erase of our past then the more we diminish our future. Not all places can be saved or preserved physically however and this is where the role of photographers comes in.

The dedication Matt shows to creating a series of images that embody a similar visual aesthetic that is of value, is clearly evident. Forgotten Heritage highlights the strong sense of history present in abandoned sites around the world and gives us all a small glimpse into past events.

He uses his large following of over 74K on Instagram as a platform to share new content and create a community of like-minded individuals.

If you are interested in seeing more of Matt's work, be sure to visit his website, Forgotten Heritage - here. His first book Forgotten Heritage is also available in bookstores and online now.

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Interview with Abandoned Places Photographer Matt Emmett - MyMemory Blog

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Matt Emmett is a multi-award-winning, abandoned and historic locations photographer who is best known for his Forgotten Heritage photography project.

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This is another photographer that's based on abandoned buildings, which I found interesting for the project.

I want a range of ideas just so that the final piece is presentable and unique from anything else today.

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“These places aren’t graves, they’re secret histories, waiting to be read”

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German photographer Christian Richter has been breaking into hundreds of empty buildings across Europe to capture their “swan song”.

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Keith Dotson specialises in abandoned places and how to show the rawness within them and showcase their history in a beautiful way.

When photographing I want to capture the beauty of each building, and I believe that his work does this. Nothing is being taken away from the actual images and buildings themselves.

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Black and white photographs of abandoned America, including ruins of old houses, derelict old storefronts, junked cars found in the woods and elsewhere, and sometimes entire abandoned towns. Photographs made in the American south, midwest, and across the west. Follow along on my journeys via my YouTube channel.

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This is a documentary showcasing Manchester in its true form.

I haven’t seen these documentaries but could be interesting and a good starting off point for researching!

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These are a range of photographers that look at the future and predict how we've changed throughout history. They show the difference between the old and new.

All photos are staged but, it's a good prediction on what's to come and a good idea on what to do to showcase the future within the city.

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David LaChapelle, Museum, (from After the Deluge), 2007. ©David LaChapelle

1. John Hinde

2. Pierre Molinier

Pierre Molinier, Le Chaman (From the series "Le Chaman et ses créatures"), Courtesy Galerie kamel mennour

A pioneer in the staged photograph in the depiction of sadomasochistism and sexual fantasy. In the early twentieth century Molinier began his artistic career as a landscape painter working in a style somewhat similar to the Impressionists and Fauvists. In the late 1940s he began to explore the medium of photography for a deeply personal interest in fetishism and eroticism, and after a period in which he was closely associated with Andre Breton was integrated into the late iterations of the Surrealist group in Paris. In a 1965 Surrealist exhibition he exhibited a dildo, a feature called a 'godemiche' which recurred extensively in his photography of this period. From 1965 onwards he made most of his work in his Bordeaux apartment (which he referred to as his 'boudoir'), and with the aid of a remote control switch he began to make autoerotic self-portraits and photomontages in which he assumed the roles of dominatrix and succuba. In these beautifully-made, intimate black and white photographs, Molinier, either alone with doll-like mannequins or with female models, appears as a transvestite, transformed by his 'fetish' wardrobe of fishnet stockings, suspender belt, stilettos, mask and corset. Scholarship is unclear as to whether these images were for public exhibition or were instead deeply personal visual mementoes only for "my own stimulation" as Molinier himself stated in 1955. His images were also often meticulously collaged into montages of vertical or radially symmetrical configurations of figures, like the multi-limbed deities of Hindi religious iconography. A homosexual and a transvestite, Molinier despised moral and sexual orthodoxy, pioneering the kind of violent sexual fantasy imagery most of the Surrealists could only dream of, and surely blazing a trail for later artists such as Mapplethorpe and Araki.

3. Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman, Untitled Film Still #54, 1980.© Cindy Sherman. Courtesy the artists and Metro Pictures.

Beginning her art studies in 1972, Sherman was originally a painter. But when she realised that she was spending most of her time reverentially working through the kind of work other artists had already made she abandoned this medium altogether. "There was nothing more to say [through painting]", she recalled. "I was meticulously copying other art, and then I realized I could just use a camera and put my time into an idea instead." Renowned for assuming multiple roles as author, director, make-up artist, hairstylist, wardrobe mistress, and model, she has always performed as the subject-characters of her works and has worked through many different bodies of work exploring iterations of this idea. She typically works on a single idea at a time and then develops it extensively through a series of images, the first examples of which are the Bus Riders images begun in 1976 and in which she used costumes and make-up, including blackface, to transform her identity for each image. Developing this theme led to the major breakthrough series which confirmed Sherman as a major voice in contemporary art and in the process garnered international recognition; The Untitled Film Stills of 1977-1980. In these works, a series of 96 images, Sherman poses as if a heroine in a movie, echoing the tropes and themes of films, most specifically the realist cinema of Italy and France of the 1960s, and the film noire genre of Hollywood from the late 1940s through the 1960s. The artist poses in different roles including librarians, hillbillies, and seductresses, and in various settings including street scenes, nondescript front yards, swimming pools, beaches, and interiors, with each appearing to be a frozen moment of cinematography from a broader narrative. None are titled, only numbered, allowing the narrative to be implied and inferred rather than overtly stated. Throughout the 1980s and to the present day Sherman has completed many series, working with historical themes of portraiture, circus characters, the grotesque, often also using elaborate prosthetics, make up, lighting and large format printing processes.

4. Laurie Simmons

Laurie Simmons, Woman/Purple Dress/Kitchen from the series Interiors 1976-77. © Laurie Simmons, Courtesy MoMA

Simmons is an artist, photographer and filmmaker who also came to prominence in the late 1970s, and also part of the so-called Pictures Generation, named for those artists included in and associated with the group shown in the exhibition Pictures in 1977 and brought together in a survey show at the Met in 2009. In 1972, Simmons discovered a vintage dollhouse in the attic of a toy store in Liberty, New York. This was during the second wave of feminism, and dolls were viewed skeptically by many who claimed that the toys supported the indoctrination of young girls into adopting domestic roles. Simmons was drawn to the strange, strongly gendered appeal of dolls and dollhouses and began photographing them. Since the mid 1970s she has staged scenes with dolls, props and models of interiors in order to represent domestic scenes. Simmons' first mature works, shot in 1976, were black-and-white images taken in a dollhouse; shot in each room in the house without figures, particularly the bathroom, using sunlight and different angles to create a dreamlike stage setting. She then added a housewife doll into a kitchen set and photographed the figure over and over in various positions - standing and sitting at the table, performing perfunctory kitchen chores, at the counter, in a corner, even standing on her head with the kitchen in disarray. She has shot model interiors with replicas of iconic artworks, and in the later 1970s began to make works in a color process more often associated with commercial photography. By using the techniques identified with advertising, fashion, and film, Simmons linked her work to a fantasy world of suspended belief. She has made series about fashion, interior design, tourism, cowboys and water ballet. Much of Simmons' work concerns the role of women in society. Her 'objects on legs' photos series from the late 1980s feature consumer items such as dollhouses, cakes, guns and musical instruments with long, slender legs, intending to make a statement on traditional gender roles. In a March 2014 interview, Simmons stated, "When I picked up a camera with a group of other women, I'm not going to say it was a radical act, but we were certainly doing it in some sort of defiance of, or reaction to, a male-dominated world of painting".

5. Sandy Skoglund

6. James Casebere

7. Pierre et Gilles

8. Thomas Demand

Thomas Demand, Zeichensaal / Drafting Room, 1996, C-Print. ©Thomas Demand, Courtesy Spruth Magers

Demand is a German sculptor and photographer. He is known for making photographs of three-dimensional models built carefully by him that look like real images of rooms and other spaces. He often recreates sites loaded with social and political meanings, such as the New York hotel room in which L. Ron Hubbard worked on Dianetics, which was the starting point for Zimmer (Room) (1996), Scheune (Barn) (1997) which is based on a Hans Namuth photograph of Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner in Pollock's East Hampton studio, and Control Room, which shows the command centre of a Japanese nuclear power plant in the aftermath of an earthquake. He describes himself as a conceptual artist for whom photography is an intrinsic part of realising his finished image. He studied sculpture as an art student at the Kunstacademie Düsseldorf, alongside alongside Katharina Fritsch and Thomas Schütte, and eventually began his art career as a sculptor. In the early 1990s he began to use photography to record his elaborate, life-sized construction models made from paper and cardboard. These recreated actual or formerly existing environments and interior spaces, and signalled the beginning of making constructions for the sole purpose of photographing them. The photographs he takes of his models are made with a large-format-camera. After the photographic work is completed Demand destroys his life-sized environments since they have served their purpose. The life sized models are highly detailed, yet upon close scrutiny their artifice can be detected. They retain subtle but deliberate flaws and anachronisms, such as an unnaturally uniform texture, flatness of colour and can be disquieting. According to New York Times art critic Michael Kimmelman, "the reconstructions were meant to be close to, but never perfectly, realistic so that the gap between truth and fiction would always subtly show".

9. Gregory Crewdson

Gregory Crewdson, Untitled (from Beneath the Roses), 2005. ©Gregory Crewdson, Courtesy Gagosian Gallery.

Gregory Crewdson is an American photographer whose work has themes of American small towns, neighbourhoods and homes at its core. Crewdson's photographs usually take place in small-town America, but are dramatic and cinematic with a penchant for the unsettling and sinister. They often feature disturbing, surreal events, imply a complex and melodramatic narrative, and capture profound themes of fear and anxiety, love, loss, life and death in one moment of stillness. With a budget similar to that of a small movie production each image involves huge crews and weeks to months of planning. His photographs are elaborately staged and lit using the expertise of motion picture production and lighting professionals, often using the same equipment and techniques. He has cited the films Vertigo, The Night of the Hunter, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Blue Velvet, and Safe as having influenced his style, all of which are noted for their innovative use of dramatic lighting design. He has also discussed the painter Edward Hopper and photographer Diane Arbus as key influences. In 2012, he was the subject of the feature documentary film Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters. The film followed the construction and the behind-the-scenes explanation from Crewdson himself of his thought process and vision for his Beneath the Roses, a series considered the most emblematic of his practice.

10. David Lachapelle

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Staged Photography - Top 10 list | Artland Magazine

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1. John Hinde 2. Pierre Molinier A pioneer in the staged photograph in the depiction of sadomasochistism and sexual fantasy. In the early twentieth century Molinier began his artistic career as a landscape painter working in a style somewhat similar to the Impressionists and Fauvists.

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Everything from this point forward showcases my research into abandoned theatres + ongoing theatres in Manchester today.

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This website showcases the various musicals and theatrical talents to be shown in every theatre in Manchester. This websites showcases the story of each performance, numbers of people that attended, and why they chose the theatre they performed in.

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This is an 'Andrew Lloyd' website, dedicated to publishing credible facts and statistics about every theatre in Manchester. The website states which theatres have been demolished, which ones have never been in use, and which ones are still in use today.

This website also shows which one is the most popular and the least popular today.

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Alcazar / Bridgewater Alexandra Theatre Alhambra Theatre Altrincham Garrick Playhouse Apollo Theatre - Still In Theatrical Use Ardwick Empire Ashton Empire Hippodrome - Still In Theatrical Use Capitol / Horniman City Theatre Chorlton Pavilion Comedy Theatre Contact Theatre - Still In Theatrical Use Cooke’s Circus Crown Theatre, Eccles Empire Theatre Folly Theatre Free Trade Hall Gaiety Theatre Gaumont Theatre Grand Circus / Grand Theatre Hardy’s Concert and Supper Rooms at the Dog Inn, Deansgate, Manchester Harte’s Grand Theatre and Fairyland Hippodrome Hulme Hippodrome Hulme Playhouse King’s Theatre Library - Still In Theatrical Use London Music Hall Lyceum Theatre, Eccles Marsden Street Theatre Metropole Theatre Midland Hotel Theatre New Oxford Theatre - In Restaurant use Odeon (Paramount) - Demolished Opera House - Still In Theatrical Use Palace Theatre - Still In Theatrical Use Prince’s Theatre Queen’s Theatre, Bridge Street Queen’s Theatre, Spring Gardens Queen’s Park Hippodrome Royal Exchange - Still In Theatrical Use Royal Olympic Theatre Royal Osborne Theatre Rushholme Theatre St. James’s Hall and Theatre Tameside Hippodrome - Currently Closed Theatre Royal, Peter Street Theatre Royal, Mount Street Theatre Royal, Spring Gardens Theatre Royal, Fountain Street Tivoli Theatre West End Theatre / Odeon Cinema, Whalley Range - Demolished

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The Royal Exchange Theatre - Research + History

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The Royal Exchange Theatre - Research + History

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This is the official website of the Royal Exchange Theatre. The website demonstrates the process of the building over the years, and what was it originally built for.

There is also a range of archival images that showcase the original look and build of the theatre.

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On 20 July 1969, lunar landing module Eagle opened up onto the surface of the Moon. A few years later, on 15 September 1976, a different, rather larger module opened up on Manchester's St Ann's Square. The latter represented not quite so giant a leap, perhaps, but it was certainly a huge achievement and it's come to have its own special cultural significance.

Needless to say, the Royal Exchange Theatre Company takes its name from the building that houses it. The present Exchange building isn't the first, though. In fact, it's the third. The original was built in 1729 in what was then known as 'Market Place', roughly the site of Manchester's large Marks & Spencer store. At that time St Ann's Square, round the corner, had only recently been developed beyond being a cornfield.

The intended purpose of the Exchange was to provide a place for assorted business folk, merchants and manufacturers to meet, talk and strike deals. However, it seems that industry in the town hadn't necessarily reached the levels that required a dedicated Exchange, and over the years parts of the building started to be used for different purposes. Indeed, the oldest existing records suggest that the first public staging of a play in Manchester, namely a performance of Farquhar's comedy THE RECRUITING OFFICER, took place on the site in 1748. Over time, the Exchange fell into a state of disrepair and some disrepute before being demolished in 1792. Ironically. It was around this time that Manchester's involvement in the cotton trade really began to gather momentum and the need for a dedicated business meeting place made itself clear. So it was that a second Exchange was built, opening in 1809. Situated on the current site (or at least part of it), the new building was a hugely lavish, finely-appointed affair, funded by subscription and accessible only to members, complete with a well-stocked newsroom, a bar and a dining hall which could house an orchestra and double as a ballroom. Overall, this was a grand space fit to act as the hub of the textile trade for the movers and shakers of 'Cottonopolis'.

It must be acknowledged though that, by the very nature of the 19th Century cotton trade, Manchester was also implicated in the slave trade. Along different parts of one route, ships that carried raw cotton as saleable cargo would also transport humans, for the same reason. The links from this to those who walked the floor of the Exchange weren't often direct, but there were certainly local industrialists involved in the slave trade, however obliquely or covertly. Bankers and insurers, for instance, may well have been responsible for underwriting slave ships, and there are scattered examples of wealthy business families who actively embraced, and indeed enthusiastically supported, the slave trade.

The working people of Manchester tended to have their own feelings on these matters. Famously, the city was instrumental in the 1807 Act of Parliament that abolished the trading of enslaved people and it's said that one in five Mancunians had signed a petition for abolition. Nevertheless, for a time loopholes were found to circumvent the Act, and as trade boomed, Lancashire textile workers were largely processing cotton picked in the American South by enslaved people from Africa or the West Indies. It's an uncomfortable truth, but to a degree the riches that poured into Manchester were tainted. For all that, though, cotton was far from the only business trade to be conducted at the Exchange. Indeed, the first Exchange had been built before the cotton trade had been fully established, and ultimately the building would outlast it.

Nor was the Exchange of old free of unrest. In April 1812, with the actions of the Luddite movement approaching their peak and the tragedy of Peterloo on the near horizon, a meeting was scheduled in the upper room of the building to draft a congratulatory letter to the Prince Regent. The subject was his support for Spencer Perceval's Tory government, public contempt for which was so strong that, when news of the meeting spread, it was swiftly cancelled, only for an angry mob to break into the Exchange and wreck the newsroom before being dispelled by the military. (Much later, this scene was played out as part of the theatre's 2019 staging of THERE IS A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT, co-produced with Kandinsky.)

Nevertheless, as a whole the Exchange was thriving and membership was escalating swiftly, as a result of which the existing building was extended to twice its size in 1849. When Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and assorted other members of the Royal Family made an official visit to Manchester in October 1850, the expanded Exchange building was deemed suitable to host the large-scale civil reception. The following month, official word arrived that Victoria had given the building her seal of approval, from which point it became known as the Royal Exchange. (This even predated Manchester receiving official city status, which didn't happen until April 1853.)

As Manchester continued to flourish at the pinnacle of the Industrial Revolution, it was decided to expand the Exchange building yet again. Though various possibilities were mooted, including relocation, eventually the existing building was pulled down and another, larger Royal Exchange built on the same site. Completed and opened in 1874, the new Exchange's Great Hall was 206ft by 96ft, with a glass dome 120ft above its centre. It was ten times the size of the original Exchange built on the same site, and indeed the Great Hall was often referred to as 'the biggest room in the world'. This seems to have been more of an honorary title than an empirical fact, though it could lay claim to being the largest commercial room in existence.

Essentially this was the same building that's still standing today, aside from two significant developments. Firstly, the Exchange underwent yet another extension to meet demand, completed in 1921 and officially opened by King George V. (It might be noted that George IV had been the troublesome Prince Regent who'd caused a riot in the Exchange over a century earlier). Secondly, on 22 December 1940 it was hit by a bomb during an air raid as part of the 'Manchester Blitz', destroying half of the building. As such, the size of the Exchange still fluctuated over the years.

Towards the end of the 1960s, the Exchange as it stood ceased to have much purpose. Modern technological developments had transformed how industry deals were conducted. Shops and offices had sprung up in the areas around the building but precious little actual trading was being conducted with membership falling to an all-time low. The building was duly sold off, and the final day of trading was 31 December 1968.

By that point, though, the cast of characters who would lead the building onto its next stage had already begun to assemble.

In the years before the Royal Exchange Theatre opened its doors, the main players met and worked together in various combinations. The very earliest starting point for their story would be the post-war theatre school run by the Old Vic in London. Headed up by the pioneering French theatre-maker Michel Saint-Denis, who'd run the London Theatre School before the war, from 1945 the Old Vic Theatre School was based in what remained of the bombed-out theatre itself, before relocating to a former high school building in Dulwich. Around a hundred students between the ages of 18 and 21 were given a rigorous, intensive training in the arts, with the full-time course covering all aspects of theatre-making. Saint-Denis was a keen advocate of organic, multi-disciplinary training, and though the school didn't last long - it was dissolved in 1952 in a budget-saving move - it casts a long shadow. A cohort of young, eager graduates, like-minded souls with ambitions to shake off the play-it-safe fustiness of post-war British theatre, was despatched out into the industry.

The first fruits of this came in March 1954 when a modest theatre company was established by two of the school's graduates: Richard Negri, who had recently inherited some money from his late father, and his friend and associate Frank Dunlop. Neither man was Mancunian, but on investigation it was discovered that a suitable space for their enterprise existed in a public hall above a Conservative Club in the south Manchester suburb of Chorlton-cum-Hardy. It had previously been used as a theatre and had only recently been vacated by Chorlton Repertory Theatre Club. Negri, in his capacity as designer, elected to take steps to mask some of the less appealing aspects of the space, constructing a 'tent' made of shrouding material painted with stripes, within the hall, informing the local press, "we want to make the audience feel that they are part of the play".

The newly-named Piccolo Theatre Company duly set about putting on bold productions of lesser-seen plays, taking in the Quintero brothers' THE WOMEN HAVE THEIR WAY, Kesselring's ARSENIC AND OLD LACE and the true-life Victoria melodrama MARIA MARTEN. This was hugely ambitious work for a small provincial theatre, and Dunlop and Negri were assisted in their endeavours by various other graduates of the Old Vic Theatre School who they'd invited along to get involved. As a result, the Piccolo Players included many of their fellow former students, including James Maxwell, Rosalind Knight, Patrick Wymark, Avril Elgar, Dilys Hamlett, Eric Thompson and Lee Montague. (Future national treasure Bernard Cribbins acted as one of the company's stage managers.) The Piccolo's particular set-up proved problematic. Legally, the venue was required to operate as a members-only club, but cheerfully welcomed customers without asking them to become members, which resulted in a police investigation and a swiftly dismissed court hearing.

In critical terms, the Piccolo Theatre Company punched way above its weight and caused quite a stir, but in practice it lasted less than a year. The pressure of operating on a shoestring became too great, and Negri is reported to have considered abandoning theatre to become a monk. Again, its real impact was felt further down the line. Dunlop went on to enjoy a stellar career in theatre, establishing the New Vic in 1970, and became the director of Edinburgh International Festival from 1984-91. Negri, too, had a bright future ahead of him.

As the Old Vic theatre school graduates found work around the country, they continued to share ambitions of establishing a permanent venue in which to stage fresh, challenging work.. They stayed in touch, often making a point of bringing each other in to work on projects. Along the way, they also met other like-minded souls who became part of the 'group'. Casper Wrede, another attendee of the Old Vic school, came from Finnish nobility and had been involved in the Piccolo Theatre. During the early 50s, he'd been directing productions for Oxford University Drama Society. After one performance, Wrede was approached by an appreciative undergraduate who was keen to work in theatre. The student in question was Michael Elliott, who would swiftly become a close associate of Wrede's. In 1959, Wrede established the 59 Theatre Company, based at the Lyric Opera House in Hammersmith, with the intention of challenging the orthodoxy of British theatre programming. As the name suggested, it sought to present theatre tailored for its time. The privately-funded company only lasted eight months and proved to be something of a financial disaster, but in that time it succeeded in staging pioneering productions of the likes of BRAND and LITTLE EYOLF by Ibsen, plus Alun Owen's ROUGH AND READY LOT and Georg Büchner's DANTON'S DEATH. Some were directed by Wrede, others by Michael Elliott, installed as the company's assistant Artistic Director. In fact, Elliott's production of BRAND was his first professional solo stage directing credit. Meanwhile, a new collaborator, Richard Pilbrow, became the company's lighting designer.

Other Old Vic Theatre School alumni were involved, though: Richard Negri was brought into the company as designer, while DANTON'S DEATH starred Patrick Wymark and had been adapted from the German original by James Maxwell. The group of friends and collaborators was becoming increasingly tight-knit. Massachusetts-born Maxwell had married fellow Old Vic school graduate Avril Elgar in 1952. Wrede had married another fellow graduate, Dilys Hamlett, in 1951, and Rosalind Knight, who had met Elliott socially through the group, married him just after the end of the 59 Theatre Company's brief lifespan.

The parties in question continued to coalesce and collaborate during the 1960s. For instance, when Michael Elliott was made Artistic Director of the Old Vic in 1962, he brought in Wrede to share directing duties on a season of plays, before the National Theatre took the building over the following year.

When the final key member of this ambitious group, by some distance the youngest, fell into place, it happened in Manchester. Braham Murray was a young director from North London, and his theatrical education involved staging ambitious student productions in Oxford while studying for an English degree he never completed. In 1965, within a year of leaving Oxford, Murray was appointed Artistic Director of Manchester's Century Theatre, aka 'the Blue Box' - a resourceful set-up involving three blue ex-military pantechnicon lorries that interlocked to create a 225-seater auditorium, each one pulling trailers containing kit to assemble into temporary accommodation for the company and a box office. In this way, the company had been touring shows around the North since the Fifties, but now it was stationed at Manchester's University Theatre building on Oxford Rd (which later became part of Contact).

Murray was an admirer of Wrede and Elliott's work - in his youth he'd seen, and been hugely inspired by, the 59 Theatre production of BRAND - and brought them both in to direct shows for the Century Theatre. Like them, though, he was eager to do something on a larger, more permanent scale. When Century Theatre parted ways with the University Theatre in 1968 (ultimately taking up residence in Keswick), Murray, Elliott and Wrede, along with their friend and associate Richard Pilbrow, founded 69 Theatre Company, the very name a clear nod to the work and legacy of 59 Theatre Company.

Initially, the company was based at the recently-opened 295-seater University Theatre, which had been designed with input from the late director Stephen Joseph. Joseph had been a pioneering proponent of 'theatre in the round', and though the University Theatre itself wasn't technically in the round, the stage layout was particularly flexible.

The arrangement wasn't permanent, though, and in time the company began to seek funding, and a potential location, for their own venue, initially hoping to build one from scratch. In and of itself this was a hugely ambitious plan. By the mid 1970s, a great number of long-established Manchester theatres had closed their doors. Only a handful remained, of which two - the Palace and the Opera House - were also under serious threat of closure.

Pilbrow soon exited the 69 Theatre Company to focus on his flourishing career in lighting design, but new recruits were forthcoming. James Maxwell and Richard Negri were already in the orbit of the group, working on new productions with long-time friends and colleagues. Maxwell became an artistic director in 1973; in 1974, so did Negri.

Behind the scenes, certain key figures were moving the company's plans forward. As Administrator, Bob Scott co-ordinated the raising of finances for a venue. As leader of the company's unofficial advisory 'council', local stockbroker Peter Henriques used his considerable influence to explore business possibilities. It was Henriques who suggested to the 69 Theatre directorship that they might consider, even as only a temporary solution, the Royal Exchange building - which, in a neat coincidence, had become vacant and available as of the first day of 1969. It proved to be a popular idea. On an initial site visit in 1971, Richard Negri was struck by the notion of constructing a layered interior theatre space that would resemble a rose.

While working towards that end, unexpected possibilities presented themselves. Greater Manchester was due to be incorporated as a county in 1974, and in the run-up, the city council was keen to mark the occasion with a special festival. For the occasion, the 69 Theatre Company was asked to create a temporary performance space within the Exchange's Great Hall. Designed by Laurie Dennett, it recycled materials from other sites, including scaffolding, seating and boarding - but the exterior was draped in fabric, which led to it being nicknamed 'The Tent'. Intended to fulfil its purpose for only three weeks from May 1973 for a production of Shaw's ARMS AND THE MAN, it proved to be a resounding success and for a time it was considered as a permanent option. Insurers demurred, however, and The Tent was eventually dismantled in February 1974. As an experiment, though, it had proved to be a very instructive experience.

The project gathered momentum as further finances were raised via fundraising events and gala performances. Substantial grants were forthcoming from the Arts Council and Manchester City Council, alongside donations from local businesses such as Granada and private individuals, including many prominent actors. Gradually, everything fell into place. For just over a year from late 1974, the 69 Theatre Company staged productions in the nave of Manchester Cathedral. On 14 April 1975, work on the Royal Exchange Theatre began, and by early 1976, the 69 Theatre Company was officially renamed the Royal Exchange Theatre Company.

As designer, Richard Negri envisioned a seven-sided theatre constructed from tubular steel. The end result is often tagged 'in the round', but Negri wasn't fond of the term. Essentially, he hoped for a space in which the audience, at least on the ground floor, was at the same level as the performers - indeed, even on upper levels, no-one would be more than ten metres away from the stage. For Negri, the audience members should be something like the Forest of Arden, surrounding the stage. To this end, he had the seats died a very particular shade of 'forest green'. There were hitches along the way, though. The tubular steel Negri required proved to be in short supply as it was also used in the construction on North Sea oil rigs. A significant delay looked likely before Harold 'Monty' Finniston, Chairman of British Steel, intervened directly. More pressingly, it was discovered that the floor of the Exchange wouldn't take the total weight of the occupied theatre, but the ingenious solution was to suspend the upper floors from the existing pillars supporting the building's central dome. Even this caused issues, though. Negri wanted the construct to be seven-sided, but it was thought to be impossible to suspend the structure unless it was eight-sided. There were tense moments before an elderly building worker piped up with a method of achieving it and maintaining the required heptagonal shape.

The finished theatre, ready to seat a maximum audience of 700, was officially opened by Laurence Olivier on Wednesday 15 September 1976 launching with a production of Sheridan's THE RIVALS, directed by Murray. The cast included Tom Courtenay, Patricia Routledge and James Maxwell. The same cast performed in rep with a production of von Kleist's THE PRINCE OF HOMBURG directed by Wrede, alternating with THE RIVALS every other night. Subsequent early productions at the Exchange involved Rosalind Knight, Avril Elgar, Dilys Hamlett, Eric Thompson and Lee Montague - each of them erstwhile students of the Old Vic Theatre School.

Over the years since, the Royal Exchange has established itself as one of the country's most significant theatre companies, staging bold, engaging, often challenging work, just as the founding Artistic Directors had intended. Naturally, the directorship has changed down the decades, with each new incumbent bringing their own style to the company's programme. Gregory Hersov had been associated with the theatre since 1979, and became a long-standing Artistic Director from 1987. Matthew Lloyd joined as an Artistic Director from 1998 to 2001, and Marianne Elliott held the role from 1998 to 2002. A hugely successful director in her own right, Elliott's father was Exchange co-founder Michael Elliott, who had died in 1984, aged just 52.

Gradually, the company's five founding Artistic Directors moved on. Richard Negri left in 1986, holding the title of Honorary Artistic Director until his death in 1999. Likewise, Casper Wrede left in 1990, becoming Honorary Artistic Director until he died in 1998. James Maxwell remained active as an Artistic Director up until his death in 1995. The youngest of the original group, Braham Murray stepped down as Artistic Director in 2012, and died in 2018 at the age of 75.

With a history of more than 400 main house productions over almost 50 years, it's perhaps unfair to highlight specific shows from the Royal Exchange's lifespan. Audience members will have their own favourites, from Tom Courteney and Freddie Jones in THE DRESSER, Robert Lindsay in HAMLET or Brian Cox as Ahab in MOBY DICK, to Michael Sheen in LOOK BACK IN ANGER or Don Warrington in KING LEAR. They may have particularly vivid memories of seeing a Trevor Peacock musical, a Joe Orton revival or thrilling new work by Brad Fraser. Or perhaps they're more partial to the dazzling tradition of Royal Exchange Christmas shows, such as Carol Ann Duffy's RATS' TAILS, Victoria Wood's THAT DAY WE SANG, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, THE PRODUCERS, or BETTY: A SORT OF MUSICAL

Sadly, a 1996 production of Stanley Houghton's HINDLE WAKES proved to be momentous for reasons no-one could have foreseen. Just over a week into what was intended to be the show's month-long run, on Saturday 15 June 1996, Manchester city centre was devastated by the detonation of a 1500kg IRA bomb concealed in a lorry parked on Corporation Street, less than fifty metres away from the Exchange. The damage was extensive.

In the immediate aftermath, the Exchange managed to stage a couple of emergency performances of HINDLE WAKES at the BBC building on Oxford Road, before taking up temporary residence in nearby Upper Campfield Market, just off Deansgate. The market hall dated back to 1878, making it almost exactly the same age as the current Royal Exchange building. Here the company managed to resume its planned schedule, spending a memorable twenty-month stint racking up fourteen productions in a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

By sheer chance, when the bombing occurred, the Exchange was in the advanced stages of applying for a National Lottery grant for an extensive refurbishment. It would be eighteen months before the works were completed - in the process adding a small Studio Theatre space - and the building would reopen. Picking up from before the dramatic interruption, the reopening production was HINDLE WAKES.

In 2008, Sarah Frankcom became an Artistic Director of the company, and when Gregory Hersov stepped down in 2014 Frankcom became the first sole Artistic Director in the Royal Exchange's history. Notably, she forged a fruitful creative partnership with actor / writer Maxine Peake, which resulted in a number of critically acclaimed Exchange productions including HAMLET, THE SKRIKER, HAPPY DAYS and QUEENS OF THE COAL AGE. Similarly, Frankcom's work with playwright Simon Stephens included debut productions of ON THE SHORE OF THE WIDE WORLD, PUNK ROCK, BLINDSIDED and LIGHT FALLS. With a contemporary and innovative approach to programming, Frankcom championed the importance of representation, ensuring opportunities for everyone to see themselves on-stage and off, making the Royal Exchange a space that reflected the city.

Productions directed by Sarah Frankcom

In July 2019, it was announced that Frankcom was to be succeed as Artistic Director by the pairing of Roy Alexander Weise and Bryony Shanahan. Before their first season at the helm had been completed, though, it was truncated by the COVID pandemic. In March 2020, the production of Winsome Pinnock's ROCKETS AND BLUE LIGHTS was forced to close after just two performances. Like theatres around the world, the Royal Exchange went dark for over a year. In June 2021, when official guidance finally permitted it - albeit with careful social distancing still in place - the Exchange reopened with BLOODY ELLE, an acclaimed one-woman show written by and starring Lauryn Redding. Gradually, as the months went on and regulations relaxed, productions were able to return to full-scale.

Beyond the module, even outside the building itself, a whole range of activities is conducted by the Royal Exchange. For nearby schools, there's a programme of workshops and backstage tours, and there's the award-winning Young Company for 14-21 year-olds, offering weekly workshops, annual productions and mentoring opportunities in a wide range of aspects of theatre-making. Mirroring that is the Elders Company, which enables older people to meet up and get involved with creativity and theatre. There's also Local Exchange, an outreach programme for those across the Greater Manchester community with an interest in what goes on behind the scenes, which also boasts its own travelling pop-up performance space known as 'The Den'.

The Exchange aims to discover and champion new writers, too. It operates the Writers Exchange programme in partnership with WarnerMedia, and since 2005 it's been home to the bi-annual international Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, modelled on similar lines to the earlier Mobil Playwriting Competition which ran from 1984-97.

Today, the Royal Exchange remains keenly aware of its own past. The foyer cafe and bar is named THE RIVALS, in honour of the Sheridan comedy that launched the company back in 1976, and it's adorned with photos and posters from productions gone by. For almost two years, the Great Hall itself has been adorned with an installation by DISRVPT entitled Holding Space, complete with a poem by Contact CEO Keisha Thompson, displayed on huge drapes, tackling often thorny aspects of the building's long and varied history.

In 2006, an episode of the ghost-hunting TV show MOST HAUNTED was filming around the building, and down the decades there have indeed been rumours of strange spectral occurrences. Ultimately, though, it doesn't really matter whether you believe in such things or not. The undeniable fact is that a huge number of fascinating people have passed through the Great Hall down the centuries and left an indelible mark, achieving many remarkable things while within its walls. Hopefully, that will continue to be the case for a long while yet.

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On 20 July 1969, lunar landing module Eagle opened up onto the surface of the Moon. A few years later, on 15 September 1976, a different, rather larger module opened up on Manchester's St Ann's Square. The latter represented not quite so giant a leap, perhaps, but it was certainly a huge achievement and it's come to have its own special cultural significance.

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Everything from this point showcases my research on how exactly to make a good zine. I've researched everything from layout to colours, to writing examples.

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These are photographs from our photoshoot. We went as a group to various places around Manchester to shoot.

Sophie is holding a Minolta film camera (film photography).

Gracie is holding a Nikon digital camera (digital photography).

Sophie and Gracie went off on their own afterwards on separate days to complete the shoot.

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This is a website that shows the various zines that could be used for our idea. The website has different ideas and styles for a zine which we could use as a starting point for our zine.

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Learn more about the creative world of zines and get inspired by the incredible content published on Issuu!

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In order to know how to make a zine, I found this website that has a step by step guide on how to make a good zine.

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Ah, the 80's. In those days appeared the first video games, great music, and good movies, and the zine culture flourished.

Before there were social media, there were fanzines. Science fiction fans created one in the early 20th century, but other underground groups quickly took over this format.

This aesthetic of challenging mainstream ideas connected with a DIY attitude has made the zine format very popular today. Anyone could and can make their own zine, these days using their own computers.

With Publuu magazine creator you can use your skills to create a zine online that will still look cool, help you stay in touch, and will keep the spirit of independent publishing alive.

In this article, we'll explain what is a zine, how to make your own zines, and how to make a zine using popular zine software.

What is a zine?

The word "zine" is simply short for "magazine," or "fan magazine". But it's not about the format only: a zine is an unofficial publication, often distributed in stores or between clubs, run by fans. The first zine-type publications were SF fan magazines, where fans discussed books, and radio plays and published their own short stories.

A zine is now recognized as a self-published, independent print or online publication. It usually conveys a distinctive point of view on particular issues that are outside the mainstream. Fanzines are independent publications created by science-fiction fans, hackers, metal fans, queer people, and feminists. In many countries in the 1980s and 1990s, they were a tool of the opposition to criticize totalitarian governments outside the mainstream media.

For the most part of the twentieth century you needed a mimeograph template for making zines. The designer had to design their own zine and create it on a typewriter and draw the illustrations themselves. Often the first zines consisted of usually only one single-sided sheet of printer paper, so as to save yourself work - these were the so-called accordion zines.

Mimeographs were found in offices and schools, so teenagers often had to beg their teachers to let them publish a magazine or a zine in, say, a hundred copies. Then these zine makers would ride their bikes around town and sell or leave the zine in clubs and stores. A poetry zine would be displayed in libraries, music zine in record stores, and so on.

However, in the 80s, the photocopy machine appeared. Instead of hundreds of copies, you could create a thousand of them! And then came home computers - not personal computers like IBM, but they made DTP easier. If you were lucky and had a Commodore 64 with the GEOS program you could create your zine, print all the pages on a dot-matrix printer (which took hours), draw the cover, and drop it onto a photocopier. More savvy zine makers didn't have to use the printer paper folded three times, now they could create a huge 16-page zine!

When personal computers supplanted home computers, the international zine fashion moved to the Internet. But zines never went away for good - and today the zine aesthetic has returned in the form of self-publishing. In fact, independent content now has a wider audience than ever.

Publuu - best online zine maker

As most of the zine world has moved online, Publuu may be the best solution for publishing independent content, like zines, online. Self-publishing with Publuu has never been easier - all it takes is to upload the PDF and Publuu will transform it into a great digital zine.

There's no need to stand in line in the copy store. Viewing a realistic zine or magazine from Publuu feels like you're interacting with a real publication - and it's easy to share and distribute online. You can start distributing your online zine in seconds.

Publuu allows users to quickly transform a zine from a PDF file or even a scanned paper version into a digital publication that can be shared on social media, websites and email. Working digitally has never been so much fun!

Publuu's online zine example

View more online zine examples

In addition, you can incorporate audio and video files into your content to combine the classic form with new forms of independent content. It's also easy to add links to relevant content, interesting products or new albums of your favorite band.

Publuu is the best option for independent publishers, since it's very affordable. All the issues of your zines can be safely stored in an digital newsstand, for your friends to read.

How to make a zine PDF?

The first step you need to take if you want to publish your zine is to determine what you want to write about. And you can write about anything you want. Zines are generally not made for money. A good zine is made out of passion and ideas. If you love cooking, poetry, or TV series, it's worth writing about.

However, don't write a zine alone, ask your buddies to help you. Zine-making can be a great group activity - the more ideas you have, the bigger your target audience. And if your zine becomes more recognizable online, ask others to submit poetry, drawings, essays, and collages. There are plenty of great creators you can connect with, as long as you move in the same direction.

When you know what the zine will be about, think about the content of the first issue. You only have a few pages at your disposal. Think about what will be in the first issue and choose a topic for one or two articles.

You now need to choose a format: do you want to create accordion zines, or maybe a 16-page A5-sized notebook? You can also use Publuu to publish digital zine online. Below we will present zine templates for programs such as Canva and Microsoft Word, but you can always construct your zine from paper and glue, write it by hand or print it on an old-school printer.

Think carefully about the overall color scheme, font selection, and other design aspects that will help the zine make a certain impression. You can use a monotype font like Courier New to give the text a typewritten feel.

Many classic zines were created on an A3 piece of paper, printed one-sided. As a result, the zine was just one page of content, spread on 6 A6 pages plus the front and back cover. This gives you more or less 1500 words to work with - minus the illustrations. Even if you're making zines on the computer, your master copy should stick to the A5 or A6 size - to keep with the tradition.

Online zine examples

Many zines are culturally significant - for example, the first character named Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster debuted in a self-published short story in a SF zine. Only later they reused the name and some of the concepts for the iconic superhero. Others showcased marginalized voices and promoted diversity. You can find more zines in various galleries online.

Many of the zines in this collection refer to political events like climate change, Black Lives Matter protests and feminism. Some of them share ideas with readers, others showcase independent comics and opinions on the left and right sides of the political spectrum.

How to make a zine on Canva?

Now you know how to make a zine and have seen samples of zine pages. You can easily create a zine PDF in Canva - if you keep to the templates below.

Look for templates that are reminiscent of stitch-binding accordion zines - fit on one sheet of paper, with the number of pages reflecting the eight rectangles on the paper - 8. 16. 24 (including the covers).

Resize the paper to 5.5 × 8.5 inches - this will help you design magazines that reflect the zines' attitude and tradition.

Online zine template gallery - Canva

Anyone can create their own zine and showcase their own social issues - especially people who are still discriminated against like the LGBTQ community.

Final thoughts

We hope that this article helped you to understand the independent spirit of paper and online zines. Everyone has passion in their hearts and can transfer their thoughts to paper: art, photography or social attitude. Finding a zine in a bus used to be an interesting experience in the 80s and 90s - and with Publuu you can now grant other people this feeling in the Internet.
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Aesthetics and minimalism enthusiast. Loves to explore the world, and travel is the meaning of her life. Amateur photographer and passionate about dogs. At work, she points her energy into crafting content that reflects her interest in literature and design.

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How to Make a Zine Online? The Best Ideas & Examples

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A zine is now recognized as a self-published, independent print or online publication. The first step you need to take if you want to...

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This website shows different zines by different people and businesses over the years. Some are old and some are new.

This is a good starting point into what other people have done, and what we can incorporate when creating our final zine.

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From this point forward, I'm showcasing the photos we took during our photoshoot and the final photos I decided were best for the zine.

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A cool video of someone exploring the old debenhams!

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Exploring Manchester's Abandoned Debenhams: Found 1930s Secrets

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From this point on everything will be around abandoned buildings and the research I gathered on them around Manchester.

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Another building that I remembered was abandoned was Debenhams. This is an article talking about what the plans are for the building and why it was abandoned in the first place.

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(Image: AM Alpha)

Brand new images have revealed how the former Debenhams store on Market Street will look after a huge £70m transformation.

The site has lay derelict on one of the city's busiest shopping streets since the department store went into administration back in December of 2020.

Debenhams was later bought by Manchester-headquartered fashion giant Boohoo but all its stores were closed, leaving the site, known as the Rylands building, to become vandalised and even dubbed as the city's 'scruffiest' building by local leaders.
READ MORE "The Place NOT to eat" - John Lewis café slammed by customers on Tripadvisor
However last year, global real-estate investment firm AM Alpha confirmed works would get underway to transform the Grade II listed building into a mixed-use development compromising retail, leisure and office space.

But after Debenhams vacated, the once-proud department store was left covered in graffiti and had its windows smashed, as a the developers were warned that the overhaul could have been stalled by the town hall until they smartened up the appearance of the building.

Situated close to Picadilly Gardens, the multi-storey building was originally built in 1932 as a warehouse by J. Gerrard and Sons of Swinton for the Rylands textile company. It was designed by local architects, Fairhursts, in an Art Deco style, complete with a decorative corner tower and zig zag window lintels.

After suffering damage during the Manchester blitz, department store Pauldens moved to the Rylands building where it thrived until the early 1970s when Debenhams took over the business - remaining as Debenhams right until its eventual closure.

But exciting new images have revealed how the site could look after extensive makeover with work due to start this year. The £68.5m redevelopment was previously approved by Manchester City Council in January 2021.
See the gallery below:
The upper floors of the grade II-listed building will be transformed into office space while a shopping arcade will be created on the ground floor. A four-storey extension will also be added to the site.

Enabling works for the transformation of the vacant building have already begun, with main works scheduled to start in 2023 and completion expected in early 2025.

Construction company Russell WBHO is acting as a construction partner for the project while property companies OBI and Barker Proudlove are letting agents for the building.

Read next:-

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New images show how Market Street's Debenhams will look after transformation

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Works for the transformation of the vacant building have already begun

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This is about an abandoned victorian building that they're making into offices but I think they're preserving it too because its a listed historic building!

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(Image: Oldham council)

Plans to return Oldham's iconic 134-year-old Prudential Building to its 'former splendour' have been supported unanimously by councillors.

The Victorian building on Union Street was compulsory purchased by the local authority after it agreed last March to bring it back into use as part of the Future High Street Fund programme.

At a meeting of the planning committee on Wednesday night, councillors agreed proposals to repair both the inside and outside of 'The Pru' and transform it into a '21st century incubator facility' for businesses, focusing on the creative, digital, and media sectors.

"It's a fantastic opportunity to bring the building back into active use," planning officer Martyn Leigh told the meeting.

The building will be refurbished to create private and open co-working spaces, an event space, a café, and a lounge.

The Grade-Two listed building was designed by legendary architect Alfred Waterhouse, the master of the Victorian Gothic revival style who is best known for designing Manchester Town Hall and the Natural History Museum.
READ MORE: Road closures and Metrolink works to cause traffic chaos in Manchester this weekend
But after more than a decade of standing empty, in 2020 the town centre building next to the Oldham Central Metrolink stop was placed on the Victorian Society's list of most endangered buildings.

Mr Leigh said: "It is in a prominent location within the town centre's conservation area.

"It is a Grade-Two listed building. It has been in a vacant and poor state of condition for some time, largely due to water ingress a lot of the interior fabric and historic fabric has been either lost or damaged over a sustained period of time."

He added the building had been formerly used in an 'office type' class.

"The proposals put forward now are to bring the building back into active use and to facilitate that does require extensive works to restore the building but also to protect some of the historic fabric that's remaining," Mr Leigh added.

"The benefits of bringing a building of this type back into use is that it safeguards its future as well."

There had been no objections from residents or consultees, and Historic England is supportive of the proposals, he told members.

The changes proposed for the building amount to 'less than substantial harm', councillors heard.

Council officers had said that there was evidence of break-ins and drug use in the building and alleyway behind it, with incidents of falling roof slates and glass into the street.

This had led to formal notices being served to secure the property, and notices under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

Under the plans for the future of the building it is aimed to create 71 new businesses and more than 156 jobs over a ten year period, as well as helping emerging businesses grow.

This would turn the 19th century building into a 'vibrant co working and modern workplace that will attract young and upcoming tech businesses', documents state.

The former banking hall, described by Buttress Architects Ltd as the 'most significiant' interior, decorated with ornate glazed tiling and colonnades, would become a 'breakout' social and café area.

A new roof is proposed to enclose the central atrium, with dormer windows installed to maximise space.

The council wants it to kick-start more than £2m of growth in the borough in the creative and digital sectors.
Read today's top stories here READ NEXT:
The committee granted both planning permission and listed building consent for the works.

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Plans to turn Prudential Building into offices and co-working space approved

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Councillors agreed proposals to repair the inside and outside of 'The Pru', which has been empty for years

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Very creepy building

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Exploring Abandoned Creepy Prudential Insurance Building - Greater Manchester -  Abandoned Places UK

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An abandoned goth nightclub. Awesome.

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A now abandoned North Manchester building was once home to a bizarre club adorned with upturned crucifixes and decapitated heads.

Manchester's Hellfire Club opened in 2007, near Queens Park, in a curiously curved building that used to house the Junction Hotel and later the Junction Inn. It's earlier names were apt, considering the building stands on the Collyhurst, Harpurhey, Smedley and Cheetham border.

Close to Manchester Cemetery, the building, which dates back to at least 1870, is said to been a hotspot for paranormal activity. A fitting venue then for the Hellfire Club, which resembled the set of a horror movie.

The name itself was a throwback to historic Hellfire Clubs that established themselves in Britain and Ireland in the 18th century. They were exclusive establishments where rakish 'persons of quality' would gather to behave in a way conventional society would frown upon.

The first official Hellfire Club was founded in London in 1718, by the first Duke of Wharton and a handful of high-society friends, with other groups using the name 'Hellfire Club' set up throughout the 18th century. The Duke's club was set up more as a satirical joke to shock society, rather than as a serious affront to religion or morality.

However, the supposed president of the club was Satan, with members calling themselves devils. But, unlike other clubs at the time, the Hellfire Club had progressive policy of admitting both men and women as equals.

A more modern reference to the Hellfire Club can be found in the Dungeons and Dragons roleplaying game club of the same name in the hit Netflix show, Stranger Things.

In 2007, the M.E.N. reviewed Manchester's modern-day Hellfire Club - then a newly open horror-themed club-cum-restaurant, noting the "masks, talking skulls and upside-down crucifixes" that adorned its walls.

With ghoulish figures and decapitated heads hanging from the windows, customers ordered cocktails such as Dead Man Walking, which they happily slurped from blood-smattered goblets. The venue also boasted Manchester's deepest cellar, branded the 'dungeon', where bodies were believed to have been buried in the past.

A 2008 review of the club from listing site Yelp described the venue as something akin to the set of a horror movie. It read: "Walking into The Hellfire Club is much like walking into Dracula's castle.
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"I honestly kept expecting to see the ghosts of Bela Lugosi and Vincent Price around each new corner. There are stone dungeon walls covered with bleeding monster heads, elaborately carved beams and cabinets, barred Victorian-style windows, randomly-placed coffin lids, glass jars filled with fingers and eyeballs, and lurking skeletons in every nook and cranny."

And the horror theme didn't stop with the décor. The review continued: "The entire staff is decked out in enough corsets, old-fashioned British waistcoats, and undead accessories to make both Jack The Ripper and George Romero very proud. Overall, the ambience is akin to a well-planned Halloween party with more than a few fun cinematic scares thrown in for good measure.

"And in that vein, I would strongly suggest that you do at least a little goth or horror movie dressing up when you go. Jeans aren't forbidden, but most patrons really live it up at the dining graveyard, so don't be afraid to join in."
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Thespooky atmosphere of the venue wasn't just down to a creative collection of horror props. The building itself is notoriously said to be haunted.

In 2010, the club's owner David Butler, told the M.E.N. that during the club's renovation, a cigarette packet dated 1886 was discovered under the floorboards. He added: "We've had various paranormal teams here and they all come up with pretty much the same impression of a young girl and an older man that haunts the place."

In a later interview in 2014, having spent more time in the building, the sceptical owner said he'd had his eyes opened by some of the things he'd witnessed there, adding: "One morning it was footsteps on the roof, and when I went to check there was nobody there.

"We had the sound of dripping taps, but no sign of water coming out of any of them anywhere." And he said a girl claimed she saw a group of horses in the basement, despite not knowing there had been a stables attached to the building centuries ago.

Time was called on the venue in 2014, with the owner saying he had 'had his fun' with the place and the Hellfire Club closed its doors. The venue remained shut for two years before a new club called Cirque Manchester took over the building.

Cirque Manchester was the city's first dedicated Burlesque bar. The new venture promised a sleeker and kinkier option for an alternative 30-plus crowd. Cheryl Smith, best known for organising the North's biggest sex festival Sexhibition, took on the job of reinvigorating the club.

The novelty Halloween ghouls and Blackadder-esque fixtures were ditched in favour of sleek black Chesterfields, cosy open fires, craft beers and champagne. The basement dungeon also received a make-over as the setting for regular fetish and kink nights.

The burlesque club wasn't long-lived and soon the historic venue was empty once more. In 2019, a blaze broke out at the abandoned building which had to be extinguished by firefighters.

The striking building still stands at the junction on Queens Road, now boarded up. In the last couple of years, urban explorers have posted videos after gaining access showing the dilapidated interior of the property.

In February 2022, the property appeared on property auction website www.pugh-auctions.com with a guide price of £350,000. Having been a hotel, pub, Hellfire Club and burlesque bar in its time, it'll be interesting to see what the future holds for this unique building.
Does the Hellfire Club awaken any memories for you? Let us know in the comments section below. Read Next:

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Lost Manchester club was 'like walking into a horror movie'

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North Manchester building has been a hotel, pub, restaurant and burlesque bar hosting 'fetish and kink nights' in its time

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Out of all the times to go exploring an abandoned building I have no idea why you'd choose the middle of the night

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Exploring Abandoned Hellfire Club & Cirque Burlesque Club - Manchester - Abandoned Places UK

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Everything from now showcases my research on theatres abandoned and ongoing.

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In the lecture, they mentioned a theatre, and I believe this was it.

I wanted to create more research into it so here's an article about how the theatre went from busy to abandoned. It's an interesting article that showcases the decay of the theatre decade to decade.

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These photos show how the theatre has been in a state of disrepair since its closure in 1986

(Image: Getty Images)

A Manchester theatre has stood empty and decaying for decades, despite it being a historic and iconic venue.

Hulme Hippodrome is a Grade II listed building which opened in 1901, originally known as the Grand Junction Theatre and Floral Hall. At the time of opening, it seated 3,000 people, and The Beatles, Laurel and Hardy, and Nina Simone all performed there over the years.

Based in Preston Street, Hulme Hippodrome was built alongside the Hulme Playhouse and was designed by the same architect, Joseph John Alley. Hulme Hippodrome was last used for theatre in the 1960s and went on to be used as a bingo hall in 1962 until its closure in 1986.
Read more:
After this time, most of the building, including the main auditorium, remained empty, with the exception of the Floral Hall being used by various groups and charities. In 2006, the Theatre Trust placed the venue on its then new 'Theatres at Risk Register'. In 2017, squatters went on to use the building, but were cleared out shortly after.

February 2021 saw a group from the local area start a campaign called ' Save Hulme Hippodrome ' which included a crowdfunder. Their goal is to bring the hippodrome into community ownership with the hopes of restoring it and using it as a community centre. The campaign became a limited company in March 2021.

The photos below show the interior of Manchester's dilapidated Hulme Hippodrome in 2013.
For beautiful, historic images from the past have a look at memorylane.co.uk/ and see what you can discover Join our Greater Manchester history, memories and people Facebook group here. Love Greater Manchester's past? Sign up to our new nostalgia newsletter and never miss a thing. Sign up to the MEN email newsletters to get the latest on sport, news, what's on and more by following this link

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Inside abandoned Manchester theatre left empty and decaying for decades

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These photos show how the theatre has been in a state of disrepair since its closure in 1986

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Great exploration video with some history too!

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Abandoned places, The Hulme Hippodrome. Manchester

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A bit of info about an abandoned theatre!

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The Theatre Royal in Manchester, England, opened in 1845. Situated next to the Free Trade Hall, it is the oldest surviving theatre in Manchester. It was commissioned by Mancunian businessman John Knowles who wanted a theatre venue in the city.

The Theatre Royal operated as a theatre from 1845 until 1921, when it closed in the face of growing competition from the Palace Theatre and Opera House. The building has since been converted numerous times for use as a cinema, bingo hall and nightclub. It has been unoccupied since 2011, with the nightclub hosting its last night on 31 December 2010.

In 2012, the building was purchased by Edwardian Hotels, owner of the neighbouring Radisson Edwardian. It has since been placed on the Theatres Trust's "At Risk" register, and as of 2023 no work has commenced and Edwardian Hotels have no intention of re-developing the listed building.

The theatre, which stands on an island site on the south side of Peter Street, is constructed in sandstone ashlar. It has two storeys, with an attic, and was built in the neoclassical style. Around the building, between the upper storey and the attic, is a modillioned cornice. Its entrance front facing Peter Street is symmetrical with three bays, the central bay being wider than the lateral bays. The central bay is in the form of a portico, with Corinthian columns and pilasters. Its entablature contains a central semicircular arch breaking through to the gable. Steps lead up to entrances in each bay. Above the central entrance is a pedimented niche containing a statue of William Shakespeare, which is based on the statue by Peter Scheemakers in Westminster Abbey. The lateral bays contain windows with balconies on the upper storey. Along the sides of the theatre are alternating rectangular windows and panels, with a blank semicircular arch above each window. The interior of the theatre has been altered, but retains its 1875 gallery. The theatre was designated as a Grade II listed building on 3 October 1974. The authors of the Buildings of England series describe it as a "splendid classical composition in stone, one of the best examples of theatre architecture surviving anywhere in England from the first half of the 19th century". The Theatres Trust described it as "unique and architecturally significant", with the façade being "one of the finest examples of theatre architecture to have survived in Britain from the first half of the nineteenth century", stating that it influenced the design of the Royal Opera House, London.

Manchester appears to have two previous Theatre Royals before the current building was constructed in 1845. The first opened in Spring Gardens on 5 June 1775 and operated on that site until the expiration of the proprietors' lease in 1807.

The second Theatre Royal opened in Fountain Street on 12 July 1807 and was destroyed by fire on 7 March 1844. John Knowles took over the management of this second Theatre Royal some time before the fire, at a time when the theatre in Manchester was at its lowest ebb. Knowles set up a strong stock company and proved himself a very capable, though somewhat authoritarian, theatre manager. However, following the 1844 fire the proprietors of the theatre on Fountain Street refused to rebuild it.

At a public dinner in his honour in July 1844, Knowles was presented a plate "in acknowledgement of his energetic and successful efforts to revive national drama in Manchester". Knowles told the gathering that if they could get no one else to build a theatre then he would do it himself. As a result, Knowles bought the patent rights and set about finding a site for the new theatre. Knowles had always been an admirer of theatrical performances and he was anxious to see their renovation in this, his native town. He desired to see the revival of the legitimate drama, and the plays represented in a manner duly worthy of them.

Theatre Royal front façade on the left with the Free Trade Hall.

Knowles found a new site for his theatre on Peter Street. He demolished the Wellington Inn and Brogden's Horse Bazaar. Knowles employed Francis Chester and John Gould Irwin as the architects for his new theatre. In preparation for the building of the new Theatre Royal, Knowles and Chester went to London and visited most of the metropolitan theatres, noting their areas, internal forms, acoustic capabilities, etc. With a cost of £23,000, the new Theatre Royal opened to an audience of 2,500. Precautionary measures against fire were taken by placing a tank on the roof capable of holding 20,000 gallons of water, which was connected by pipes to the stage and the green room. Its programme that night included Weber's overture, Douglas Jerrold's "Time works wonders" and an elaborate ballet spectacle "The Court Ball in 1740". Knowles's schedule of productions was intensive - in one season there were 157 performances at which two and sometimes three plays were performed. The popularity of the theatre grew. Charles Dickens, John Leech and George Cruikshank were amongst notable people who appeared at the theatre. The theatre was dedicated to Shakespeare and Knowles installed a Carrara marble statue of the playwright above the entrance. It was Manchester's finest outdoor statue. In 1875, after years of success, Knowles severed his connections with the theatre, disposing of it to a limited company for £50,000.

In 1921 the theatre was converted to a cinema due to competition from the Palace Theatre and the Opera House. In 1972 the theatre became a bingo hall, then a nightclub in 1978, at which point various lighting bridges and rigs were added. It was known successively as the "Discotheque Royale", "Infinity" (from August 2000) then "M2" and finally a rename and rebrand to "Coliseum". The nightclub closed in 2011.

In 2008 a 118 m (387 ft), 28-storey tall office and retail tower was proposed, called "Theatre Royal Tower", that would be connected to the back of the original theatre. It was designed by Stephenson Bell with The Benmore Group as the developer.

It was announced in 2011 by owners Benmore that the Theatre Royal would receive a £2 million refurbishment to convert the building into a live music venue. Plans to convert the building into a hotel and live music venue never came about.

Despite the promise of investment, Benmore sold the building in November 2012. It was purchased by Edwardian Hotels, who owned the Radisson Blu Edwardian hotel adjacent to the theatre in the Free Trade Hall. The building could potentially be restored as a theatre or banqueting hall as a complementary extension for the hotel.

As of December 2016 the building remains unused, with the Edwardian Group carrying out feasibility studies for the building. Theatres Trust has placed the building on its "Theatre Buildings at Risk" register.

The 1845 exterior façade is virtually intact, and the building retains the balcony from 1875.[citation needed ] Theatres Trust has said that the internal conversions for its past usage in various guises appear to have obscured - rather than destroyed - the interior. The Trust classify the original interior work as "restorable as a theatre".

Notes

1. "Theatre Royal to become live music venue - with £2m refurb". Manchester Evening News. 3 November 2011.

2. Historic England. "Royale Club, Manchester (1246667)". National Heritage List for England.

3. ^ Bardsley, Andrew (8 December 2016). "Manchester's oldest theatre was bought by a developer four years ago. But we still don't know what's going to happen to it..." Manchester Evening News.

4. Collectanea relating to Manchester and its neighbourhood, at various periods, vol. 2, Chetham Society, 1867, p. 59

5. ^ 'Index to the report from the Select Committee on Theatrical Licenses and Regulations', 1866, House of Commons Parliamentary Papers, vol. XVI.1, p. 217.

6. 'Dinner to John Knowles, Jun, Esq', The Manchester Guardian, 17 July 1844, p. 5

7. 'The New Theatre Royal, Peter-Street', ^ The Manchester Guardian, 2 October 1844, p. 5

8. ^ Burkeman, Oliver (29 August 2000). "Two-person toilet cubicle installed for sociable clubbers". The Guardian.

9. "Radisson Edwardian To Extend Into The Theatre Royal". Manchester Confidential. 21 November 2012.

10. ^ "Manchester Theatre Royal acquired by hotelier Edwardian Group". Manchester Evening News. 20 November 2012.

Bibliography

Hartwell, Clare; Hyde, Matthew; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2004). Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East. The Buildings of England. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-10583-5.

Manchester Central Library (1979). Men and Women of Manchester. William Morris Press.

Parkinson-Bailey, J. J. (2000). Manchester: An Architectural History. Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-0-7190-5606-2.

Rudyard, Nigel; Wyke, Terry (1994). Manchester Theatres. Bibliography of North West England. ISBN 0-947969-18-7.

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The Theatre Royal in Manchester, England, opened in 1845. Situated next to the Free Trade Hall, it is the oldest surviving theatre in Manchester. It was commissioned by Mancunian businessman John Knowles who wanted a theatre venue in the city.

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Very cool building!

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Abandoned Theatre Royal Abandoned Places UK

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Sources:

Theatres Trust (Year Unknown) Theatre Royal Avaliable at: https://www.theatrestrust.org.uk/how-we-help/theatres-at-risk/214-theatre-royal (Accessed: 18/04/24)

Arthur Lloyd.co.uk (Year Unknown) The Theatre Royal, Peter Street, Manchester Later - The Theatre Royal Cinema / Royal Bingo / Royale Nightclub Avaliable at: http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/ManchesterTheatres/TheatreRoyalManchester.htm (Accessed: 18/04/24)

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Final Photographs - Film Photos of historic buildings in Manchester

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Final Photographs - Film Photos of historic buildings in Manchester

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This is a contact sheet showing all the film photographs I took of buildings in Manchester. We wanted to focus on theatres after looking at all the photographs, because we noticed that the photographs are mainly surrounding theatres. This would be much easier to navigate and build on moving forward.

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Final photographs - Theatres Individually

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Final photographs - Theatres Individually

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This is a contact sheet showcasing all the film photographs showcasing each theatre we researched and added into the final zine.

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After photographing buildings around Manchester, Gracie suggested that we solely focus on Theatres as it would make our research and imagery more focused. This would allow us much more leg room to research specific theatres that are linked with each other rather than random buildings around the city. Annabel, Alex and Naila are going to research the theatres, whereas Gracie and Sophie would focus more on the creative aspect of the final zine.

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When we decided on our final idea, we split up the final research between us so that everyone has a contribution to the zine.

Alex - Research The Opera House

Naila - Research The Palace Theatre

Annabel - Research The Royal Theatre

Sophie + Gracie - Research The Royal Exchange Theatre

We did leave research for Elijah on certain theatres, such as The Royal Exchange Theatre, so he would have something to contribute but unfortunately he still hasn't showed up.

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To get an idea of what other people do for zines, I researched various artists listed below. These have their own style and technique.

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When beginning the zine, Annabel and Naila were curating the layout. The photos above show there ideas and what the zine was supposed to look like however due to work not being completed by Annabel and Naila, Gracie and Sophie had to make there own so that it would be finished.

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As a group we decided to study the History of Manchester's buildings as we felt like this fitted the brief perfectly. Me and Sophie went and did a photoshoot in Manchester of a wide variety of buildings. The contact sheet is featured on the right.

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After looking through the images I proposed the idea of just photographing and researching theatres in Manchester. I felt like this would make our project more focussed on one area instead of it being a vast dive into different kinds of buildings. The contact sheet from my theatre shoot is featured on the right. The theatres I shoot included:

Theatre Royal

The Palace Theatre

Manchester Opera House

The Royal Exchange

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Although the royal exchange theatre is now a prominent entertainment, shopping and leisure zone now its name comes from the Exchange that it once was. In 1729 the original exchange opened and it was known as 'the market place.' The building was then demolished and was relocated to it current position in St Anns square in 1809. It became a hub for wealthy individuals as it was members only access inside as it was a place for people to meet, talk and strike up new business deals. The building was then pulled down again and made even bigger with 120ft glass domes, this new site opened in 1874. By the 1960s the exchange was no longer in as much use as it once was it was then formally shut in 1968 and re opened as a theatre in 1976. I think this part of the history is an essential part of understanding what the building is about and how it came to be today.

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On 20 July 1969, lunar landing module Eagle opened up onto the surface of the Moon. A few years later, on 15 September 1976, a different, rather larger module opened up on Manchester's St Ann's Square. The latter represented not quite so giant a leap, perhaps, but it was certainly a huge achievement and it's come to have its own special cultural significance.

Needless to say, the Royal Exchange Theatre Company takes its name from the building that houses it. The present Exchange building isn't the first, though. In fact, it's the third. The original was built in 1729 in what was then known as 'Market Place', roughly the site of Manchester's large Marks & Spencer store. At that time St Ann's Square, round the corner, had only recently been developed beyond being a cornfield.

The intended purpose of the Exchange was to provide a place for assorted business folk, merchants and manufacturers to meet, talk and strike deals. However, it seems that industry in the town hadn't necessarily reached the levels that required a dedicated Exchange, and over the years parts of the building started to be used for different purposes. Indeed, the oldest existing records suggest that the first public staging of a play in Manchester, namely a performance of Farquhar's comedy THE RECRUITING OFFICER, took place on the site in 1748. Over time, the Exchange fell into a state of disrepair and some disrepute before being demolished in 1792. Ironically. It was around this time that Manchester's involvement in the cotton trade really began to gather momentum and the need for a dedicated business meeting place made itself clear. So it was that a second Exchange was built, opening in 1809. Situated on the current site (or at least part of it), the new building was a hugely lavish, finely-appointed affair, funded by subscription and accessible only to members, complete with a well-stocked newsroom, a bar and a dining hall which could house an orchestra and double as a ballroom. Overall, this was a grand space fit to act as the hub of the textile trade for the movers and shakers of 'Cottonopolis'.

It must be acknowledged though that, by the very nature of the 19th Century cotton trade, Manchester was also implicated in the slave trade. Along different parts of one route, ships that carried raw cotton as saleable cargo would also transport humans, for the same reason. The links from this to those who walked the floor of the Exchange weren't often direct, but there were certainly local industrialists involved in the slave trade, however obliquely or covertly. Bankers and insurers, for instance, may well have been responsible for underwriting slave ships, and there are scattered examples of wealthy business families who actively embraced, and indeed enthusiastically supported, the slave trade.

The working people of Manchester tended to have their own feelings on these matters. Famously, the city was instrumental in the 1807 Act of Parliament that abolished the trading of enslaved people and it's said that one in five Mancunians had signed a petition for abolition. Nevertheless, for a time loopholes were found to circumvent the Act, and as trade boomed, Lancashire textile workers were largely processing cotton picked in the American South by enslaved people from Africa or the West Indies. It's an uncomfortable truth, but to a degree the riches that poured into Manchester were tainted. For all that, though, cotton was far from the only business trade to be conducted at the Exchange. Indeed, the first Exchange had been built before the cotton trade had been fully established, and ultimately the building would outlast it.

Nor was the Exchange of old free of unrest. In April 1812, with the actions of the Luddite movement approaching their peak and the tragedy of Peterloo on the near horizon, a meeting was scheduled in the upper room of the building to draft a congratulatory letter to the Prince Regent. The subject was his support for Spencer Perceval's Tory government, public contempt for which was so strong that, when news of the meeting spread, it was swiftly cancelled, only for an angry mob to break into the Exchange and wreck the newsroom before being dispelled by the military. (Much later, this scene was played out as part of the theatre's 2019 staging of THERE IS A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT, co-produced with Kandinsky.)

Nevertheless, as a whole the Exchange was thriving and membership was escalating swiftly, as a result of which the existing building was extended to twice its size in 1849. When Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and assorted other members of the Royal Family made an official visit to Manchester in October 1850, the expanded Exchange building was deemed suitable to host the large-scale civil reception. The following month, official word arrived that Victoria had given the building her seal of approval, from which point it became known as the Royal Exchange. (This even predated Manchester receiving official city status, which didn't happen until April 1853.)

As Manchester continued to flourish at the pinnacle of the Industrial Revolution, it was decided to expand the Exchange building yet again. Though various possibilities were mooted, including relocation, eventually the existing building was pulled down and another, larger Royal Exchange built on the same site. Completed and opened in 1874, the new Exchange's Great Hall was 206ft by 96ft, with a glass dome 120ft above its centre. It was ten times the size of the original Exchange built on the same site, and indeed the Great Hall was often referred to as 'the biggest room in the world'. This seems to have been more of an honorary title than an empirical fact, though it could lay claim to being the largest commercial room in existence.

Essentially this was the same building that's still standing today, aside from two significant developments. Firstly, the Exchange underwent yet another extension to meet demand, completed in 1921 and officially opened by King George V. (It might be noted that George IV had been the troublesome Prince Regent who'd caused a riot in the Exchange over a century earlier). Secondly, on 22 December 1940 it was hit by a bomb during an air raid as part of the 'Manchester Blitz', destroying half of the building. As such, the size of the Exchange still fluctuated over the years.

Towards the end of the 1960s, the Exchange as it stood ceased to have much purpose. Modern technological developments had transformed how industry deals were conducted. Shops and offices had sprung up in the areas around the building but precious little actual trading was being conducted with membership falling to an all-time low. The building was duly sold off, and the final day of trading was 31 December 1968.

By that point, though, the cast of characters who would lead the building onto its next stage had already begun to assemble.

In the years before the Royal Exchange Theatre opened its doors, the main players met and worked together in various combinations. The very earliest starting point for their story would be the post-war theatre school run by the Old Vic in London. Headed up by the pioneering French theatre-maker Michel Saint-Denis, who'd run the London Theatre School before the war, from 1945 the Old Vic Theatre School was based in what remained of the bombed-out theatre itself, before relocating to a former high school building in Dulwich. Around a hundred students between the ages of 18 and 21 were given a rigorous, intensive training in the arts, with the full-time course covering all aspects of theatre-making. Saint-Denis was a keen advocate of organic, multi-disciplinary training, and though the school didn't last long - it was dissolved in 1952 in a budget-saving move - it casts a long shadow. A cohort of young, eager graduates, like-minded souls with ambitions to shake off the play-it-safe fustiness of post-war British theatre, was despatched out into the industry.

The first fruits of this came in March 1954 when a modest theatre company was established by two of the school's graduates: Richard Negri, who had recently inherited some money from his late father, and his friend and associate Frank Dunlop. Neither man was Mancunian, but on investigation it was discovered that a suitable space for their enterprise existed in a public hall above a Conservative Club in the south Manchester suburb of Chorlton-cum-Hardy. It had previously been used as a theatre and had only recently been vacated by Chorlton Repertory Theatre Club. Negri, in his capacity as designer, elected to take steps to mask some of the less appealing aspects of the space, constructing a 'tent' made of shrouding material painted with stripes, within the hall, informing the local press, "we want to make the audience feel that they are part of the play".

The newly-named Piccolo Theatre Company duly set about putting on bold productions of lesser-seen plays, taking in the Quintero brothers' THE WOMEN HAVE THEIR WAY, Kesselring's ARSENIC AND OLD LACE and the true-life Victoria melodrama MARIA MARTEN. This was hugely ambitious work for a small provincial theatre, and Dunlop and Negri were assisted in their endeavours by various other graduates of the Old Vic Theatre School who they'd invited along to get involved. As a result, the Piccolo Players included many of their fellow former students, including James Maxwell, Rosalind Knight, Patrick Wymark, Avril Elgar, Dilys Hamlett, Eric Thompson and Lee Montague. (Future national treasure Bernard Cribbins acted as one of the company's stage managers.) The Piccolo's particular set-up proved problematic. Legally, the venue was required to operate as a members-only club, but cheerfully welcomed customers without asking them to become members, which resulted in a police investigation and a swiftly dismissed court hearing.

In critical terms, the Piccolo Theatre Company punched way above its weight and caused quite a stir, but in practice it lasted less than a year. The pressure of operating on a shoestring became too great, and Negri is reported to have considered abandoning theatre to become a monk. Again, its real impact was felt further down the line. Dunlop went on to enjoy a stellar career in theatre, establishing the New Vic in 1970, and became the director of Edinburgh International Festival from 1984-91. Negri, too, had a bright future ahead of him.

As the Old Vic theatre school graduates found work around the country, they continued to share ambitions of establishing a permanent venue in which to stage fresh, challenging work.. They stayed in touch, often making a point of bringing each other in to work on projects. Along the way, they also met other like-minded souls who became part of the 'group'. Casper Wrede, another attendee of the Old Vic school, came from Finnish nobility and had been involved in the Piccolo Theatre. During the early 50s, he'd been directing productions for Oxford University Drama Society. After one performance, Wrede was approached by an appreciative undergraduate who was keen to work in theatre. The student in question was Michael Elliott, who would swiftly become a close associate of Wrede's. In 1959, Wrede established the 59 Theatre Company, based at the Lyric Opera House in Hammersmith, with the intention of challenging the orthodoxy of British theatre programming. As the name suggested, it sought to present theatre tailored for its time. The privately-funded company only lasted eight months and proved to be something of a financial disaster, but in that time it succeeded in staging pioneering productions of the likes of BRAND and LITTLE EYOLF by Ibsen, plus Alun Owen's ROUGH AND READY LOT and Georg Büchner's DANTON'S DEATH. Some were directed by Wrede, others by Michael Elliott, installed as the company's assistant Artistic Director. In fact, Elliott's production of BRAND was his first professional solo stage directing credit. Meanwhile, a new collaborator, Richard Pilbrow, became the company's lighting designer.

Other Old Vic Theatre School alumni were involved, though: Richard Negri was brought into the company as designer, while DANTON'S DEATH starred Patrick Wymark and had been adapted from the German original by James Maxwell. The group of friends and collaborators was becoming increasingly tight-knit. Massachusetts-born Maxwell had married fellow Old Vic school graduate Avril Elgar in 1952. Wrede had married another fellow graduate, Dilys Hamlett, in 1951, and Rosalind Knight, who had met Elliott socially through the group, married him just after the end of the 59 Theatre Company's brief lifespan.

The parties in question continued to coalesce and collaborate during the 1960s. For instance, when Michael Elliott was made Artistic Director of the Old Vic in 1962, he brought in Wrede to share directing duties on a season of plays, before the National Theatre took the building over the following year.

When the final key member of this ambitious group, by some distance the youngest, fell into place, it happened in Manchester. Braham Murray was a young director from North London, and his theatrical education involved staging ambitious student productions in Oxford while studying for an English degree he never completed. In 1965, within a year of leaving Oxford, Murray was appointed Artistic Director of Manchester's Century Theatre, aka 'the Blue Box' - a resourceful set-up involving three blue ex-military pantechnicon lorries that interlocked to create a 225-seater auditorium, each one pulling trailers containing kit to assemble into temporary accommodation for the company and a box office. In this way, the company had been touring shows around the North since the Fifties, but now it was stationed at Manchester's University Theatre building on Oxford Rd (which later became part of Contact).

Murray was an admirer of Wrede and Elliott's work - in his youth he'd seen, and been hugely inspired by, the 59 Theatre production of BRAND - and brought them both in to direct shows for the Century Theatre. Like them, though, he was eager to do something on a larger, more permanent scale. When Century Theatre parted ways with the University Theatre in 1968 (ultimately taking up residence in Keswick), Murray, Elliott and Wrede, along with their friend and associate Richard Pilbrow, founded 69 Theatre Company, the very name a clear nod to the work and legacy of 59 Theatre Company.

Initially, the company was based at the recently-opened 295-seater University Theatre, which had been designed with input from the late director Stephen Joseph. Joseph had been a pioneering proponent of 'theatre in the round', and though the University Theatre itself wasn't technically in the round, the stage layout was particularly flexible.

The arrangement wasn't permanent, though, and in time the company began to seek funding, and a potential location, for their own venue, initially hoping to build one from scratch. In and of itself this was a hugely ambitious plan. By the mid 1970s, a great number of long-established Manchester theatres had closed their doors. Only a handful remained, of which two - the Palace and the Opera House - were also under serious threat of closure.

Pilbrow soon exited the 69 Theatre Company to focus on his flourishing career in lighting design, but new recruits were forthcoming. James Maxwell and Richard Negri were already in the orbit of the group, working on new productions with long-time friends and colleagues. Maxwell became an artistic director in 1973; in 1974, so did Negri.

Behind the scenes, certain key figures were moving the company's plans forward. As Administrator, Bob Scott co-ordinated the raising of finances for a venue. As leader of the company's unofficial advisory 'council', local stockbroker Peter Henriques used his considerable influence to explore business possibilities. It was Henriques who suggested to the 69 Theatre directorship that they might consider, even as only a temporary solution, the Royal Exchange building - which, in a neat coincidence, had become vacant and available as of the first day of 1969. It proved to be a popular idea. On an initial site visit in 1971, Richard Negri was struck by the notion of constructing a layered interior theatre space that would resemble a rose.

While working towards that end, unexpected possibilities presented themselves. Greater Manchester was due to be incorporated as a county in 1974, and in the run-up, the city council was keen to mark the occasion with a special festival. For the occasion, the 69 Theatre Company was asked to create a temporary performance space within the Exchange's Great Hall. Designed by Laurie Dennett, it recycled materials from other sites, including scaffolding, seating and boarding - but the exterior was draped in fabric, which led to it being nicknamed 'The Tent'. Intended to fulfil its purpose for only three weeks from May 1973 for a production of Shaw's ARMS AND THE MAN, it proved to be a resounding success and for a time it was considered as a permanent option. Insurers demurred, however, and The Tent was eventually dismantled in February 1974. As an experiment, though, it had proved to be a very instructive experience.

The project gathered momentum as further finances were raised via fundraising events and gala performances. Substantial grants were forthcoming from the Arts Council and Manchester City Council, alongside donations from local businesses such as Granada and private individuals, including many prominent actors. Gradually, everything fell into place. For just over a year from late 1974, the 69 Theatre Company staged productions in the nave of Manchester Cathedral. On 14 April 1975, work on the Royal Exchange Theatre began, and by early 1976, the 69 Theatre Company was officially renamed the Royal Exchange Theatre Company.

As designer, Richard Negri envisioned a seven-sided theatre constructed from tubular steel. The end result is often tagged 'in the round', but Negri wasn't fond of the term. Essentially, he hoped for a space in which the audience, at least on the ground floor, was at the same level as the performers - indeed, even on upper levels, no-one would be more than ten metres away from the stage. For Negri, the audience members should be something like the Forest of Arden, surrounding the stage. To this end, he had the seats died a very particular shade of 'forest green'. There were hitches along the way, though. The tubular steel Negri required proved to be in short supply as it was also used in the construction on North Sea oil rigs. A significant delay looked likely before Harold 'Monty' Finniston, Chairman of British Steel, intervened directly. More pressingly, it was discovered that the floor of the Exchange wouldn't take the total weight of the occupied theatre, but the ingenious solution was to suspend the upper floors from the existing pillars supporting the building's central dome. Even this caused issues, though. Negri wanted the construct to be seven-sided, but it was thought to be impossible to suspend the structure unless it was eight-sided. There were tense moments before an elderly building worker piped up with a method of achieving it and maintaining the required heptagonal shape.

The finished theatre, ready to seat a maximum audience of 700, was officially opened by Laurence Olivier on Wednesday 15 September 1976 launching with a production of Sheridan's THE RIVALS, directed by Murray. The cast included Tom Courtenay, Patricia Routledge and James Maxwell. The same cast performed in rep with a production of von Kleist's THE PRINCE OF HOMBURG directed by Wrede, alternating with THE RIVALS every other night. Subsequent early productions at the Exchange involved Rosalind Knight, Avril Elgar, Dilys Hamlett, Eric Thompson and Lee Montague - each of them erstwhile students of the Old Vic Theatre School.

Over the years since, the Royal Exchange has established itself as one of the country's most significant theatre companies, staging bold, engaging, often challenging work, just as the founding Artistic Directors had intended. Naturally, the directorship has changed down the decades, with each new incumbent bringing their own style to the company's programme. Gregory Hersov had been associated with the theatre since 1979, and became a long-standing Artistic Director from 1987. Matthew Lloyd joined as an Artistic Director from 1998 to 2001, and Marianne Elliott held the role from 1998 to 2002. A hugely successful director in her own right, Elliott's father was Exchange co-founder Michael Elliott, who had died in 1984, aged just 52.

Gradually, the company's five founding Artistic Directors moved on. Richard Negri left in 1986, holding the title of Honorary Artistic Director until his death in 1999. Likewise, Casper Wrede left in 1990, becoming Honorary Artistic Director until he died in 1998. James Maxwell remained active as an Artistic Director up until his death in 1995. The youngest of the original group, Braham Murray stepped down as Artistic Director in 2012, and died in 2018 at the age of 75.

With a history of more than 400 main house productions over almost 50 years, it's perhaps unfair to highlight specific shows from the Royal Exchange's lifespan. Audience members will have their own favourites, from Tom Courteney and Freddie Jones in THE DRESSER, Robert Lindsay in HAMLET or Brian Cox as Ahab in MOBY DICK, to Michael Sheen in LOOK BACK IN ANGER or Don Warrington in KING LEAR. They may have particularly vivid memories of seeing a Trevor Peacock musical, a Joe Orton revival or thrilling new work by Brad Fraser. Or perhaps they're more partial to the dazzling tradition of Royal Exchange Christmas shows, such as Carol Ann Duffy's RATS' TAILS, Victoria Wood's THAT DAY WE SANG, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, THE PRODUCERS, or BETTY: A SORT OF MUSICAL

Sadly, a 1996 production of Stanley Houghton's HINDLE WAKES proved to be momentous for reasons no-one could have foreseen. Just over a week into what was intended to be the show's month-long run, on Saturday 15 June 1996, Manchester city centre was devastated by the detonation of a 1500kg IRA bomb concealed in a lorry parked on Corporation Street, less than fifty metres away from the Exchange. The damage was extensive.

In the immediate aftermath, the Exchange managed to stage a couple of emergency performances of HINDLE WAKES at the BBC building on Oxford Road, before taking up temporary residence in nearby Upper Campfield Market, just off Deansgate. The market hall dated back to 1878, making it almost exactly the same age as the current Royal Exchange building. Here the company managed to resume its planned schedule, spending a memorable twenty-month stint racking up fourteen productions in a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

By sheer chance, when the bombing occurred, the Exchange was in the advanced stages of applying for a National Lottery grant for an extensive refurbishment. It would be eighteen months before the works were completed - in the process adding a small Studio Theatre space - and the building would reopen. Picking up from before the dramatic interruption, the reopening production was HINDLE WAKES.

In 2008, Sarah Frankcom became an Artistic Director of the company, and when Gregory Hersov stepped down in 2014 Frankcom became the first sole Artistic Director in the Royal Exchange's history. Notably, she forged a fruitful creative partnership with actor / writer Maxine Peake, which resulted in a number of critically acclaimed Exchange productions including HAMLET, THE SKRIKER, HAPPY DAYS and QUEENS OF THE COAL AGE. Similarly, Frankcom's work with playwright Simon Stephens included debut productions of ON THE SHORE OF THE WIDE WORLD, PUNK ROCK, BLINDSIDED and LIGHT FALLS. With a contemporary and innovative approach to programming, Frankcom championed the importance of representation, ensuring opportunities for everyone to see themselves on-stage and off, making the Royal Exchange a space that reflected the city.

Productions directed by Sarah Frankcom

In July 2019, it was announced that Frankcom was to be succeed as Artistic Director by the pairing of Roy Alexander Weise and Bryony Shanahan. Before their first season at the helm had been completed, though, it was truncated by the COVID pandemic. In March 2020, the production of Winsome Pinnock's ROCKETS AND BLUE LIGHTS was forced to close after just two performances. Like theatres around the world, the Royal Exchange went dark for over a year. In June 2021, when official guidance finally permitted it - albeit with careful social distancing still in place - the Exchange reopened with BLOODY ELLE, an acclaimed one-woman show written by and starring Lauryn Redding. Gradually, as the months went on and regulations relaxed, productions were able to return to full-scale.

Beyond the module, even outside the building itself, a whole range of activities is conducted by the Royal Exchange. For nearby schools, there's a programme of workshops and backstage tours, and there's the award-winning Young Company for 14-21 year-olds, offering weekly workshops, annual productions and mentoring opportunities in a wide range of aspects of theatre-making. Mirroring that is the Elders Company, which enables older people to meet up and get involved with creativity and theatre. There's also Local Exchange, an outreach programme for those across the Greater Manchester community with an interest in what goes on behind the scenes, which also boasts its own travelling pop-up performance space known as 'The Den'.

The Exchange aims to discover and champion new writers, too. It operates the Writers Exchange programme in partnership with WarnerMedia, and since 2005 it's been home to the bi-annual international Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, modelled on similar lines to the earlier Mobil Playwriting Competition which ran from 1984-97.

Today, the Royal Exchange remains keenly aware of its own past. The foyer cafe and bar is named THE RIVALS, in honour of the Sheridan comedy that launched the company back in 1976, and it's adorned with photos and posters from productions gone by. For almost two years, the Great Hall itself has been adorned with an installation by DISRVPT entitled Holding Space, complete with a poem by Contact CEO Keisha Thompson, displayed on huge drapes, tackling often thorny aspects of the building's long and varied history.

In 2006, an episode of the ghost-hunting TV show MOST HAUNTED was filming around the building, and down the decades there have indeed been rumours of strange spectral occurrences. Ultimately, though, it doesn't really matter whether you believe in such things or not. The undeniable fact is that a huge number of fascinating people have passed through the Great Hall down the centuries and left an indelible mark, achieving many remarkable things while within its walls. Hopefully, that will continue to be the case for a long while yet.

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On 20 July 1969, lunar landing module Eagle opened up onto the surface of the Moon. A few years later, on 15 September 1976, a different, rather larger module opened up on Manchester's St Ann's Square. The latter represented not quite so giant a leap, perhaps, but it was certainly a huge achievement and it's come to have its own special cultural significance.

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I found this website which has some incredible architectural photographers on it! Lots of these photographers focus on the intricate details present in buildings such as Fernando Guerra and Allan Crow. Focusing on the smaller architectural intricacy's has always been an interest in my work as they are things that the general public miss that photographers are drawn to which is why I love this medium. This technique was something that I implemented when taking pictures of all the theatres.

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Feast your eyes on the most outstanding architectural photographs, videos, visualizations, drawing and models of 2023: Introducing the winners of Architizer's inaugural Vision Awards. Sign up to receive future program updates >
Architectural photography has forever changed the way we understand design. As images have become ubiquitous, their influence on culture and society can be felt throughout the world. Over the last thirty years, we've transitioned from discovering architecture primarily through individual experience and print to seeing buildings through renderings and photography. This has created an opportunity for architectural photographers to help designers see their work in a new light and utilize a photographer's eye for structure, light and form.
Enter Vision Awards
Taking three-dimensional space and making it two-dimensional, architectural photographers build off their understanding of both their subject and the mediums by which their work will be shared. Focusing on composition and narrative, their images use buildings to tell a story. At the same time, photographers balance the need for the accurate representation of a structure and how it connects to a larger place. Showcasing the individuals shaping the image of architecture, the following photographers capture design from a range of perspectives. Together, they give a glimpse into how we discover architecture.

Benny Chan lives in Los Angeles and works as both an art and commercial photographer. Through architecture and photography, Benny Chan makes sense of the world; he is fascinated by how things go together. His photographs may collectively be read as an assembly manual for Los Angeles. They show the city from top-down perspective, as plan-views of its infrastructures and everyday monuments. They get inside the machines that run the metropolis, from the port of Los Angeles, to utility stations, transportation terminals, warehouses, and laundromats. They all have powerful stories.

Chan's efforts to make sense, to figure out, shapes his work. He hangs from helicopters to get the right angle. He builds his own cameras to surpass focal length limitations of off-the-shelf models. And, he finds his way behind the scenes and into highly restricted sites.

Iwan Baan is a Dutch photographer known primarily for his images that narrate the life and interactions within architecture. Born in 1975, Iwan grew up outside Amsterdam, studied at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague and worked in publishing and documentary photography in New York and Europe. Iwan fell unexpectedly into the subject of architecture in 2005 when he proposed to document a project by OMA to Rem Koolhaas, leading to his first major project, the documentation of the construction of OMA's China Central Television (CCTV) building.

Today, Iwan collaborates with some of the world's most well-known architects, photographing institutional, public and private projects. His work is characterized by the portrayal of the context, society and environment around architecture.

Over a period of twenty-five years, Hélène Binet has photographed both contemporary and historical architecture. While following the work of contemporary architects - often from construction through completion - Hélène Binet has also photographed the works of past architects as Alvar Aalto, Geoffrey Bawa, Le Corbusier, Sverre Fehn, John Hejduk, Sigurd Lewerentz, Nicholas Hawksmoor and Dimitris Pikionis.

More recently, Hélène Binet has started to direct her attention to landscape photography, wherein she transposes key concerns of her architectural photography. Hélène Binet's work has been published in a wide range of books and is shown in both national and international exhibitions. Hélène Binet is an advocate of analogue photography and exclusively works with film.

Hufton + Crow is a UK-based photography studio that was founded by Nick Hufton and Allan Crow. The duo work as a team and have captured contemporary interior and exterior architecture for renowned practices. Nick and Allan grew up together in Macclesfield, northern England, before moving to London. Both trained in analogue using a large format camera favored by many architectural photographers, but switched to digital as soon as the opportunity arose. The technical possibilities of digital photography mean it is now possible to stitch together several images to show wider views or to combine a series of moments into one. Harnessing these strategies has led the team to earn further commissions.

Raised in Hong Kong, Thom moved to California in the mid-1960s and trained in the technical craftsmanship of photography. He is adept at harnessing natural light for both interior and exterior compositions. For more than thirty years Thom has captured the surfaces and depths, the shapes and textures, the contrasts and reflections of the objects of the built environment.

A patient reveler in the natural staging of the atmosphere, he creates compositions of materials around color and glow. Thom's still life depictions unveil an idealized portrait of the inhabitable world, exposing the ultimate ambition of the architectural work as that which renders existence as art.

Purnesh Dev Nikhanj is an architectural photographer based in Chandigarh, India. His strengths are in experimenting with illusions, patterns, and abstract perspectives for storytelling. He worked with many renowned international design practices, and his main interest lies in the area of architectural and landscape photography, and video making. He is the only photographer to have won the Trends Excellence Award for Architectural photography twice and a silver spot at PX3, Paris.

Dev draws from deep psychological interests to represent space in various contexts. In all his signature series, such as Lost in Paradox, Beyond, Child's play, etc. he explores psychological, philosophical, and existential ideas.

Fernando Guerra is a photographer of architecture based in Lisbon, Portugal. He obtained a degree in Architecture from Lusíada University (Lisbon), before working as an architect in Macau for five years. Fernando has been taking photographs since he was 16 years old and, in 1999, with his brother Sérgio Guerra, founded the studio 'FG+SG - Fotografia de Arquitectura'. Five years later, they established the publishing house 'FG+SG - Livros de Imagem' to publicize the various architectural works they photograph. In 2012, he assumed the role of Canon Ambassador of Europe for architectural photography.

Using social media to explore color and composition, Tekla is a photographer that started her journey by turning her lens to interiors. She is both a colorist and interior architect who has become famous for her strong colors and graphically playful expressions.

Tekla started her journey to find colors, lines, and shapes in every object and surroundings. She is a freelancer in Stockholm as well as an art director and set designer. Whether it's to design a product for a collaboration, or to photograph architecture for a commission, Tekla's work highlights the importance of color in design, not merely as decoration, but as an important element in a project.

Mike Kelley is an architectural photographer from Los Angeles, California. He grew up in Ipswich, Massachusetts, and after studying studio art and environmental science at the University of Vermont, he eventually found himself taking up an offer to photograph a few homes for a client.

What started by chance turned out to be a mix of technical challenge and creative outlet. In 2018, he founded the Architectural Photography Almanac, a resource for architecture photographers and those in the architecture industry seeking to learn about the craft and theory of architectural photography.

No discussion of architectural photographer can be had without mentioning Julius Shulman. His career as an architectural photographer began in 1936 when he showed Richard Neutra some photographs he had made of the architect's Kun Residence in Los Angeles. Neutra liked the images and asked Shulman to photograph more of his houses for him.

Ultimately, Shulman photographed most of Richard Neutra's work and was introduced to other modernist architects working in Southern California. His extraordinary client list eventually included: Charles and Ray Eames, Raphael Soriano, John Lautner, Pierre Koenig, Rudolf Schindler, Frank Lloyd Wright and hundreds of others. Shulman did not merely document significant architecture, but interpreted it, becoming one of the most important and influential architectural photographers in history.
Feast your eyes on the most outstanding architectural photographs, videos, visualizations, drawing and models of 2023: Introducing the winners of Architizer's inaugural Vision Awards. Sign up to receive future program updates >

Based in New York City, Eric was trained in both architecture and communications with a background spanning media, academia, and practice. He is deeply committed to trying as many restaurants as possible in NYC.

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Dynamic Range: 10 Architectural Photographers Who Dominate the Field

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These photographers are actively shaping the image of architecture - and the way that the world consumes design.

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I then edited the images and selected the best ones so that they were ready to be added to the zine. Featured below

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I am very happy with how the shoot turned out. I stuck with my original architectural style of zooming close up into the images to show the details of each individual building. The close up images really show each buildings style.

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Because the brief is about navigating Manchesters past, present and future I thought it would be a good idea to include some older images of the theatres. We did take a trip to Manchester Central Library and we were taught how to access their archival footage and imagery. I decided to use online archival websites to find some old pictures to put in our zine.

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We hold key photographic collections:

The Local Image Collection provides a unique photographic record of the city, its people, streets and buildings from a period stretching well over 100 years. Our full collection of over 80,000 images is also available in our archives catalogue (check 'only items with images' in the search). You can also buy high quality prints.

The Documentary Photography Archive (DPA) is a special archive which documents life in the Greater Manchester region. The vast majority of the images have been catalogued and are searchable using our archives catalogue. Enter DPA in the 'reference no.' field and your search term (e.g. John Smith or Bengal Street) in the 'any text' field. A selection of images from the collection can now be viewed on our Flickr photostream.

We also have gifts including t-shirts, bags, cards, postcards and calendars based on our collections at the Central Library shop

Timepix features a fascinating series of photographs of Greater Manchester taken by Ordnance Survey in the 1950s. Copies of images may be purchased direct through their site.

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Our collection of records and accounts from the rich history of Manchester.

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This is a word document I created that showcases all my research on The Opera House. Every website is clearly labeled, and all of the research is from a reliable source.

The facts in here will be shared in the final zine, and will be showcased in a tidy way.

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The ROYAL Theatre - Final Film photographs

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The ROYAL Theatre - Final Film photographs

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These are my final photographs after editing and developing the film of the Royal theatre.

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The OPERA Theatre - Final Film photographs

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The OPERA Theatre - Final Film photographs

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These are my final photographs after developing and editing the film of the Opera theatre.

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The Royal Exchange Theatre - Final Film photographs

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The Royal Exchange Theatre - Final Film photographs

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These are my final photographs after developing and editing the film of the Royal Exchange Theatre.

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The Palace Theatre - Final Film photographs

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The Palace Theatre - Final Film photographs

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These are my final photographs after developing and editing the film of the Palace theatre.

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Bruce LaBruce (Unknown) J.D.s [Zine] Exhibited at Unknown. Available at https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/32097/1/revisiting-the-seminal-queercore-movement (Accessed: 07/05/24)

Bruce LaBruce and G.B. Jones (2008) J.D.s: No.7 [Zine] Exhibited at Unknown. Available at https://www.printedmatter.org/catalog/24750/lightbox?table_id=141 (Accessed: 07/05/24)

Bruce LaBruce (Unknown) J.D.s [Zine] Exhibited at Unknown. Available at https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/gallery/22438/5/j-d-s (Accessed: 07/05/24)

Maggie Lee (2009) Fall Into It [Zine], Exhibited at Unknown. Available at: https://www.artbasel.com/stories/five-artists-zine-practices-brooklyn-museum (Accessed: 07/05/24)

Maggie Lee (2013) Unknown[Zine], Exhibited at Alias Books. Available at: https://www.vice.com/en/article/ex5yp7/los-angeles-say-hi-hello-sup-to-maggie-lee-tonight-at-alias-books (Accessed: 07/05/24)

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For our zine me and Sophie knew we wanted it to be engaging for the viewer with minimal text and lots of images to look at. We decided to use the format of theatre name, location , architect and when it was opened. We felt like these details gave the viewer the necessary knowledge of theatre they were being shown. We then also found out some interesting facts about each theatre and included that as well for further context. Although I enjoyed looking at the archival images we decided not to put them into our zine because we wanted to solely focus on work we had produced.

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Page 1

When creating the zine, this is our initial 1st page. It explains our ideas and the outcome of our zine.

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Page 2-3

We first started with the Royal Theatre, and showed our photographs and the research we found.

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Page 4-5

The Opera House was our second theatre. We showed our photographs and detailed research about the history of the building.

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Page 6-7

These pages are all about the Royal Exchanges history, and the various photographs we took of outside and inside the building. We focused on the theatre itself, and the initial backstory of the building before it was a theatre.

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Page 8-9

Our final theatre was the Palace Theatre. This was an all about the origin of the building, and how successful it is today and in the past. Our main photo is of the inside of the building because it shows the original architecture and history of the building.

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Final Page

A little message on the back saying our thoughts and feelings on the zine and how we felt about focusing on theatres.

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Page 1

When creating the zine, this is our initial 1st page. It explains our ideas and the outcome of our zine.

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Page 2-3

We first started with the Royal Theatre, and showed our photographs and the research we found.

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Page 4-5

The Opera House was our second theatre. We showed our photographs and detailed research about the history of the building.

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Page 6-7

These pages are all about the Royal Exchanges history, and the various photographs we took of outside and inside the building. We focused on the theatre itself, and the initial backstory of the building before it was a theatre.

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Page 8-9

Our final theatre was the Palace Theatre. This was an all about the origin of the building, and how successful it is today and in the past. Our main photo is of the inside of the building because it shows the original architecture and history of the building.

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Final Page

A little message on the back saying our thoughts and feelings on the zine and how we felt about focusing on theatres.

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This is a word document showcasing all the research I found on The Palace Theatre. Everything is clearly presented, and I showcased all the websites I visited when I was researching for the final zine.

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Palace Theatre Manchester Tour for ATG+ Members

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Palace Theatre Manchester Tour for ATG+ Members

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These photos show the final layout we decided for the zine. The zine contains 10 pages, each one focusing on our final idea of showcasing historical theatres surrounding Manchester through facts and photography.