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Manchester Studies Oral History

Vicki Caren

The Manchester Studies oral history collection was created by the Manchester Studies Unit at Manchester Polytechnic (now Manchester Metropolitan University) between 1974 and 1985. Funders included the Manchester Studies Trust and the Manpower Services Commission.

The collection includes hundreds of life story interviews with ordinary working people from Greater Manchester and the North West of England born in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The interviews can be grouped together into broad subjects that reflect the research interests of the academic staff involved in the project at the time.

Interviews related to the Jewish community are held by the Manchester Jewish Museum. Some interviews relating to the International Brigade and the cotton industry have already been digitised and have therefore been excluded from the Unlocking Our Sound Heritage project.

image: m08148 Household Servants 

audio: Mrs Arnold (1103/22)

 

The north west hub selected just over 500 reels from this vast collection. The subjects covered in the interviews include:

Women in politics

Describes being part of Young Labour League and having unsanctioned outdoor meetings on Wheater's Field; conflict with Labour Party over this.
got interested in Youth Front Against World Fascism when about 15 - details of how she got involved in this. Then joined the Young Communist League when Youth Front folded.
Anecdote about campaigning for a nursery in Kennet House flats where she lived
appointment of Lady Mayoress when Lord Mayor of Manchester. Explains difficulty being a woman at trade union meetings because of gendered expectations. Describes nerves when public speaking.
Discusses negative public perceptions of communism. Comments on remaining with Labour Party, as it had more support and a better public image, despite wanting Labour to progress
1. Describes being part of Young Labour League and having unsanctioned outdoor meetings on Wheater's Field; conflict with Labour Party over this.
1:56
2. got interested in Youth Front Against World Fascism when about 15 - details of how she got involved in this. Then joined the Young Communist League when Youth Front folded.
3:03
3. Anecdote about campaigning for a nursery in Kennet House flats where she lived
1:57
4. appointment of Lady Mayoress when Lord Mayor of Manchester. Explains difficulty being a woman at trade union meetings because of gendered expectations. Describes nerves when public speaking.
3:35
5. Discusses negative public perceptions of communism. Comments on remaining with Labour Party, as it had more support and a better public image, despite wanting Labour to progress
2:41

 

Trade union / political activities

recalls his father discussing politics
recounts being a member of the Left Book Club and attending meetings near Manchester University.
talks about the Unity Theatre, established in 1944 in Manchester, which aimed to entertain and educate working people
visiting the Soviet Union in 1928 through her Trade Union with 50 other women from Cotton Mill and coal mining communities
on protesting against Oswald Mosley and the Blackshirts at Free Trade Hall, Manchester independently of the Labour Party
1. recalls his father discussing politics
1:00
2. recounts being a member of the Left Book Club and attending meetings near Manchester University.
1:51
3. talks about the Unity Theatre, established in 1944 in Manchester, which aimed to entertain and educate working people
0:46
4. visiting the Soviet Union in 1928 through her Trade Union with 50 other women from Cotton Mill and coal mining communities
2:02
5. on protesting against Oswald Mosley and the Blackshirts at Free Trade Hall, Manchester independently of the Labour Party
2:07

 

Domestic Service

worked in domestic service as a ladies maid, she describes how she also got an education from reading to her employer
looks back at her life in domestic service; she moved to Lansdowne House in Didsbury
recalls her life in domestic service, including how she was taken away from one household because she was reading too much of the wrong sort of book!
talks about the temper of one of the cooks she worked with
recalls her search for work at the Labour Exchange and being offered a place at a training school for domestic servants
1. worked in domestic service as a ladies maid, she describes how she also got an education from reading to her employer
0:39
2. looks back at her life in domestic service; she moved to Lansdowne House in Didsbury
1:12
3. recalls her life in domestic service, including how she was taken away from one household because she was reading too much of the wrong sort of book!
0:41
4. talks about the temper of one of the cooks she worked with
1:11
5. recalls her search for work at the Labour Exchange and being offered a place at a training school for domestic servants
1:49

 

Cotton Industry

on joining Trade Union whilst working in a Mill in her youth; seen as a leader by colleagues
description of fustian cutting
being fined for being late to the mill and the money was used for staff trips to Blackpool
recalls her father's job on spinning mules
on not being told what his actual wage in the mill was
1. on joining Trade Union whilst working in a Mill in her youth; seen as a leader by colleagues
1:05
2. description of fustian cutting
1:38
3. being fined for being late to the mill and the money was used for staff trips to Blackpool
1:42
4. recalls her father's job on spinning mules
0:58
5. on not being told what his actual wage in the mill was
1:53

 

Occupations

born into a family of market gardeners; he remembers when the Wythenshawe estate was built and the impact
talks about his apprenticeship at Hans Renolds and why he chose that
remembers his father being ill from working down the pit and shares how the family coped
worked in a large department store as a teenager; he talks about also working in the cloakroom of the Palace Theatre
bought and ran a corner shop in Salford with her husband soon after they married. She recalls selling ice cream and shares her recipe
1. born into a family of market gardeners; he remembers when the Wythenshawe estate was built and the impact
2:08
2. talks about his apprenticeship at Hans Renolds and why he chose that
1:27
3. remembers his father being ill from working down the pit and shares how the family coped
1:18
4. worked in a large department store as a teenager; he talks about also working in the cloakroom of the Palace Theatre
1:18
5. bought and ran a corner shop in Salford with her husband soon after they married. She recalls selling ice cream and shares her recipe
2:33

 

Area surveys were carried out in Salford, Miles Platting Tripe Colony, Trafford Park, Wythenshawe, Moss Side, Ancoats, Altrincham, Crab Lane, Urmston, Crumpsall, Chadderton, Moston, Blackley/Harpurhey, Ordsall, Didsbury, Victoria Dwellings, Chorlton, Stockport, Openshaw, Ardwick, Northenden

asked about the Palatine Road area; he recalls doctors, the school he attended - Broomfield - and the people who lived there, including Jewish and Armenian families, as well as synagogues in the area
describes the different social classes living in different areas of Chorlton and how neighbours would help each other
remembers the shops on Crab Lane, including the grocer's that his uncle owned
describes her childhood home in Deansgate – a 2 up 2 down – and the rent they paid
recalls the streets her family lived in around the Beswick area
1. asked about the Palatine Road area; he recalls doctors, the school he attended - Broomfield - and the people who lived there, including Jewish and Armenian families, as well as synagogues in the area
3:17
2. describes the different social classes living in different areas of Chorlton and how neighbours would help each other
1:09
3. remembers the shops on Crab Lane, including the grocer's that his uncle owned
2:16
4. describes her childhood home in Deansgate – a 2 up 2 down – and the rent they paid
1:13
5. recalls the streets her family lived in around the Beswick area
0:36

 

Housing / Slum clearance

shares memories of a family home in Rusholme; his father was a plumber and he moved the bath from the kitchen
lived in lodging in Gorton before moving to new house in Audenshaw
talks about what Wythenshawe was like when she moved there
discusses how they always made sure they paid the rent, apart from when they went on rent strike
How they had a better standard of living
1. shares memories of a family home in Rusholme; his father was a plumber and he moved the bath from the kitchen
0:46
2. lived in lodging in Gorton before moving to new house in Audenshaw
1:32
3. talks about what Wythenshawe was like when she moved there
1:38
4. discusses how they always made sure they paid the rent, apart from when they went on rent strike
0:31
5. How they had a better standard of living
2:00

 

Poverty and pawnbroking

people spending food vouchers from the workhouse in her parent's corner shop
poor children and clothing
remembers her mother joining a clothing club to buy outfits for Whit Week
describes how her brothers mental health was affected by long periods of unemployment
talks about applying for aid from the Board of Guardians
1. people spending food vouchers from the workhouse in her parent's corner shop
1:06
2. poor children and clothing
1:08
3. remembers her mother joining a clothing club to buy outfits for Whit Week
0:47
4. describes how her brothers mental health was affected by long periods of unemployment
0:16
5. talks about applying for aid from the Board of Guardians
2:42

 

Immigration

Talks about Jess Tiani, his grandfather, who lived in Ancoats and set up an ice cream business
Father arrived in Manchester from Sheffield, came to England with 3 of his brothers from Italy, where the Italian colony in Manchester was established
on how he followed his father into tailoring, at the time there were many Lithuanians and Poles in the tailoring industry
recounts how Italian families would make their own ice cream and how difficult this was
recalls arriving in Manchester from Jamaica and attending an engineering training centre in Smedley Lane, Cheetham Hill before he started work as a Machine Operator at Metro-Vicks
1. Talks about Jess Tiani, his grandfather, who lived in Ancoats and set up an ice cream business
1:11
2. Father arrived in Manchester from Sheffield, came to England with 3 of his brothers from Italy, where the Italian colony in Manchester was established
2:19
3. on how he followed his father into tailoring, at the time there were many Lithuanians and Poles in the tailoring industry
1:19
4. recounts how Italian families would make their own ice cream and how difficult this was
3:08
5. recalls arriving in Manchester from Jamaica and attending an engineering training centre in Smedley Lane, Cheetham Hill before he started work as a Machine Operator at Metro-Vicks
2:31

 

Music Halls / Variety Theatre / Public Houses

his memorabilia collection, specifically for theatre in Hulme; the Grand Junction and the Floral Hall, which would later become the Hulme Hippodrome
recounts his time as an apprentice at Metro Vickers and their traditional theatre visit on Shrove Tuesday
reminisces about her time working as a barmaid at the Ardwick Green Hippodrome
played on the Broadhead Circuit: the Hulme Hippodrome and the Salford Hippodrome
1. his memorabilia collection, specifically for theatre in Hulme; the Grand Junction and the Floral Hall, which would later become the Hulme Hippodrome
1:31
2. recounts his time as an apprentice at Metro Vickers and their traditional theatre visit on Shrove Tuesday
3:59
3. reminisces about her time working as a barmaid at the Ardwick Green Hippodrome
2:12
4. played on the Broadhead Circuit: the Hulme Hippodrome and the Salford Hippodrome
1:26

 

A number of blogs about the Manchester Studies collection have already been published on our site:

Going on a ‘monkey run’

‘Wythenshawe 1933’ animation

World war and its repercussions for the ordinary person in the north west

The Housewives of Wythenshawe

Moving to Wythenshawe

Life for women working in domestic service in Manchester after the First World War

Domestic service interviews from the Manchester Studies oral history collection

The Manchester Studies oral history collection

 

The full length interviews will be available at Tameside Local Studies and Archives Centre in due course. Summaries and transcripts are held at Tameside Local Studies and Archives Centre. Photographs relating to some interviewees are held at Manchester Central Library. A selection of interviews will be published on the British Library website.

You can read the full descriptions online at the British Library’s Sound and Moving Image catalogue. The British Library collection reference is UAP008. The local reference is 1103.

 

 

 

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