Post by cabbyjohn on Mar 13, 2011 11:52:12 GMT -1
I have dozens of book on the history of Manchester which I am currently gathering together prior to selling them.
One of them I came across is called, Origins of Street names in Manchester. Some of the names have interesting origins, so I thought that I would post a couple on here.
Minshull/Mynshull St. was named after the Mynshull family, a wealthy family who lived between their two estates, Chorlton Hall Chorlton, and Hough End Hall in Moston. When Thomas Mynshull died in 1755 he left his fortune to his widow Barbara.
She managed to keep her wealth intact until one day in 1769 when the 65 year old Barbara went to Kersal races in Salford and met a man called Roger Aytoun. Aytoun was a giant of a man standing six feet four inches tall, with a phyique to match. They married less than a month after their first meeting.
When Barbara died in 1783, she left her fortune to husband Roger. He used this money to fund his own regiment which he named The 72nd regiment of foot or Manchester volunteers. Such was his enthusiasm to increase the size of his army that he offered various inducements to anybody prepared to join his forces, such as a watch or an article of his clothing. Another inducement was to take on all comers in a fight. If Aytoun won, the defeated man was compelled to join his forces. This gave him the nick name of "Spanking Roger". There is a pub in Miles Platting just off Oldham road that bears this name to this day. (Or at least it was still there when I last looked, about a year ago).
Directly off Portland street in Manchester you will find the two streets parallel to each other. Minshull St. and Aytoun St.
Balloon street off Corporation street is named after an exploit by a man called James Sadler.
On the morning of May 12th 1785. The townspeople of Manchester witnessed for the first time a balloon ascent in the City. This ascent was was made from the gardens of the Haworth residence, a three story house on Long Millgate, later to become the Manchester Arms public house.
On his second ascent, Sadlers balloon rose to a height of 13,000 feet, and travelled 50 miles to Pontefract. However he was badly injured when the balloon landed and dragged him for over two miles before eventually coming to a rest in a field near Gainsborough.
One of them I came across is called, Origins of Street names in Manchester. Some of the names have interesting origins, so I thought that I would post a couple on here.
Minshull/Mynshull St. was named after the Mynshull family, a wealthy family who lived between their two estates, Chorlton Hall Chorlton, and Hough End Hall in Moston. When Thomas Mynshull died in 1755 he left his fortune to his widow Barbara.
She managed to keep her wealth intact until one day in 1769 when the 65 year old Barbara went to Kersal races in Salford and met a man called Roger Aytoun. Aytoun was a giant of a man standing six feet four inches tall, with a phyique to match. They married less than a month after their first meeting.
When Barbara died in 1783, she left her fortune to husband Roger. He used this money to fund his own regiment which he named The 72nd regiment of foot or Manchester volunteers. Such was his enthusiasm to increase the size of his army that he offered various inducements to anybody prepared to join his forces, such as a watch or an article of his clothing. Another inducement was to take on all comers in a fight. If Aytoun won, the defeated man was compelled to join his forces. This gave him the nick name of "Spanking Roger". There is a pub in Miles Platting just off Oldham road that bears this name to this day. (Or at least it was still there when I last looked, about a year ago).
Directly off Portland street in Manchester you will find the two streets parallel to each other. Minshull St. and Aytoun St.
Balloon street off Corporation street is named after an exploit by a man called James Sadler.
On the morning of May 12th 1785. The townspeople of Manchester witnessed for the first time a balloon ascent in the City. This ascent was was made from the gardens of the Haworth residence, a three story house on Long Millgate, later to become the Manchester Arms public house.
On his second ascent, Sadlers balloon rose to a height of 13,000 feet, and travelled 50 miles to Pontefract. However he was badly injured when the balloon landed and dragged him for over two miles before eventually coming to a rest in a field near Gainsborough.
