I had a chance conversation with Mary, from Manchester University. I told her I had a studio at Cow Lane and her eyes lit up. She said she always looks out for Cow Lane when she drives past, as it is the only place in the area where you can see a remnant of the community where her great grandfather lived when he came over from Ireland in the 1840’s.
That’s just a great start for my practice! I spent a bit of time yesterday mooching round the remaining streets – much of the area has been razed to the ground in preparation for new apartment buildings. (though when they will be started is in the lap of the economy!) Then a couple of hours in the local history centre in Salford Art Gallery, looking at maps.
The Casket Works which houses us and Hotbed Press and Suite studios, was built on the site of Grooms Buildings, three rows of particularly cramped back to backs with alleys rather than streets between them, and a shared pump. The new building was a confectionary works in 1910, and it was extended between then and the 40’s, to take in some terraces at the back and three big houses with gardens. Hotbed and Suite are in the original building, and we are in the 2 storey extension
I also crossed Chapel Street to look down at the Irwell, which is so beautiful at that point, opposite the Crescent of Georgian houses. The road at that point is 6 lanes, with pedestrian crossings which take for ever to change, and are so far apart that no-one ever gets the chance to stroll over from the University buildings to see the view. You can always tell how people are treated by how the rivers are treated. In this case, both have been sacrificed to the car.
