{"id":305470,"date":"2025-07-31T02:29:21","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T02:29:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/305470\/"},"modified":"2025-07-31T02:29:21","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T02:29:21","slug":"exploring-some-of-manchesters-most-fascinating-history-and-curiosities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/305470\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring some of Manchester’s most fascinating history and curiosities"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Manchester is a city that never stops moving. With trams clanging by and towers rising on every skyline, it\u2019s easy to forget the layers of history beneath your feet, layers filled with eccentric visionaries, radical women<\/a>, Victorian oddities, forgotten murders<\/a>, and statues<\/a> that speak to struggles we\u2019re still reckoning with today.<\/p>\n

Luckily, historian Paul Chrystal hasn\u2019t forgotten.<\/p>\n

In his new book, Manchester: Secret & Strange Places to Visit, Paul invites readers to uncover the overlooked corners of Manchester\u2019s past, places that don\u2019t always make the tourist guides, but offer deep insight into what shaped our rebellious and resilient city.<\/p>\n

We sat down with him to talk about his 10 favourite secret or strange stories, favourite people and the weird, wonderful, and often moving truths they reveal about Manchester\u2019s soul<\/p>\n

Exploring Manchester\u2019s Secret & Strange Places to Visit<\/p>\n

1. The Manchester Mummy<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Harpurhey Cemetery (burial); originally displayed in Manchester Natural History Society Museum<\/p>\n

At the top of Paul\u2019s list is perhaps the strangest story in the entire book: the tale of Hannah Beswick, a wealthy 18th-century woman from Oldham who was so terrified of being buried alive that she made arrangements to be kept above ground after death.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe had what\u2019s called \u2018taphephobia\u2019,\u201d explained Paul, \u201ca pathological fear of premature burial. Back then, it wasn\u2019t entirely irrational, people did get buried alive. But Hannah went to extremes.\u201d<\/p>\n

After she died in 1758, her body was embalmed, possibly with a mixture of turpentine and vermilion, and stored in an old grandfather clock case in her doctor\u2019s home. Visitors came to gawk at her like a morbid museum exhibit. When her doctor died, the corpse was moved to the Museum of the Manchester Natural History Society, where she became a celebrity once again, displayed next to Peruvian and Egyptian mummies.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was on display for over a century,\u201d said Paul. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t until 1868 that she was finally buried.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Optography: the murder victim\u2019s eye camera<\/p>\n

Referenced in 1880 Harpurhey murder case<\/p>\n

One of the more bizarre entries in the book is a slice of Victorian pseudo-science that once played out right here in Manchester: optography, the belief that the human eye might record the final image it sees before death, like a natural CCTV camera.<\/p>\n

In January 1880, an 18-year-old servant girl named Sarah Jane Roberts was murdered in Harpurhey. Newspapers reported that police examined her eyes in the hope of finding an image of the killer, perhaps burned onto the retina.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s completely discredited now, of course,\u201d said Paul, \u201cbut back then, they took it seriously. It was forensic science before forensics really existed.\u201d<\/p>\n

You won\u2019t find an optography exhibit at a Manchester museum today, but Paul said interested readers should check out archives like the Manchester Police Museum or local libraries for articles from the Illustrated Police News of the era, \u201cthey were full of these creepy, lurid accounts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"SecretLily Parr<\/p>\n

Statue at the National Football Museum<\/p>\n

\u201cShe scored 900 goals and chain-smoked the whole way through her career,\u201d Paul laughed. \u201cLily Parr was a trailblazer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Born in 1905, Lily Parr was one of the earliest female football superstars. She played in front of massive crowds in the 1920s, until the Football Association banned women from using FA pitches, effectively halting the women\u2019s game for decades.<\/p>\n

In 2019, she became the first woman to be honoured with a statue at the National Football Museum. \u201cThe statue\u2019s not the strange part,\u201d said Paul. \u201cWhat\u2019s strange is the FA\u2019s decision to ban women from playing football for 60 years. And they\u2019ve still never properly apologised.\u201d<\/p>\n

A timely opportunity to celebrate a trailblazer of the English game, especially after the Lionesses double Euro success last weekend. <\/p>\n

Her bronze statue now stands proud in Cathedral Gardens, a reminder of how far women\u2019s sport has come, and how much it still owes to pioneers like Parr.<\/p>\n

4. \u2018Adrift\u2019: Manchester\u2019s forgotten refugee statue<\/p>\n

\"SecretAdrift, by John Cassidy<\/p>\n

St Peter\u2019s Square<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve probably walked past it dozens of times without noticing, but outside Manchester Central Library stands a poignant bronze sculpture of a family stranded on a raft, calling for help. It\u2019s called Adrift, and it\u2019s more relevant now than ever.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was made in 1907 by John Cassidy,\u201d said Paul, \u201cand it\u2019s meant to represent the human condition, people clinging together in stormy waters, hoping for rescue. But today, you can\u2019t help but see the resonance with migrants in the Mediterranean or the Channel.\u201d<\/p>\n

A father holds a sail aloft, a mother cradles her child, and the eldest son lies dying. It\u2019s an image of desperation and dignity. \u201cIt\u2019s one of Manchester\u2019s most powerful statues,\u201d Paul said. \u201cAnd yet it\u2019s barely talked about.\u201d<\/p>\n

5. FAC 251: The spirit of Factory Records<\/p>\n

\"Secret<\/p>\n

Charles Street, Oxford Road<\/p>\n

Behind an unassuming fa\u00e7ade on Charles Street lies a former musical revolution. FAC 251 is the spiritual home of Factory Records, the legendary label behind Joy Division, New Order, and Happy Mondays.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like Manchester\u2019s own Motown,\u201d said Paul. \u201cFactory changed everything, how bands sounded, how they were marketed, how independent music worked.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even Tony Wilson\u2019s headstone is part of the Factory catalogue, numbered FAC 501<\/strong>, making it the final official Factory \u201crelease.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s genius,\u201d said Paul. \u201cThey turned an indie record label into a complete cultural movement. And FAC 251 is where it all started.\u201d<\/p>\n

6. Mr Smith\u2019s dream<\/p>\n

\"MrMr Smith\u2019s Dream <\/p>\n

Manchester Craft & Design Centre, Northern Quarter<\/p>\n

If you stroll around the Manchester Craft & Design Centre, you might notice a tiny glowing staircase disappearing into the wall. Look closer, it\u2019s Mr Smith\u2019s Dream, a miniature art installation inspired by an old pet shop owner in the area.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s easy to miss,\u201d said Paul. \u201cBut once you see it, you\u2019re enchanted. It feels like a portal into another world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Created by artist Liz Scrine, the installation nods to Manchester\u2019s past, the Northern Quarter used to be full of small family-run pet shops. \u201cIt\u2019s a beautiful little tribute to the city\u2019s everyday dreamers,\u201d Paul said.<\/p>\n

7. Emily Williamson and the war on feathers<\/p>\n

\"\"Emily Williamson<\/p>\n

Fletcher Moss Park, Didsbury<\/p>\n

In the late 1800s, women\u2019s fashion was adorned with extravagant feathered hats, the more exotic the plumage, the better. But the birds paid the price, often hunted to near extinction.<\/p>\n

Enter Emily Williamson, a Didsbury suffragist who launched a protest from her home, forming what became the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was outraged by the slaughter of birds just for vanity,\u201d Paul explained. \u201cShe and her friends pledged to wear no feathers, and started a movement.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her long-overdue statue was unveiled in Fletcher Moss Park in 2023. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about birds,\u201d Paul said. \u201cIt\u2019s about how women changed society, often without getting credit.\u201d<\/p>\n

8. Hat Works: The museum of hats<\/p>\n

\"\"Hat Works, Stockport<\/p>\n

Wellington Mill, Stockport<\/p>\n

Just a short ride from the city centre to Stockport, Hat Works is the UK\u2019s only museum dedicated entirely to hats and hat-making. And it\u2019s much more exciting than it sounds.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think it\u2019ll be quaint,\u201d said Paul, \u201cbut it\u2019s extraordinary, the machinery, the fashion, the history. Stockport was once the epicentre of British hatting.\u201d<\/p>\n

The museum features a reconstructed Victorian hat factory, a massive hat collection from around the world, and the chance to try some on yourself.<\/p>\n

It also explains the origin of the phrase \u201cmad as a hatter, hat-makers were exposed to mercury fumes, which caused tremors and mental illness. \u201cIt\u2019s fascinating, and slightly terrifying,\u201d Paul admitted.<\/p>\n

9. Stockport Air Raid Shelters<\/p>\n

\"\"Stockport Air Raid Shelter<\/p>\n

65 Chestergate, Stockport<\/p>\n

During WWII, more than 6,000 civilians crammed into a mile-long network of tunnels dug into Stockport\u2019s red sandstone cliffs to escape the bombs.<\/p>\n

Today, you can visit those very shelters, and experience what life was like underground.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s one of the most atmospheric places in Greater Manchester,\u201d said Paul. \u201cYou walk through dimly lit tunnels, see the bunk beds, hear the air raid sirens. It\u2019s not just a museum, it\u2019s a time machine.\u201d<\/p>\n

They were nicknamed the \u2018Chestergate Hotel\u2019 because of their relative comfort: they had toilets, electric lights, even areas for nursing mothers. \u201cAnd now they cost next to nothing to visit,\u201d said Paul. \u201cIt\u2019s a hidden gem.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

National Football Museum<\/p>\n

Beloved BBC commentator John Motson may have become a national icon, but few realise he was born right here in Greater Manchester.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of his greatest lines came in 1977,\u201d Paul said. \u201cWhen Martin Buchan lifted the FA Cup for Manchester United, Motson quipped: \u2018Fitting that a man called Buchan should be the first to climb the 39 steps.\u2019 A perfect pun, classic Motty.\u201d<\/p>\n

His famous sheepskin coat now lives at the National Football Museum, alongside other treasures of the beautiful game.<\/p>\n

Why should you read Manchester: Secret & Strange Places to Visit?<\/p>\n

\"SecretPaul Crystal and his new book <\/p>\n

\u201cManchester is full of stories people think they know,\u201d said Paul. \u201cBut there\u2019s so much more beneath the surface. This book is for people who want to see beyond the obvious, to understand what makes this city truly great.\u201d<\/p>\n

His final word?<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not meant to read it all in one go. Pick a page, pick a place, and go see it. You\u2019ll come away with a new appreciation for how strange \u2014 and special \u2014 Manchester really is.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Manchester: Secret & Strange Places to Visit by Paul Chrystal is out now. You can get your copy here<\/a><\/p>\n

– Advertisement –\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"– Advertisement – Manchester is a city that never stops moving. With trams clanging by and towers rising…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":305471,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8813],"tags":[748,393,4884,2348,2465,457,48867,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-305470","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-manchester","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-history","12":"tag-manchester","13":"tag-people","14":"tag-statues","15":"tag-uk","16":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114945496881316838","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/305470","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=305470"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/305470\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/305471"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=305470"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=305470"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=305470"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}