Chorlton-Cum-Hardy, latest News & Events:
A new weekly night from the promoters of The Aftershow (Sankeys / MoHo Live), kicks off this Thursday at Revise in Chorlton!
Expect to hear some of the best new music around, with DJ’s playing indie, rock n roll, hip hop, electro.........anything that’s good in an unpretentious setting to keep you going till Friday, and it’s completely free to get in! Chorlton Arts Festival 2008:
Announced Patrons: - Damon Gough (Badly Drawn Boy) Carol Ann Duffy (Poet) John Thompson (Actor) Lord Keith Bradley (Lord!) Festival Dates: Friday 16th May – Saturday 25th May Submission form online www.chorltonartsfestival.com or email
[email protected].
Chorlton Cheerleaders:
Students at Loreto High School, Nell Lane have set up their own cheerleading group and are working hard on routines, but they don’t have any uniforms. They’re hoping for outside help to provide them with pink outfits so that they can perform at the National cheerleading Championship in April at the Velodrome in Manchester. If you can help contact Mr Middleton 0161 881 9448.
Chorlton by Name:
Parents of a new born from Nicholas Road love Chorlton so much they have named their new born ‘Louie Timothy Chorlton Cocker’!. For those interested ‘Chorlton’ was a home birth baby on January 11th and weighed 9lbs 5oz.
Tesco Tease:
Members of ‘Keep Chorlton Interesting’ who are battling to stop Tesco opening a store at the current ESSO petrol station site attempted to present the CEO Tesco with a spoof award recently. The ‘Golden cork in the ear’ award was made to present to the chief, but he cunningly squeezed through the side entrance. So TesGo or TesNo?, let the group know what you think.
Car Fire:
A Vauxhall Corsa was set on fire behind the post office in an alleyway off Egerton Road South on Sunday January 20th.
Beech Road plans Beached:
Plans to turn a former chapel on Beech Road into a restaurant have been delayed by planning officials due to local business and residents complaining.
Mental Balance:
Bosses of a mental health trust (Manchester Road), which has been in debt since it was created 6 years ago have promised to finally balance their books by March.
Beech Bump:
Beech road is finally to get a speed bump by the park, which should slow down local scalls caning it down the road, although it may cause problems for the local low riding R8 which uses the road regularly.
Bird Watching:
Chorlton Water Parks latest project was to encourage visitors to keep an eye out for visiting wildlife to help the RSPB (bird group) compile data for the ‘Big Garden Bird Watch’. 400k people took part last year. The event took place on Saturday. For more info check out www.merseyvalley.org.uk
More Bars + later hours = Less Crime:
The latest Police Report revealed that despite more bars and longer drinking hours, crime has dropped since last year. It would appear drinkers are generally being well behaved, but teens buying alcohol from the offy then drinking it in the park are causing the problems. The recent spate of armed bar robberies is also cause for concern.
Candle Fire:
Four early 20 somethings were taken to hospital after smoke inhalation last week. The cause was a candle smoldering in a bath at a flat on Beech Road last Sunday.
Pancake Day:
The Friends of Beech Road Traders are planning to host a Pancake Race on Tuesday 5th February. The event will take place on Beech road with traders getting involved by offering a range of pancake treats. Fancy it?, then give Jenny Slee a call on 0161 881 1249 and show your interest.
NEW £1M Development:
The construction taking place next to the ESSO Garage on ‘Madchester Road’ (opposite Barbakan) is set to be a large impressive Curry House with coffee shop and bar area.
Local help needed:
Christine Swarbrick from Chorlton is running the London Marathon in April for a charity called Carers UK. She works full time for them in their office based in town. Her mum cares for her dad who has MS so it’s really important to her. You can find out more about the charity at www.carersuk.org or sponsor her by going to www.justgiving.com/swarbsanddrabsrunforcarers. Every little helps.
Celebrity Spotting:
Chorlton has seen fame this month with the floowing celebs coming into head over heels play centre on albany road Sean Wright-Phillips Mel B (Scary Spice) Emma Bunton (Baby Spice) Curly Watts from corrie And that Thompson guy from ColdFeet. Oh and the Beckham's Kids were also in!
Chorlton Singles Night:
Valentines Day is in a couple of weeks and there doesn’t appear to be much on offer for Chorltons singletons, well apart from at Lorenzos anyway. So who’s up for a singles night? Was thinking of organising another party at Proof Bar on the Thursday or Friday night? Can’t do Sat, Hot Chip are in town. Let me or the group know if you’ve got any ideas.
Pub Raids: Over recent months the following Bars/Pubs have experienced raids, Proof, Argyles, Sedge Lynn and The Trevor where locals bravely bought off the robbers to retrieve all but 76p of the £6000 taken!.
The local Bar/Pub owners recently all met to begin talks on how to crackdown on the recent rising crime. Communication between landlords is set to improve in an effort to stop any further robberies. If you have any further information contact 856 6612.
Brazilian Dance: Brazilian dance at Palmiro, every Thursday, FREE!!! 8pm, at Palmiro, on Upper Chorlton Road, next to the Hilory Step. Search for their Facebook group "Forro Manchester" for more info.
Yoga & Pilates: Yoga and Pilates classes in Chorlton, from Tuesday 15th January. Ashtanga Yoga, Sivananda Yoga, Yin Yoga, Dynamic Flow Yoga and Pilates. You can drop-in to any class or block-book for a reduced rate. http://www.yogapilates.co.uk
[email protected]Corrie Comes to Chorlton: The funeral of Vera Duckworth was filmed at Chorlton’s Southern Cemetry towards the end of 2007. The cemetery is also the real life resting place of Tony Wilson, Sir Matt Busby and LS Lowry. The cemetery is also set to receive a £40k facelift, so if your times nearly up I’m sure it will be a pleasant place to rest.
Yoga Classes: A new Yoga studio will be opening its doors with a launch on the weekend of the 12th and 13th January 2008.
The Yoga Rooms will be the only yoga centre in Manchester to offer a variety of styles of yoga to meet your needs, alongside meditation and Pilates. Offering daily classes from early morning to late evening. With the aim of making yoga accessible to all, there will be specialised classes. There will be community classes (for free or a donation), antenatal, children's yoga and also classes suitable for Asian women, or simply those who just want to relax and get away from their busy and hectic lifestyle.
Yoga can be practised by anyone, at any age, however fit or unfit you are! Classes will commence from Monday 14th January 2008. The launch of The Yoga Rooms will take place on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th January 2008 from 10am until 5pm. If you would like to have a try, then come along to one or more of the free taster sessions taking place. The Yoga Rooms are located on the First Floor at 483a Barlowmoor Road, near Chorlton Bus Station. For further information please contact Janice on 07951 012358 or e-mail at
[email protected] .
Myles Travels: Good luck to local Myles O’Brian from St.Clements Road, who is set to star in Channel 4’s new reality TV show ‘The Queen Been’ where 8 girls and 8 guys spend a month on a remote tropical pacific island. The winner will receive £100,000, drinks are on you when you win Myles!.
Steppin Out: A NEW club night is launching in Chorlton TONIGHT!, ‘Steppin Out’ will deliver a mixture of electro and disco music held on Saturdays in Lloyds Bar, Wilbraham Road (opposite Croma restaurant). The night is brought to you by the team who host ‘High Fidelity’ and All Souled Out’ nights. The 1st Steppin Out night is tonight from 8pm and is FREE.
Chorlton Runners: Chorlton Runners are to hold their next meeting on Sunday January 20th at 09:30am at Chorlton Water Park and then every Sunday after that. For more information go to www.chorltonrunners.com.
New Wetherspoons Manager: Gem Camp is the new pub manager of Chorlton Spoons and she wants to know what you all thought of the pub and what you think we need to improve on. Obviously they won't be suddenly be revamping the place because they have to stick to the principles of Wetherspoons, but if you want to suggest a type of ale they should get in or suggest they become a part of a local promotion please let her know! Search for their FB Group.
Bag on track: The local ‘Sustainable Chorlton’ group setting out to make Chorlton a plastic bag free zone will be posting letters across 40 local businesses over the next few weeks. The national awareness comes after China announced a crackdown on all bags, banning their production. The ban is set to start on Sunday 1st June.
New Fashion: H.T. Burt on Wilbraham Road (opposite Revise Bar) has recently undergone a revamp by BBC2 series star Mary Portas. The store now boasts big brands such as Aquasctum, John Smedley and Hugo Boss. The show is expected to be aired in the spring, so please let me know if you know when it’s going to be on. The store first opened in 1895 owned by Harry Trevethan Burt as a hatters and hosiers. Adrian Burt – Current Manager
Tesco Update: Tesco have logged an appeal against their rejection to open a store in Chorlton. The plans will now be reviewed in a process that should take several months.
RED Party Result: The RED Chorlton Christmas Celebration @ Proof Bar over Christmas was a great success, thanks to all those involved. The next party will either be a singles night around Valentines day or another themed party in the Spring. Watch this space.
If you have any local news, events, comments or views on Chorlton-Cum-Hardy activity, please let me or the site know. Check out the Chorlton group on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2228019458
St johns boxing club: It has finally been re-opened now with top of the range facilities. Behind St johns parish centre, High Lane.
On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays Junior sessions: 6:30pm - 7:30pm - cost £2 Senior sessions: 7:30pm - 9pm - cost £3 (£2 pounds if under 16 again). Call 0161 881 3558 for more details.
PillarBox Open: The former Post Office on Beech Road has now opened up as a new lingerie shop ‘PillarBox’. Beech Road late night shopping is open tomorrow until 8 pm for Christmas Shopping.
RIP John McFadzen: The local man often seen in and around Chorlton who was a Senior UN official, died recently after he fell asleep on a park bench. His death is said to be from the effects of cold and alcohol.
Best Businesses: Chorlton-Cum-Hardy’s finest, PAD and King Bee records have been selected as the best independent businesses in Britain by the Guardian newspaper. They were both chosen for the best place to buy something different during the festive season. PAD on Manchester Road featured in the category of best independent gift shop for its well designed selection of lighting, homewhare, kitchenware and jewelry by local artists. King Bee records on Barlowmoor Road hit the list if best record shops for its impressive vinyl collection containing rare and deleted titles.
Pedal Power: ‘Chorlton Velo’ is a 15 strong cycling group who meet up every Sunday morning to ride around Manchester, Peak District and Cheshire. The group is sponsored by the cycling shop next to Escape bar and opposite Co-op. Everyone’s welcome, for more details contact:
[email protected] Generous Garments: Lady Bountiful specializes in women’s clothing for the larger lady. Sizes 18 - 32 Wilbraham Road. Owner Alice Jacob says ‘I wanted to encourage up and coming designers to think about the 18 plus sizes’.
Chorlton Attack: A 56 year old man was hospitalised after being attacked with a hammer during a robbery in Lauriston Private Members Club on Manchester Road on Monday 10th December shortly after midnight. Contact 0161 856 61 53 if you have any information.
High Fidelity Events: The reproduction of sound with minimal distortion. Local nights, in your local area, brought to you by local people for local people. Recently featured in South Manchester Reporter.
If you have any local news, events, comments or views on Chorlton-Cum-Hardy activity, please let me or the site know. Best wishes for 2008!.
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Chorlton likely derives from 'tún' (meaning farm, settlement or homestead) and 'ceorl' (meaning a freeman of the lowest class), giving us a full title similar to 'settlement of the peasants'. Hardy was an adjoining farm area probably meaning 'hard island' in Old English.[citation needed] These two parishes were brought together in 1555 with the Latin word 'cum' (meaning with) used to seal the union.[citation needed] The district was a township of the ancient parish of Manchester in the Salford Hundred of Lancashire. On the creation of the municipal borough of Manchester in 1838 the township was absorbed into the borough.
Chorlton-cum-Hardy is derived from the old Saxon name 'Coerlatun-cum-Ard-Eea', meaning "the dwelling (or town) of the coerls by trees and near water". Coerl was the Saxon word for a freeman (often spelt churls or chorls - hence to be churlish).
Its relative distance from central Manchester ensured that it escaped the excessive industrialisation that more inner districts suffered, and to this day it has retained some of its rural nature, being on the edge of the River Mersey - here still survives a pub called "Jackson's Boat" down Hardy Lane where there was once a ferry across the Mersey. Chorlton Green in particular still retains much of its Victorian character and the "Horse & Jockey" pub remains a popular riverside venue for visitors and locals alike.
Present day Chorlton is the location for the Cosgrove Hall animation studios where the children's series Chorlton and the Wheelies (named after the area) and Dangermouse were both created, amongst many other titles. The area is also regularly used by film crews for TV dramas and comedies, as it retains much of its original Victorian architecture.
Chorlton Green is a conservation area with a cosmopolitan feel, due to it's distance from the main roads, and a numbers of bars, restaurants, and small independent shops. Every year on a Sunday at the end of June, Chorlton is home to a summer event called the Beech Road Festival.
Resembling garden fetes of old, stalls are set up along the length of Beech Road, selling arts, crafts and foods of all kinds, and on Chorlton Green itself a traditional tug-of-war game is played between teams from most of the older pubs around the area. In Beech Road Park, at the opposite end of the road to the Green, there are more stalls, a small fairground, and a stage with live music. In recent years these festival days have proved highly popular with large crowds turning out, especially on hotter days. In 2006, the event, which usually continues into the evening was spectacularly, but amusingly, cut short when a huge thunderstorm broke over the area, drenching the park visitors.
Another event, called the Unity Festival takes place soon after the Beech Road Festival in Chorlton Park, but has a more political purpose; to encourage racial and cultural unity in the area. The event includes performances by young dancers, musicians and singers and has a small collection of stalls also.
Notable residents The area is well-populated with creative people such as artists, writers and actors, as the area is seen by some as being more 'bohemian' than others.[citation needed] Prior to their departure for Australia in 1958, the Bee Gees spent nearly eight years of their childhood living in 51, Keppel Road, Chorlton. The street also lent its name to a Bee Gees documentary in 1997.
Other local residents include Bolton-born artist and musician Damon Gough, known as Badly Drawn Boy, who can regularly be seen around the Beech Road area. In a recent interview with the Manchester Evening News, he as quoted as saying "Chorlton's where home is. It's the place I would want to be if the world ended". Another recent musician to base himself in Chorlton is Jim Noir, who recorded his album 'Tower of Love' in his own house.
The Stone Roses were another Chorlton band, with guitarist John Squire living and working for Cosgrove Hall in the suburb. Mike Pickering, the M of M people lived on Ryebank Road.
Other notable residents have included locally-born actor Warren Clarke who lived at 8, Grindley Avenue, former Manchester City footballer Nicky Reid, who was also brought up locally, and Freddie Garrity (of Freddie and the Dreamers) who sadly died in May 2006. The area also attracts many soap actors who often stay temporarily in the area due to its reputation, such as Naomi Radcliffe, Craig Charles and Julie Hesmondhalgh.
In 1908 Chorltonville was created as a so-called "garden estate" with pleasant comfortable houses and has since become a popular and much sought after place to live - far enough from central Manchester to escape from work yet close enough for convenient commuting. Two Major houses were to be found in Chorlton - Hough End Hall and Barlow Hall.
Hough End Hall, built by Nicholas Mosley in 1596. The Mosleys were a most influential Mancunian family, and Nicholas Mosley became Lord of the Manor of manchester and was subsequently knighted by Queen Elizabeth I. The Mosley (originally Moseley) family dominated much of regional history for several centuries and Mosley Street in Manchester is named after them. The Hall was purchased by the Egerton family in the early 18th century. Later, some of the lands of the estate was given to house Barlow Moor Aerodrome and today is the headquarters for Police horse and dog training in Manchester.
The Barlows had built Barlow Hall, as well as a small half-timbered chapel, on lands which they had held in the area since the 13th century. This land was also bought by the Egertons in the 18th century. A notable member of the family was Edward Barlow, later known as Saint Ambrose Barlow, a famous local Catholic martyr. Their family name is also immortalised in Barlow Moor Road which runs east-west through much of the district. Barlow Hall is now a golf club house!
As late as the 1880s, Chorlton still had many old black and white thatched timbered buildings which had always defined its particular style and elegance. Most have now gone and the district is now mainly Victorian and Edwardian in style with numerous large houses, many of which are converted into flats and apartments. There is also a large student population attracted no doubt by its thriving and diverse shopping centre.
This township is divided into two portions by a brook running across it westwardly to join the Mersey; the northern portion, nearly square in shape, is Chorlton proper, now urban; while the southern portion, still agricultural, stretches for about 2 miles along the north bank of the Mersey, and contains Hardy and Barlow, to the north and south respectively. The surface is level and lies low, the highest ground being near the south-east end, a little over 100 ft. above the ordnance datum. The lands by the river side are known as Eeas. The total area is 1,280 acres. (fn. 1) In 1901 the population numbered 9,026.
The principal roads are those from Manchester south through Chorlton to Withington and west from Withington and Fallowfield to Stretford. The Midland Company's railway from Manchester to Stockport crosses the northern part of the township and has a station at Chorlton named Chorlton-cum-Hardy. There is a footbridge over the Mersey for the road to Sale.
As far as I konw there are only 3 and a half brothels in Chorlton, Vanessa's, The Directors Lodge, the one near the precinct carpark and Heat (the gay sauna). I don't think the director Lodge is still open as I've only found references to on the web, please can someone also confirm the details on this.
Finally the brothel next to Heat has been reccomended by a friend of a friend, we had an argument for ages that he was going to sauna and didn't realise it was men only, because of the steam, but after some reasearch we concluded it does seem to exsist.
Posted by HannahTime (Local Resident) Here is a story for you about an unlikely chorlton celebrity. Do you remember the old Mastermind board game with the picture of the young thai lady and oldish white bloke enjoying a game on the box? Well they are in fact a married couple in real life and reside in none other than the lovely suburb of chorlton. They live in the house on Whitelow road with all the old cars and wierd cannons and shit outside. I know what you must be thinking "that's bullshit" exactly what i said when my friend told me. That was untill I was walking by one day and saw the owners sat outside having dinner - an old guy with a slightly younger thai wife! Amazing!
ps apparently they met whilst being photogrphed for the box cover! Thanks HannahTime for your information.
Other notable residents have included locally-born actor Warren Clarke who lived at 8, Grindley Avenue, former Manchester City footballer Nicky Reid, who was also brought up locally, and Freddie Garrity (of Freddie and the Dreamers) who sadly died in May 2006. The area also attracts many soap actors who often stay temporarily in the area due to its reputation, such as Naomi Radcliffe, Craig Charles and Julie Hesmondhalgh.In 1908 Chorltonville was created as a so-called "garden estate" with pleasant comfortable houses and has since become a popular and much sought after place to live - far enough from central Manchester to escape from work yet close enough for convenient commuting. Two Major houses were to be found in Chorlton - Hough End Hall and Barlow Hall.
Hough End Hall, built by Nicholas Mosley in 1596. The Mosleys were a most influential Mancunian family, and Nicholas Mosley became Lord of the Manor of manchester and was subsequently knighted by Queen Elizabeth I. The Mosley (originally Moseley) family dominated much of regional history for several centuries and Mosley Street in Manchester is named after them. The Hall was purchased by the Egerton family in the early 18th century. Later, some of the lands of the estate was given to house Barlow Moor Aerodrome and today is the headquarters for Police horse and dog training in Manchester.
The Barlows had built Barlow Hall, as well as a small half-timbered chapel, on lands which they had held in the area since the 13th century. This land was also bought by the Egertons in the 18th century. A notable member of the family was Edward Barlow, later known as Saint Ambrose Barlow, a famous local Catholic martyr. Their family name is also immortalised in Barlow Moor Road which runs east-west through much of the district. Barlow Hall is now a golf club house!
As late as the 1880s, Chorlton still had many old black and white thatched timbered buildings which had always defined its particular style and elegance. Most have now gone and the district is now mainly Victorian and Edwardian in style with numerous large houses, many of which are converted into flats and apartments. There is also a large student population attracted no doubt by its thriving and diverse shopping centre.
This township is divided into two portions by a brook running across it westwardly to join the Mersey; the northern portion, nearly square in shape, is Chorlton proper, now urban; while the southern portion, still agricultural, stretches for about 2 miles along the north bank of the Mersey, and contains Hardy and Barlow, to the north and south respectively. The surface is level and lies low, the highest ground being near the south-east end, a little over 100 ft. above the ordnance datum. The lands by the river side are known as Eeas. The total area is 1,280 acres. (fn. 1) In 1901 the population numbered 9,026.
The principal roads are those from Manchester south through Chorlton to Withington and west from Withington and Fallowfield to Stretford. The Midland Company's railway from Manchester to Stockport crosses the northern part of the township and has a station at Chorlton named Chorlton-cum-Hardy. There is a footbridge over the Mersey for the road to Sale.
A poem about Chorlton Cafe by W-W-P (in top friends)
"A brisk walk to warm the anticipating skin A shortcut down the alley brings me to the peak of the bridge A steady ponder past an aged garage advertising M.O.T’s Popular places Bars and cafes Only a handful of them, mind A final sight of a takeaway, pizza, kebab, made to order One swift look over the shoulder towards the hefty supermarket signals I have reached my destination I swing open the glass door Oily fingerprints mark where satisfied customers have pressed against it A hinting smell suggests what is to come greets me, along with a loud yet humble voice of a man “Hello my dear boy†I smile contently and place myself down on the ketchup stained plastic seats My wallet is tipped and its contents revealed The coins scatter onto the worn table I retrieve several coins and place them in my hand, grip firm I begin my walk to the stainless steel counter Back in the day I could only just reach the surface but no longer My arms rest on it with ease I ask for my usual and place the money in his forever big hands “Thank you†My voice has broken yet it still hasn’t changed He winks and tells me it will come right over I’m greeted with a greasy plate five or so minutes later Heaped with flavour it seems to be stacked precisely yet its presentation doesn’t suggest so He winks once again and says in his broad Mancunian accent “bon appetite†I tuck in with the cutlery which was freshly snatched and paired with my plate I feel it necessary to use my sleeve as my napkin and my trouser leg to wipe my sauce ridden fingers A while later and a full belly I tell him I will see him soon He stops me and smiles, “shake my hand dear boy, shake my hand†I do so and his bear like grasp cuddles mine “Thanks again†he says You know he means it and his face is filled with delight at your presence"
