This episode is classic Martin Zero. You're on the edge of your chair all the way through. The mix of past photos and present video, the side by side analysis, excepts from old papers, historical talk throughs, all woven into an amazing story. I love these videos so much. Thank you Martin and the team for such an amazing effort.
Was just about to say exactly the same thing. Brilliant suspense, intrepid exploring, side-by-side maps, intriguing archways. Absolutely sensational viewing.
I absolutely LOVED this video. It's very much like your old works which are endless enjoyment, no matter how many times I watch them. For me, its the same things such as pointing out the row houses on Bebbington Street and how the children who lived there must have fought and died in the Great War. Well done Sir! Very fine work!
This was a GEM, you really did your homework on this one. The B&W shots at 32:02 and 32:35 are amazing, in face all the B&W you used were great. Your use of maps really helps with the story in a big way, thanks. Wish the "wheel pits" were still there, next time... Thanks to you, your team and the paint works for sharing there old photos and letting you get the shots of the weir. Take care.....
I'm 1,000s of miles away in theU.S. but my heart still aches for the boys you speak of the went away in the WW1 and then never returned. Thank you so much for traveling so much and walking through these sometimes smelly Calvert's and digging deep into the history of these historic events and property's. God bless you all.
0:12 Martin boldly ventures down - an underpass!!!! Even I might have ventured down that one Martin! But oh boy, the plot thickens… 23:00 I'm intrigued by the pleasure gardens/circuit route, orchards and lawn that they have laid out below the Mill? 25:30 A very beautifully built little bridge indeed. 27:45 Up above, "Eh oop, I could swear I just heard that Martin Zero." "Don't be a barmpot, what would he be doing here, lad". 36:30 Bebbington Street, fair point, the WWI story. History goes by so fast. Great work once again Martin. Hopefully the boy James has a brew waiting for you!
Martin, Thank you so so much, I watched the video with extreme interest, My mother and her siblings was born in collyhurst in the 1920s in Copper Street and all worked in Cotton mills in the area from being kids, Later some of her sisters moved to collyhurst road, I Have been trying to search the area for evidence of where she might have worked without success, but you have give me an insight of where she may have worked, so again, many many thanks, i will visit my older brother and let him watch this, Great job pal
WOW, Martin !, again, a fantastic piece of industrial archeology. I love how you put so much work into these videos with your research and on site explorations, and a can honestly say that, that was an extremely interesting watch. Those old photos from H. M. Guest archives were brilliant to see. It’s interesting to note that, just as those guys climbed down that ladder over 100 years ago into the polluted river just to photograph it, you are doing exactly that, right now, for future generations to see in, maybe, another 100 years time. Your work is an invaluable archive of the industrial heritage of your city. P.S. using The Smiths, “There is a light….” Topped it off for me, though, I don’t know how you got that past UA-cam’s copyright rules… Bravo.
A return to vintage Martin Zero!!! We love watching Martins videos, whatever they are about. But this one takes us back to the classic format which originally got us hooked ... Manchester's rivers, tunnels, canals, Mills, the ethereal soundtracks, the old side by side maps, the old photos, the satellite photos, the research, the stories, the sense of mystery and adventure, the sense of history and changing landscapes across the centuries. If only history had been taught like this when I was a kid!!! My ancestors came from Ancoats and Angel Meadow, originally from Ireland, and worked in the Mills and factories during the industrial revolution. So anything Martin does in Manchester is fascinating to me. Well done Martin and Thankyou for bringing the history of Manchester to life for us all!!! ❤❤👍👍👍
40:05 That photo of Logwood Mills. You know those piles of bricks in front of it are probably the remains of Appleton Street (in front) and Bebbington Street (under the photographer's feet) . . . .
Was just about to add the same…looks like the right hand side of the photo is an earlier smaller mill [arched windows] which had one wheel with narrow tail race. Perhaps it was then extended the full length to contain two further wheels [side by side] with a single wide tail race when it changed to a fulling mill?
Wow! The River Irk is indeed as wonderful and mysterious as I hoped. You have made a very happy Swede Martin! Well worth the wait. I am very much looking forward to future instalments containing bits and pieces on Irk. Loved every second, I will take this as a week early 50 years birthday present. :)
Thank you for documenting the sites you have over the years. There will come a day, where these sites degrade and return to the Earth, and the only thing left of them will be videos like these. 'History Deserves to be remembered'
I think the Moss Brook had to be diverted when they built the weir, otherwise the raised water from the Irk would have gone the wrong way up the Moss. It says there were Three water wheels. The arch you saw on site below the weir looks like an outflow from at least one of them, i suspect the long lost spur of The Moss was just the outflow from the remainder, as there would be no way of water going in that way to drive a wheel, to exit into the Irk, as the irk must be higher even below the weir. Fascinating video Martin.
That's what I was thinking too. Diverting the Moss Brook just to let it run a wheel is completely useless and expensive. I'm sure the engineers in those days would let Moss Brook run into the Irk and just build another (short section) culvert underneath the mill for that wheel. So diverting the Moss Brook must have had another reason than driving a wheel. Preventing the higher water level of the Irk in front of the weir going upstream the Brook makes more sense (and because there had to be built a culvert/diversion of the Moss Brook they made use of it by putting a wheel in).
Have to agree with Darkstate and all the others here. This is pure gold. The amount of work you must have done to pull this together is absolutely staggering. Your research is second to none. You never miss a trick and have a natural talent for bringing everything together and presenting it in a relaxed laid-back way that immediately connects with the viewer and has them hooked. Thank you so much, Martin. You are an absolute star!
Fantastic explore, what brilliant history, being a collector of old cameras and photographs, I was very impressed with the lovely photography, seeing history in such clarity is a real privilege. The paint factory were obviously very helpful and interested in your investigation, good for them to protect the history of their company.
This is absolutely wonderful, Martin - I loved how you illustrated it all with the photos and maps. It is likely the waterwheels will have been removed at the time the mills converted to steam. If you want to get a really good idea of a mill evolution from water-power to steam then you should visit Quarry Bank Mill at Styal. Although a much smaller mill than the one you showed here, the wheel pits are still there evolving from one small pit, to a second larger pit, and then to a huge wheel/pit which was replaced in the 1970s-80s with a wheel brought from another mill to restore the water-power experience for visitors. This restored wheel is still in place and operational. The advance then came with steam, and the steam engine is still in full working order and can be viewed also (the original massive boilers can also be viewed) - it illustrates how the steam engine provided the power to the mill machines through the use of geared-wheels, and drive shafts run by huge leather belts spread throughout the mill (which were the frequent cause of accidents). I'm sure the mill would absolutely fascinate you because all the mill ponds, reservoirs, weirs, sluice gates around the grounds, controlling the flow of water around the mill are all still in place/operational. Just a thought! :o) Thank you for a wonderful, fascinating video.
Thanks to H Marcel Guest - nice to see your appreciation of History! And Martin - I loved every second of this video. Thanks for going into the tunnels, holes and smelly culverts. You have taught me so much about your city & country. Cheers from New York!
Thanks Martin , I really enjoyed this one from the 7 ring brick arch to that amazing stone arch culvert more beautiful brickwork and stone masonry hidden away . Such a shame all the infrastructure had gone , replaced by all that “ modern “ scabby concrete that is clearly suffering from the dreaded concrete cancer , the re bar inside rusting and blowing pretty badly .The amazing stonework will outlast it by probably hundreds of years . Still can’t believe in 2021 that raw sewage is still released into our rivers , scandalous! All the photos topped it off for me as a picture paints a thousand words for sure , brilliant stuff . Thanks too to the Paint manufacturers for not only sharing the photos but for having the foresight and pride to document the history of their very interesting site . Top job Martin and thanks 🙏🧱🧱🧱👌🏼 ( and you remembered the waders ) 👢😆👌🏼
I saw a new skyscraper the other week in Manchester being built. It looked like it had brick infill sections between the girders and glass. On closer inspection it was a moulded brick lookalike panel FFS
@@MartinZero classy 🙄. Even new build houses have fibre glass chimney stacks . Pointed on the deck to match the house then craned up 🥺. Craftsmanship has been in decline for so long and no sign of it getting better , very sad 🧱👍🏽
Very well made video! Its amazing that you get a viewer from the other side of the planet (New Zealand) excited about an extremely obscure brook in a forgotten part of Manchester...
Great video. I really enjoyed that one. I love the side by side maps - they're always a real eye-opener. The helpfulness of the paint works staff, letting you view their archive materials - they are obviously very proud of their past. If only more companies were so accommodating. And, of course, it goes without saying that Dean's beautiful music, including his great cover of that classic by The Smiths, fitted your visuals like a glove. Perfect. Yet again, a video that passes my stringent "I Did Not Know That" test with flying colours. Thank you for sharing. Nice one.
Another outstanding video, truly Martin at his finest. I was gripped from first minute to last as the layers of history were uncovered and given their moment to tell their story. No one else manages to reveal so much history we never knew existed and gives these stories a voice quite like you. Wonderful work, thank you.
Big ups to H & Marcel Guest for letting you on site!Well interesting, Urbex. Not surprising the wheel remains are not still there, but at least you uncovered the mystery!
One of your best in terms of backgrounding and description,especially those precious historic comparison photos.Your comment about young men and their fate struck home.Thanks.
So many bricks used in the building of all buildings and bridges back then! Great history and info an pictures! So great that HMG send you photos and allowed you to film on their property! Wonder where that last archway went to haha!
Brilliant, love the photos and the way you compared old maps with modern day photos, take you back in time to how it used to be, loved that being a visual person. THANK YOU X
I really do think that nobody else does what you do and records every single thing and researches it as much as you. And to that, mate, cheers to you! You're awesome!
Yay! Like the Martin videos of old. Back into the urban environment. These are great Martin. I loved your older stuff, gas works, Guardian etc. The newer stuff is good too, btw! Did you know Bruce ‘Les Battersby’ Jones is from Collyhurst? He was also a witness in the Yorkshire ripper case.
Martin. I've watched all your videos over the years and I must say you've excelled yourself this time. The story and context of a tiny area of out hometown brought the past to life brilliantly. Superb. Bring em on.
Very, very interesting Martin, Thank you for doing you homework and shooting this for us all. The time spent watching this just flew by, you know how to grab our attention.
Fantastic stuff Martin. These videos are absolute gold. The physical explorations show some serious commitment and put the old maps into context, especially now with "super-cursor". For me though, it's the old b+w photos that are the icing on the cake. I've spent a lot of time researching old, industrial areas, mainly the railways, and I know how much time must go into your digging. Fair play to H.M.G. too. It's not often a company will actively help like this and having such an archive of photos is fairly unusual I would think. Being invited on-site shows that they are interested in the history too. Maybe your reputation helped; I'm sure you're becoming a cult figure in the industrial wastelands of Manchester.👍👌😁
That was absolutely fantastic and I'm not just saying that Martin, it truly was. To HMG for giving you such access, a huge thank you. Their contribution really put flesh on the bones to the history and story of the area. A huge thank you to you Martin for putting it all together so brilliantly and a huge thank you to Danny, Roy and Dean. It;s right up there with the Trap Door. We all knew it would be worth waiting for and it didn't disappoint Martin. 👌👍
I loved this episode! Walking culverts and streams is so fun. I recently walked through Bear Creek in Manitou Springs, Colorado myself, I was inspired to do it because of your videos!
Fantastic vid, just saw this one as watching as much as poss of your vids randomly that I have missed. It reallŷ caught my eyes and ears as soon as you mentioned HMG paints and Little Green as I have actually visited the HMG factory at Riverside Works where you filmed. I use their products and my supplier took me to visit the factory there. So low and behold, the river and what you showed here was all around me and at I never knew anything about the area I was standing on. Bloody incredible I walked over the tunnel you were in when I was being shown round, really interesting place with local generations working there, really nice folk too, all of them. Also the Little Green area, there’s another paint company of that name. Love the history of that area now and I was there and knew nothing about it until now, thank you. Superb footage, love them all. By the way if anyone is in the market for interior paint, HMG Contract Matt has fantastic coverage and a dead flat finish, great for hiding imperfections. Their Vinyl Matt Emulsion is top quality stuff, rolls or sprays lovely. Top quality paint for a top quality finish.
Fascinating video. I'm restoring my Rover 3500S and I haven't bought the paint yet - I now know where I am buying it from - it's important to support local firms wherever possible.
Was in Glossop last week visiting family… saw a river flowing into an old tunnel at the back of the car park. Thought to myself, Martin would love that tunnel! 😄 really enjoyed this weeks edition. Thanks, Janine
Brilliant video and what a fascinating story behind the filming and real in-depth history research . Keep it up Martin your the best when it comes to this kind of stuff and very compelling to watch 👏👍
Absolutely fascinating Martin. On the photo at 39:50 the two rows of mounds of bricks are the demolished Appleton and Bebington St houses with the road in between.
Absolutely cracking video Martin. Enjoyed that one. Thanks for making it. Much appreciated. So lucky some people thought to take those photos all those years ago. Shame youtube wasn't around in those days. Thanks again.
Thanks for this video Martin it was truly fascinating. I loved seeing all the old photos of how it used to look. We can only imagine what the water wheels would've looked like at the time. The paint factory were great sports too allowing you on site and obviously very proud of the history of their site, also great to see a local business caring.
I can't get over just how good that was. The pictures you found of the street, the mill beyond the culvert and then a glorious view of the mill....just awesome! So good to learn of an industry that values its history keeping those records. Top marks Martin !!! I 🙂
One of your best videos for a while in my opinion. The area around Collyhurst is a goldmine for anyone interested in industrial history. Bought some British Racing Green paint from HMG in 1967/68 for a mates Ford Consul, it didn't go any faster but it looked brilliant.
Totally brilliant! The story just came alive with all the photos and maps. Thank you all for your efforts. It’s hard to think of the men who placed the stones and bricks, for those bridges and culverts, are still commemorated today, by their workmanship. Fantastic job.
Nice one. Looks like the change from brick to old stone on the way in coincides with what the old map showed, the open air section then going underground.
Excellent Martin, one of the best yet. HMG paints are to be applauded for keeping the records of their history and sending them to you. This is PR at it's very best.
I love collyhurst. Fav part of manchester. All the new buildi gs going up in mcr, colkyhurst looks like a brownfield scar but the History of this place astounds me. It has its own personality. Edit: great video martin. 👍
Fascinating video Martin. I was down at Roman Lakes in Marple recently where there is some great work going on excavating Samuel Oldknow’s mill and house. Amazing to see how nature has reclaimed so many of these old industrial sites.
I bloody love your videos mate. As someone who does not drive I love to walk All over Manchester and often see a lot of these sights. I am all about this stuff. Keep up the good work.
Ah, classic Martin Zero stuff, wading through forlorn culverts that hardly anyone knows about these days! Very much enjoyed that, despite the centerpiece of sorts having been removed from the culvert long ago. Just absolutely fascinating to see how much such areas can change, and how certain structures seem to survive not just decades but centuries! Though I have to say that the sewer overflow would have deserved a longer look with the torch, just for the sake of curiosity! :D Can't just leave a long, dark passage unobserved, despite the stench! Thanks so much for making and sharing this amazing content, and thanks also to the paint factory people for letting you on their site! Would be amazing to see whether the headrace behind the weird is still present in some form, though one would have to assume that it's backfilled and submerged anyways... Still fascinating to consider how many structures may still lie buried somewhere.
This was brilliantly put together, well researched and with stunning pictures. One of your best videos yet in my opinion - really well done! If there is all that history in one small area imagine how much there is still to find, even after all of the residential and office developments in Manchester in more recent times. I'm always fascinated by Mayfield station when I'm waiting for a train on the outside platforms (13/14?) at Piccadilly.
Brilliant video, you have just brought a lot of history to life, there was one photo with a woman that i think she was cleaning her steps, i can remember my grandmother cleaning her steps and then using a donkey stone to whiten them, we used to get the donkey stones of the rag and bone man, i don’t live in Manchester but not very far away , you have just made my day thank you very much, 👍👍👍, you will have to do a video on pre-fabs, flat roof housing and every time it rained it always came in in the middle of the living room and run down the light fitting, thanks again
@@winniegeo a donkey stone was a stone that made you’re steps to you’re house white, people in the 1940,s 50, 60,s and even the 70,s took pride in doing their steps,
@@MartinZero How come people don’t know what a donkey stone is? Lol they were used in factories on steps to take away grease to stop workers from slipping, i bet you could do a video just on them, lol haha, but the videos you put out just blow my mind they are just fantastic, you take us back then bring us forward that’s just priceless,
Excellent video Martin, thank you so much for taking the time and effort to research so much local history which helped make this video so very interesting. Full marks too for your work with HMG Paint, in getting them to share so much with you as it is so good when you find a company like them who took the interest in their past that allows them to share images of the past, that no one else has! I live in the South East and have no connection with Manchester but it's so interesting to see how areas developed because of new industries and then went into a gradual decline as those industries closed down affecting the area around them.
I found it very interesting as so many historical items and places have been all but totally destroyed by developers and road builders, in the name of progress. Another interesting one of yours was " the grocers warehouse" but in all honesty you have managed to explore so many interesting sites and carry out, what must be a huge amount of research so you could share with us so much about the various places in their heyday and then into their decline. One site that could have been so interesting, was a chemical works (I think it was Victorian) sadly though by the time you managed to get access there was virtually nothing of interest left but at least things have improved recent years and archaeologists will be onsite now when anything of importance is found. The one thing I would like to suggest if I may, is that at some point when funds allow you to, is to get yourself a submersible R/C boat with waterproof cameras and lights (similar to the "Bait Boats" that some anglers use) as it would allow you access to so many places that are flooded and hopefully they should be untouched so who knows what could be waiting to be found in them. Either that, or you manage to find a couple of divers who would like to support you in exploring flooded tunnels and similar places under historical buildings and other historical places. Thanks again Martin, for posting and sharing your videos with us.
Fantastic video, the right hand side of the mill at 43:00 reminds me of some of the old buildings I saw in Detroit. There is one at the corner of State and Shelby that I thought of as soon as that photo came up. It was an old cigar factory apparently.
Echoing what others have said. All vids are great, but this one is very special. It's all about going into great detail, without being boring. Fantastic finds: the maps and photos. Amazing that it actually used to be more built up in the middle period map. I love those old photos of the area. Thank you for putting so much time into this. I sometimes wishe other areas had their own 'Martin Zero'. For instance this reminds me of Siddals Road in Derby: again a paint factory near the river.
Great Video Martin backed up with some Amazing photographs your work just keeps getting better. Thanks for documenting these Rivers may well dissappear in time but you have made sure they will always be remembered.
Great Video. Used to pick up paint from HMG for my dads business in the 1980s. Its amazing how much has changed even since then! My buddy used to live local to that area when he was a kid. We even wrote a song called Pelham Place which backs onto the River Irk. Great Video.
Outstanding ! Oh my, what a complicated history that area has. Absolutely fascinating! So well done Martin, the documentation, overhead comparisons, onsite visuals, vintage photos and the explore. Such an undertaking and great prospective. Bravo !
Really enjoyed this one Martin. It's amazing to see how much industry has developed and adapted over the years and how quickly things are lost from living memory.
Yet another first rate production! The word `logwood` refers to the process of grinding up specific woods for making dyes for textiles. On the 1844 6" OS map on NLS maps, there is a similar mill where Sainsburys now stands on Middleton Road. This is also on the Irk and is named Heaton Mill (Logwood) and an interesting detail is an osiery or willow grove which was used to make dyes. Probably the `gardens` at John Appleton's mill were the same.
Superbly paced. Lots of interesting interludes. These things take time, and I hope you don't expect us to expect you to make all future videos to that level of quality; but the bar has been set high.
Your investigations were brilliant Martin. The photo’s of the boarded up houses very poignant. Those poor people living in those conditions and then off to fight for the country......🙁
The very much working class best thus dispensed with to work theer road through the filth of Landers, Ypres, Havrincourt, etcetera, for a stone a gong and a dead man's 1d.
Oh Martin that was just fantastic. Loved every second of it, those pics you were given are just beautiful. Thought you were going down on your bum at one time, I hoped to be honest. Loved the history, you have so much there. Thank you so much for taking me along. Please stay safe and take care
Regarding the possible Irk mill wheel discharge race/channel. When you enter the larger concrete section at about 28:27, if you look just above water level on the right it looks like there is a low concrete bank wall before it continues as a low stone wall. This looks a later piece of work and could mark the junction of the former channel. This sort of thing is a good thing to look for when trying to find where old former canal arms/basins or branches once met a main canal. They often cap off the bank with a low concrete wall (or different stone/bricks/metal pilings. This will be used on other water channels as well. Basically, a difference in the construction of the bank edge. | Not clear in the video, but you might have some better shots.
Totally agree with you Nick, I saw that concrete revetment and figured it was where the rail race would have joined. The concrete ceiling structure is identical to that in the build-in-progress photo from the 50/60s with the leat down below it. The thing I wonder is that if they’d blocked off the leat joining the brook at this section then they must have blocked the inflow from. The Irk before the weir and then filled in the leat channel. How would they have drained the channel? Perhaps blocked the infall and then allowed the remaining water to drain into the brook before installing the concrete revetment? I’m always fascinated by the way engineers are able to simple erase a river/channel so easily!
Martin , Martin , Martin .....what a great vid ...one of your very best to date ...Sherlock Zero ....captivating and some of the best detective work I've seen ..if its not your day job ..it should be ..every aspect at 100% professional status ...I'm enamoured....keep it going man ..
Slowly catch up with your videos over Chrimble :) Really good one. The shape of the River Irk and Moss Brook at their confluence is fascinating . I think that the River Irk had not quite broken through into Moss Brook at this point, originally. We would need to understand the relative levels of the two in some detail to work that out, I suspect. However it would make an ideal location to site a set of water wheels as there appears to be a natural fall in the landscape. I am guessing that the arch you show at the end was probably the outfall from one of the water wheels, put in after they built the weir. There is an excellent example of what a fulling Mill looks like at the Helmshore Textile Museum. Interestingly Fulling is for Wool and by 1830's, Manchester had converted to Cotton in the main, so the requirement for fulling was falling off, unless they were making Union cloth or Felt. The size of the head for the weir looks relatively small at about 3ft so not much and it also appears to be wholly dependant on the flow in the river as there appear to be no Mill lodges to store the water for periods of drought. H.Marcel Guests are a great family firm and make great paints, we have used them for over 50 years now and there paint really lasts and keeps its colour :) Keep up the good work. I should have said, traditionally in England the riparian landowner bordering a river owns to the middle of it, and all the rights that engenders, the right to fish, etc . So technically HMG will own the whole of the river bed. These days they can not use the water or extract it, as all flowing water now belongs to the Government and the Environment Agency.
You have done some brilliant blogs but this has been outstanding lots of background info and pics happy to say its what we expect from you . First class don't stop what you are doing we all love it . Places that most of us can never explore So THANKYOU
Really interesting, thanks Martin. Looking at the old maps, I'm wondering if the Irk originally followed the line of the missing feed from the brook, under the current paintworks. I think a weir was built 90 degrees to the direction of flow. A channel was dug to divert the river as we see it now, then all that was needed was to block the river at that junction and force it over the weir. The run off you were looking for, may have been part of the original course of the river. Because the level of the river would have been raised in front of the weir, it would have been necessary to divert the brook to drain further down. Maybe it followed the original course of the river? Just a thought.
This episode is classic Martin Zero. You're on the edge of your chair all the way through. The mix of past photos and present video, the side by side analysis, excepts from old papers, historical talk throughs, all woven into an amazing story. I love these videos so much. Thank you Martin and the team for such an amazing effort.
Totally agree. One of Martins best vids
This video has pure magic to it
Was just about to say exactly the same thing. Brilliant suspense, intrepid exploring, side-by-side maps, intriguing archways. Absolutely sensational viewing.
Absolutely .... a 'how to do it' example for teachers.
@@kgs42 martin would make a great history teacher... 👍
I love this. This is pure Martin Zero. The Brook walking, the maps, the mystery, the questions and the answers. All combined with some perfect scores.
Thanks guys yeah back to basics with this one. Your good eggs.....and cheese
Superb. One of your best, and how refreshing to find a company that still has a sense of its history and maintains an archive of that history.
Yeah they are great at HMG
I absolutely LOVED this video. It's very much like your old works which are endless enjoyment, no matter how many times I watch them. For me, its the same things such as pointing out the row houses on Bebbington Street and how the children who lived there must have fought and died in the Great War. Well done Sir! Very fine work!
Thank you Tim 👍
This was a GEM, you really did your homework on this one. The B&W shots at 32:02 and 32:35 are amazing, in face all the B&W you used were great. Your use of maps really helps with the story in a big way, thanks. Wish the "wheel pits" were still there, next time... Thanks to you, your team and the paint works for sharing there old photos and letting you get the shots of the weir. Take care.....
Thanks very much Mike
I'm 1,000s of miles away in theU.S. but my heart still aches for the boys you speak of the went away in the WW1 and then never returned. Thank you so much for traveling so much and walking through these sometimes smelly Calvert's and digging deep into the history of these historic events and property's. God bless you all.
0:12 Martin boldly ventures down - an underpass!!!! Even I might have ventured down that one Martin!
But oh boy, the plot thickens…
23:00 I'm intrigued by the pleasure gardens/circuit route, orchards and lawn that they have laid out below the Mill?
25:30 A very beautifully built little bridge indeed.
27:45 Up above, "Eh oop, I could swear I just heard that Martin Zero." "Don't be a barmpot, what would he be doing here, lad".
36:30 Bebbington Street, fair point, the WWI story. History goes by so fast.
Great work once again Martin. Hopefully the boy James has a brew waiting for you!
Cheers Chazzy for more info I did other vids on that area The Irk valley. No brew from James
Martin, Thank you so so much, I watched the video with extreme interest, My mother and her siblings was born in collyhurst in the 1920s in Copper Street and all worked in Cotton mills in the area from being kids, Later some of her sisters moved to collyhurst road, I Have been trying to search the area for evidence of where she might have worked without success, but you have give me an insight of where she may have worked, so again, many many thanks, i will visit my older brother and let him watch this, Great job pal
Thank you Ian, glad it helped
WOW, Martin !, again, a fantastic piece of industrial archeology. I love how you put so much work into these videos with your research and on site explorations, and a can honestly say that, that was an extremely interesting watch. Those old photos from H. M. Guest archives were brilliant to see. It’s interesting to note that, just as those guys climbed down that ladder over 100 years ago into the polluted river just to photograph it, you are doing exactly that, right now, for future generations to see in, maybe, another 100 years time. Your work is an invaluable archive of the industrial heritage of your city.
P.S. using The Smiths, “There is a light….” Topped it off for me, though, I don’t know how you got that past UA-cam’s copyright rules…
Bravo.
Yeah the ladder into the Irk pic was brilliant Kevin. The music was Deans cover
A return to vintage Martin Zero!!!
We love watching Martins videos, whatever they are about. But this one takes us back to the classic format which originally got us hooked ... Manchester's rivers, tunnels, canals, Mills, the ethereal soundtracks, the old side by side maps, the old photos, the satellite photos, the research, the stories, the sense of mystery and adventure, the sense of history and changing landscapes across the centuries. If only history had been taught like this when I was a kid!!!
My ancestors came from Ancoats and Angel Meadow, originally from Ireland, and worked in the Mills and factories during the industrial revolution.
So anything Martin does in Manchester is fascinating to me.
Well done Martin and Thankyou for bringing the history of Manchester to life for us all!!!
❤❤👍👍👍
My home town history looked back at from someone who has genuine enthusiasm for the past and how it's arrived today. Thanks Martin 👍
Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed
40:05 That photo of Logwood Mills. You know those piles of bricks in front of it are probably the remains of Appleton Street (in front) and Bebbington Street (under the photographer's feet) . . . .
Great deduction!
Mmm I was wondering if the streets were behind but you may be right.
Yes possibly, I would love to know
Was just about to add the same…looks like the right hand side of the photo is an earlier smaller mill [arched windows] which had one wheel with narrow tail race. Perhaps it was then extended the full length to contain two further wheels [side by side] with a single wide tail race when it changed to a fulling mill?
Wow! The River Irk is indeed as wonderful and mysterious as I hoped. You have made a very happy Swede Martin! Well worth the wait. I am very much looking forward to future instalments containing bits and pieces on Irk. Loved every second, I will take this as a week early 50 years birthday present. :)
Carl ,I'm equally as fascinated and I lived there until I was 16.
Thanks Carl and happy 50th
Thank you for documenting the sites you have over the years. There will come a day, where these sites degrade and return to the Earth, and the only thing left of them will be videos like these.
'History Deserves to be remembered'
Thank you, yes already a lesser known part of Manchester
Classic Martin Zero, you are 'the light that never goes out', respect mate!
Thank you sir, nice play on words 😃
Love it,must have said "oh wow" fifteen times! All your stuff is interesting...but when you do Town history...well it just means so much. Thanks.
Thanks very much Lauren
I think the Moss Brook had to be diverted when they built the weir, otherwise the raised water from the Irk would have gone the wrong way up the Moss. It says there were Three water wheels. The arch you saw on site below the weir looks like an outflow from at least one of them, i suspect the long lost spur of The Moss was just the outflow from the remainder, as there would be no way of water going in that way to drive a wheel, to exit into the Irk, as the irk must be higher even below the weir.
Fascinating video Martin.
That's what I was thinking too. Diverting the Moss Brook just to let it run a wheel is completely useless and expensive. I'm sure the engineers in those days would let Moss Brook run into the Irk and just build another (short section) culvert underneath the mill for that wheel.
So diverting the Moss Brook must have had another reason than driving a wheel. Preventing the higher water level of the Irk in front of the weir going upstream the Brook makes more sense (and because there had to be built a culvert/diversion of the Moss Brook they made use of it by putting a wheel in).
Thanks very much. That arch needs further investigation
Nice work Martin, enjoyed this one. And what great guys from the paint works, I wish all were so welcoming. God bless
Thanks Darren, yeah they are a rare breed at HMG
A brilliant piece of industrial archaeology. Incredible photographs and detective work. Thank you and well done.
Thanks very much Malcolm
Have to agree with Darkstate and all the others here. This is pure gold. The amount of work you must have done to pull this together is absolutely staggering. Your research is second to none. You never miss a trick and have a natural talent for bringing everything together and presenting it in a relaxed laid-back way that immediately connects with the viewer and has them hooked. Thank you so much, Martin. You are an absolute star!
Fantastic explore, what brilliant history, being a collector of old cameras and photographs, I was very impressed with the lovely photography, seeing history in such clarity is a real privilege. The paint factory were obviously very helpful and interested in your investigation, good for them to protect the history of their company.
Thank you and yes I am hoping to do more in the area
This is absolutely wonderful, Martin - I loved how you illustrated it all with the photos and maps. It is likely the waterwheels will have been removed at the time the mills converted to steam. If you want to get a really good idea of a mill evolution from water-power to steam then you should visit Quarry Bank Mill at Styal. Although a much smaller mill than the one you showed here, the wheel pits are still there evolving from one small pit, to a second larger pit, and then to a huge wheel/pit which was replaced in the 1970s-80s with a wheel brought from another mill to restore the water-power experience for visitors. This restored wheel is still in place and operational. The advance then came with steam, and the steam engine is still in full working order and can be viewed also (the original massive boilers can also be viewed) - it illustrates how the steam engine provided the power to the mill machines through the use of geared-wheels, and drive shafts run by huge leather belts spread throughout the mill (which were the frequent cause of accidents). I'm sure the mill would absolutely fascinate you because all the mill ponds, reservoirs, weirs, sluice gates around the grounds, controlling the flow of water around the mill are all still in place/operational. Just a thought! :o) Thank you for a wonderful, fascinating video.
Hi Ani, one place I need to visit, Quarry bank. Its local as well so I will take a look
Thanks to H Marcel Guest - nice to see your appreciation of History! And Martin - I loved every second of this video. Thanks for going into the tunnels, holes and smelly culverts. You have taught me so much about your city & country. Cheers from New York!
Thank you, I appreciate you watching
Thanks Martin , I really enjoyed this one from the 7 ring brick arch to that amazing stone arch culvert more beautiful brickwork and stone masonry hidden away . Such a shame all the infrastructure had gone , replaced by all that “ modern “ scabby concrete that is clearly suffering from the dreaded concrete cancer , the re bar inside rusting and blowing pretty badly .The amazing stonework will outlast it by probably hundreds of years .
Still can’t believe in 2021 that raw sewage is still released into our rivers , scandalous!
All the photos topped it off for me as a picture paints a thousand words for sure , brilliant stuff .
Thanks too to the Paint manufacturers for not only sharing the photos but for having the foresight and pride to document the history of their very interesting site .
Top job Martin and thanks 🙏🧱🧱🧱👌🏼
( and you remembered the waders ) 👢😆👌🏼
I saw a new skyscraper the other week in Manchester being built. It looked like it had brick infill sections between the girders and glass. On closer inspection it was a moulded brick lookalike panel FFS
@@MartinZero classy 🙄. Even new build houses have fibre glass chimney stacks . Pointed on the deck to match the house then craned up 🥺.
Craftsmanship has been in decline for so long and no sign of it getting better , very sad 🧱👍🏽
Very well made video! Its amazing that you get a viewer from the other side of the planet (New Zealand) excited about an extremely obscure brook in a forgotten part of Manchester...
Great video. I really enjoyed that one. I love the side by side maps - they're always a real eye-opener. The helpfulness of the paint works staff, letting you view their archive materials - they are obviously very proud of their past. If only more companies were so accommodating. And, of course, it goes without saying that Dean's beautiful music, including his great cover of that classic by The Smiths, fitted your visuals like a glove. Perfect.
Yet again, a video that passes my stringent "I Did Not Know That" test with flying colours. Thank you for sharing. Nice one.
Thanks Brian, Deans cover is a gem
Another outstanding video, truly Martin at his finest. I was gripped from first minute to last as the layers of history were uncovered and given their moment to tell their story. No one else manages to reveal so much history we never knew existed and gives these stories a voice quite like you. Wonderful work, thank you.
Big ups to H & Marcel Guest for letting you on site!Well interesting, Urbex. Not surprising the wheel remains are not still there, but at least you uncovered the mystery!
One of your best in terms of backgrounding and description,especially those precious historic comparison photos.Your comment about young men and their fate struck home.Thanks.
Fantastic job Martin. So amazing to see the old photos of the mill .Big thanks to all your team for uncovering this gem. 👍❤
So nice to see a company that cares about its site and, by extension, the people interested in it.
So many bricks used in the building of all buildings and bridges back then! Great history and info an pictures! So great that HMG send you photos and allowed you to film on their property! Wonder where that last archway went to haha!
Yeah that I am intrigued about Miles
Brilliant, love the photos and the way you compared old maps with modern day photos, take you back in time to how it used to be, loved that being a visual person. THANK YOU X
I really do think that nobody else does what you do and records every single thing and researches it as much as you. And to that, mate, cheers to you! You're awesome!
Thank you very much 👍
Brilliant Marin, thank you for your efforts in bringing Manchester’s history to life again
Yay! Like the Martin videos of old. Back into the urban environment. These are great Martin. I loved your older stuff, gas works, Guardian etc. The newer stuff is good too, btw!
Did you know Bruce ‘Les Battersby’ Jones is from Collyhurst? He was also a witness in the Yorkshire ripper case.
Bruce's sister Christine was in my class at school. I presume Bruce went to my school too but may have been in a lower age group.
Yeah i watched a documentary on that
Bruce is my cousin, finding the girl affected him a lot
Martin. I've watched all your videos over the years and I must say you've excelled yourself this time. The story and context of a tiny area of out hometown brought the past to life brilliantly. Superb. Bring em on.
Thanks Martin, cracking video, and respect and thanks to HMG paints for their assistance.
Cheers Nick yeah big thanks to HMG
Very, very interesting Martin, Thank you for doing you homework and shooting this for us all.
The time spent watching this just flew by, you know how to grab our attention.
Cheers Roy 😃
Fantastic stuff Martin. These videos are absolute gold. The physical explorations show some serious commitment and put the old maps into context, especially now with "super-cursor". For me though, it's the old b+w photos that are the icing on the cake. I've spent a lot of time researching old, industrial areas, mainly the railways, and I know how much time must go into your digging.
Fair play to H.M.G. too. It's not often a company will actively help like this and having such an archive of photos is fairly unusual I would think. Being invited on-site shows that they are interested in the history too. Maybe your reputation helped; I'm sure you're becoming a cult figure in the industrial wastelands of Manchester.👍👌😁
Brilliant video Martin. Your researching depth never fails to amaze me! God Bless mate🙏
Thanks very much Antony
Time to sit back and watch with a cup of tea and a few ginger biscuits ...............
Watched it - fascinating !
Thanks very much Paul
That was absolutely fantastic and I'm not just saying that Martin, it truly was. To HMG for giving you such access, a huge thank you. Their contribution really put flesh on the bones to the history and story of the area. A huge thank you to you Martin for putting it all together so brilliantly and a huge thank you to Danny, Roy and Dean. It;s right up there with the Trap Door. We all knew it would be worth waiting for and it didn't disappoint Martin. 👌👍
Thanks Martin, much appreciated
That was enthralling. Didn’t want it to end. Fantastic. Thank you as always for taking us on amazing explores.
Thank you so much Shirley
I loved this episode! Walking culverts and streams is so fun. I recently walked through Bear Creek in Manitou Springs, Colorado myself, I was inspired to do it because of your videos!
Great stuff Sam 👍 Cant beat a good culvert
Fantastic vid, just saw this one as watching as much as poss of your vids randomly that I have missed. It reallŷ caught my eyes and ears as soon as you mentioned HMG paints and Little Green as I have actually visited the HMG factory at Riverside Works where you filmed. I use their products and my supplier took me to visit the factory there.
So low and behold, the river and what you showed here was all around me and at I never knew anything about the area I was standing on. Bloody incredible I walked over the tunnel you were in when I was being shown round, really interesting place with local generations working there, really nice folk too, all of them.
Also the Little Green area, there’s another paint company of that name. Love the history of that area now and I was there and knew nothing about it until now, thank you. Superb footage, love them all.
By the way if anyone is in the market for interior paint, HMG Contract Matt has fantastic coverage and a dead flat finish, great for hiding imperfections. Their Vinyl Matt Emulsion is top quality stuff, rolls or sprays lovely. Top quality paint for a top quality finish.
Fascinating video. I'm restoring my Rover 3500S and I haven't bought the paint yet - I now know where I am buying it from - it's important to support local firms wherever possible.
Was in Glossop last week visiting family… saw a river flowing into an old tunnel at the back of the car park. Thought to myself, Martin would love that tunnel! 😄 really enjoyed this weeks edition. Thanks, Janine
I definitely would Janine 😃👍
Brilliant video and what a fascinating story behind the filming and real in-depth history research . Keep it up Martin your the best when it comes to this kind of stuff and very compelling to watch 👏👍
Thanks very much Keith
Superb work Martin. Proper documentaries without health and safety getting in the way !
Thanks Rob
Absolutely fascinating Martin. On the photo at 39:50 the two rows of mounds of bricks are the demolished Appleton and Bebington St houses with the road in between.
Absolutely cracking video Martin. Enjoyed that one. Thanks for making it. Much appreciated. So lucky some people thought to take those photos all those years ago. Shame youtube wasn't around in those days. Thanks again.
Yeah, those pics were priceless
Thanks for this video Martin it was truly fascinating. I loved seeing all the old photos of how it used to look. We can only imagine what the water wheels would've looked like at the time. The paint factory were great sports too allowing you on site and obviously very proud of the history of their site, also great to see a local business caring.
I can't get over just how good that was. The pictures you found of the street, the mill beyond the culvert and then a glorious view of the mill....just awesome! So good to learn of an industry that values its history keeping those records. Top marks Martin !!! I 🙂
Love all of the old pictures of life in the row houses. Excellent video.
One of your best videos for a while in my opinion. The area around Collyhurst is a goldmine for anyone interested in industrial history. Bought some British Racing Green paint from HMG in 1967/68 for a mates Ford Consul, it didn't go any faster but it looked brilliant.
Totally brilliant! The story just came alive with all the photos and maps. Thank you all for your efforts. It’s hard to think of the men who placed the stones and bricks, for those bridges and culverts, are still commemorated today, by their workmanship. Fantastic job.
Nice one. Looks like the change from brick to old stone on the way in coincides with what the old map showed, the open air section then going underground.
What a great video! One of the best yet. Loved the black and white photos of the old streets, now long since gone.
Thank you Bill
Man, I just love your channel. You go into such detail, and you clearly do one hell of a lot of research. Best history channel on UA-cam 👍
Thanks very much Ed, much appreciated
Excellent Martin, one of the best yet. HMG paints are to be applauded for keeping the records of their history and sending them to you. This is PR at it's very best.
I love collyhurst. Fav part of manchester. All the new buildi gs going up in mcr, colkyhurst looks like a brownfield scar but the History of this place astounds me. It has its own personality.
Edit: great video martin. 👍
Yeah I like it for the same reasons Matthew
Such a small area with a massive history behind it, proper rivetting viewing. Great research and photos bring it all alive.👍🏻
I have to say, wow! So well done and the documentation was fantastic. Martin you are getting better with each video.
Thanks very much
Fascinating video Martin. I was down at Roman Lakes in Marple recently where there is some great work going on excavating Samuel Oldknow’s mill and house. Amazing to see how nature has reclaimed so many of these old industrial sites.
Martin this is superb mate , don't live far from here and those pictures were simply fantastic. More of this please Martin.
I bloody love your videos mate. As someone who does not drive I love to walk All over Manchester and often see a lot of these sights. I am all about this stuff. Keep up the good work.
Very generous of HMG for allowing access and supplying the old photo's.
Yeah I am very grateful
Ah, classic Martin Zero stuff, wading through forlorn culverts that hardly anyone knows about these days! Very much enjoyed that, despite the centerpiece of sorts having been removed from the culvert long ago. Just absolutely fascinating to see how much such areas can change, and how certain structures seem to survive not just decades but centuries! Though I have to say that the sewer overflow would have deserved a longer look with the torch, just for the sake of curiosity! :D Can't just leave a long, dark passage unobserved, despite the stench!
Thanks so much for making and sharing this amazing content, and thanks also to the paint factory people for letting you on their site! Would be amazing to see whether the headrace behind the weird is still present in some form, though one would have to assume that it's backfilled and submerged anyways... Still fascinating to consider how many structures may still lie buried somewhere.
Thank you, yeah the sewer, we may have had a peep but it doesnt go down well posting that stuff for many reasons
This was brilliantly put together, well researched and with stunning pictures. One of your best videos yet in my opinion - really well done! If there is all that history in one small area imagine how much there is still to find, even after all of the residential and office developments in Manchester in more recent times. I'm always fascinated by Mayfield station when I'm waiting for a train on the outside platforms (13/14?) at Piccadilly.
Brilliant video, you have just brought a lot of history to life, there was one photo with a woman that i think she was cleaning her steps, i can remember my grandmother cleaning her steps and then using a donkey stone to whiten them, we used to get the donkey stones of the rag and bone man, i don’t live in Manchester but not very far away , you have just made my day thank you very much, 👍👍👍, you will have to do a video on pre-fabs, flat roof housing and every time it rained it always came in in the middle of the living room and run down the light fitting, thanks again
What is a “donkey Stone”.?
@@winniegeo a donkey stone was a stone that made you’re steps to you’re house white, people in the 1940,s 50, 60,s and even the 70,s took pride in doing their steps,
Yeah I love that pic of the Woman and the chippy at the side
@@MartinZero How come people don’t know what a donkey stone is? Lol they were used in factories on steps to take away grease to stop workers from slipping, i bet you could do a video just on them, lol haha, but the videos you put out just blow my mind they are just fantastic, you take us back then bring us forward that’s just priceless,
Martin you've shot this video out of the park... well done. Marvelous work... thanks gents my history is more tangible due to your efforts.
Excellent video Martin, thank you so much for taking the time and effort to research so much local history which helped make this video so very interesting. Full marks too for your work with HMG Paint, in getting them to share so much with you as it is so good when you find a company like them who took the interest in their past that allows them to share images of the past, that no one else has! I live in the South East and have no connection with Manchester but it's so interesting to see how areas developed because of new industries and then went into a gradual decline as those industries closed down affecting the area around them.
Thanks Peter, yeah I realise its a very local story but I think relateable in any part of the country
I found it very interesting as so many historical items and places have been all but totally destroyed by developers and road builders, in the name of progress. Another interesting one of yours was " the grocers warehouse" but in all honesty you have managed to explore so many interesting sites and carry out, what must be a huge amount of research so you could share with us so much about the various places in their heyday and then into their decline. One site that could have been so interesting, was a chemical works (I think it was Victorian) sadly though by the time you managed to get access there was virtually nothing of interest left but at least things have improved recent years and archaeologists will be onsite now when anything of importance is found. The one thing I would like to suggest if I may, is that at some point when funds allow you to, is to get yourself a submersible R/C boat with waterproof cameras and lights (similar to the "Bait Boats" that some anglers use) as it would allow you access to so many places that are flooded and hopefully they should be untouched so who knows what could be waiting to be found in them. Either that, or you manage to find a couple of divers who would like to support you in exploring flooded tunnels and similar places under historical buildings and other historical places. Thanks again Martin, for posting and sharing your videos with us.
Fantastic video, the right hand side of the mill at 43:00 reminds me of some of the old buildings I saw in Detroit. There is one at the corner of State and Shelby that I thought of as soon as that photo came up. It was an old cigar factory apparently.
Echoing what others have said. All vids are great, but this one is very special.
It's all about going into great detail, without being boring.
Fantastic finds: the maps and photos.
Amazing that it actually used to be more built up in the middle period map. I love those old photos of the area.
Thank you for putting so much time into this.
I sometimes wishe other areas had their own 'Martin Zero'. For instance this reminds me of Siddals Road in Derby: again a paint factory near the river.
Great Video Martin backed up with some Amazing photographs your work just keeps getting better.
Thanks for documenting these Rivers may well dissappear in time but you have made sure they will always be remembered.
Thank you, yes this place will possibly soon change
Great Video. Used to pick up paint from HMG for my dads business in the 1980s. Its amazing how much has changed even since then! My buddy used to live local to that area when he was a kid. We even wrote a song called Pelham Place which backs onto the River Irk. Great Video.
Pelham place .. hmm I'll look for that
Outstanding ! Oh my, what a complicated history that area has. Absolutely fascinating! So well done Martin, the documentation, overhead comparisons, onsite visuals, vintage photos and the explore. Such an undertaking and great prospective. Bravo !
Thanks James, glad you enjoyed
Another great video of history and explorations! Thank you for investigating your fascinating landmarks! Cheers!!
Excellent as always Martin. As a Londoner I dont know the Manchester area but your videos are just as interesting for me as if I did
Thanks very much Mark
Marvelous! I love my view from the YT cheap seats. I’m in Kentucky and loved our exploration. Thanks!
Nice to see you back doing it the way you do best. Brilliant research well done Martin.
Really enjoyed this one Martin. It's amazing to see how much industry has developed and adapted over the years and how quickly things are lost from living memory.
Yet another first rate production! The word `logwood` refers to the process of grinding up specific woods for making dyes for textiles. On the 1844 6" OS map on NLS maps, there is a similar mill where Sainsburys now stands on Middleton Road. This is also on the Irk and is named Heaton Mill (Logwood) and an interesting detail is an osiery or willow grove which was used to make dyes. Probably the `gardens` at John Appleton's mill were the same.
It is described on a 1922 map as cotton waste mill so yes as the Irk was famous for dye works that fits .
Ahh interesting, I know that area as well near sainsburys
Superbly paced. Lots of interesting interludes. These things take time, and I hope you don't expect us to expect you to make all future videos to that level of quality; but the bar has been set high.
What a great video and those black and white photos of the old buildings are priceless. You live in such a fascinating area.
Thanks Philippa, yeah love the old B/W pics
Absolutely mint video, this was fascinating and those old pictures of the Mills and River were just the icing on the cake. mint.
Thanks very much
Your investigations were brilliant Martin. The photo’s of the boarded up houses very poignant. Those poor people living in those conditions and then off to fight for the country......🙁
Thank you Helen. Yes those pics were a gem
The very much working class best thus dispensed with to work theer road through the filth of Landers, Ypres, Havrincourt, etcetera, for a stone a gong and a dead man's 1d.
Oh Martin that was just fantastic. Loved every second of it, those pics you were given are just beautiful. Thought you were going down on your bum at one time, I hoped to be honest. Loved the history, you have so much there. Thank you so much for taking me along. Please stay safe and take care
Thanks Linda, very much appreciated. 👍
I think the urban industrial history videos are amazing. Manchester has so much hidden history it’s unbelievable.
Thanks Chris, that area has about 4 videos on it now
Bringing history alive, as always. Superb video! Thank you.
one of your best Martin, great credit to HMG paints for assisting you.
Your videos on a a Sunday are a good hangover aid nice and chill thanks
Good stuff Stuart 😀
Regarding the possible Irk mill wheel discharge race/channel. When you enter the larger concrete section at about 28:27, if you look just above water level on the right it looks like there is a low concrete bank wall before it continues as a low stone wall.
This looks a later piece of work and could mark the junction of the former channel.
This sort of thing is a good thing to look for when trying to find where old former canal arms/basins or branches once met a main canal. They often cap off the bank with a low concrete wall (or different stone/bricks/metal pilings. This will be used on other water channels as well. Basically, a difference in the construction of the bank edge. |
Not clear in the video, but you might have some better shots.
Totally agree with you Nick, I saw that concrete revetment and figured it was where the rail race would have joined. The concrete ceiling structure is identical to that in the build-in-progress photo from the 50/60s with the leat down below it. The thing I wonder is that if they’d blocked off the leat joining the brook at this section then they must have blocked the inflow from. The Irk before the weir and then filled in the leat channel. How would they have drained the channel? Perhaps blocked the infall and then allowed the remaining water to drain into the brook before installing the concrete revetment? I’m always fascinated by the way engineers are able to simple erase a river/channel so easily!
Very good piece of urban detective work, with a great use of maps, old photos, and video.
Thank you Phil
Brilliant video Martin. Looking forward to your video on Sankey Brook and the history of the Sankey canal.
Martin , Martin , Martin .....what a great vid ...one of your very best to date ...Sherlock Zero ....captivating and some of the best detective work I've seen ..if its not your day job ..it should be ..every aspect at 100% professional status ...I'm enamoured....keep it going man ..
Thanks very much Colin
Slowly catch up with your videos over Chrimble :)
Really good one. The shape of the River Irk and Moss Brook at their confluence is fascinating . I think that the River Irk had not quite broken through into Moss Brook at this point, originally. We would need to understand the relative levels of the two in some detail to work that out, I suspect.
However it would make an ideal location to site a set of water wheels as there appears to be a natural fall in the landscape. I am guessing that the arch you show at the end was probably the outfall from one of the water wheels, put in after they built the weir.
There is an excellent example of what a fulling Mill looks like at the Helmshore Textile Museum. Interestingly Fulling is for Wool and by 1830's, Manchester had converted to Cotton in the main, so the requirement for fulling was falling off, unless they were making Union cloth or Felt. The size of the head for the weir looks relatively small at about 3ft so not much and it also appears to be wholly dependant on the flow in the river as there appear to be no Mill lodges to store the water for periods of drought.
H.Marcel Guests are a great family firm and make great paints, we have used them for over 50 years now and there paint really lasts and keeps its colour :)
Keep up the good work.
I should have said, traditionally in England the riparian landowner bordering a river owns to the middle of it, and all the rights that engenders, the right to fish, etc . So technically HMG will own the whole of the river bed. These days they can not use the water or extract it, as all flowing water now belongs to the Government and the Environment Agency.
You have done some brilliant blogs but this has been outstanding lots of background info and pics happy to say its what we expect from you .
First class don't stop what you are doing we all love it .
Places that most of us can never explore So THANKYOU
Really interesting, thanks Martin. Looking at the old maps, I'm wondering if the Irk originally followed the line of the missing feed from the brook, under the current paintworks. I think a weir was built 90 degrees to the direction of flow. A channel was dug to divert the river as we see it now, then all that was needed was to block the river at that junction and force it over the weir. The run off you were looking for, may have been part of the original course of the river. Because the level of the river would have been raised in front of the weir, it would have been necessary to divert the brook to drain further down. Maybe it followed the original course of the river? Just a thought.