Oh, I enjoyed that SO MUCH Dave! It particularly resounded with me because there's a black and white photograph by Graham Smith I have been obsessed with all my life in a rather similar way. I've nearly purchased that Daniel Meadows book a few times too and now I definitely will. Smashing - a perfect wander down a fascinating lane, taking us from the urban to the rural - and such a well-judged piece of writing in terms of length, tone, delicacy. Great!
It's the least a reader can do! I always think reading should be an active pursuit and a conversation of sorts. Funnily enough, I was struggling with a piece of writing for work when the Substack link landed, so it was a very welcome digression, underscored with that extra, bunking-off secret pleasure!
Great article and a poignant read. Too many communities have been ripped apart for the sake of social engineering and diluting a politically perceived threat. Congratulations on your persistence and best of luck to Ped for the future.
This is superb, great to read. It's always a pleasure to get another twist on the subculture and communities of the city, the greasers were a big part of the scene in the 70s and 80s, the 'Hells Angels' misnomer being a common mistake, good to see that clarified here. In my own experience many of the Sabbath and Hawkwind fans I knew and know were into reggae and funk too and definitely into motorcycles. Best wishes to Ped.
Hi that was an interesting read - my mum was from Moston and the so called ‘slum’ housing was also demolished there, and she ended up in Middleton with her family on the new Langley estate in the 50s.. I worked in Hulme at Loreto college for a good while.. and often thought about the previous crescents and what had been there before. Sad that Ped’s marriage didn’t work out and he has lost two of his children but nice to hear about his gardening success. I’ve recently stopped teaching and now do gardening too! Walsden is that bit between Littleborough and Tod, on the Trainline to Victoria..know it well being a Rochdale girl that studied in Leeds
also, interesting to read what Ped says about the feeling that Moss Side was deliberately targeted in the 70s. When I was at uni (in the mid-2000s) I remember reading in a book about British social history (unfortunately I forgot the name/author) a quote from a Moss Side resident about the 1981 riots. He said that he thought the riot came partly from a sense that the area had been "attacked" (his word) in the previous decade.
My grandparents lived in a ‘slum’ in Hulme and got shipped out to Denton to spend a few years in a tower block with total strangers. They managed to get back to south Manchester eventually and ended their days in a ‘circle’ on the enormous Fallowfield council estate. I understand why the ‘slums’ had to be cleared but it seemed to be done in such a random and haphazard manner. For people who’d lived in little back to backs for decades to be suddenly stuck in flats a hundred feet off the ground with no neighbours from the old street was disorienting and alienating.
I would have been 17 in ‘72 when that picture was taken. We lived in Elmswood Avenue in Moss Side behind the bus depot. My mum always insisted it was Fallowfield but I was proud to say I was from Moss Side - it made me sound tougher - and anyway Parkside Road was the border wasn’t it? The argument continues to this day and she’s nearly ninety.
Going back a couple of years to ‘70 we didn’t wear biker gear like Ped we were a kind of sub skinhead genre. Tonics and Ben Shermans, but loafers not DMs. A barathea blazer in navy blue with a Lancashire rose on the pocket. A crombie overcoat. The haircut was like a grown out crop, still is, albeit silver now. The music was bluebeat and Motown. We went to the Russell Club and danced in lines, boys one side girls opposite, shuffling left and right, little effort required. Smooth. My girlfriend, a fan of The Osmonds and the Bay City Rollers, had a tartan scarf tied round the waist of her suede mini skirt. And by the time Daniel Meadows took that shot of Ped and Eric I’d discovered prog rock, quit school, started work and grown my hair to shoulder lengt
You were 17 then Try n imagine Me / born Nov 1960 The kit you describe is exactly what I was wearing the night I went t my first ever gig 2 weeks after my 12th Birthday doors opened at 23h00 SLADE SUZI QUATTRO & THIN LIZZY I had my Barathea a paira Ice Blue Sta Press Cherry Red Docs a red & white V Neck like Woody who probably wasnae even in the first BCR if they even existed yet "keep on dancin" on Bell Records wi Nobby Clarke before Les McKeowan! Anyway who cares . I was in Edinburgh and that very nite I witnessed a buncha Skins kick the livin shit out some poor guys head against the University wall barely 100m from The Empire where the gig was! That scene freaked me out for life as far as Violence waa concerned!!!!! Growin up from then on was a major hazard as a first Gen Bowie kid straight inta platforms hi waisters tank tops bombers etc then Punk and all of that totally alone coz I always looked about 7 years older than ma age and I'd been playin gtar since I was 5 so In bands from 14 till today - I wore a Skinhead from 16 till ma late 20s just t keep thugs at arms length and it worked! 💀☠️👿
A great read Dave! Glad you got to follow this up.Having met Ped in Manchester in the late seventies and moving out together to the Pennines this article is a lovely piece…. I’m glad I could put you in touch. Chrissie
Oh, I enjoyed that SO MUCH Dave! It particularly resounded with me because there's a black and white photograph by Graham Smith I have been obsessed with all my life in a rather similar way. I've nearly purchased that Daniel Meadows book a few times too and now I definitely will. Smashing - a perfect wander down a fascinating lane, taking us from the urban to the rural - and such a well-judged piece of writing in terms of length, tone, delicacy. Great!
That's such a wonderful response, thanks for taking the time to feedback.
It's the least a reader can do! I always think reading should be an active pursuit and a conversation of sorts. Funnily enough, I was struggling with a piece of writing for work when the Substack link landed, so it was a very welcome digression, underscored with that extra, bunking-off secret pleasure!
Great article and a poignant read. Too many communities have been ripped apart for the sake of social engineering and diluting a politically perceived threat. Congratulations on your persistence and best of luck to Ped for the future.
This is superb, great to read. It's always a pleasure to get another twist on the subculture and communities of the city, the greasers were a big part of the scene in the 70s and 80s, the 'Hells Angels' misnomer being a common mistake, good to see that clarified here. In my own experience many of the Sabbath and Hawkwind fans I knew and know were into reggae and funk too and definitely into motorcycles. Best wishes to Ped.
Thanks David, your support - as always - very much appreciated.
Hi that was an interesting read - my mum was from Moston and the so called ‘slum’ housing was also demolished there, and she ended up in Middleton with her family on the new Langley estate in the 50s.. I worked in Hulme at Loreto college for a good while.. and often thought about the previous crescents and what had been there before. Sad that Ped’s marriage didn’t work out and he has lost two of his children but nice to hear about his gardening success. I’ve recently stopped teaching and now do gardening too! Walsden is that bit between Littleborough and Tod, on the Trainline to Victoria..know it well being a Rochdale girl that studied in Leeds
Hi Lindsey, thanks for responding. Glad you got so much out of this, and your geography is spot-on! Dave
Thanks Dave. Beautifully told & a joy to read 🙏 x
A lovely bit of writing that shows the power and importance of curiosity. Great stuff, cheers.
this is mint, thank you
also, interesting to read what Ped says about the feeling that Moss Side was deliberately targeted in the 70s. When I was at uni (in the mid-2000s) I remember reading in a book about British social history (unfortunately I forgot the name/author) a quote from a Moss Side resident about the 1981 riots. He said that he thought the riot came partly from a sense that the area had been "attacked" (his word) in the previous decade.
My grandparents lived in a ‘slum’ in Hulme and got shipped out to Denton to spend a few years in a tower block with total strangers. They managed to get back to south Manchester eventually and ended their days in a ‘circle’ on the enormous Fallowfield council estate. I understand why the ‘slums’ had to be cleared but it seemed to be done in such a random and haphazard manner. For people who’d lived in little back to backs for decades to be suddenly stuck in flats a hundred feet off the ground with no neighbours from the old street was disorienting and alienating.
I would have been 17 in ‘72 when that picture was taken. We lived in Elmswood Avenue in Moss Side behind the bus depot. My mum always insisted it was Fallowfield but I was proud to say I was from Moss Side - it made me sound tougher - and anyway Parkside Road was the border wasn’t it? The argument continues to this day and she’s nearly ninety.
Going back a couple of years to ‘70 we didn’t wear biker gear like Ped we were a kind of sub skinhead genre. Tonics and Ben Shermans, but loafers not DMs. A barathea blazer in navy blue with a Lancashire rose on the pocket. A crombie overcoat. The haircut was like a grown out crop, still is, albeit silver now. The music was bluebeat and Motown. We went to the Russell Club and danced in lines, boys one side girls opposite, shuffling left and right, little effort required. Smooth. My girlfriend, a fan of The Osmonds and the Bay City Rollers, had a tartan scarf tied round the waist of her suede mini skirt. And by the time Daniel Meadows took that shot of Ped and Eric I’d discovered prog rock, quit school, started work and grown my hair to shoulder lengt
You were 17 then Try n imagine Me / born Nov 1960 The kit you describe is exactly what I was wearing the night I went t my first ever gig 2 weeks after my 12th Birthday doors opened at 23h00 SLADE SUZI QUATTRO & THIN LIZZY I had my Barathea a paira Ice Blue Sta Press Cherry Red Docs a red & white V Neck like Woody who probably wasnae even in the first BCR if they even existed yet "keep on dancin" on Bell Records wi Nobby Clarke before Les McKeowan! Anyway who cares . I was in Edinburgh and that very nite I witnessed a buncha Skins kick the livin shit out some poor guys head against the University wall barely 100m from The Empire where the gig was! That scene freaked me out for life as far as Violence waa concerned!!!!! Growin up from then on was a major hazard as a first Gen Bowie kid straight inta platforms hi waisters tank tops bombers etc then Punk and all of that totally alone coz I always looked about 7 years older than ma age and I'd been playin gtar since I was 5 so In bands from 14 till today - I wore a Skinhead from 16 till ma late 20s just t keep thugs at arms length and it worked! 💀☠️👿
What a lovely piece. And as a Cumbrian, I'm impressed he's taught himself dry stone walling - that's a hell of a skill.
A great read Dave! Glad you got to follow this up.Having met Ped in Manchester in the late seventies and moving out together to the Pennines this article is a lovely piece…. I’m glad I could put you in touch. Chrissie
Thanks so much. We've had a couple of great meet-ups. Your instinct that we would get on was true!