The area around our Church, Victoria Park, was established as an area for the wealthy of Manchester in the nineteenth century, it has a fascinating history. Many famous people lived in the area. These included famous surgeons, politicians, merchants, architects, musicians and writers. Among them were Ford Madox Brown the artist, the suffragettes Christabel and Emmeline Pankhurst, Charles Halle, Marie Nordlinger (the friend of Proust), Arthur Schuster, Henry Roscoe (the uncle of Beatrix Potter), General Harry Smith and Elfrida Vipont. Several of the large houses remain, but times have changed, and now the large houses are University halls of residence, or flats.
On Thursday evening (7th may) we had an illustrated talk on the history of the area. We also included music by composers with a connection with Victoria Park – Raynaldo Hahn, Kendrick Pyne, Charles Halle and our own Deputy organist Noel Preston. It was good to see a wide variety of people present in Church including local residents.
To coincide with the talk the local history group has published a book ‘Victoria Park, a Short Account’ with lots of photographs. It is based on the earlier work of Dr Bosdin Leech. It costs £5, from Church.
Summerville, Daisy Bank Road, one of the earlier Victoria Park houses
