Manchester. Lost Waterways, Mills & Old Halls. Medlock Episode V 

Never even been to Manchester but watched all of your videos. Amazing content. The hard work, time, research, filming, editing, it's all greatly appreciated. Thanks again Martin.

Excellent as usual, even got got a clip of Manchester's elusive moon walking pigeon at 26:55

I came across your videos by chance over the weekend and I am totally hooked! Your historic research and local knowledge added to the excellent map work in your shorts films does you great credit a real gem of a you tube channel, keep up the great work 👍

I worked in Royal Mills in 1978/79. I helped make wall lamps and chandeliers out of wood for a guy named James. Keep on doing your thing, so many changes in and around Manchester. Thank you.

Great video Martin thanks. I used to live in an old farm that was dated around 1680 to 1690. The foundations of the farm were laid on clay,they used to dig down so far then put large slabs of stone down as the foundation,terrible idea as the clay became porous and water used to flow under the house especially when it rained heavily. They never did things in half measures in Manchester did they,some of those mills are quite amazing it's just a shame that people were treated like slaves back in the day.

I really enjoyed watching this video and having that African guy play that saxophone. What a nice treat to add to the video. Thank you

Excellent video again Martin. Your efforts are appreciated. Thank you. 👍

Martin, I have been in Manchester a couple of times, and seen some of the things you show me. I have often felt that there was something strange under the surface. You a showing things I have always wanted to know. Thank you very much.

I love the pigeon walking backwards around 27:00. It made me chuckle.

Am I the only one who is fascinated by old brick work, alot of money, time and graft to make what I think are beautiful walls and arches. No modern concrete blocks brilliant vids

I used to sit on the outdoor overhang of Joshua Brooks having a pint many a time. I used to wonder what it looked like back in the old days of the Victorian era and earlier (especially seeing those old derelict slum houses that overhang the Medlock just over the road). But it always seemed so unassuming and a bit pathetic, dirty, rubble-filled and overgrown, down that part of town anyway. It is so fascinating to hear so much interesting history about our city's past. The fact that the Medlock was once navigable is quite mindblowing! It is quite amazing the rapid growth over 200 years from a semi-rural market town into an industrial powerhouse. Next time I sit in Joshua Brooks I will try to envisage sitting on a rural riverbank back in 1750!

Just wow. Manchester is like an onion! So many layers! Lol. This is a seriously awesome video. I need to watch it again. Have you heard of the daylighting movement? Uncovering waterways that have long been covered. It would be amazing if they could do that for Some of Manchester's waterways. This stuff just fascinates me! Thank you for another amazing work of art Martin!

I just discovered your channel and have been binge watching for hours. I now know more about Manchester than any city I have ever lived in. What you are doing here is what makes human beings great and is a great use of this media forum.

@1:50 several times in this series you have called the Medlock a medium sized river, now I guess that comes from the small size of your rivers. Now I mean no disrespect, but where I live the Medlock is a small creek, barely!! Unfortunately, our rivers do not have any where near the history of yours and I am truly enjoying this walk through history down the river!!! Compared to most videos that I watch on u-tube, YOURS ARE TOP OF THE LINE, BEST OF THE BEST!!!! Oh, I forgot to mention, I am in the central part of Washington state USA. Thanks again Martin ;-)

Awesome as always. UniMan should give you an honorary degree in History of Manchester :)

Again more inspiring history of Manchester`s growth throughout the ages, with a beautiful piece of music and Sax play by Olu, cheers gents.

Another cracking installment mate!!

Hello Martin - I’m just watching the Medlock series again, I’m not from Manchester or anywhere near. I get it big time👍 I’ve not seen “A taste of honey”, but I’m going to see if I can find it to watch... I’ve been a fan of the Smiths (& Mozza) since the 80s and the references to the old photos just hit home watching your videos. The way you’ve mixed the clips of the old steps is brilliant👍👍 The line in the film “I dreamt about you last night.....& fell out of bed twice” I’ve been singing that line since watching the video (& annoying my daughter in the process😁)Also the cover of the record, the first Smiths 12” record I bought! Keep up the great work Martin, it’s important for the the future to remember the past & what made our cities/country great, not forgetting the ordinary people who’s suffering & toil made it all happen.... Cheers John B😷

Your videos are on a par, if not better, than those seen on television. The amount of information, backed up by filmed evidence is incredible. You are a credit to the history and people of Manchester. Incidentally, the Royal Mill on Redhill St was home to a dress manufacturer that I worked for as a sales rep in the 1960's. Happy days, thanks again Martin.

Well done again. You got me curious about that book and a quick search found me on Amazon and a certain Martin had written the review lol. Amazing how all the large cities seem to continually build on themselves and leave traces of the past. Enjoyed that.

Nice bit of Saxophone there.....also trolleybuses.....wow what a difference sixty years almost makes 1960 to 2018/9.....King Coal......Charles Dickens " Hard Times " highlights that period....Miles Platting story and Ancoats name origin fascinating, the entymology of names is incredible ...Granby Row, the amount of times I walked down there , wow that little park was literally just round the corner from where I worked in Minshull Street....

It never ceases to amaze me the amount of faded history is all around places I’ve walked along for years! Another belter of a video Martin - and your Q&A live video the other week was a good’un as well!👍🏻 Nice one mate! 🇪🇪

Your historical local knowledge is brilliant also your resources give great evidence of years gone by

Suffer little children,you carnt catch me out Martin.👍 your research is second to none mate another brilliantly put together video.thanks.

50's & 60's was the worst time for most towns and cities in the UK in terms of knocking down old beautiful buildings in the name of progress.

This is top, top quality. Cheers Martin!

Hi Martin, Absolutely fascinating insight of where i was born . I think you should be recognized in some way for documenting the lost history of what was the birthplaces of the industrial revolution, your're inspiring affection and love for this city is a joy to watch, you never miss a beat when digging up and uncovering the past of Manchester, it would be a pleasure to bump into you ond day as you are blogging and have some coffee and cake with you on me.

Another cracking video mate, so much history all lost in the midst of time. Really interesting love the map comparisons and old pictures.

Absolutely addicted to your videos there awsome Martin so pleased ur so informative about Manchester really quite cool all this history is beneath us xx

Another wonderful informative video Martin, knew a lot of that area you covered from the early Fifty's. Your videos bring to life the past history of Manchester city. Thanks once again.

I can't stop watching these videos, they are so good!

Hi Martin, you are a great inspiration. I bought a OS map of where i live from 1906 and found a field that used to have a Smallpox hospital on it. I plan to visit it soon, so many Thanks for your videos showing places unseen.

Another excellent video Martin. Love the old buildings/mills and history of ancoats that you show in your films.

Absolutely brilliant, as I’ve said I was born in Miles Platting and brought up from aged 5 in Openshaw, messed around up and down the Ashton Canal, in those filthy tunnels near the start but no needles there back in the late 70s early 80s, may have been some Glue Bags though. So interested to hear about Ancoats Hall, I knew there had been a museum owned by Mr Horsfall, there is a place called The Horsfall/42nd Street much further up Gt. Ancoats Street now named after him where on their website it says they have taken inspiration for their project from Ancoats Art and Museum, a unique social and artistic experiment in Ancoats, Manchester at the end of the 19th Century. 42nd Street/The Horsfall is an exciting new venue and programme of activity building on 42nd Street’s trusted and innovative approach to improving young people’s mental health. Hope this is something you don’t know and I’ve not just wrote all that for nothing 🤣🤣🤣

Thanks for sharing Martin. Excellent!

I Spy a trolly bus and yes things looked grey!! Solid fuel fires. A cough & splutter. Another enlighten Video.

Awesome work again mate. I stop there the other day to listen that man playing the sax. Ive seen him a few times. 👍

Yet another gem. They are like a really good series. I am starting to binge watch.

Tomorrow, go out pick an area of town, shoot a bunch of pics and put them away for 30 years. I don't know why it is so interesting to see the change, but it really is something.

Hi Martin. Yet another fantastic video. Keep up the good work.

I’ve never been to Manchester or to England. Now I feel familiar with Manchester and I want to visit! If I did, I’d have to go on an adventure with ya.

We were dropping Daughter off in Salford, and going there and coming back. "I was like Martins, been there, and Martins been here, by Castlefield, and Anne said "I know ive subbed" lol keep it up mate. Love it, and the research is second to none.

this is the 3rd time i'm coming back to watch these series.. absolutely fascinating footage and background! cheers, Martin! if i ever go visit UK again, i'll give you a shout out, maybe we could have a brew together.

hi martin the work you put into the filming and the history is incredible and when you found the man hole cover the look on your face said it all thank you so much all the best from trev

Superb Martin, everything about the video was awesome. Great knowledge, music and story telling. Keep it going, very much looking forward to the next instalment. Brilliant...

Brilliant vids on your vid medlock 5 the school at 7.00 is bank meadow primary school, I know that because I went to that school because I was born just round the corner in spire street. Where you were walking was adjacent to lime bank street fantastic memories of the sixties love to go back to those days keep up the good work

Another top-notch video Martin your videos are so knowledgeable they show how much history & architecture we've lost Great how you show remnants of these that we pass without a clue until watching your videos so fascinating thanks again eagerly look forward to your next videos great stuff 👍

I am am avid fan of Manchester and your videos. I have started researching the history of Hazel Grove and how its developed over the years and stockport where I grew up. Keep up the great videos. I look forward to seeing even more from you!!!! Regards James

Fantastic, i love the way you put this all together, showing the present with the past, with the music it gives that atmosphere of a lost world so long ago. Manchester for me will have a different meaning, not just glossy new buildings interspersed with the red brick of old, but an historic encyclopaedia into the past.

I've only just started watching your videos, I stumbled across them while looking for something else. I think they are really interesting as i live around the area of the River Medlock. I wondered why you started the River Medlock at Phillips Park, when if you take a look further back into Clayton Vale it runs through there and beyond, in Clayton Vale history pre 1986 it tells you about the infectious diseases hospital later as a smallpox hospital, also a nurses home, print works & dye works and other buildings. I think the Medlock travels through Daisy nook and Park Bridge which is a really nice walk.

Great Video Martin, you certainly put the work in. Love the pigeon doing the moonwalk in Sackville Gardens 👍

Hello martin , and another fantastic video so much knowledge to take in and that's what makes it so interesting and entertaining. I pass a lot of these places on my travels and now I have a totally different view about them when I do. A quick note just to say I work near Sackville gardens and if I would have seen you I would have said hello and thanks for all the hard work you put in to these videos.

Another enlightened view of th'old Manchester very much appreciated.

Brilliant as always, Martin

Brilliant mate. Thankyou

Excellent video Martin. Really enjoyed that one. I can see that a lot of work has gone into it too. I look forward to the next one.

Awesome show!

Another brilliant video ...thanks mart

You have me hooked Martin and your enthusiasm for your subject is infectious though, as an expat Mancunian, I can relate to that. Excuse me if I've missed anything but could you (if you haven't already done so) look at Clayton Hall (moated Tudor manor house), The Moravian settlement and try to locate the Roman quarry in Collyhurst whose stone was used to build Castle in the Field. Thanks again.

Another brilliant video!

Another top instalment Martin 👍

Hi Martin, Shooters Brook was mapped by Murphy Surveys UK ltd in 2017. We carried out a 3D laser scan of both the topographical features above ground and created a route map of the Brook below, from just outside Piccadilly Station. I was the guy who entered and carried out the mapping.. get in touch if you want to know more details, extensive research went in to both Dukes Tunnel and Shooters Brook.

well done my friend i hope to visit the city one day

wow.. another amazing video Martin.. and again ive learnt alot of things i didnt know about that area.. i was around there a few weeks back myself taking pictures of some of the buildings you have covered in this film..the buildings and the streetart.. all the old and the new..i love it!!.. keep em coming..

Another awesome insight just brilliant videos you do your a credit mate, by the way I was born in Ancoats 1960 lived there for 30 years so the videos you do bring back good memories.

Another fantastic video Martin .'Mr Meredith Pin and Paper Manufacture' on your map .. Times long since gone ----Love the Miles Platting Story .... Great research You should do a TV Series ..Beat the lot of em lol Have a terrific week * Helena

your videos just get better and better great work look forward to the next one

You sold us on the idea of doing a trip to this area before it all disappears - we really like how you share the journey and the precise detail - thanks loads

Lovin' the sax!

Another great video Martin!

I think it’s such a shame what they did to the rivers. They may fight back one day. I prefer old buildings and did wonder about chimney if it was wide enuf to turn into a nice tall home. Thank you so much. Really enjoying your videos. Only been watching utube a few months so have lots to catch up on. Thanks for taking me along

Amazing Martin

Hiya Martin. Another interesting and very informative Medlock meandering video. Where did you find a pigeon that could walk backwards? Have a look at Shooters Brook manhole section in the gardens. Keep them coming buddy. Looking forward to Medlock - The Source. Take care. K.

In another of your videos Martin I posted about working on Whitworth St in about 1974 and they actually dug up Whitworth St around India House and low and behold there was a river running clear and clean under the road. I do not know which river or brook it was but for it to be clean and clear in 1974 was amazing. Shooters Brook? I worked in a cloth sellers called N J Levy them days and remember Joe Bloggs when they first started! There was an old lift in India House which was manned by an Scots guy who was always p*****. Oh the days of my life.

Amazing content . great work martin.thanks..

Excellent, many thanks

Another great video 👍 and the the pigeon at 26:57 is (not really) walking backwards😂but it looks funny. Regards from Germany

Wow best vid yet martin thanks

Like no.6 as always another great video - I didn’t know that about ancoats early on and Leigh isn’t too far from me - it’s a shame Manchester doesn’t have some sort of public access tv channel to put your videos on.👍

I would imagine shooters brook runs into dukes tunnel where from your videos on both they seem to intersect underneath Tribeca bar. I'm a furry and used to regularly attend the manchester fur meets which were based at Tribeca for a while. they let us use some of the rooms below street level to get changed into our suits before we went for walks. We used to go up to picadilly gardens in suit and I always enjoyed that because there was a lot of public interaction there but latterly they just tend to go down to the Vimto park which is great for group shots around the vimto bottle but it didn't provide for much variation. I got bored and also due to fallouts with a few people I've not been back for a few years but I do miss it.

Hello Martin. Just watched your whole series on The River Medlock and it is absolutely fascinating. Thanks so much for posting. I look forward so much to every one of your videos. All the best.

Martin, missed this one first time round, another cracking video which has spawned so many more. excellent.

I know everyone of these streets and I have never given any of it a second thought

Nice saxophone music good video

Superb journey. Again well studied and very well delivered. I think a tv show you should be doing. Hows my time machine coming on. Thanks martin.

Another cracking video, love your enthusiasm. Thanks. PS...have changed name from dogtrackable, just in case you wondered. That goes back about 12 years when I first opened a YT account, way before G took over.

there use to be a foundry in Ardwick called Bennetts Iron Works, they use to make beautiful fireplaces refered to as BICLAMs (Bennetts Iron Co Limited Ardwick Manchester)

Brill video Martin brought back afew memories when I was a taxi driver and our taxi base was actually in the old mill on radium Street in ancoats about 20 yards from the cross keys pub on jersey street bet it's not like that now keep up the good work

nice one Martin.

26:56 moonwalking pigeon :D. Top vid once again.

At 26:58, pigeon walking backwards as film runs in reverse, lol. Thank-you for another amazing documentary, Martin!

great like allways pal keep it up 100X

Thanks for another great video, love your music and video editing. Noel gallagher once lived in india house. A bit of usless info for you.

Finally got internet sorted at me uni flat and i find a new video from you, Martin! love it! I am loving living in Manchester so far!

Hi Martin, fantastic video, thank you. My first job after leaving school at 15 was working in that mill on jersey street. £15.00 for a 40 hour week. As you say, Work fodder and that was the early 80’s! Keep up the great work, love them all.

Crazy imagine showing someone that lived there at the time in such a built up area how it ended up they wouldn’t believe you

My father used to visit the art gallery (old hall) often as a kid and young adult. His family all lived in Ancotes from the mid 19th century. They had a shop on the corner of Tame Street.

I have just paused this 23 minutes. It's extremely unsual for me to run through any video for more than 15 mins with out break. As Jason said below I am hooked also. ;-)

Another goodun Martin. You had me with the old Garret. It sold Boddingtons to die for in the 70s

You know some history shout out to leigh we had an under ground tunnel that went to Atherton that transported stuff to and from the canal the story you mentioned about the boys in the river reminded of an old article I read thanks for the great vid