Reminiscences of Manchester

Written over the course of his lifetime, Louis Hayes'' memoirs of Manchester life, "Reminiscences of Manchester" is an evocative memoir of the city''s formative years. Beginning in 1840, Hayes recalls a Manchester where the countryside began at Strangeways and farms dotted the surrounding areas. During the course of his lifetime he saw Manchester grow from industrial new town to international trading centre. The story of this growth and recognition comes across in his writings, originally intended as a memoir for his family, that acts as a valuable historical document. Besides outlining the social changes in the city, Hayes profiles the key characters, prominent MPs, social reformers and members of the legal profession, many he knew personally, who made a mark in Manchester life between the years 1840 and 1905.Hayes also chronicles the various triumphs and crises that hit Manchester in this period -- the Great Flood of 1866, Queen Victoria''s State Visit of 1853 that conferred city status on Manchester, the Great Treasures Exhibition of 1857 and the Cotton Famine of the 1860s brought on by the American Civil War. The author also outlines the impact made by immigrants to the city, the various traders from the Far and Near East that made an impact on Mancunian trade and society. He also documents the characters prevalent in the theatre during this period, and the ''fads'' of Manchester society from popular music to amusements. An invaluable guide to those keen to know more about the formative years of the city and those who wonder what life was like for Mancunians over a century ago, "Reminiscences of Manchester" is a remarkable work re-printed here in full with additional footnotes and the illustrations published in the First Edition.