Levenshulme
Encyclopedia
Levenshulme is an urban area of the City of Manchester
, in North West
England. It borders Longsight
, Gorton
, Burnage
, Heaton Chapel
and Reddish
, and is approximately halfway between Stockport
and Manchester City Centre
(approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) away) on the A6 road. The A6 bisects Levenshulme. The Manchester to London railway line passes through the district. Levenshulme railway station
is served by local trains along this line.
Historically
a part of Lancashire
, Levenshulme is a former township
and is predominantly residential with minimal industrial presence. The majority of its economy is generated via small retail establishments with a predominance of fast food shops, public houses and antique stores. It has a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic population and in the 2001 census it was determined that the population was 12,691.
, Didsbury
, Gorton
etc., had a history of developing as villages, but for some reason Levenshulme did not. It has had several names over the millennia (according to East Lancashire
expert Eilert Ekwall
), including: in 1246 it was called "de Lewyneshulm", in 1322 "Levensholme" and in 1587 it was called "Lensom". The name itself is derived from a possessive version of a person's name, "Leofwine's" and "holm", a Viking
term meaning island (usually in a lake or river). "Lywenshulme" also is referred to in the 1322 survey of Manchester and Collegiate Church charters refer to "Leysholme" (1556), "Lensholme" (1578) and "Lentsholme" (1635). The "Hulme" element is common in Manchester, and was pronounced "Oom", hence Levenshulme was traditionally "Levenzoom" to the residents.
The main A6, Stockport Road, dates from 1724 when a turnpike was built between Manchester and Stockport.
The district of East Levenshulme used to be known as Talleyrand. It included Talleyrand House (later renamed as Barlow House) and a street, Talleyrand Row. It was said the French Statesman Talleyrand once stayed there during his exile from France, presumably at some point during 1792-1794. The place name "Talley Rand" is also found on the old Post Office sorting labels displayed in the POD cafe based in the former Main Post Office.
Legend has it that the famous Highwayman Dick Turpin
regularly visited the Blue Bell Inn on Barlow Road which shares the name of his birthplace. There has been an inn on this site for 700 years. The current pub was built after the previous Blue Bell Inn was destroyed during a German bombing raid in the Second World War.
The typical housing of Levenshulme consists of terraced houses, the majority of whom were built circa 1880-1890. The style of houses are what are known colloquially as "two up-two downs". With a bedroom above each lower room, the house is bisected by a steep, narrow staircase. A kitchen was to the rear. Right up to the 1980s it wasn't uncommon for the original outside toilet (to the rear of the kitchen) to still be present, and some houses still had no bathroom or central heating.
The layout of the streets which contain these terraces are typical of the area and consist of grid layouts intersected with wide back entries which run the length of the terrace blocks at the rear and at each end of the block. This alley/back-entry layout is supposed to be because of an old by-law of the Levenshulme local authority that every terraced house had to have a front garden and allow access to the back door by a horse and cart to enable rubbish to be removed without the need enter the house.
These back entries are now generally considered to be a threat to home security. Accordingly Manchester City Council has, over recent years, helped residents by funding a "Gated Alley" response to the threat. When the majority of affected residents of a particular entry are in agreement the entries have iron gates set up at all ingress and egress points with all affected residents being issued a key.
Up until the late 19th century Manchester's outlying townships had to supply their own amenities. This was becoming increasingly difficult for the urban councils to do and as a result there was a considerable difference in prices charged to the residents compared to the prices charged by Manchester itself. Manchester refused to alleviate these difficulties unless townships agreed to come under its control. As a result the townships slowly began to amalgamate into Manchester's rule. Along with Withington
, Levenshulme protested at the discrepancy of prices for gas in the city and for the outlying townships that were already supplied by Manchester. Nevertheless many of those townships arranged to get their electricity from Manchester, possibly in the hope that they would benefit from the city's plans to electrify the tram system when the existing lease with the Manchester Carriage and Tramways Company
was due to end in 1901. Along with Gorton, Levenshulme joined Manchester in 1909. The tramways were extended to serve Levenshulme before the start of World War I in 1914.
The ward boundaries of Levenshulme have been moved in recent ward reorganisations, and as a result large areas in the North and East of Levenshulme are now officially in the ward of Gorton South
, to the confusion and irritation of local residents. To the West areas historically regarded as Fallowfield
are now officially part of Levenshulme and Rusholme
. The Levenshulme ward is represented in Manchester City Council
by James Hennigan and Keith Whitmore
(both Liberal Democrats), and Aftab Ahmed (Labour
).
Levenshulme forms part of the wider Manchester Gorton UK Parliamentary constituency and is represented by Gerald Kaufman (Labour), who has held the seat since 1983.
Although there is some commercial expansion and increasing numbers of entertainment establishments, in some ways Levenshulme is still declining, an example being the reduction of publicly funded leisure facilities. As of September 2007, other than four parks (Greenbank Fields, Chapel Street Park, Cringle Park and Highfield Country Park) there is only a library and swimming pool that is council run.
Levenshulme also houses the Consulate of the Netherlands located at Apex House, 266 Moseley Road.
Levenshulme has an Irish
population of approximately 7.0% which is twice the Manchester average, and as a consequence it is sometimes called 'County Levenshulme' in reference to the County structure in Ireland
. Irish produce, including soda bread
, red lemonade
and Irish newspapers, can be bought in Levenshulme's shops, whilst local cafes serve up boiled bacon and cabbage
, a traditional Irish dish. The demographics within the district are changing with increasing numbers of (mostly Muslim
) people of South Asian origin and a growing number of Africans, settling in Levenshulme. Over a third of the population belong to an ethnic minority. In recent times Levenshulme has also seen an influx of eastern Europeans moving into the area, bringing about Polish confectionery shops. Many students also rent accommodation in the area.
In the 2001 Census, the ethnic make up of Levenshulme was:
Levenshulme is evolving into an area typical of South Manchester, i.e. a mix of pubs, bars, restaurants, takeaways, cybercafés and terraced housing. In fact, Levy's cyberculture
is rapidly growing and demonstrates that the area is embracing a 21st century lifestyle in a thriving mixed-culture environment. Despite these traits, the modern Levenshulme is still considered to be one of the most deprived areas of Manchester, and regeneration efforts are underway to address this problem. Local residents have recently formed the "Friends of Levenshulme" association in order to highlight some of the more acute socio-economic and environmental
concerns that Levenshulme faces.
There is a well organised, annual "Levenshulme Festival" which usually features 120+ multi-cultural events from firework displays to music concerts. The festival has been running since 1998.
The community radio station All FM
is based in Levenshulme.
Levenshulme doesn't have much by way of publicly funded recreation facilities. But what it does have:
pitch adjacent to the Mount Road exit.
Up until c.1920 the land that Green Bank Fields was on held a dairy farm called Green Bank Farm (Wolfenden's) and a small house called Botany Bay cottage. The entrance to the farm was originally where the main entrance to the park is now on Barlow Road adjacent to Byrom Parade shops.
Manchester City Council fomented a local controversy by selling off part of Mellands (GMPTE) Playing Fields, Gorton to Dappa Homes to build 149 houses. Dappa is obliged to replace the land they are using to build the homes. In May 2004 Dappa Homes submitted plans to build 3 football pitches, a clubhouse and surround the park with a 3 metre fence on Green Bank Fields. This would have had the effect of reducing the versatile open-space into a restricted use site. The plans were later withdrawn by Dappa.
is a 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) area of open land that stretches to the east of Broom Avenue across to the back of Reddish Golf Course and over to the junction of Longford Road and Nelstrop Road.
In the 1970s it was designated as a country park by the council, but at the time it wasn't much more than a landfill
site that was formerly the site of the UCP tripe
factory, Jackson's brickworks, Levenshulme Dye and Bleach works and High Field Farm. The claypit formed by the extracted clay for the brickworks was much used by local children as a play area, known as "The Brickie".
Up until 2004 the park was jointly maintained by Manchester City Council
and a group of volunteers called The Friends of Highfield Park. In July 2004 the park came to the attention of the Prudential Grass Roots campaign (run by the BTCV
conservation charity). Over a 12 month period the park was transformed from a dreary, vandalised wasteland into a pleasant country park with a picnic area and mapped out country walks.
In the late 1920s and early 1930s Levenshulme Baths was used as a training pool for Longsight resident Sunny Lowry
, who, in 1933, was the first British woman to swim the English Channel
(from France to England).
In April 2008 the Manchester Evening News reported an 'outrage' by local mothers, over Levenshulme Baths hiring one of their two pools to a private naturist group Naked Swim one night a week. The criticism, with homophobic undertones, created an unprecedented amount of discussion on the MEN website much of it in support of the male-only naturist group.
" as it was gifted to the people of Levenshulme by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie
. The ceremonial laying of the first brick (in reality an engraved stone plaque) took place on 5 December 1903. The stone was laid by George Paulson in his role as Chairman of The Free Library Committee. The library actually opened its doors to the public in 1904. At the time the money was gifted there was a minor local furore as some Levenshulme residents expressed the opinion that it was "immoral" for the then Urban District Council to accept the money from Carnegie as they believed the money to be "tainted". This was allegedly due to Carnegie's suppression of trade unions in the United States.
Levenshulme is not the place one would regard as a centre of tourism but due to several reports in both local and national newspapers and on several internet blogs there now seems to be a trickle of tourists making visits to Levenshulme railway station
since the 'news' broke of "The Street with No Name".
The street the railway station is located on is 160 years old and 70 metres long yet has no official name and never has had one. In May 2007 as a benefit of a £5000 grant awarded to 'The Friends of Levenshulme Station' by the Awards For All lottery grants scheme, an unofficial road sign was erected at the entrance to the street. The sign gave the name of the street as "The Street With No Name". According to local residents the street had been informally called this for years and it seemed appropriate that it now had a sign so people could find it. The first sign was fitted approximately three feet from the floor and was stolen a short time later. The replacement was refitted 12 feet (3.7 m) above the road so as to discourage would-be thieves.
Officials from Manchester City Council
were reported to be investigating the option of the council adopting the street and giving it official status.
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, in North West
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
England. It borders Longsight
Longsight
Longsight is an area of Manchester, England, about south of the city centre. Its population is about 16,000.-History:Longsight has been known over the past for its gang related violence, similar to that of nearby Moss Side. Most of the violence came from tensions between 2 gangs; The Longsight...
, Gorton
Gorton
Gorton is an area of the city of Manchester, in North West England. It is located to the southeast of Manchester city centre. Neighbouring areas include Longsight and Levenshulme....
, Burnage
Burnage
Burnage is a neighbourhood of the city of Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire it was included in the county of Greater Manchester in 1974. It is about south of Manchester city centre, bisected by the busy dual carriageway of Kingsway, part of the A34...
, Heaton Chapel
Heaton Chapel
Heaton Chapel is an area in the northern part of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. It borders the Manchester districts of Levenshulme to the north, the Stockport districts of Heaton Moor to the west, Reddish and Heaton Norris to the east and Heaton Mersey to the west and south...
and Reddish
Reddish
Reddish is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It is north of Stockport and southeast of Manchester...
, and is approximately halfway between Stockport
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
and Manchester City Centre
Manchester City Centre
Manchester city centre is the central business district of Manchester, England. It lies within the Manchester Inner Ring Road, next to the River Irwell...
(approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) away) on the A6 road. The A6 bisects Levenshulme. The Manchester to London railway line passes through the district. Levenshulme railway station
Levenshulme railway station
Levenshulme railway station serves the Levenshulme area of the city of Manchester, England. The station is south east of Manchester Piccadilly towards Stockport....
is served by local trains along this line.
Historically
Historic counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
a part of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, Levenshulme is a former township
Township (England)
In England, a township is a local division or district of a large parish containing a village or small town usually having its own church...
and is predominantly residential with minimal industrial presence. The majority of its economy is generated via small retail establishments with a predominance of fast food shops, public houses and antique stores. It has a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic population and in the 2001 census it was determined that the population was 12,691.
History
The very early history is so obscure as to be virtually non-existent. Many of the nearby suburbs, such as WithingtonWithington
Withington is a suburban area of the City of Manchester, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies south of Manchester city centre, about south of Fallowfield, north-east of Didsbury, and east of Chorlton-cum-Hardy, near the centre-to-south edges of the Greater Manchester Urban Area; in the...
, Didsbury
Didsbury
Didsbury is a suburban area of the City of Manchester, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Mersey, south of Manchester city centre, in the southern half of the Greater Manchester Urban Area...
, Gorton
Gorton
Gorton is an area of the city of Manchester, in North West England. It is located to the southeast of Manchester city centre. Neighbouring areas include Longsight and Levenshulme....
etc., had a history of developing as villages, but for some reason Levenshulme did not. It has had several names over the millennia (according to East Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
expert Eilert Ekwall
Eilert Ekwall
Bror Oscar Eilert Ekwall , known as Eilert Ekwall, was Professor of English at Lund University, Sweden, from 1909 to 1942, and one of the outstanding scholars of the English language of the first half of the 20th century...
), including: in 1246 it was called "de Lewyneshulm", in 1322 "Levensholme" and in 1587 it was called "Lensom". The name itself is derived from a possessive version of a person's name, "Leofwine's" and "holm", a Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
term meaning island (usually in a lake or river). "Lywenshulme" also is referred to in the 1322 survey of Manchester and Collegiate Church charters refer to "Leysholme" (1556), "Lensholme" (1578) and "Lentsholme" (1635). The "Hulme" element is common in Manchester, and was pronounced "Oom", hence Levenshulme was traditionally "Levenzoom" to the residents.
The main A6, Stockport Road, dates from 1724 when a turnpike was built between Manchester and Stockport.
Legend has it that the famous Highwayman Dick Turpin
Dick Turpin
Richard "Dick" Turpin was an English highwayman whose exploits were romanticised following his execution in York for horse theft. Turpin may have followed his father's profession as a butcher early in life, but by the early 1730s he had joined a gang of deer thieves, and later became a poacher,...
regularly visited the Blue Bell Inn on Barlow Road which shares the name of his birthplace. There has been an inn on this site for 700 years. The current pub was built after the previous Blue Bell Inn was destroyed during a German bombing raid in the Second World War.
The typical housing of Levenshulme consists of terraced houses, the majority of whom were built circa 1880-1890. The style of houses are what are known colloquially as "two up-two downs". With a bedroom above each lower room, the house is bisected by a steep, narrow staircase. A kitchen was to the rear. Right up to the 1980s it wasn't uncommon for the original outside toilet (to the rear of the kitchen) to still be present, and some houses still had no bathroom or central heating.
The layout of the streets which contain these terraces are typical of the area and consist of grid layouts intersected with wide back entries which run the length of the terrace blocks at the rear and at each end of the block. This alley/back-entry layout is supposed to be because of an old by-law of the Levenshulme local authority that every terraced house had to have a front garden and allow access to the back door by a horse and cart to enable rubbish to be removed without the need enter the house.
These back entries are now generally considered to be a threat to home security. Accordingly Manchester City Council has, over recent years, helped residents by funding a "Gated Alley" response to the threat. When the majority of affected residents of a particular entry are in agreement the entries have iron gates set up at all ingress and egress points with all affected residents being issued a key.
Governance
Manchester and its districts had developed into what were referred to as the "Thirty Townships". Levenshulme was one of them and in 1865 got its own 'board' which shortly thereafter developed into an urban district council. Prior to the turn of the 20th century West Levenshulme was considered to be a "dormitory" for Manchester. This description eventually changed to one of "residential suburb" a decade or so later, but East Levenshulme was still primarily industrial in nature consisting mostly of print works, bleach works, dye works, and mattress works. In spite of the preponderance of industrial works there were also several farms, and the area around what is now Levenshulme High School was considered to be semi-rural right up until the 1920s.Up until the late 19th century Manchester's outlying townships had to supply their own amenities. This was becoming increasingly difficult for the urban councils to do and as a result there was a considerable difference in prices charged to the residents compared to the prices charged by Manchester itself. Manchester refused to alleviate these difficulties unless townships agreed to come under its control. As a result the townships slowly began to amalgamate into Manchester's rule. Along with Withington
Withington
Withington is a suburban area of the City of Manchester, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies south of Manchester city centre, about south of Fallowfield, north-east of Didsbury, and east of Chorlton-cum-Hardy, near the centre-to-south edges of the Greater Manchester Urban Area; in the...
, Levenshulme protested at the discrepancy of prices for gas in the city and for the outlying townships that were already supplied by Manchester. Nevertheless many of those townships arranged to get their electricity from Manchester, possibly in the hope that they would benefit from the city's plans to electrify the tram system when the existing lease with the Manchester Carriage and Tramways Company
Manchester Carriage and Tramways Company
The Manchester Carriage and Tramways Company was incorporated in 1880, the result of a merger of the Manchester Suburban Tramways Company and the Manchester Carriage Company, to provide horse-drawn tram services throughout Manchester and Salford, England, and surrounding districts...
was due to end in 1901. Along with Gorton, Levenshulme joined Manchester in 1909. The tramways were extended to serve Levenshulme before the start of World War I in 1914.
The ward boundaries of Levenshulme have been moved in recent ward reorganisations, and as a result large areas in the North and East of Levenshulme are now officially in the ward of Gorton South
Gorton South
Gorton South is a Local Government ward in the Gorton area of the City of Manchester. The current councillors are Peter Cookson , Julie Reid and Charles Glover . The area was previously represented by James Ashley who was Lord Mayor of Manchester at the time of his death in 2006...
, to the confusion and irritation of local residents. To the West areas historically regarded as Fallowfield
Fallowfield
Ladybarn is the part of Fallowfield to the south-east. Chancellors Hotel & Conference Centre is used by the University of Manchester: it was built by Edward Walters for Sir Joseph Whitworth, as were the Firs Botanical Grounds.-Religion:...
are now officially part of Levenshulme and Rusholme
Rusholme
-Etymology:Rusholme, unlike other areas of Manchester which have '-holme' in the place name is not a true '-holme'. Its name came from ryscum, which is the dative plural of Old English rysc "rush": "[at the] rushes"...
. The Levenshulme ward is represented in Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council is the local government authority for Manchester, a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. It is composed of 96 councillors, three for each of the 32 electoral wards of Manchester. Currently the council is controlled by the Labour Party and is led by...
by James Hennigan and Keith Whitmore
Keith Whitmore
Keith A. Whitmore is a British politician and current President of the Congress of the Council of Europe.-United Kingdom political career:...
(both Liberal Democrats), and Aftab Ahmed (Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
).
Levenshulme forms part of the wider Manchester Gorton UK Parliamentary constituency and is represented by Gerald Kaufman (Labour), who has held the seat since 1983.
Although there is some commercial expansion and increasing numbers of entertainment establishments, in some ways Levenshulme is still declining, an example being the reduction of publicly funded leisure facilities. As of September 2007, other than four parks (Greenbank Fields, Chapel Street Park, Cringle Park and Highfield Country Park) there is only a library and swimming pool that is council run.
Levenshulme also houses the Consulate of the Netherlands located at Apex House, 266 Moseley Road.
Demography
In 1830 Levenshulme had a population of 768.Levenshulme has an Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
population of approximately 7.0% which is twice the Manchester average, and as a consequence it is sometimes called 'County Levenshulme' in reference to the County structure in Ireland
Counties of Ireland
The counties of Ireland are sub-national divisions used for the purposes of geographic demarcation and local government. Closely related to the county is the County corporate which covered towns or cities which were deemed to be important enough to be independent from their counties. A county...
. Irish produce, including soda bread
Soda bread
Soda bread is a variety of quick bread traditionally made in a variety of cuisines in which sodium bicarbonate is used as a raising agent rather than the more common yeast. The ingredients of traditional soda bread are flour, bread soda, salt, and buttermilk...
, red lemonade
Red lemonade
Red lemonade is a popular soft drink in Ireland. Lemonade in Ireland comes in three varieties - red, brown and white. All three are lemon-flavoured, but there is a marked difference in taste between the varieties. Red lemonade is one of the most popular mixers used with spirits in Ireland,...
and Irish newspapers, can be bought in Levenshulme's shops, whilst local cafes serve up boiled bacon and cabbage
Bacon and Cabbage
Bacon and cabbage is a dish traditionally associated with Ireland. The dish consists of unsliced back bacon boiled with cabbage and potatoes. Sometimes other vegetables such as turnips, onions and carrots are also added...
, a traditional Irish dish. The demographics within the district are changing with increasing numbers of (mostly Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
) people of South Asian origin and a growing number of Africans, settling in Levenshulme. Over a third of the population belong to an ethnic minority. In recent times Levenshulme has also seen an influx of eastern Europeans moving into the area, bringing about Polish confectionery shops. Many students also rent accommodation in the area.
In the 2001 Census, the ethnic make up of Levenshulme was:
| Ethnic Group | Person count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White: British | 8625 | 65.12 |
| Asian/Asian-British: Pakistani | 1714 | 13.51 |
| White: Irish | 884 | 6.97 |
| White: Other | 301 | 2.37 |
| Black/Black-British: Caribbean | 300 | 2.36 |
| Asian/Asian-British: Indian | 185 | 1.46 |
| Asian/Asian-British: Other Asian | 161 | 1.27 |
| Mixed: White & Black Caribbean | 149 | 1.17 |
| Asian/Asian-British: Bangladeshi | 139 | 1.10 |
| Black/Black-British: African | 135 | 1.06 |
| Chinese | 110 | 0.87 |
| Mixed: White & Asian | 94 | 0.74 |
| Mixed: White & Black African | 77 | 0.61 |
| Other Ethnic Groups | 77 | 0.61 |
| Mixed: Other | 61 | 0.48 |
| Black/Black-British: Other Black | 39 | 0.31 |
Culture
Cyberculture
Cyberculture is the culture that has emerged, or is emerging, from the use of computer networks for communication, entertainment and business. It is also the study of various social phenomena associated with the Internet and other new forms of network communication, such as online communities,...
is rapidly growing and demonstrates that the area is embracing a 21st century lifestyle in a thriving mixed-culture environment. Despite these traits, the modern Levenshulme is still considered to be one of the most deprived areas of Manchester, and regeneration efforts are underway to address this problem. Local residents have recently formed the "Friends of Levenshulme" association in order to highlight some of the more acute socio-economic and environmental
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
concerns that Levenshulme faces.
There is a well organised, annual "Levenshulme Festival" which usually features 120+ multi-cultural events from firework displays to music concerts. The festival has been running since 1998.
The community radio station All FM
ALL FM
All FM is a local Community Radio station serving south, central and east Manchester and based in the South Manchester suburb of Levenshulme. The station is run by paid staff and volunteers living in its coverage area....
is based in Levenshulme.
Statistics
Levenshulme has a varied ethnic mix. According to the 2001 Census the breakdown by religion is:| Religion | Person count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Christian | 7196 | 56.7 |
| Muslim Muslim A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable... |
2126 | 16.74 |
| No religion | 2061 | 16.24 |
| Religion not stated | 1051 | 8.28 |
| Hindu Hindu Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion... |
101 | 0.80 |
| Other religions | 49 | 0.39 |
| Buddhist | 44 | 0.35 |
| Sikh Sikh A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"... |
37 | 0.29 |
| Jewish | 26 | 0.20 |
| Total | 12691 | 100 |
Places of worship
| Name | Address | Religion | Year built/Established |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Aidan's Orthodox Church | Clare Road | English Language Orthodox | |
| St Andrew's Church | Broom Avenue | Church of England Church of England The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St... |
|
| Levenshulme Baptist Church | Elmsworth Avenue | Baptist Baptist Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion... |
|
| Levenshulme Methodist Church | Stockport Road | Methodist | 13 May 1865 |
Methodism in Levenshulme has a history dating back to 1766 (based on financial records of The Methodist Society). In that time there have been five Methodist churches. Levenshulme Methodist Church (formerly Levenshulme New Wesleyan Chapel) is the only one to survive. |
|||
| Levenshulme United Reform Church | Grange Avenue | URC United Reformed Church The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:... |
|
| The Church has now been completely remodernised, the building being the center for Levenshulme Inspire, housing flats, cafes shops and community meeting space | |||
| Madina Mosque & UK Islamic Mission | Barlow Road | Muslim Muslim A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable... |
Islamic Centre opened c.1986 |
The Islamic Centre is housed in the building which was originally St Peter's School built in 1854 and closed in 1982. |
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| St Mark's Church | Barlow Road | Church of England Church of England The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St... |
Built 1908 |
St Mark's was declared a Grade II listed building on 6 June 1994. |
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| St Mary of the Angels & St. Clare RC Church | Elbow Street | Roman Catholic | |
| St Peters Church | Stockport Road | Church of England | Consecrated in 1860 |
In 1852 a donation of 1445 square yards of land and £500 was made to Levenshulme to build a church. The donation came from a member of a family known for generous donations for churches, Charles Carill-Worsley. St Peter's School (directly behind the church) was built in 1854 and was used initially as a temporary place for the congregation to worship. |
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Recreation and leisure
Arcadia Sports Centre
Located on Yew tree avenue,this sports facility is home to Manchester Roller Hockey Club. This is one of the oldest in England.Green Bank Fields
This park is a green area stretching between Manor Road in the north, Mount Road in the east and Barlow Road in the south and west. It is primarily open grass land but also houses an open-air, enclosed 5-a-side footballFive-a-side football
thumb|240px|alt=Men playing football on artificial grass pitch.|Five-a-side game on astroturf pitch.Five-a-side football is a variation of association football in which each team fields five players , rather than the usual eleven on each team. Other differences from football include a smaller...
pitch adjacent to the Mount Road exit.
Up until c.1920 the land that Green Bank Fields was on held a dairy farm called Green Bank Farm (Wolfenden's) and a small house called Botany Bay cottage. The entrance to the farm was originally where the main entrance to the park is now on Barlow Road adjacent to Byrom Parade shops.
Manchester City Council fomented a local controversy by selling off part of Mellands (GMPTE) Playing Fields, Gorton to Dappa Homes to build 149 houses. Dappa is obliged to replace the land they are using to build the homes. In May 2004 Dappa Homes submitted plans to build 3 football pitches, a clubhouse and surround the park with a 3 metre fence on Green Bank Fields. This would have had the effect of reducing the versatile open-space into a restricted use site. The plans were later withdrawn by Dappa.
Highfield Country Park
Highfield Country ParkHighfield Country Park
Highfield Country Park is a area of open land, situated on the east side of Levenshulme, Manchester, that stretches to the east of Broom Avenue across to the rear of Reddish Golf Course and to the junction of Longford Road, Reddish and Nelstrop Road, Levenshulme.Prior to 2004 the park was jointly...
is a 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) area of open land that stretches to the east of Broom Avenue across to the back of Reddish Golf Course and over to the junction of Longford Road and Nelstrop Road.
In the 1970s it was designated as a country park by the council, but at the time it wasn't much more than a landfill
Landfill
A landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...
site that was formerly the site of the UCP tripe
Tripe
Tripe is a type of edible offal from the stomachs of various farm animals.-Beef tripe:...
factory, Jackson's brickworks, Levenshulme Dye and Bleach works and High Field Farm. The claypit formed by the extracted clay for the brickworks was much used by local children as a play area, known as "The Brickie".
Up until 2004 the park was jointly maintained by Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council is the local government authority for Manchester, a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. It is composed of 96 councillors, three for each of the 32 electoral wards of Manchester. Currently the council is controlled by the Labour Party and is led by...
and a group of volunteers called The Friends of Highfield Park. In July 2004 the park came to the attention of the Prudential Grass Roots campaign (run by the BTCV
BTCV
BTCV is a British charitable organisation that works to facilitate environmental conservation through practical tasks undertaken by volunteers...
conservation charity). Over a 12 month period the park was transformed from a dreary, vandalised wasteland into a pleasant country park with a picnic area and mapped out country walks.
Swimming
Levenshulme Swimming Baths was built in the late 19th century and was formerly called "Levenshulme Public Baths and Washhouse" as it also housed the public washhouse at the side.In the late 1920s and early 1930s Levenshulme Baths was used as a training pool for Longsight resident Sunny Lowry
Sunny Lowry
Ethel "Sunny" Lowry MBE was the first British woman to swim the English Channel.Lowry, a student at Manchester High School for Girls and a keen swimmer from a young age, joined the Victoria Ladies Swimming Club of Victoria Baths, Longsight, Manchester...
, who, in 1933, was the first British woman to swim the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
(from France to England).
In April 2008 the Manchester Evening News reported an 'outrage' by local mothers, over Levenshulme Baths hiring one of their two pools to a private naturist group Naked Swim one night a week. The criticism, with homophobic undertones, created an unprecedented amount of discussion on the MEN website much of it in support of the male-only naturist group.
Library
Levenshulme library is a "Carnegie libraryCarnegie library
A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems...
" as it was gifted to the people of Levenshulme by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
. The ceremonial laying of the first brick (in reality an engraved stone plaque) took place on 5 December 1903. The stone was laid by George Paulson in his role as Chairman of The Free Library Committee. The library actually opened its doors to the public in 1904. At the time the money was gifted there was a minor local furore as some Levenshulme residents expressed the opinion that it was "immoral" for the then Urban District Council to accept the money from Carnegie as they believed the money to be "tainted". This was allegedly due to Carnegie's suppression of trade unions in the United States.
Education
| Name | Address | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Schools | ||
| Alma Park Primary School | Errwood Road | |
| Chapel Street Primary School | Chapel Street | |
| St Andrew's CofE Primary School | Broom Avenue | |
| St Mary's RC Primary School | Clare Road | |
| Secondary Schools | ||
| Levenshulme High School | Crossley Road | |
"The street with no name"
Levenshulme railway station
Levenshulme railway station serves the Levenshulme area of the city of Manchester, England. The station is south east of Manchester Piccadilly towards Stockport....
since the 'news' broke of "The Street with No Name".
The street the railway station is located on is 160 years old and 70 metres long yet has no official name and never has had one. In May 2007 as a benefit of a £5000 grant awarded to 'The Friends of Levenshulme Station' by the Awards For All lottery grants scheme, an unofficial road sign was erected at the entrance to the street. The sign gave the name of the street as "The Street With No Name". According to local residents the street had been informally called this for years and it seemed appropriate that it now had a sign so people could find it. The first sign was fitted approximately three feet from the floor and was stolen a short time later. The replacement was refitted 12 feet (3.7 m) above the road so as to discourage would-be thieves.
Officials from Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council is the local government authority for Manchester, a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. It is composed of 96 councillors, three for each of the 32 electoral wards of Manchester. Currently the council is controlled by the Labour Party and is led by...
were reported to be investigating the option of the council adopting the street and giving it official status.
Notable people
- The architect Norman FosterNorman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames BankNorman Robert Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank, OM is a British architect whose company maintains an international design practice, Foster + Partners....
was brought up in Levenshulme.
- Dad's ArmyDad's ArmyDad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show...
's "Captain Mainwaring", Arthur LoweArthur LoweArthur Lowe was a BAFTA Award winning English actor. He was best known for playing Captain George Mainwaring in the popular British sitcom Dad's Army from 1968 until 1977.-Early life:...
attended Chapel Street School.
- Actor Graeme HawleyGraeme HawleyGraeme Hawley is an English actor known for his role as John Stape in the British soap Coronation Street.-Career:He graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in 1996 with a degree in Drama before beginning his acting career in the theatre.He started his career off by performing on stage at...
who plays John Stape in Coronation StreetCoronation StreetCoronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
is a resident.
- Professor Terry Callaghan, who was a member of the Lead Authors of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate ChangeIntergovernmental Panel on Climate ChangeThe Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a scientific intergovernmental body which provides comprehensive assessments of current scientific, technical and socio-economic information worldwide about the risk of climate change caused by human activity, its potential environmental and...
which won the Nobel Peace PrizeNobel Peace PrizeThe Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
in 2007, together with Al GoreAl GoreAlbert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
. He was brought up in Levenshulme and went to Chapel St School and Burnage Grammar School. At 14 he struck up a friendship with Alec Cowan, (Councillor, Levenshulme Ward 2004-2010) and the two have remained friends ever since.
External links
- Levenshulme then and now: A personal view
- Levenshulme Festival website
- Levenshulme Community Association
- Levenshulme Churches
- Friends of Levenshulme
- Highfield Country Park
- Manchester City Council: Image library, containing 1420 images of Levenshulme (as of September 2007)