The Guardian Newspaper began its life in 1821 as The Manchester Guardian, and was based in that northern city until moving to London in 1976. Over the decades, it has acquired a vast library of photos, taken by staff photographers and also freelancers selling to the newspaper. These are some of the photos of Manchester from that archive, taken between 1954 and 1959.
(All photos copyright of The Guardian Newspaper)
The busy shopping district of Market Street.
Excited children rush into the newly-opened playground of Philips Park.
Young couples enjoying a Summer day out in Parsonage Gardens.
Children playing in an abandoned car, Moss Side.
Rush hour traffic jam, Chester Road.
A child offering an ice lolly to a goose. Pets Corner, Platt Fields.
Manchester Grammar School boys attempting to view a total eclipse of the Sun.
Preparing for Summer season at the boating lake, Platts Fields.
Children playing in an area being demolished.
This workman is enjoying a beer after the completion of The Samuel Grating Building, Quay Street.
I enjoyed this, especially the young couples and the children rushing to the new playground. Thank you, Pete.
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Nothing like a new playground to energise post-war children, Jennie.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Yes, indeed. Best to you, Pete.
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A big city always has great advantages and also disadvantages. I love it to find new impressions around every corner. Thanks for sharing, Pete! xx Michael
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Glad you liked the photos, Michael.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Reblogged this on https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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* The children rushing into the newly-opened playground of Philips Park reminds me of adults rushing into Walmart on Black Friday (which I’ve always avoided like the plague.)
* Those children are future car mechanics.
* Do those guys paddle their kids at home?
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Yes, the rushing children went on to become ‘First day of the sale’ experts! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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I’ve stayed in Manchester quite a few times, and have always liked the architecture there – old buildings interspersed with the new.
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I haven’t been back there since the early 1970s. I remember the huge estates on the edges of the city, quite bleak and forbidding. (The same can be said about London of course.)
Best wishes, Pete.
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Last time I was there it was to see Queen and Adam Lambert play at the Arena. The weather was atrocious. Our hotel was around 15 floors up and we had a good view over the city.
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I am not at all sure I would drink a beer where that fellow situated. Warmest regards, Ed
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Not a good place to imbibe alcohol, I agree.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I never went to Manchester. They produced a lot of musicians. Why did the Guardian move? That was interesting. Yes definitely a post war feel about them pics.
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The Guardian realised that it had to be in London to deal with the major breaking news stories. It still does that, to this day.
You didn’t miss much in Manchester, it was bleak back then.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Nice set!
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I thought so. Glad you liked them.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Great pictures, Pete. A time when peace came to the UK.
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Yes, post-war euphoria that I remember so well as a child in London.
Best wishes, Pete.
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What a different world from the one we have now. Thank you
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My childhood in London looked much the same as life in these photos, Janet.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Born in 1946 mine was much the same in Kent…a different world.
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But like me, (1952) you are still young at heart and full of life, Janet. x
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Oh my goodness yes…Age is just a number:)
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Great pics. I love the last one of the chap with his beer atop the scaffolding. And the infant offering its lolly to the goose. I remember being very taken with a goose like that. I’ve always wondered if it ended up on someone’s dinner table 😦
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Glad you enjoyed the photos, Carolyn.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I love the children rushing the new playground.
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Yes, we can sense their excitement.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Classic photos of a simpler time…
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That was my initial thought as well, John.
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Yes, my own childhood, John. It was simpler, but also very happy.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Wonderful picture finds, Pete
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Glad you enjoyed them, Robbie.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I love the new playground excitement
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Post-WW2, it must have seemed like a dream come true.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Always quite amusing to see kids playing out without supervision in potentially dangerous situations: I’m sure most of the time they were perfectly alright. Cheers, Jon.
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I did it all the time, and survived! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Same here; a few cuts & scrapes, but no broken bones 😉
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More great B&W slices to history…..nice collection chuq
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Thanks, chuq. I am always trying to find them.
Best wishes, Pete.
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You do a marvelous job finding these….keep up the good work chuq
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