A new monthly meetup aims to celebrate the history of often overlooked places in Manchester: Gorton and the former Belle Vue Zoological Gardens. The first talk takes place this Thursday, at the very apropos venue of Gorton Monastery, the area’s distinctive 19th century building. The main focus will be the Victorian era, when area’s the fields and farms were overtaken by an explosion of industry. Also at this time, the Zoological Gardens opened, which grew rapidly to include an amusement park, music hall, speedway, and circus. Formerly one of the most popular entertainment destinations in the UK, it closed its doors in the early 1980s after years of decline. These afternoons will include the opportunity to share your own memories of Belle Vue and Gorton. There’s no need to book tickets, just a small fee payable on the day, which includes entrance to the Monastery after the event.
Monthly, from Thu 7 Sep, Gorton Monastery, 89 Gorton Lane, Manchester, M12 5WF, Tel: 0161 223 3211, 1pm – 3pm, £3/£2 (conc.), www.themonastery.co.uk/event
- Words:
- A. James Simpkin
- Published on:
- Thu 7 Sep 2017
