Collyhurst, Manchester, Then & Now.

‹ Return to

Collyhurst, Manchester, Then & Now.

Photo taken after the Luftwaffe air raid on Manchester of 2nd June 1941. This is Fitzgeorge Street in Collyhurst.

The bomb fell at the bottom of the embankment, taking out the houses on the left.

The houses on the other side of the viaduct and at the end of the street have all since been demolished as have the mill just visible at the left edge of the original photo (below) and the chimney visible through the arch. The cellars underground are all that remain.

From what I can gather from the casualty lists, no-one was killed here.

It’s not clear what’s going though. Possibly the Policeman is recovering chairs from one of the bombed out houses? And the children on the ground could be from one of those houses?

Google maps link
maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll=53.496836,-2.226018&a…

Just 120 metres south along the railway line from here, St Oswalds School in Gorton Street was hit for the second time; a bomb had previously landed right next to the school on 7th October 1940.

This is on the Manchester – Bury line, between Victoria and Woodlands Road.

Original photo used with kind permission of Greater Manchester Police.

The original photo used with kind permission of Greater Manchester Police.

Fitzgeorge Street After a Raid

36 comments on “Collyhurst, Manchester, Then & Now.
  1. Ian D B says:

    The original photo used with kind permission of Greater Manchester Police.

    Fitzgeorge Street After a Raid

  2. stiemer says:

    Fantastic ghost, very interesting.

  3. southseadave says:

    Very clever composition Ian. Informative too.

  4. fleabo says:

    you waited for a train to pass 🙂 I should have a go at something like this, they are excellent.

  5. nondesigner59 says:

    Another superb piece of work, well done.

  6. pasujoba says:

    It wasnt a bomb ,but I remember as a kid a railway bridge made of red brick collapsing across the road in Rochdale near the baths …..it looked a lot like this .
    Another great peice of work Ian. There really is a book in this hobby folk cannot get enough of what things were like shots …..theres loads of books of Tod and they do alright …so a few specifically about the Manchester blitz done in this style would surely work .

  7. crusader752 says:

    Just marvellous Ian – [http://www.flickr.com/photos/pasujoba44] is right – go for it.
    Love the feel of this too with the modern world carrying on, seemingly unaware of what had gone on before. It s almost as though you want to call out to the guy in blue to stop for just a moment and help the policeman with the chairs 😉

  8. Mark McKie says:

    Very well done, Ian.

  9. Ian D B says:

    [http://www.flickr.com/photos/stiemer] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/southseadave] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/markmckie] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/kingfleab] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/29288836@N00] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/nondesigner] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/pasujoba44] Thanks very much guys, appreciated. A book? Yeah, it has been mentioned but as with the air crash sites Paul, I am not sure where to start. Besides, copyright might be an issue. The photos I use are either with permission (as above) or for non-profit use with a creative commons licence. Besides, people can see them here for free! [http://www.flickr.com/photos/29288836@N00] That’s what I am aiming for with these photos, hence the inclusion of the tram and the man in blue, who was a surveyor, he told me about the cellars still being underground and added that in a couple of weeks the whole area would be fenced off so civil engineering work could start so I got there at just the right time!

  10. Keartona says:

    I don’t know how you manage to combine the photos so well but you do with every one you have shown us.
    Just makes you feel how closely the past and present are linked.

  11. Kingsdude/Dave says:

    These then/now pictures are fantastic Ian – very well done and with great stories too, a great way to bring history to life 🙂

  12. bill_fawcett says:

    Brilliant work again Paul – researching the incident and compositing the old and new into one view! Wonder if the viaduct or the factory was the aiming point for the bombs?

  13. **PhillR** says:

    Great series….keep them coming

  14. Marty 1955 ... says:

    Oh wow !!!! this is just superb Ian ….what a fantastic job you have done here mate …..

    Love the work…and the research …..

  15. RodtheRhodie says:

    I like what you’ve done here Ian

  16. rob of rochdale says:

    You are a clever bugger!

    Magic stuff Ian, I do like these montages

  17. salfordlad1 says:

    These just get better Ian – I love local history and read lots of stuff on Salford..these are putting a different slant on that now as we are avble to relate to them more – just looking forward to a Salford ‘now and then’, anywhere around Eccles new road / Cross lane – I’m not pushing you mind 😉

  18. mick cooke says:

    brilliant work ian , great work once again from you

  19. gastephen says:

    nice work Ian

  20. Reflective Kiwi %-) says:

    What a delightful montage Ian… I love the way you do this! %-)
    Thanks for your research and sharing as always! %-)

  21. amyrey says:

    Another gem….

  22. Steph C Kay says:

    Brilliant yet again. As one of your earlier commenters said, you show us just how close the past and present are with these pics. And as always, the enjoyment of the real-life stories behind them. Such a special talent Ian 😀

  23. Tech Owl says:

    More superb work Ian – so interesting how things change

  24. michele ciavarella says:

    Another woanderful work, dear Ian: children are a sign of hope. Now they are old like the original picture of bombing, but I think maybe…they could have been the makers of town rebuilding and promoters of peace…

  25. Billy Currie says:

    great mix again, oh home times have changed

  26. erwlas says:

    Brilliant work Ian.

  27. stopherjones says:

    Another great then and now shot, perfectly blended and with great human interest to tell the story.

  28. GadgetHead says:

    An interesting piece of work.

  29. Highy says:

    Great work again mate, love these blended then and now shots, as Kingsdude says they’re bringing history alive.

    Flickr’s not showing all your pics up my contacts for some reason again.

  30. cgullz says:

    really like this blended image, i think it’s because there is smaller hints of the modern bits [from past ones you’ve done] .. the scene is set with the older pic first and then the modern bits suddenly noticed. makes it interactive? either way, the concept is ingenious.

  31. Dirk Bruin says:

    Nicely done, Ian!

  32. Normanbongo says:

    I agree with Rob – You are a clever bugger. This is great work and very original. Thanks!

  33. Misses Davies says:

    This is soo very moving, I really find your work impressive !

  34. Ian D B says:

    [http://www.flickr.com/photos/27955898@N07] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/davel59] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill_fawcett] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/phillr] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/easy1955] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rodtherhodie] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/longsidepies] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/25305713@N04] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/mick_cooke_wildlife] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/gastephen] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/32955908@N04] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/amybigkiss] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephkay] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/cachelog] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/micheleciavarella] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/billycurrie] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/erwlas] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/stopherjones] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/5972] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/highy] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/angwickham] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/dirk_bruin_vlieland] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/grahambeck] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/57552424@N06]

    Thanks very much for all the feedback everyone, it is what keeps me doing stuff like this. It is good when it all comes together.
    [http://www.flickr.com/photos/25305713@N04]
    Wilf I shall take a look at those parts of Salford. I have a good book on the Salford Blitz…
    [http://www.flickr.com/photos/micheleciavarella]
    Grazie Michel, i figli della guerra, ci hanno reso quello che siamo oggi.
    [http://www.flickr.com/photos/angwickham] To be honest Ang I got a bit carried away, was erasing a bit here, a bit there and when I had finished and uploaded it I thought, There’s bugger all left of my photo! Oh well.

  35. Elsie says:

    My uncle who was seventeen at the time witnessed it,he was running to Fitzgeorge Street during the raid to check on his Granny and auntie when it dropped , fortunately he took cover just in time .

Leave a Reply to Ian D B Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*