Gorton
Encyclopedia
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
.
A major landmark in Gorton is Gorton Monastery
, a Franciscan
19th-century High Victorian Gothic
monastery
.
to-day. The brook may have acquired that name because of the dirty appearance of its water, perhaps caused by discolouration due to peat or iron deposits.
In medieval times the district was a township of the ancient parish of Manchester
in the Salford Hundred
of Lancashire
.
Manchester City F.C.
was founded as St. Mark's (West Gorton) in 1880. The club was formed with the aim of binding the local community and to combat a form of gang warfare called scuttling
that existed during the 1870s. The rector's daughter, Anna Connell, is widely credited as the founder, however churchwarden William Beastow is believed to be the person who played the main part in creating sporting activities for the parish. In 1875 St.Mark's Cricket Club are known to have played and this evolved into the football club later in the decade. The first recorded football game was played in November 1880.
Gorton railway station
opened in 1842. In 1849 a locomotive works
was built for the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
, later the Great Central Railway
. It was known locally as the "Gorton Tank". It carried out repairs and major overhauls, producing new boilers and all LNER
castings. There was also a carriage and wagon works which had been built in 1881 which carried out light repairs. Both were closed in 1962. Gorton was also the home of the Beyer-Peacock
locomotive Company at Gorton Foundry, from 1854, until it closed in 1966. One of the company's partners, Richard Peacock
subsequently became Liberal M.P for Gorton in the 1885 general election.
houses around Gorton were demolished during the 1960s, and many people were moved to new overspill housing estates in other parts of the city. However, some people remained in Gorton and were placed in new council houses and flats.
Myra Hindley grew up in Gorton. She and Ian Brady lived there at the time of the first three Moors murders
, before moving to Hattersley
where they committed two further murders and were arrested in October 1965. Their first victim, Pauline Reade (who died in July 1963 aged 16, but whose body was not found for 24 years), was a Gorton resident as was fourth victim, Keith Bennett; last seen alive on 16 June 1964 aged 12. His body has yet to be found.
However the MIB press release of 24 September 2009 stated that Barkerend
in Bradford
was then the worst place for uninsured drivers with Manchester the second worst city (Liverpool being the worst). The MIB do not reveal checkable details of the methods used to calculate the figures.
source www.mib.org.uk
More recently some parts of Gorton have suffered from serious deprivation, which has resulted in high crime levels and burglary. The first four series of popular television series Shameless
, which is shown on Channel 4
was mainly filmed in West Gorton. The parade of shops used for filming in the initial series was built on the site of St. Mark's Church, Clowes Street – the birthplace of Manchester City F.C.
of Manchester was created in 1838 and elevated to a city in 1853. Part of Gorton township was included in the city in 1890. The remaining part of the township became an Urban District
of the administrative county
of Lancashire in 1894. A small part of the urban district was transferred to the city of Manchester in 1901 and the remaining area was fully incorporated into Manchester in 1909.
Gorton forms part of the Manchester Gorton parliamentary constituency
. The current MP
is the Rt Hon Sir
Gerald Kaufman
.
Gorton is split into two electoral wards – Gorton North
and Gorton South
.
, a Franciscan
, 19th-century High Victorian Gothic
Monastery. In recent years this has been renovated and has been secularised: it was previously derelict after the friars moved out. The parish left by the Friars came under the care of the Diocese of Salford. St Francis of Assisi RC Church on Textile Street, Gorton and Sacred Heart Church, Levenshulme Road, Gorton now form part of the RC Parish of Sacred Heart and St. Francis see www.catholicgorton.co.uk Also in Gorton is the Brookfield Unitarian Church
on Hyde Road, built by Richard Peacock
: see
In 2006, Manchester City Council started a multi-million-pound redevelopment of the Gorton District Shopping Centre. The small market and retail area was demolished and work started in late 2007 to construct a brand new market hall and a new Tesco Extra hypermarket on this site. In July 2008, the new Manchester Gorton Market Hall was opened to the public. The construction of the new hypermarket and neighbouring petrol station continued, and in late October 2008 the new Tesco Extra store opened its doors for trading on 27 October 2008. Further retail outlets are to be developed near this site along Hyde Road, such as a Subway
sandwich shop and Coral bookmarkers which opened next to the Tesco Extra in 2009.
Gorton is also home to the Greater Manchester Police, Tactical Firearms Unit based at Openshaw Police Station.
, who is perhaps best known for his role as Inspector Morse, was born in West Gorton. The painter Michael Gutteridge was also born in Gorton. The Gorton Morris Men were responsible for reviving the rushcart ceremony in Gorton.
Manchester City F.C.
were founded as St. Mark's (West Gorton) in 1880 and many of their footballers, such as Billy Meredith
and Tommy Johnson lived in the area. Meredith was married at St. Mark's Church and lived on Clowes Street itself for a while. The much less notable Abbey Hey F.C.
club is in Gorton; Gorton is the birthplace of former England and Manchester United footballer, Nicky Butt
. "Bouncing Billy Barker" was a local man who specialised in jumping feats. The former England and Lancashire
cricketer's Bob Berry
and Brian Statham
were both born in Gorton. Gorton has also been the birthplace of three Olympians
, Jeff Williams
a cyclist who went to the 1980 Olympics
, Thomas Evenson (athletics, silver medallist in the 3000 metres steeplechase at Los Angeles in 1932) and George Wilkinson
a former water polo
three time Olympic champion.
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 England
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...
. It is located to the southeast of 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...
. Neighbouring areas include 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...
and Levenshulme
Levenshulme
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 on the A6 road. The A6 bisects Levenshulme. The Manchester to London railway...
.
A major landmark in Gorton is Gorton Monastery
Gorton Monastery
The Church and Friary of St Francis, known locally as Gorton Monastery, is a 19th century former Franciscan friary in Gorton, in east Manchester, England. The Franciscans arrived in Gorton in December 1861 and built their friary between 1863 and 1867. The foundation stone for the church was laid in...
, a Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
19th-century High Victorian Gothic
High Victorian Gothic
High Victorian Gothic was an eclectic architectural style and movement during the mid-late 19th century. It is seen by architectural historians as either sub-style of the broader Gothic Revival style, or a separate style unto its own right....
monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
.
History
According to local folklore, Goreton derives its name "Gore Town" due to a battle between the Saxons and Danes nearby. This has been dismissed by historians as "popular fancy". The name Gorton means "dirty farmstead", perhaps taking its name from the Gore Brook, or dirty brook, which still runs through the townshipTownship (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...
to-day. The brook may have acquired that name because of the dirty appearance of its water, perhaps caused by discolouration due to peat or iron deposits.
In medieval times the district was a township of the ancient parish of Manchester
Manchester (ancient parish)
Manchester was an ancient ecclesiastical parish of the hundred of Salford, in Lancashire, England. It encompassed several townships and chapelries, including the then township of Manchester...
in the Salford Hundred
Salford (hundred)
The hundred of Salford was an ancient division of the historic county of Lancashire, in Northern England. It was sometimes known as Salfordshire, the name alluding to its judicial centre being the township of Salford...
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...
.
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
was founded as St. Mark's (West Gorton) in 1880. The club was formed with the aim of binding the local community and to combat a form of gang warfare called scuttling
Scuttlers
Scuttlers were members of neighbourhood-based youth gangs formed in working-class areas of Manchester, Salford, and the surrounding townships during the late 19th century...
that existed during the 1870s. The rector's daughter, Anna Connell, is widely credited as the founder, however churchwarden William Beastow is believed to be the person who played the main part in creating sporting activities for the parish. In 1875 St.Mark's Cricket Club are known to have played and this evolved into the football club later in the decade. The first recorded football game was played in November 1880.
Railways
Gorton railway station
Gorton railway station serves Gorton district of the city of Manchester, England. The station is on the Manchester-Glossop Line and the 4 km east of Manchester Piccadilly....
opened in 1842. In 1849 a locomotive works
Gorton locomotive works
Gorton Locomotive Works, known locally as Gorton Tank was located in Openshaw near Manchester, England and was completed in 1848 by the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway.- History :...
was built for the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
, later the Great Central Railway
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
. It was known locally as the "Gorton Tank". It carried out repairs and major overhauls, producing new boilers and all LNER
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
castings. There was also a carriage and wagon works which had been built in 1881 which carried out light repairs. Both were closed in 1962. Gorton was also the home of the Beyer-Peacock
Beyer-Peacock
Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway Locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Gorton, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer and Richard Peacock, it traded from 1854 until 1966...
locomotive Company at Gorton Foundry, from 1854, until it closed in 1966. One of the company's partners, Richard Peacock
Richard Peacock
Richard Peacock was an English engineer, one of the founders of locomotive manufacturer Beyer-Peacock.-Early life and education:...
subsequently became Liberal M.P for Gorton in the 1885 general election.
20th century
Most of the 19th-century VictorianVictorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
houses around Gorton were demolished during the 1960s, and many people were moved to new overspill housing estates in other parts of the city. However, some people remained in Gorton and were placed in new council houses and flats.
Myra Hindley grew up in Gorton. She and Ian Brady lived there at the time of the first three Moors murders
Moors murders
The Moors murders were carried out by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley between July 1963 and October 1965, in and around what is now Greater Manchester, England. The victims were five children aged between 10 and 17—Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey and Edward Evans—at least...
, before moving to Hattersley
Hattersley
Hattersley is a residential area within the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, in Greater Manchester, England. It is to the east of Hyde and 6 miles west of the Peak District National Park....
where they committed two further murders and were arrested in October 1965. Their first victim, Pauline Reade (who died in July 1963 aged 16, but whose body was not found for 24 years), was a Gorton resident as was fourth victim, Keith Bennett; last seen alive on 16 June 1964 aged 12. His body has yet to be found.
Social problems in Gorton
In 2006 the Motor Insurers' Bureau named West Gorton as the worst place in the UK for uninsured cars, with over six times the national average of drivers living there having no cover.However the MIB press release of 24 September 2009 stated that Barkerend
Barkerend
Barkerend is an inner-city area in the Bowling and Barkerend ward of the Bradford District, in the English county of West Yorkshire.Barkerend is located to the east of Bradford city centre....
in Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
was then the worst place for uninsured drivers with Manchester the second worst city (Liverpool being the worst). The MIB do not reveal checkable details of the methods used to calculate the figures.
source www.mib.org.uk
More recently some parts of Gorton have suffered from serious deprivation, which has resulted in high crime levels and burglary. The first four series of popular television series Shameless
Shameless
Shameless is a British television drama series set in Manchester on the fictional Chatsworth council estate. Produced by Company Pictures for Channel 4, the first seven-episode series aired weekly on Tuesday nights at 10pm from 13 January 2004...
, which is shown on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
was mainly filmed in West Gorton. The parade of shops used for filming in the initial series was built on the site of St. Mark's Church, Clowes Street – the birthplace of Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
Governance
The municipal boroughMunicipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
of Manchester was created in 1838 and elevated to a city in 1853. Part of Gorton township was included in the city in 1890. The remaining part of the township became an Urban District
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
of the administrative county
Administrative county
An administrative county was an administrative division in England and Wales and Ireland used for the purposes of local government. They are now abolished, although in Northern Ireland their former areas are used as the basis for lieutenancy....
of Lancashire in 1894. A small part of the urban district was transferred to the city of Manchester in 1901 and the remaining area was fully incorporated into Manchester in 1909.
Gorton forms part of the Manchester Gorton parliamentary constituency
Manchester Gorton (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester, Gorton is a parliamentary constituency in the city of Manchester, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-1885–1918:...
. The current MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
is the Rt Hon Sir
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Gerald Kaufman
Gerald Kaufman
Sir Gerald Bernard Kaufman is a British Labour Party politician, who has been a Member of Parliament since 1970, first for Manchester Ardwick, and then subsequently for Manchester Gorton...
.
Gorton is split into two electoral wards – Gorton North
Gorton North
Gorton North is a local government ward in the Gorton area of the City of Manchester. The ward contains Debdale Park, the former Gorton Tub swimming pool, and Belle Vue greyhound racing track. Politically, the area is dominated by the Liberal Democrats and Labour...
and 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...
.
Geography
Belle Vue is a locality within Gorton. West Gorton was included in the City of Manchester in 1890, whereas the remainder of Gorton was included only in 1909, thanks largely to the work of councillor Joseph Henry Williamson, then Chairman of Gorton Urban District Council.Landmarks
Gorton is home to Gorton MonasteryGorton Monastery
The Church and Friary of St Francis, known locally as Gorton Monastery, is a 19th century former Franciscan friary in Gorton, in east Manchester, England. The Franciscans arrived in Gorton in December 1861 and built their friary between 1863 and 1867. The foundation stone for the church was laid in...
, a Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
, 19th-century High Victorian Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
Monastery. In recent years this has been renovated and has been secularised: it was previously derelict after the friars moved out. The parish left by the Friars came under the care of the Diocese of Salford. St Francis of Assisi RC Church on Textile Street, Gorton and Sacred Heart Church, Levenshulme Road, Gorton now form part of the RC Parish of Sacred Heart and St. Francis see www.catholicgorton.co.uk Also in Gorton is the Brookfield Unitarian Church
Brookfield Unitarian Church
Brookfield Unitarian Church, Gorton, Manchester, is a Victorian Gothic church built between 1869–71. It was commissioned by Richard Peacock , engineer and Liberal MP for Manchester and designed by the prolific Manchester architect Thomas Worthington. The church cost Peacock £12,000. It was...
on Hyde Road, built by Richard Peacock
Richard Peacock
Richard Peacock was an English engineer, one of the founders of locomotive manufacturer Beyer-Peacock.-Early life and education:...
: see
In 2006, Manchester City Council started a multi-million-pound redevelopment of the Gorton District Shopping Centre. The small market and retail area was demolished and work started in late 2007 to construct a brand new market hall and a new Tesco Extra hypermarket on this site. In July 2008, the new Manchester Gorton Market Hall was opened to the public. The construction of the new hypermarket and neighbouring petrol station continued, and in late October 2008 the new Tesco Extra store opened its doors for trading on 27 October 2008. Further retail outlets are to be developed near this site along Hyde Road, such as a Subway
Subway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
sandwich shop and Coral bookmarkers which opened next to the Tesco Extra in 2009.
Gorton is also home to the Greater Manchester Police, Tactical Firearms Unit based at Openshaw Police Station.
Performing arts and sport
The Gorton Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1854 and is an amateur orchestra. The folk comedy group Gorton Tank were based in Gorton and were popular in the Manchester area. The actor John ThawJohn Thaw
John Edward Thaw, CBE was an English actor, who appeared in a range of television, stage and cinema roles, his most popular being police and legal dramas such as Redcap, The Sweeney, Inspector Morse and Kavanagh QC.-Early life:Thaw came from a working class background, having been born in Gorton,...
, who is perhaps best known for his role as Inspector Morse, was born in West Gorton. The painter Michael Gutteridge was also born in Gorton. The Gorton Morris Men were responsible for reviving the rushcart ceremony in Gorton.
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
were founded as St. Mark's (West Gorton) in 1880 and many of their footballers, such as Billy Meredith
Billy Meredith
William Henry "Billy" Meredith was a Welsh footballer. He was considered one of the early superstars of football due to his performances, notably for Manchester City and Manchester United. He won each domestic trophy in the English football league and also gained 48 caps for Wales, for whom he...
and Tommy Johnson lived in the area. Meredith was married at St. Mark's Church and lived on Clowes Street itself for a while. The much less notable Abbey Hey F.C.
Abbey Hey F.C.
Abbey Hey F.C. are an English association football club based in the Abbey Hey area of Gorton, Manchester. The club were founded in 1902 and were formerly known as Abbey Hey WMC.They have won the Manchester League on a number of occasions and currently play in the North West Counties Football...
club is in Gorton; Gorton is the birthplace of former England and Manchester United footballer, Nicky Butt
Nicky Butt
Nicholas "Nicky" Butt is an English footballer. He began his career with Manchester United and spent 12 years in their first-team before moving to Newcastle United in 2004. He spent one season on loan to Birmingham City in 2005–06...
. "Bouncing Billy Barker" was a local man who specialised in jumping feats. The former England and Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
cricketer's Bob Berry
Bob Berry (cricketer)
Robert Berry was an English cricketer. He played in two Tests in 1950. He played county cricket for Lancashire from 1948 to 1954, for Worcestershire from 1955 to 1958, and for Derbyshire from 1959 to 1962...
and Brian Statham
Brian Statham
John Brian "George" Statham, CBE was one of the leading English fast bowlers in 20th-century English cricket. Initially a bowler of a brisk fast-medium pace, Statham was able to remodel his action to generate enough speed to become genuinely fast...
were both born in Gorton. Gorton has also been the birthplace of three Olympians
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
, Jeff Williams
Jeff Williams (cyclist)
Jeffrey "Jeff" Williams is an English former professional road racing cyclist from Manchester. He rode for Great Britain at the Olympic Games, and won several national championship titles.-Cycling career:...
a cyclist who went to the 1980 Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
, Thomas Evenson (athletics, silver medallist in the 3000 metres steeplechase at Los Angeles in 1932) and George Wilkinson
George Wilkinson (water polo)
George Wilkinson was a British water polo player who competed in the 1900 Summer Olympics, in the 1908 Summer Olympics, and in the 1912 Summer Olympics he was in the Hyde Seal team when he won the Olympics. Hyde Seal are a manchester team.He was part of the British water polo team and won three...
a former water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
three time Olympic champion.