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Arts & Crafts Awakening project meeting 6pm Thursday 11th February

Painting by the late Colin Gilbert

We had a great meeting on the evening of Thursday 11th, with an excellent turnout. Fortified by pizza, cheese and biscuits and cake, we worked through the upcoming activities and plans, not least the planning of September Golden Cluster Month. With the establishment of the not-for-profit company, tACT (the Arts & Crafts Trust) last year, Middleton Heritage is now developing new areas of community heritage activity, conservation and research. Rupert Hilton gave us an update on the Redcroft restoration, which is finishing very soon. As the scaffold is wrapped in plastic sheeting, we can’t wait to see the result when it all comes off.  We also discussed some of the other up and coming THI grant schemes, not least the one for the Middleton Edgar Wood Centre, at the former Long Street Methodist Sunday School! Because of the excellent communication among group members, we are moving to a quarterly formal meeting to free up time for these new things.

CLICK HERE for a  wonderful set of photographs of the restored studio, opposite the Watts Gallery (illustrated), which became the home of Victorian artist Frederic Watts and his wife, designer Mary Watts, in 1891.

Work on a new £3m million wing for Gorton Monastery is to begin next month.

It is hoped the new eco-friendly front wing will be complete by the end of this year, allowing The Monastery of St Francis & Gorton Trust to expand and extend its facilities.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

A statue of the suffragette activist, Emmeline Pankhurst, who was born in Moss Side, is expected to be unveiled on International Women’s Day in 2019 – she is the first woman to receive the tribute in Manchester for more than 100 years.

MEN Report HERE

Alkrington Garden Village was a world pioneer in garden city planning and whether parts of it should be made a conservation area have been mooted a few times in recent years, especially among heritage enthusiasts.

Middletonians are not the only ones looking at such places and a street in Cambridge is now pressing ahead to get conservation area status after an initiative by its residents.

Compare the photos of the street in Cambridge to Alkrington’s streets. You may be surprised at how well Manchester New Road, Alkrington Green, Mount Road  (pictured) and the two crescents compare to the Cambridge street. Which is better? You be the judge! Click Here to View the report and photos.

Crusader Works listed mill complex is sold to a developer for £25m renovation. The listed mill and artists complex on Chapeltown Street behind Picadilly Station is to be developed. MEN Story HERE.

Photo:www.geograph.org.uk