160 years ago, President Abraham Lincoln sent a letter to the ‘working men of Manchester’, acknowledging their ‘sublime Christian heroism, which has not been surpassed in any age or in any country’. These words are now memorialised at the foot of the Lincoln statue, sculpted by George Grey Bernard, which stands in recently-remodelled Lincoln Square […]
The production and drinking of ale can be traced back 4,000 years to the first harvesting of barley. Since then, ale has gone from uniting warrior tribes to becoming an essential element of pub culture. Ale was produced on a domestic scale throughout the Middle Ages. As a result, an estimated 1 in 5 houses […]
The issue of Human Rights is both a timeless conundrum and a recent addition to the international discourse. Arguments over what can and cannot be done to any man, woman or child date back to ancient Greece, with Aristotle proposing there are varying classes of human, each with individual duties to the protection of body […]
For some people the feeling of success can only be achieved after completing a monumental and gruelling task, the ecstasy is sweeter when the aim is that much harder. How else can you explain the agony extreme travellers go through if not in terms of the self-fulfilment they must feel on completion of their dreams? […]
“A world that has produced a Mozart is a world worth saving” was the grand declaration of Franz Schubert, and it is true that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart made his mark on history in a way that few other composers have equalled. By any measure, Mozart stands as one of the greatest musical composers of all […]
From the romantic era of the steam locomotive, the Orient Express retains a place in popular imagination, known for its luxury and mysticism, it has become legendary. The service was operated by the French company, Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. Inaugurated in 1883, the service ran continuously until 2009, except for interruptions caused by the First […]
Manchester in the 19th and 20th century was a hub of activism, a city which witnessed the mobilisation of marginalised groups who were striving for better lives. The National Society for Women’s Suffrage (NUWSS) was founded in 1867 by Manchester-born Lydia Becker; as the first national organisation dedicated to women’s suffrage, the society was fundamental […]
Dr Sasha Handley and Dr Paul Oldfield are two out of eight new, permanent staff in the History department. Between them, their research ranges from medieval Sicily to pilgrimages in the Middle Ages, and from ghosts in the 18th century to sleep habits. However, their roles within the University are not simply academic: both have […]
Without any parliamentary notice, the disgusting ‘Contagious Diseases Act’ was suddenly passed in 1864. Effectively ‘legalising’ prostitution and placing it under police control, it allowed the stop and search of any woman suspected of being a prostitute. Such a ‘search’ included a bodily examination, totally violating and humiliating anyone forced to participate. Despite vocal opposition […]
“Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. You are a plague, and we are the cure”. Agent Smith’s words to Morpheus echo in the Matrix-inspired, Danny Boyle-directed play, Free Your Mind, which claims to depict a world where humans are enslaved by algorithms. Yet, the play refrains from accusing those behind these […]
This article is a contribution from our recent collaboration with pupils at Cedar Mount Academy. Olive Morris is one of the most influential people in black Mancunian history. In her pre-activist life, she was always one to not conform to society’s expectations. For example, she would go for a ‘queer revolutionary soul sister look’ – […]
‘What is the city but the people?’ This was the opening line of the “City Speaks” movie that I went to see as part of the Manchester Histories Festival. It is Manchester’s civic film from 1947 and describes the rich history of Manchester both industrially and socially. Manchester was described as being the ‘cradle of […]
Solstice occurs in June and December, and marks the longest and shortest days of the year, as well as the change of season. It is commonly associated with the ancient European Druids, but many global cultures also hold these times of year as periods of spirituality. ‘Solstice’ means ‘sun stands still’, and hence it has […]
This article will argue that although there were many reasons for the Iranian Revolution, the main cause was fundamentally Shi’ite religion and the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini in sustaining and succeeding with the revolution. There are other causes to consider when analysing the revolution. By the late 1970s, monarchies were fading around Europe and the […]
