Hulme

[sjwmoore]

Originally Posted by chasedwar

Appartently they had searious cockroach problems, due to the under floor heating system.

Roaches were more of a problem (in my experience) over in Hulme 3 and 4 , ie Epping Walk and Otterburn Close areas rather than the crescents themselves, there was a lot of wood in these buildings for partitions etc which the roaches seemed to like, the crescents were far more robust and very concrete. In Harvington Walk my dad gave me some RAF insect killer, used to spray cargo aircraft returning from tropical areas. We sprayed the downstairs and went upstairs for an hour. The horror of what was in the living room when we went back dowm! the place was alive, hoovered over 1000 of the f**kers and slung them down the rubbish chute. They never really came back in force, so the stuff must have lingered.

The crescents were heated by a blown air system, there was a number of huge fans on the roof, which sucked in air and then it could be heated and blown thru vents around your flat. Only the brave or foolhardy used it, as it was full of asbestos, electric fires were all the rage

[chasedwar]

sjwmoore that wud explain why you cough blood and glow in the dark!

[chasedwar]

home time dudes, time to join the rat race (at snails pace) on the M60 ring road from stretford to Denton island.

[Butterfield]

Excellent pictures in this thread

I remember visiting my brother circa 1996 who was at college in Manchester at the time and we drove round Hulme to take in the, erm, "views". It certainly made for an interesting trip!

I remember seeing the crescents and being absolutely amazed at just how horrific the area was. Gypsies/travellers caravans and Ford Transits were parked in the centre of the crescents which if I remember rightly were in the process of being demolished. I haven't seen anywhere quite like it since. I remember some of them were painted brightly over the dull concrete - it was all a bit Bronx like!

Although it was an appalling area, I'm glad I was able to see how it was back then as a part of post war British history. I understand the area has changed a lot since then - for the better I hope

[Butterfield]

Originally Posted by sjwmoore

Just look at those "skywalks"!!

This is kinda how I remember it, with all the travellers caravans in the middle where the white car is.

[ForeverSalfordRed]

Looks like somewhere in Russia.

[skymann]

Originally Posted by Richmond_Michael

omg how disturbing!!! - people actually lived there? eww!

I lived at 74 Harvington Walk. It was great for students, but not much fun for real residents. The Crescents were wild though. Had a place called the Kitchen which was like 5 flats knocked thru illegally to make one super apartment/music studio/club. Had some great times there, then to the Hacienda after. Mcr was maybe a bit more Bohemian then, but the new Hulme is far far better. Old Hulme was full of brutalist design that even the Communist Block would have shuddered at.

[Richmond_Michael]

Im in halls and i have an en-suit/Security/cleaner/receptionist - sunbeds - retro games room - Bar - and car parking! im glad i wasn't a student in the 80-90's, how did you cope?

[Farsight]

What a fucking waste. A shite area, zillions spent on blocks of flats, then it all turns to shite again, then zillions again.

[sjwmoore]

Originally Posted by skymann

I lived at 74 Harvington Walk. It was great for students, but not much fun for real residents. The Crescents were wild though. Had a place called the Kitchen which was like 5 flats knocked thru illegally to make one super apartment/music studio/club. Had some great times there, then to the Hacienda after. Mcr was maybe a bit more Bohemian then, but the new Hulme is far far better. Old Hulme was full of brutalist design that even the Communist Block would have shuddered at.

So, a near neighbour for a while! Went to John Nash in 89. That Kitchen place was such a fire hazard, remember how cramped it was , no one could have escaped in an emergency, wild times. Dont forget the PSV, I thought it was ok, and was able to use as a late night offy, as bouncers knew i was ok

[sjwmoore]

If anyone wants a PDF map of Hulme, mid 80s, A1, 1:1750 scale, let me know.

[skymann]

Originally Posted by sjwmoore

So, a near neighbour for a while! Went to John Nash in 89. That Kitchen place was such a fire hazard, remember how cramped it was , no one could have escaped in an emergency, wild times. Dont forget the PSV, I thought it was ok, and was able to use as a late night offy, as bouncers knew i was ok

You didn't even need a spliff to get stoned in the PSV. Just stand in the upstairs room for about 10 mins. It was a laugh though. I remember they did a recording at the Hac for the "Born in the North" album. Sounds pretty crass now. The album was quite good as well. Got knows where I put it. Do you think maybe Manchester lost some of its rawness, when they knocked down places like Hulme??

[Bim]

You know as disgusting as they look...i would've liked to have been old enough to have walked round the area and just experienced the place.
It just looks so distant from everything in Manc now that it would've been interesting to see if it felt like Manc or a foreign country.
Well...i get what i mean anyway.

Then again...it looks so scary and dangerous that i don't know if i would dare too given the chance!

[highriser]

Bim , beleive me you would not have liked it, the Cresent's , Fort Ardwick and Fort Beswick were fucking horrible, Manchester became a better place when they ripped them down

[Bim]

Yeah i guessed that would be a dominant response!
My mum and dad have said the same thing...she worked across the road from one of them as a nursery nurse 20 odd years ago you see.

[hopo]

have to say fellas that iv jus stumbled across this thread an im loving it... most intresting. iv always had a facination with this type of architecture but Hulme went b4 my time. just wondering if anyone has anymore pics of the area. part of tha facination is with the graffiti.

i rite myself an im sorry to say that i missed out, hulem was one of the centres of europe for it. people would come from all over europe and even the world to paint there, acres of concrete perfect for it. graffiti was always a problem there, the writers were just to hot for the authorities an wen the estate was condemed they jus let the graff take over.. briliant! some truly amazing stuff down there, an u have to remember that this is early stuf rite on the back of the hip hop craze in New York.. manchester was cutting it. was just wondering if anyone had any pictures of the time area and its condition. kelzo used to write there an tho i havent seen him in long time i tink he still lives there, he used to be in ICA, inner city artists and was a forerunner of it all, he now has his own clothing label and is pretty succesfuly thru graffiti, theres a few flics on his site its www.urbandamage.co.uk

[b4mmy]

I used to go to the Russell Club/PSV on Royce Road. Is it still there, anyone got any pictures of it... or are they further down the thread... cheers!

[The Longford]

I have fond memories of The Crescents (but i didnt have to live there!).
The Kitchen was always fun. Does anyone remember the early version of The Kitchen which was in two of the lock up garages that were all round the outside of The Crescents.
Even though it was only a 10 minute walk from the Hac i always seemed to get distracted on the way to The Kitchen and rarely made it - but i was usually under the influence of mind expanding substances that would make watching paint dry interesting.
I have vivid memories of standing on the top walkway on a misty morning watching the sun rise over a skyscraper free city skyline.
Halcyon days!

[skymann]

Originally Posted by b4mmy

I used to go to the Russell Club/PSV on Royce Road. Is it still there, anyone got any pictures of it... or are they further down the thread... cheers!

My old flat was opposite the PSV. It was a great club. Talk about our smoking ban, you got High in there just from all the draw being smoke. There was more spliffs than normal cigs, I swear. The building came down yonks ago and the site now has apartments.

The Kitchen was fantastic too. I was lucky enough not only to go there for fun, but did some recording there too. I suppose Bohemian Manchester has moved to the North Quarter, but Hulme was a very interesting place in the 80s. It couldn't stay like that and it looked ugly as hell. I know many forumers dislike the new Hulme, but I think it's OK. Though Manchester has lost something special, it has gained a lot more with the redevelopment.

[rolybling]

Originally Posted by hopo

have to say fellas that iv jus stumbled across this thread an im loving it... most intresting. iv always had a facination with this type of architecture but Hulme went b4 my time. just wondering if anyone has anymore pics of the area. part of tha facination is with the graffiti.

i rite myself an im sorry to say that i missed out, hulem was one of the centres of europe for it. people would come from all over europe and even the world to paint there, acres of concrete perfect for it. graffiti was always a problem there, the writers were just to hot for the authorities an wen the estate was condemed they jus let the graff take over.. briliant! some truly amazing stuff down there, an u have to remember that this is early stuf rite on the back of the hip hop craze in New York.. manchester was cutting it. was just wondering if anyone had any pictures of the time area and its condition. kelzo used to write there an tho i havent seen him in long time i tink he still lives there, he used to be in ICA, inner city artists and was a forerunner of it all, he now has his own clothing label and is pretty succesfuly thru graffiti, theres a few flics on his site its www.urbandamage.co.uk

I know Kelzo and used to know all those ICA chaps, he still lives in Hulme, don't think he'll ever move from there.