The streets of Manchester city centre are full of reminders of the place’s past - and many of those memories are captured in the streets which are named after well-known people.
From merchants living when William Shakespeare was alive to wealthy landowners and engineers when the Industrial Revolution brought prosperity to Manchester, and from scientists to entertainers and figures from the world of arts and culture, many roads in the city bear the names of prominent Mancunians.
It’s a tradition which continues today, with eminent locals being remembered in roads near Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium and in areas such as the redeveloped First Street neighbourhood.
Anyone who wants to take a deep dive into why Manchester’s streets have the names they do should check out LD Bradshaw’s fascinating book Origins of Street Names in the City Centre of Manchester.
In the meantime, we’ve had a look at 10 streets and the people who they are named after.
1. Oldham Street
Oldham Street, which runs through the heart of the Northern Quarter, is not named because of the Greater Manchester town eight miles north east of the city but for a local feltmaker called Adam Oldham who had his business here in the late 18th century. Photo: Google Maps Photo: Google Maps
2. Whitworth Street
Edwardian city centre road Whitworth Street is named after Joseph Whitworth, an engineer and entrepreneur whose inventions included an early type of sniper rifle. Photo: Google Maps Photo: Google Maps
3. Lever Street
It’s sometimes assumed that Lever Street commemorates barrister and politician Harold Lever, but in fact the name is much older than his lifetime. It was known as Lever’s Row by the late 1790s and it is likely it is named after Ashton Lever, who was known for amassing a huge collection of natural objects. Photo: Google Maps Photo: Google Maps
4. John Dalton Street
John Dalton Street is named after a renowned scientist whose achievements include introducing atomic theory into chemistry and researching colour blindness. Photo: Google Maps Photo: Google Maps