11 nostalgic photos showing how we used to shop in Manchester - from Kendals to the fish van
In the days before Uber Eats and Tesco online, the door-to-door fish man had our home delivery needs covered - and department stores were still the height of sophistication.
First it was the rise of the supermarkets, then came the trend for getting everything delivered to our doorsteps.
Manchester is still a prime hub for retail and shopping enthusiasts, but it’s hard to think of a time when our independent shops and high streets have faced bigger challenges than in the last two years.
However, it wasn’t always this way, of course. We took the opportunity to celebrate some famous Manchester retail institutions and traditions with a nostalgic look back at how we used to shop in generations gone by.
1. Fish to your door
Fish sellers in the streets of Manchester, 1920.
Photo: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images
2. Window shoppers
Outside Kendals in Deansgate, August 1931
Photo: J. A. Hampton/Topical Press Agency/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
3. Ready for Christmas
A worker mixing nuts for Christmas at Manchester Market in 1932
Photo: Fox Photos/Getty Images
4. Browsing the day away
Shoppers in Manchester, August 1931.
Photo: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images