THEN & NOW ST ANN’S SQUARE

Welcome to Then and Now, where each week we compare images of Manchester streets, landmarks and buildings from bygone days with how they look today

THIS week our main image shows St Ann’s Square in 1900. It was a chic and fashionable place to shop then, just as now.

High class boutiques already nestled among imposing buildings in the city’s most prestigious retail area.

Men looked resplendent in their top hats and walking canes, while women wore long dresses and bonnets under a Victorian gas lamp.

Horse-drawn hansom cabs waited in line to take their elegant clients home over the old cobblestones.

The hustle and bustle of the turn of the 20th century is clearly evident, although the square is temporarily much quieter today due to social distancing and the strictures of the coronavirus lockdown.

Over recent years, Manchester has made its mark as the UK’s second most popular location for retailers after London – confirming the success of areas like St Ann’s Square, King Street and the ornate Barton Arcade.

The origins of St Ann’s Square date back to 1227 when Henry II granted Robert Greslet, the Lord Mayor of Manchester, the right to hold a fair on St Matthew’s Day.

St Ann’s Church was consecrated in 1712 after an Act of Parliament decreed that a space 30 yards wide should be reserved for the fair. The church still stands proudly in the square today.

The area was renamed St Ann’s Square as a tribute to the reigning monarch, Queen Anne, and Lady Ann Bland, who was a local patron of the church.

Many more images from Then and Now are featured in The Changing Face of Manchester published to mark the 150th anniversary of the M.E.N. It’s on sale at £14.99 including postage and packing. Order your copy online at inostalgia.co.uk or ring the order hotline on 01928 503777.