Fallowfield

Fallowfield
Fallowfield
	Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield (part of the east side between Moseley Road and Egerton Road)
	Fallowfield Location withinGreater Manchester
Population	15,211 (2011 census)
OS grid reference	SJ855935
Metropolitan borough	Manchester;
Metropolitan county	Greater Manchester;
Region	North West;
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	MANCHESTER
Postcode district	M14
Dialling code	0161
Police	Greater Manchester
Fire	Greater Manchester
Ambulance	North West
UK Parliament	Manchester Gorton; Manchester Central;
Councillors	Ali R. Ilyas (Labour); Zahra Alijah (Labour); Jade Doswell (Labour);
	List of places UK England Greater Manchester 53°26′33″N2°13′07″W/ 53.4425°N 2.2186°W

Fallowfieldis a bustling area ofManchesterwith a population of 14,869 at the2021 census.^[1]HistoricallyinLancashire,it lies 3 miles (5 km) south ofManchester city centreand is bisected east–west byWilbraham Roadand north–south by Wilmslow Road. The formerFallowfield Loop railway line,now ashared use path,follows a route nearly parallel with the east–west main road (Moseley Road/Wilbraham Road).

The area has avery large student population.TheUniversity of Manchester's main accommodation complex – theFallowfield Campus– occupies a large area in the north; this is adjacent to the university'sOwens Parkhalls of residence and theFirs Botanical Grounds.In the northwest of the suburb isPlatt Fields Park,which is formed from part of the land that once belonged to the Platts of Platt Hall.

History

The early medieval linear earthworkNico Ditchpasses throughPlatt Fields Parkin Fallowfield and dates from the 8th or 9th century.^[2]

Early Fallowfield was an ill-defined area north ofWithingtonuntil the mid-19th century. The first mention of Fallowfield is in a deed of 1317 (as "Fallafeld" ). During the 14th century at least part of the land in Fallowfield was held by Jordan de Fallafeld. In 1530 it was mentioned as "Falowfelde". Withington formed a sub-manor within the large Manor of Manchester. The Platt Estate in the north was first owned by the Platts and later by the Worsleys. The building of Wilbraham Road to connect Fallowfield with Edge Lane inChorlton-cum-Hardyin 1869 enabled development west of the Wilmslow Road crossing. Some wealthy people (e.g. Joseph Whitworth, "The Firs", and the Behrens family, "The Oaks" ) built mansions in the area and in the early 20th century the university began to establish halls of residence (the earliest beingAshburne Hall,1910, in a house donated by the family of Behrens) which have since become very extensive. There was a second period of building houses by members of the prosperous middle class in the 1850s: these included Egerton Lodge, Norton House and Oak House, while the Manchester architectAlfred Waterhousebuilt Barcombe Cottage as his own home on Oak Drive.^[3]

Under the Poor Law Fallowfield formed part of the Chorlton Poor Law Union (administered fromChorlton-on-Medlock). From 1876 to 1894 Fallowfield was included in the area of the Withington Local Board of Health which was replaced by the Withington Urban District Council in 1894. (In 1895 Rusholme and the northern part of Fallowfield were incorporated into the city of Manchester. In 1904 the whole of theurban districtwas absorbed into the city of Manchester, though until 1914 there was a separate Withington Committee of the Corporation and rates were lower than in the rest of the city.

In 1891Fallowfield railway stationon the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway's line from Chorlton-cum-Hardy toFairfieldwas opened. During the first half of the 20th century the Manchester Corporation tramway on Moseley and Wilbraham Roads provided access to other southern suburbs and via Princess Road to the city centre.^[4]In 1986 the UK's first drive-throughMcDonald'sopened in Fallowfield.^[5]and more recently aSainsbury'ssupermarket has been opened on the site of the railway station.

Governance

Following boundary changes in 2018, different parts of the Fallowfield ward (which does not coincide with the area popularly known as Fallowfield) are parts ofManchester GortonandManchester Centralparliamentary constituencies.

Councillors

Fallowfield ward is represented onManchester City Councilby three councillors, Ali Ilyas,^[6]Zahra Alijah^[7]and Jade Doswell of theLabour Party.Former Fallowfield Councillor Peter Morrison served as an Honorary Alderman for the city.^[8]

Election
2004	John-Paul Wilkins (Lib Dem)	Peter Morrison (Lab)	David Royle (Lab)
2006	Mike Amesbury(Lab Co-op)	Peter Morrison (Lab)	David Royle (Lab)
2007	Mike Amesbury(Lab Co-op)	Peter Morrison (Lab)	David Royle (Lab)
2008	Mike Amesbury(Lab Co-op)	Peter Morrison (Lab)	David Royle (Lab)
2010	Mike Amesbury(Lab Co-op)	Peter Morrison (Lab)	David Royle (Lab)
2011	Mike Amesbury(Lab Co-op)	Grace Fletcher-Hackwood (Lab)	David Royle (Lab)
2012	Mike Amesbury(Lab Co-op)	Grace Fletcher-Hackwood (Lab)	David Royle (Lab)
2014	Mike Amesbury(Lab Co-op)	Grace Fletcher-Hackwood (Lab)	David Royle (Lab)
2015	Mike Amesbury(Lab Co-op)	Grace Fletcher-Hackwood (Lab)	David Royle (Lab)
2016	Mike Amesbury(Lab Co-op)	Grace Fletcher-Hackwood (Lab)	Zahra Alijah (Lab)
By-election 27 July 2017^[9]	Ali R. Ilyas (Lab)	Grace Fletcher-Hackwood (Lab)	Zahra Alijah (Lab)
2018	Ali R. Ilyas (Lab)	Zahra Alijah (Lab)	Grace Fletcher-Hackwood (Lab)
2019	Jade Doswell (Lab)	Zahra Alijah (Lab)	Ali R. Ilyas (Lab)
2021	Jade Doswell (Lab)	Zahra Alijah (Lab)	Ali R. Ilyas (Lab)

indicates seat up for re-election. indicates seat won in by-election.

Geography

Ladybarnis the part of Fallowfield to the south-east.Chancellors Hotel & Conference Centreis used by theUniversity of Manchester:it was built byEdward WaltersforSir Joseph Whitworth,^[10]as were the Firs Botanical Grounds.

Religion

Holy Innocents Church (Anglican) stands on Wilbraham Road: the church was built in 1870–72 by the architects Price & Linklater using sandstone masonry. The style is Gothic revival and in 1983–84 the interior of the church was altered to designs by the Ellis Williams Partnership. The church was damaged by fire in 1954. The tower is at the south-east corner and is topped by an octagonal spire. The stained glass windows are mostly of the 1890s. After the closing of the nearby parish church of St James, Birch, in 1979 the two parishes were united under the name of the parish of Holy Innocents and St James.^[11]There is a student-friendly independent church meeting in the 256 bar next door (Ivy Fallowfield Church) and a Union Baptist Chapel not far away southwards. There is also aSeventh-day Adventistchurch in Wilbraham Road.

Wilbraham Road is also the site of the stylistically eclectic and, for its time, structurally innovative formerSouth Manchester Synagogue(1913–2003); the building has been converted to other uses.

Platt Chapelon Wilmslow Road south of Grangethorpe Road was a family chapel of the Worsleys of Platt Hall built in 1699. The present building is a rebuilding of 1790 modified in 1874–75. The congregation began as Independents (Congregationalists) and becameUnitarianduring the early 19th century. Since it ceased to be used for worship in 1970 it has been used by various local societies. The graveyard, which used to be larger, is surrounded by Platt Fields Park.^[12]

Education

Lady Barn House School,an independent primary school, was founded in Fallowfield in 1873 byWilliam Henry Herfordand took its name from the existingLadybarn Housewhich became its second home. In the 1950s, it moved toCheadle.

Other schools and colleges in Fallowfield are:

Holy Innocents Primary School (the former school buildings are next to the Holy Innocents Church and have been converted to other uses, they were built in 1882 to the designs of F. H. Oldham)
Manchester Grammar School,a notable independent school which moved to Old Hall Lane from the city centre
Moseley Road School (Levenshulme High Schooland Lower School)
Princess ChristianCollege (for the training ofnannies) on Wilbraham Road
Manchester High School for Girlson Grangethorpe Road^[13]
Hollings College (also known as theToast Rack building) campus of theManchester Metropolitan Universityat the junction of Old Hall Lane with Wilmslow Road.^[14]^[15]Hollings campus was closed down in 2013 and then sold.

Transport

The first flight into Fallowfield was made in 1912; the pilot was Mr Yoxall who flew the Avro 500 biplane fromTrafford ParkAerodrome into a temporary air strip^{[citation needed]}

Buses

Fallowfield has an excellent bus service alongWilmslow Roadand other services connect it withLevenshulmeandChorlton-cum-Hardy,SheffieldandManchester Airport.Services are operated byGo North West,Hulleys of BaslowandStagecoach Manchester.

Local bus routes include:

CrossCity 41: Sale - Fallowfield - Hospitals - Manchester - Cheetham Hill - Middleton
42/42A/42B/42C: Manchester - Stockport (some services extending to Reddish, Woodford and Handforth Dean)
43: Manchester Airport - Wythenshawe - Manchester
142: East Didsbury – The Christie – Fallowfield – Manchester Royal Infirmary – Manchester
143: West Didsbury – Fallowfield – Rusholme – Manchester

Railway

The nearestNational Railstation isMauldeth Road,on theStyal Line.Services connectManchester AirportandManchester Piccadillywith other locations in the North-West, includingLiverpoolandBlackpool.

Until 1958, Fallowfield had its ownrailway station,located on Wilmslow Road, which provided trains betweenManchester Central StationandFairfieldandGorton.^[16]The site is now occupied by aSainsbury'ssupermarket and a block of flats; the station building itself serving as a Sainsbury's cafe. The railway line continued as a freight line until it was closed in 1988. After years of the line lying derelict, the old trackbed was repurposed around 2001 as ashared use pathand, today, theFallowfield Looproute runs from Fairfield station toSt Werburgh's Road Metrolink station.The route is run bySustransand forms part of Routes 6 and 60 of theNational Cycle Network.^[17]^[18]

Yew Tree Road, Fallowfield

Sport

The1893 FA Cup Finalwas played atFallowfield Stadium,in whichWolverhampton WanderersbeatEverton1–0, with Harry Allen scoring the only goal of the game. The stadium also hosted the cycling events for the1934 British Empire Games,theAmateur Athletic Associationchampionships in 1897 and 1907 and twoNorthern Rugby Football Union(laterRugby Football League)Challenge Cupfinals in 1899 and 1900. It was demolished in 1994, and the site is now Manchester University's Richmond Park Halls of Residence.^[19]

Musical associations

A TV broadcast called the Gospel and Blues Train featuringMuddy Waters,Sister Rosetta Tharpe,Sonny TerryandBrownie McGheeand other blues singers was recorded byGranada TVatWilbraham Road railway stationon Thursday, 7 May 1964, after the station was closed to passenger traffic.^[20]

Fallowfield was the subject of the penultimate track on Manchester bandthe Courteenersdebut album,St Jude,entitled "Fallowfield Hillbilly". The Chemical Brothersmet at the University of Manchester and played their first gig at 'The Bop', a popular student night that was located within the University of Manchester'sOwens Parkhalls of residence.

Garage vocal groupPlatnumwho had hit singles "What’s It Gonna Be" and "Love Shy" reaching number 2 in the UK charts with the former. Platnum members Aaron Evers and Michelle Mckenna's families still reside in the suburb

Notable residents

John Cassidy,sculptor, art lecturer.
Sir Edward Donner,entrepreneur and philanthropist^[21]
Anthony "White Tony" Johnson,criminal, one-time head of theCheetham Hill Gang.
SirJohn AlcockKBE, DSC, who with Lieut. Sir Arthur Whitten Brown made the first non-stop aeroplane crossing of the Atlantic, lived on Kingswood Road.
DrThomas Arthur Helme FRSEserved as a GP in the area
Alexander Maclaren,minister of the Union Chapel
Pat Phoenix,famous for her role asElsie TannerinCoronation Street,was born in Fallowfield^[22]in 1923
Shaun Ryder,musician and television personality, best known as a member of theHappy MondaysandBlack Grape,lived in Fallowfield during the late 1980s^[23]
C. P. Scott,editor of theManchester Guardianlived atThe Firs
John Stopford, Baron Stopford of Fallowfield,anatomist and academic, Vice-Chancellor of the Victoria University of Manchester
Thomas Tout,medieval historian, Professor of History, Victoria University of Manchester
Frank Whitcombe,Welsh Rugby LeagueLance Todd Trophywinner, signed forBroughton Rangersand lived in Withington
Sir Joseph Whitworth,engineer, lived atThe Firs
Neil Young,Manchester Cityfootballer, born in Fallowfield in 1944
Jackie Lane,Dr Who actor, antiques dealer and Voiceover Agent, born in Fallowfield in 1941
Jack Whitehall,Comedian, lived in Fallowfield off Egerton Road for two years^[24]
Rik Mayall,Comedian, actor and writer who lived inOwens Parkin 1975.^[25]
Ed O'Brien,musician best known for being the guitarist in the bandRadioheadlived in Fallowfield whilst at University.^[26]
Dennis Viollet,professional footballer forManchester Unitedand theEngland national teamand survivor of theMunich air disasterwas born in Fallowfield in 1933.^[27]
Mike Joyce,musician best known for being the drummer in the bandThe Smiths.^[28]
Luke Matheson,professional footballer was born in Fallowfield.^[29]
Fisayo Akinade,Actor.^[30]^[31]
Florence Nagle,racehorse trainer and breeder.^[32]

References

Notes

^"City of Manchester ward population 2011".Retrieved5 January2016.
^Nevell 1998,pp. 40–41
^Cooper, Glynis (2002)The Illustrated History of Manchester's Suburbs.Derby: Breedon Books; pp. 75-76
^Yearsley, Ian (1962)The Manchester Tram.Huddersfield: Advertiser Press; pp. 58, 70, 134, 210
^"The McDonald's drive-thru at 30: A journey back to an exotic experience",BBC News,29 December 2016,archivedfrom the original on 29 December 2016,retrieved29 December2016
^"Ali Ilyas".manchester.gov.uk.Manchester City Council.Retrieved24 May2018.
^"Zahra Alijah".manchester.gov.uk.Manchester City Council.Retrieved24 May2018.
^"Manchester City Council - Fallowfield ward councillors".Manchester City Council. Archived fromthe originalon 8 June 2007.Retrieved21 June2007.
^"Elections result 27 July 2017".Manchester City Council.27 July 2017.Retrieved4 August2017.
^Hartwell, Clare et al. (2004) Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East. (The Buildings of England) New Haven: Yale University PressISBN 0-300-10583-5;p. 466–481
^Cooper (2002); p. 77
^Hartwell, Clare, et al. (2004)Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East.(The Buildings of England) New Haven: Yale University PressISBN 0-300-10583-5;p. 469
^The school moved to Grangethorpe Road in the 1930s from Dover Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock.
^Hollings College ran courses in domestic science and catering. The distinctive college buildings were designed with parts shaped like a toast rack and a poached egg. On 1 January 1977, the college and Didsbury College of Education were amalgamated with Manchester Polytechnic, later to become the Metropolitan University.
^Cooper, Glynis (2002)The Illustrated History of Manchester's Suburbs.Derby: Breedon Books; p. 77
^"Fallowfield".Disused Stations.Retrieved13 March2013.
^"Fallowfield Loopline".Sustrans.Archived fromthe originalon 29 March 2013.Retrieved14 March2013.
^"Friends of the Fallowfield Loop".Retrieved14 March2013.
^The Harris Stadium (formerly Fallowfield Stadium),UK Running Track Directory,retrieved29 September2007
^"When the Blues train rolled into Chorlton".Manchester Evening News.Retrieved10 November2014.
^100 Years of Manchester High School for Girls, 1874–1974.Manchester: Manchester High School for Girls (compiled by K. L. Hilton)
^"Actress Jessie Wallace on playing Pat Phoenix in Corrie drama".Manchester Evening News.7 September 2010.
^"Sam Delaney on the Central Station artists".The Guardian.31 May 2008.
^"Jack Whitehall on his love affair with Manchester - from mooning on the Manchester Eye, having his front door stolen in Fallowfield and being 'chased out' of Oldham biker pub".Manchester Evening News.6 May 2023.
^"Young, gifted and punk: my mad days with Rik Mayall".theconversation.com.18 June 2014.
^"Pictured: Looking back at Owens Park student halls in Fallowfield over the years".Manchester Evening News.5 November 2014.
^"Career Bio".Dennis Viollet.com.Archived fromthe originalon 7 April 2012.Retrieved28 January2013.
^"The Smiths' Mike Joyce: 'I know people say never say never but 'never' is the most appropriate word'".The Irish Times.3 October 2022.
^Luckhurst, Samuel (26 September 2019)."Luke Matheson breaks silence on goal vs Manchester United for Rochdale".Manchester Evening News.Retrieved27 September2020.
^Bowie-Sell, Daisy (26 December 2016)."Fisayo Akinade: 'Judi Dench made me feel her palms'".WhatsOnStage.Retrieved23 April2022.
^"Q&A with Fisayo Akinade".Black History Month Magazine 2021.Retrieved23 April2022.
^Somerfield, Ferelith (1999).Mission Accomplished: The Life and Times of Florence Nagle, 1894–1988: the Woman who Took on Both the Jockey Club and the Kennel Club, and Won.Dog World Publications. p. 16.ISBN 978-0-9500418-9-6.

Bibliography

Nevell, Mike (1998),Lands and Lordships in Tameside,Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council with theUniversity of Manchester Archaeological Unit,pp. 40–41,ISBN 1-871324-18-1