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Subterranean city's secrets

Angela Kelly
19/ 3/2008

IT’S hard to imagine, when you witness the daily bustle of modern Manchester, that once 18,000 people lived below its streets.

Today, the cellars, tunnels and canals are more likely to be inhabited by rats. But once there were dwellings of all kinds – including a skittles gallery and a department store offering gondola-style canal rides with its own Venetian Bridge of Sighs.

Redevelopment has already prompted some amazing discoveries. A cavern complex was found near Ardwick Green, a huge underground reservoir close to the Mancunian Way and a vast network of tunnels beneath the old UMIST site on Sackville Street.

It is an underground life well understood by Keith Warrender – brought up in Fallowfield but now living in Timperley – and the author of a fascinating book examining this world beneath our feet.

Underground Manchester is already proving to be a surprise bestseller, although to Keith the public response simply bears out his own beliefs.

"The difficulty is that there is not a great deal of accessible evidence," he explained. "But the experiences and memories of so many people do seem to bear out all the research about underground tunnels across the city centre."

Keith, 60, took early retirement from his job as a local authority graphic designer nine years ago. He set up his own publishing company, Willow, which specialises in local history projects, including up-to-date photographic views of places and buildings around Greater Manchester which are sold in tourist offices.

He also gives illustrated talks and it was his presentation on Underground Manchester – and people’s positive reactions to it – that persuaded him to write a book.

He started his research nearly three years ago, going through old newspapers, talking to council officers and checking records. The resulting publication brings together photos, maps and eye-witness accounts of what was a separate world below the city’s streets.

Unfortunately, many tunnels and underground passages have either been blocked up or filled in, but some traces are still visible. "There is, for example, very good evidence for a tunnel under Deansgate," said Keith

Elsewhere, the Victoria Arches can still be seen above the canal water line by Manchester Cathedral. These were once used as a copper and iron works and during the Second World War became a vast air raid shelter. There are abandoned tunnels under Ardwick, and an entire city centre underground village known as the Guardian tunnels. These were built at the height of the Cold War and included an aquarium of tropical fish, artificial windows and country scenes painted on walls.

Pubs and private houses with long blocked-up doorways and entrances to tunnels, and a trail between Cheetham Hill and Higher Broughton – there are many accounts of named examples of this hidden world.

Keith himself has only been able to gain limited access to some below-ground areas, as many are no longer either safe or available – even to a bona fide researcher. "Although, in the Sixties and Seventies there was quite a bit of research work done and many of these underground areas still existed then," added Keith.

The wealth of first-hand accounts in his book reveals that many Mancunians still recall tunnels and underground canal passages beneath buildings and roads right across Manchester and parts of Salford. Among the personal accounts included is one from J Lindley, who served his time as a clock and instrument maker early last century with a firm called Armstrong’s at No.66 Deansgate.

"The building occupied by Armstrong had been years ago the old Deanery – that’s where Deansgate got its name," he stated. In the cellars, which had been wine cellars, was a small door which led to a tunnel. You went down 10 or 12 stone steps and then turned left to go towards Wagstaffe’s piano shop. I have been along it for quite a distance. I think this would be the one that went to Kendals. I presume it went to the Cathedral."

In fact, the book has already caused so much interest that Keith is now planning a follow-up.

"Yes," he said, "I think there is a lot more to be said about life under the city."

Underground Manchester by Keith Warrender is in bookshops now priced £15.99 (Willow Publishing)