Moss Side nostalgia art collection

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 Urban Cityscape, a Depiction of my friend Ricardo Cowie and me, we used to collect discarded pushbikes that were found in the rubbish filled alleyways of Moss Side. We would rebuild these bikes and sell them to Nevs second hand shop on the corner of Cowesby Street and Claremont Road. This was one of the ways we earnt pocket money to buy fireworks and sweets. Painted in Acrylic and Ink using the croquis method for the characters in the scene.

Where the good things are Rick Cowie and me  Collecting old pushbikes  In rubbish filled alleyways of Moss Side  in the 70s and 80s We would fix em up Ricky shouting hammer hammer  Didn’t have a stammer  sold em to Nevs second hand shop  On the corner of Cowesby street and Claremont road  We weren’t old       lookin for gold Yeah made money to buy Treats on the streets Football cards you flicked at a wall, Fireworks, bangers, jubleys, bubblies  black jacks and sweets  We did feats     on these mean streets  yeah where the good things are  

  https://youtu.be/XeCAfwj-Ups

Limited Edition Signed prints available on this artwork, 

Limited to 250 prints Signed by the Artist and comes with certificate of authenticity. 

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Maximum A2 size print 16.53 x 23.39 inches, price =£50 incl postage & Packaging in the UK

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Street Football is a depiction of friends and I that used to play on the streets of Moss Side in the 1970s and 1980s.We used to play kerby, keepy uppy, Kick can, knock and run, making wooden bogies and riding our bikes up and down terraced streets. this scene is of caythorpe Street where my friend Mark Egerton had a green grocery shop. we played on the streets from dawn till dusk. Painted in Acrylic and Ink and pallete knife using the croquis method to give movement to the characters. impressionistic Urban Cityscape.

Street Football in the Moss We used to play on the streets from dawn till dusk It was a must In The 70s and 80s it was the latest and greatest Like the eye of the tiger thrill of the fight  Playin Kerby, keepy uppy, kick can knock and run It was lots of fun Mind yer car mr and boy did we miss ya Yeah street football  kids on the streets used to play all day  Messin around and havin fun Sayin  Im pele      Well      im maradonna Im gonna be the best          Better than the rest  Playin in me vest The kids didn’t rest Yeah Street football    Kerby     keepy uppy  Aint No yuppy       feelin lucky  Yeah street football in the moss  it was boss  

https://youtu.be/iSJXgZYHFAQ

Limited Edition Signed prints available on this artwork, 

Limited to 250 prints Signed by the Artist and comes with certificate of authenticity. 

Fine Art Giclee Print on Fine at Paper 

Maximum A3 size print 11.69 x 16.53 inches price =£35incl postage & packaging in the UK

Maximum A2 size print 16.53 x 23.39 inches, price =£50 incl postage & Packaging in the UK

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Comments from the general public

 this is boss , by Jack

 Use to play in Broadfield Road behind the parkside. Happy days . by Rod

 Used to play football in the rec bottom end of Broardfield Road at night . by Martin

 I used to live on Caythorpe St over 50 years ago, The Hankinsons owned the greengrocer shop on the corner with Claremont Rd and Mr Stanaway had the grocer's on the other corner. There was always kids playing on the street the boys playing football or cricket and the girls skipping or twoaball against a wall.lots of happy memories. Elaine

 I remember Minnie Maguires shop in the corner of caythorpe street we lived at 28 . Great memories of playing street games never bored . by Susan

 More great memories mate I remember them having the green groceries and us using the gable end for football nets and kick the can  by BEnjy

 goals in Greame Street. Rushing away in panic when a cop came round the corner of Broadfield Raod on his bike - scattering in all directions! . by Barry

 Our football pitch in the mid 60's was on Alison Street, between Cowesby St & Roseberry St....Happy Days!! . by John

 Andew, you are taking me back millions of years! by Richard

A4 Limited Edition Print £30  contact me

Penny for the Guy is a depiction of friends and I that used to make Guy Fawkes out of old clothes and collected money from passers by outside the claremont pub in Moss Side. One time a drunk from the pub gave us a penny for the guy and he stole it, so we placed Peter in the box with a bag on his head,unfortunately another drunk booted him in the face and somebody threw a banger in his lap for a joke. Moss Side was a rough place to grow up in the 1970's and 1980's and kids from poor backgrounds had to find ways of earning money for sweets and fireworks as there parents were not able to fund this. Painted in Acrylic and Ink using the croquis method to bring the characters to life, Impressionistic Urban Cityscape.

Penny for the Guy We made Guy Fawkes  And collected money from passers by  we didn’t cry yeah Outside the Claremont pub in Moss Side a drunk gave us a penny for the guy and stole it  placed Peter in the box with a bag on his head we thought he was dead  cos a drunk booted him in the face  what a disgrace all in bad taste we all had to laugh      it was a gaff then somebody threw a banger in his lap for a joke he smoke    thought he would croak yeah Moss Side      a rough place to grow up in the 70s and 80s poor kids findin ways to earn money for the  honey yeah sweets and treats on these mean streets fireworks and bangers galore  we knew the score we used to knock run on the door yeah penny for the guy     what a guy  

https://youtu.be/MLT5f7hDirA

Limited Edition Signed prints available on this artwork, 

Limited to 250 prints Signed by the Artist and comes with certificate of authenticity. 

Fine Art Giclee Print on Fine at Paper 

Maximum A3 size print 11.69 x 16.53 inches price =£35incl postage & packaging in the UK

Maximum A2 size print 16.53 x 23.39 inches, price =£50 incl postage & Packaging in the UK

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Comments fronm the general public

 True I grew up in the 50 s /60s never had any problems on the street it was a good place to grow up every body knew every body  .  

It was a mint place to grow up ! Good or bad we all

Had a moral compass that seems to be missing from Lou’s today !

by Mike

 As kids we used to do penny for the guy outside the Wycliffe cinema and the old reno until a black guy coming out of the club pulled a knife and chased us down princess road, stayed outside Bakers Union club after that, was safer. ,  rough place to grow up. Moss side was by Steven 

 The story of the guy made me laugh   I remember having to run up to the Claremont Saturday night to get the papers so my dad could check the pools a man stood out side the pub selling the late paper then calling into the chippy on Claremont road for my mams treat on Saturday night fish and chips and a small bottle of Vimeo 1/6 d mam worked all week cleaning in town till 8/30 at night and that was her treat we used to ask chippy man have you got any scrapings bit that come of the fish and chips when they were frying them and he used to fill a small bag and give you them free Those were the days  by Fay

 We used to run in and out tooquite a few pubs had revolving doors great fun . , by John

 As a very young child, I used to play around the Claremont pub. BUT unlike in your picture it had a circular swing door that went round 360 degrees. I once got trapped in it when some idiot swung it the wrong way! by Barry

Original Painting £450 or A3 Limited Edition Print £40  contact me

Moss Side had a Carnival every year, I remember it being colourful and there was always a great party atmosphere mixed with drug dealers selling their wares. 

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I also remember a Pimp that used to ride down Great Western Street in his open top pink Cadillac with leopard skin seats and perched on the back were his three bitches (prostitutes) advertising their services.

Moss Side Carnival in the eighties  Happens every year People sellin there gear  Yeah drugs and beer  Dealers sellin there gear Full of colour  An African beat on the street Feel the heat of the people you meet It’s a treat      life at full beat      No retreat  The Moss side carnival in the eighties  A pimp rides around  In his pink cadilac His bitches sittin on the back  of Leopard skin seats  Yeah prostitutes selling there wares  Stop and look and stare Like huggy bear  Yeah the Moss Side carnival in the eighties Happens every year Plenty of beer    people sellin there gear 

https://youtu.be/7-p4QBN9f9Y

Limited Edition Signed prints available on this artwork, 

Limited to 250 prints Signed by the Artist and comes with certificate of authenticity. 

Fine Art Giclee Print on Fine at Paper 

Maximum A3 size print 11.69 x 16.53 inches price =£35incl postage & packaging in the UK

Maximum A2 size print 16.53 x 23.39 inches, price =£50 incl postage & Packaging in the UK

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https://youtu.be/S7rfFKWydrU

Mind your car Mr, is a cityscape depiction of Friends and myself that used to look after cars for the fans during a manchester City Game in Moss Side. We used to earn our pocket money by minding the cars until half time. Man City used to open the gates to allow the kids to watch the second half of the game. we used to buy sweets, jubleys and fireworks, we had great fun setting them off. 

The street that I used to mind cars on was Cowesby Street in Moss Side, I would often get in to fights but this was my patch. One time an Asian Lad spat in my face for no reason, I snapped and began to fight him and was beating him when Ricky pulled me away and the Asian Lad ran off. I looked down at my right hand and it was bleeding from a cut, Ricky told me that he pulled a knife on me. Painted in Acrylic and Ink using the croquis method to give movement to the characters.

Mind yer car mr       Boy did we miss ya Kids hustlin on the street      Guarding your patch  Mind yer car mr      we used to shout  On match day in the moss     People getting cross Fans are crowdin   fussin and cussin Police on horseback Movin the crowd shoutin out loud Mind yer car mr for A penny or two   On cue for sweets and treets      on the streets  Yeah Black jacks, space invader crisps  flying saucers midget gems ,  jubleys bubblies bangers galore we new the score  football cards you flicked at the wall what a ball  Then comes half time   run to main road  Man City opens the gates for the kids  Runnin down tunnels getting into troubles Watchin the game for free with glee  Kippax end with a friend I wont bend Yeah mind yer car mr       boy did we miss ya 

https://youtu.be/S7rfFKWydrU

Limited Edition Signed prints available on this artwork, 

Limited to 250 prints Signed by the Artist and comes with certificate of authenticity. 

Fine Art Giclee Print on Fine at Paper 

Maximum A3 size print 11.69 x 16.53 inches price =£35incl postage & packaging in the UK

Maximum A2 size print 16.53 x 23.39 inches, price =£50 incl postage & Packaging in the UK

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Comments from the general public

 When I lived there it was mind your bike that was in The 50’s . by Doreen

 Mine and Andrew Salami had the spot on great Western St opposite Alvinos. Middle of 70's. Your description is beeeyutiful and what I try and explain to people. Thanks xx I lived in Cadogan Street off Broadfield Rd. . by Jimmi

 Great times they were. Mine was Broadfield road! Across the road were buses! by Dianne

 I was born on Broadfield Road and have been a lifelong City fan.  by y Dianne

 Remember those days, lived in Cranswick Street and must have been about 5/6 (1957) can remember kids asking if they could mind cars! . by Christine

 That brings back so many memories!by Norma

 I .by lived in Hibbert street , near wilmslow road , match days every street was full of cars and we minded them and some neighbours minded bikes in their backyards, I also went to secondary school opposite the old Man City grounds , had friends in the moss too , great memoriesx by Rose

I was a car minder in the late 50s

‘Just sixpence sir.by Dave

It’s part of ‘my his-story’. First went (unofficially) when I was eight in 1954 after trying to sneak in. A turnstile bloke grabbed me and stood me behind Bert Trautmann’s goal in the Platt Lane End.

After that I went with me dad!. by Jeff

 That's brilliant, Andrew. My grandparents owned a corner shop on Maine Road which would be mobbed by fans on match days...and then later by kids spending their 'mind your car' earnings on sweets! Happy days . by Susie

And bike storage earnings. My cousins on Dorset Avenue charged 3d. For bikes to be stored in their back yard.

The BBC series ‘Life on Mars’ had one programme featuring a game….. which I pointed out to my wife wasn’t ‘true to life’. … ‘Apart from the obvious, Why?’… ‘All the fans’ footy scarves are clean.’ It took just one Saturday in the ‘open air’ and they were various shades of sooty grey..by Jeff

 Congratulations Andrew.

I lived on Cowesby Street in the 60s and 70s so can vouch for your article, minding cars on match days was part of growing up !!. by Karen

 Brought back great memories,me & my brother minding are patch ,for minding cars . by Kadra

 Sitting on a chair in the street minding my dads car space outside our house!! . by Elaine

 This is lowthorpe street. My uncle max ..auntie Angela lived there for years. . by Jeff

 My childhood, from minding a car, to going to Kippax at half time to watch the second half. . by Joan

 Main road,has a great histoty.and its not just about winning.and it will take a long time,before Etihad has as much.for instance.the cou try had just finished a war with Germany.And we get a POW playing in goal for us.who turned out to be a great clubman.and a great goalkeeper. That is good history. by Jack

I'd love to read it but have to subscribe.

Well done on the article.and the painting is wonderful.

 by Ann

 I grew up on Broadfield Rd just around the corner from maine Road I was lucky enough to have watched the great Mercer/Allison City team when I was a young kid ,I'm still a season ticket holder now and enjoying watching City at the etihad. by Peter

 used to play on broadfield baths roof proper child hoids back in the day by Peter

 Too young to go the the match on my own, but not too young to mutter "mind your car mister". My patch was Cowesby Street, great memories by John

You might enjoy the mail below that I sent my sisters and nephews yesterday – CTID's all.

« I sent you both a mail about this artist, Andrew Alan Matthews, whom I came across on FB. Several of his paintings have appeared on my FB since.
He is Moss Side born and bred, lives in Manchester and is a City fanatic.
Check out his website, many marvelous paintings of Moss Side, Manchester centre, Maine Road and Etihad.
My favourite is above. This street leads up to the Maine Road main entrance. When I was 8 or 9, I used to go to this street a couple of hours before ko and, with other lads, we did indeed used to cry...."Mind yer car, Mr?" for a few pennies in return if we were lucky.
Not that we ever did anything to "mind the car" nor could we have done anything if anybody tried to nick or damage the cars!
There is a lovely sound track on the YouTube link.
About a quarter of an hour before the match ended, the gates were opened and we dashed in to watch the end.
These terraced houses had door knockers and after the match we used to run like hell back down the street banging on them all.
I hope to order a print of the above. by Richard

A4 Limited Edition Print £30  contact me

A depiction of Mr Floods toy shop that was on Claremont Road Moss Side in the 1970s and 1980s, Mr flood was a kind man, I used to buy airfix kits and toy soldiers and spent hours painting and making them. the shop was darkly lit and smelly as he had cats and a parrot on a perch as you entered the shop, he was also a pigeon fancier and had a coup in his back yard. He took me and ricky on holiday one year to his caravan in wales. Painted in Acrylic and ink using a pallette knife for depth to the artwork. Impressionistic Urban cityscape.

Mr Floods Toy Shop Next to my mate Rickys house  on Claremont road in Moss Side  in the 70s and 80s they were the greatest Mr flood a small kind man did all he can Used to buy airfix kits and toy soldiers  Spent hours making and painting em played with em for hours in showers Mr Floods toy shop was darkly lit and smelly He Didn’t have a telly An old fashioned toy shop Of times gone by had Cats and a parrot on a perch  A pigeon fancier  Had a coup in his yard It wasn’t hard to like this old man     did all he can Took me and rick to a caravan in wales  Dilapidated and full of moths  Cutting the grass and cleanin up Yeah Mr Flood A kind old man did all he can To help the kids in the Moss it was boss 

https://youtu.be/8jSMY6_YHUM

Limited Edition Signed prints available on this artwork, 

Limited to 250 prints Signed by the Artist and comes with certificate of authenticity. 

Fine Art Giclee Print on Fine at Paper 

Maximum A3 size print 11.69 x 16.53 inches price =£35incl postage & packaging in the UK

Maximum A2 size print 16.53 x 23.39 inches, price =£50 incl postage & Packaging in the UK

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comments from the general public

 In the late forties she also loaned books seem to think it was 2pence a week my granny used to send me to change them Still remember names of her favourite authors I'm turned 80 ! Anne 

 It had so much more in there it was really quite cluttered but the floods knew where everything was . by Colin

 ,this is where we used to buy books and toys from. Grandad used to pop in there on his way home from his shift at the bus depot.  I bought lots of books from Miss Floods by Gillian

 I remember a Miss Floods toy shop lived nearby on Caythorpe St. My brother's and l used to go in almost every week sometimes it was just for an exercise book or some plasticine, but always for a good look around . by Elaine

 I remember that shop went there to buy toys late 60s,it was a lovely shop. .by Paul

 one for the memory book by Catherine

 Loved that shop as a kit,.any a model bought there,lived on 132 Hartington St .by Lee

 Remember it well by denise

 I loved that shop.... My gran would take me in there to pick a treat  by Liz

 I used to live near and go there and I only knew her as MISS Flood. by Colin

Very old business

I could be wrong but I seem to remember that shop in the 50s by Dave

 your right, Mrs flood & her sister ran it ,the sister died,then just Mrs flood by Kadra

 Used to go toMrs Floods every Friday with my pocket money Lived in Roseberry st at the time… Happy days . by Pauline

 Got my oil painting kit from there ,great shop, . by Kadra

 I only remember Mrs floods lovely lady nice storyby Neil

 I bought all my match box cars from Mrs Floods, wonderful shop . by Paul 

 I used to love going in mrs floods toy shop it was like alladins cave I used to live at 147 hartington street and go past every morning going to Claremont Road school I loved looking through the window at all the toys . by Linda

 I only remember Mrs Flood, we used to stare through the window most days as it was at the bottom of our street, Caythorn Street by Tammy

 Remember the shop very well I also lived on cowesby  byJo

 That’s interesting, I remember that shop well, I lived round the corner in Cowesby Street . However , I can only recall a MISS Flood. Would she have been the daughter?? Can’t recall a Mr Flood . by Hilda 

 Remember the shop always smelt of cat pee but a great shop though by Douglas

 I must have paid their mortgage off alone with the 4000 fishing nets I bought plus itching powder and fart cushions .  

I forgot to mention

8 million bags of marbles not to mention 200000 dobbers by Colin

 The shop was in between Caythorpe St and cowesby Street. I remember Ricky his mam was the dinner lady at Claremont road school.. the shop smelled like a pet shop not a toy shop.. him and his wife were a good old soul... by Stefan

 you are correct her husband was a driver at Princess Rd Bus Garage he would be only in the shop when he wasn’t at work I occasionally delivered to the shop in the late 60s  by David

A4 Limited Edition Print £30  contact me

Bonfire Night is a depiction of a piece of derelict land at the back of our house on Princess Road Moss Side (since been demolished). I remember the street glowing orange and the heat was intense. We had great fun sharing treacle toffee, playing dunking the apple and putting potatoes in the bonfire and setting off fireworks and sparklers. Painted in Acrylic and ink with paintbrush and pallete knife using the croquis method for the characters to show movements. Urban Cityscape.

Bonfire Night in the Moss  derelict land at the back of our house 222 princess road          It was old terraced streets  and bonfires ablaze  in a haze of smoke  people havin a joke   Streets glowing orange  the heat was intense  makes common sense   shared treacle toffee  and dunkin the apple potatoes in the fire         what a bonfire guy fawkes on top  makin you stop   yeah bangers and fireworks lightin up the night  what a sight   sparklers and writin your name in the air  withought a care   people missin good old days in the moss  in the 70s and 80s  were the latest and greatest screamers, bangers and fireworks  lightin up the night  what a sight  gates going missing  fireworks a hissing treacle toffee and dunkin the apple  its not the big apple  its bonfire night in the Moss  just boss  

https://youtu.be/8TorG6UlxdI

Comments from the public

 And I remember the firemen used to drive round late at night putting fires out..   Now living in Australia, no bonfire night here …  by Wanda

 I remember them they were happy days how are you all xxxxxx by Jean

 We Had Ares ON PEACH St just off Broafild Rd Happy Days  by Dave

Limited Edition Signed prints available on this artwork, 

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Fine Art Giclee Print on Fine at Paper 

Maximum A3 size print 11.69 x 16.53 inches price =£35incl postage & packaging in the UK

Maximum A2 size print 16.53 x 23.39 inches, price =£50 incl postage & Packaging in the UK

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My friends family in Moss Side 

 The Egertons In the Moss Had a green grocery shop in the Moss  A family business that did the business  There older now  a life filled with love  They’ve stood the test of time for all time Had a few tears      ups and downs  Albert and Hilda  Had three kids  Mark, Mike and Pete  Always on heat on the street They Banged the ball on the street with there feet  Yeah kids in the moss it was boss All Grown up now got there own lives and wives yeah a family unit  with kids and grand kids to carry on the family name  yeah the Egertons  Remember the days in the Moss Cos it was boss  So as you go through life  Remember your family and friends love you  So here’s to you  all Your family and friends wishes you well  So Take care  stop and look and stare  at this Painting cos your family surround you  with love on there mind  cos your all kind  and with the Moss on me mind  just want to say to you all we had a ball  Yeah the Egertons in the moss Just boss 

https://youtu.be/qUQxYHzbplE

Limited Edition Signed prints available on this artwork, 

Limited to 250 prints Signed by the Artist and comes with certificate of authenticity. 

Fine Art Giclee Print on Fine at Paper 

Maximum A3 size print 11.69 x 16.53 inches price =£35incl postage & packaging in the UK

Maximum A2 size print 16.53 x 23.39 inches, price =£50 incl postage & Packaging in the UK

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Hi everybody here is a painting of Cowesby street Moss Side Manchester part of my Moss side Nostalgia collection, hope you like it

A3 Limited Edition Print £40 contact me andrewalanmatthews.co.uk

A bit of History 

Mass development in Moss Side occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when large numbers of red brick terraced houses were built, and soon attracted numerous Irish immigrants and other working people.

Manchester City FC moved to a new stadium on Maine Road on 25 August 1923, having moved from Hyde Road Ardwick on its opening it was one of the most capacious sports stadiums in the United Kingdom, capable of holding up to 85,000 spectators. The club would play there for the next 80 years. 

During the Manchester Blitz in the Secomnd World War many of the terraced houses were damaged by German bombing on the night of 22/23 December 1940. Migrants from the Indian Subcontinent and Carribvean settled in the locality during the 1950s and 1960s, and by the 1980s Moss Side was the hub of Manchester's Afro Caribbean Community During the 1960s and early 1970s, Manchester City Council demolished many of the Victorian and terraced houses to the west of Moss Side and replaced these with new council houses and flats. Most of the newer properties, built around the turn of the 20th century, were refurbished instead of demolished during the final two decades of the century.
In 1981, the Moss Side area was one of England's inner city areas affected by a series of riots Analysts trace the 1970s origins of Manchester's gang crime to social deprivation in the south-central part of the city – Hulme Longsight and Moss Side – where the activity of the underground economy encouraged a trade in illegal narcotics and firearms contributing to Manchester's later nickname of "Gunchester". "Turf wars" between rival drugs 'gangs', resulted in a high number of fatal shootings. During what has been termed the Madchester phase of the History of Manchester, narcotic trade in the city became "extremely lucrative" and in the early 1990s a gang war started between two groups vying for control of the market in Manchester city centre– the 'Cheetham hill gang and 'The Gooch Close Gang, in Cheetham Hill and Moss Side, respectively. There were several high-profile shootings associated with gangs and drugs in this area during the 1990s and into the 21st century. Aided by the work of Xcalibre, the Greater Manchester polices task force, founded in 2004, and the multiagency Integrated Gang Management Unit, gang related shootings in the area have fallen by about 90% in recent years.
In April 1994, The Independent newspaper highlighted Moss Side as one of the most deprived areas on Britain, and as having some of the highest crime rates. Drug abuse was described as one of the area's biggest problems, with gun crime rates being so high that there had recently been 400 armed incidents reported within a 12-month period. Ambulance crews had resorted to wearing body armour after having to deal with a string of mostly drug-related shootings.  Several doctors had been robbed of medical bags at knife point after being called out to local patients. A number of police vehicles had been fire-bombed and there had been reports of attempted ambushes on police patrols. Unemployment stood at nearly 30% – up to three times the national average in the early 1990s.
Many of the flats in neighbouring Hulme were demolished in the early 1990s to make way for new low rise homes. Housing on the Alexandra Park Estate in the west of Moss Side has been renovated and the streets redesigned to reduce the fear of crime.
 
 Story by Andrew Alan Matthews 

Moss Side Streets 

Where lifelong friends are made

We played together 

from dawn till dusk

Bonds are made 

Back in the day 

True friends 

Where Family friends 

Welcomed you in 

Hearts of gold 

We weren’t old 

We knocked about 

On Claremont road 

Cowesby street 

And Caythorpe street

It’s a treat 

Life at full beat 

We had nothing 

Poor kids growing up 

Innocent and young 

Livin life to the full

We had real childhoods 

Playin on the street 

Kerby, keepy uppy 

Mind yer car mr 

Boy do we miss ya 

Were all grown up now 

Our own lives and wives 

Had ups and downs

Frowns with clowns 

But one thing I can say 

I wouldn’t change a thing 

For the friends that I’ve made 

In the Moss 

Yeah 

There all boss 

https://youtu.be/ErGyBf20VRA

Comments from the general public 

 i remember those days we lived in the flat above Eric the butchers shop on the corner of rosebery st and claremont road i until 1976 then we moved into a 3 bedroom house 28 rosebery st ! i loved them days as kid , there was connie’s that used to sell baby n kids clothes , then there was that theatrical shop fancy dress costume shop on claremont road where the big discount shop is now , the post office on princess road had a stuffed fox in a basket in the window , there was Harry the tv repair man on claremont road too , we rarely went to town we had everything local , our house had no central heating it was bloody freezing getting up for school in the morning , i went to Bishop Bilsborrow school next to the bus depot ! by Carol

 Wonderful I delivered the Christmas post round Cowesby Street in 1975. We were based at Fallowfield sorting office. On our last day they made the mistake of paying us before we completed the last delivery. Most of us posted the letters in the nearest box and cycled home. by Malcolm

 Moss side was the first place .i remember living when we first moved to manchester .what a great place to live in the 60s .i was only a child when . We moved to manchester trough the years .i lived all over manchester i got offered a one off the new houses in alaxender park in the 70s .i dident take it . I loved manchester back in the day . Even now im living in dublin .my hearth stuck in manchester .as far as i heard it changed a lot .i had happy memberes off manchester . by Mary

Hi Everybody here is a painting and story of Champs Camp Moss side Boxing club Manchester part of my Moss Side Nostalgia collection, hope you like it 

A3 Limited Edition print £40 contact me andrewalanmatthews.co.uk

A bit of History

Mass development in Moss Side occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when large numbers of red brick terraced houses were built, and soon attracted numerous Irish immigrants and other working people.

Manchester City FC moved to a new stadium on Maine Road on 25 August 1923, having moved from Hyde Road Ardwick on its opening it was one of the most capacious sports stadiums in the United Kingdom, capable of holding up to 85,000 spectators. The club would play there for the next 80 years. 

During the Manchester Blitz in the Secomnd World War many of the terraced houses were damaged by German bombing on the night of 22/23 December 1940. Migrants from the Indian Subcontinent and Carribvean settled in the locality during the 1950s and 1960s, and by the 1980s Moss Side was the hub of Manchester's Afro Caribbean Community During the 1960s and early 1970s, Manchester City Council demolished many of the Victorian and terraced houses to the west of Moss Side and replaced these with new council houses and flats. Most of the newer properties, built around the turn of the 20th century, were refurbished instead of demolished during the final two decades of the century.

In 1981, the Moss Side area was one of England's inner city areas affected by a series of riots Analysts trace the 1970s origins of Manchester's gang crime to social deprivation in the south-central part of the city – Hulme Longsight and Moss Side – where the activity of the underground economy encouraged a trade in illegal narcotics and firearms contributing to Manchester's later nickname of "Gunchester". "Turf wars" between rival drugs 'gangs', resulted in a high number of fatal shootings. During what has been termed the Madchester phase of the History of Manchester, narcotic trade in the city became "extremely lucrative" and in the early 1990s a gang war started between two groups vying for control of the market in Manchester city centre– the 'Cheetham hill gang and 'The Gooch Close Gang, in Cheetham Hill and Moss Side, respectively. There were several high-profile shootings associated with gangs and drugs in this area during the 1990s and into the 21st century. Aided by the work of Xcalibre, the Greater Manchester polices task force, founded in 2004, and the multiagency Integrated Gang Management Unit, gang related shootings in the area have fallen by about 90% in recent years. 

In April 1994, The Independent newspaper highlighted Moss Side as one of the most deprived areas on Britain, and as having some of the highest crime rates. Drug abuse was described as one of the area's biggest problems, with gun crime rates being so high that there had recently been 400 armed incidents reported within a 12-month period. Ambulance crews had resorted to wearing body armour after having to deal with a string of mostly drug-related shootings.  Several doctors had been robbed of medical bags at knife point after being called out to local patients. A number of police vehicles had been fire-bombed and there had been reports of attempted ambushes on police patrols. Unemployment stood at nearly 30% – up to three times the national average in the early 1990s. 

Many of the flats in neighbouring Hulme were demolished in the early 1990s to make way for new low rise homes. Housing on the Alexandra Park Estate in the west of Moss Side has been renovated and the streets redesigned to reduce the fear of crime. 

Story by Andrew Alan Matthews 

Champs Camp Moss Side

Lighthouse in the Moss 

Boss 

Phil Martin 

Founder of the club 

Gave Hard graft and sweat 

Drippin off windows 

Oozing success 

From every pore 

Yeah the kids were poor 

But got discipline 

Drummed in 

From coaches 

Joe Gallagher

Billy graham 

Oliver Harrison

And not just boxers

Came through this gym 

Teachers, Lawyers, plumbers 

Discipline and hard work paid off 

Where troubles of the Moss 

And the world

left outside 

Pride in the gym So come in 

Your welcome in 

Better people are made here 

Yeah Champs Camp Moss Side

Lighthouse in the Moss 

Just Boss 

https://youtu.be/kGH3HWIExdA

Hi Everybody here is a painting and story of Closed shops in Moss Side of old part of my Moss Side Nostalgia collection, hope you like it 

A3 Limited Edition print £40 contact me andrewalanmatthews.co.uk

A bit of History

Mass development in Moss Side occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when large numbers of red brick terraced houses were built, and soon attracted numerous Irish immigrants and other working people.

Manchester City FC moved to a new stadium on Maine Road on 25 August 1923, having moved from Hyde Road Ardwick on its opening it was one of the most capacious sports stadiums in the United Kingdom, capable of holding up to 85,000 spectators. The club would play there for the next 80 years. 

During the Manchester Blitz in the Secomnd World War many of the terraced houses were damaged by German bombing on the night of 22/23 December 1940. Migrants from the Indian Subcontinent and Carribvean settled in the locality during the 1950s and 1960s, and by the 1980s Moss Side was the hub of Manchester's Afro Caribbean Community During the 1960s and early 1970s, Manchester City Council demolished many of the Victorian and terraced houses to the west of Moss Side and replaced these with new council houses and flats. Most of the newer properties, built around the turn of the 20th century, were refurbished instead of demolished during the final two decades of the century.

In 1981, the Moss Side area was one of England's inner city areas affected by a series of riots Analysts trace the 1970s origins of Manchester's gang crime to social deprivation in the south-central part of the city – Hulme Longsight and Moss Side – where the activity of the underground economy encouraged a trade in illegal narcotics and firearms contributing to Manchester's later nickname of "Gunchester". "Turf wars" between rival drugs 'gangs', resulted in a high number of fatal shootings. During what has been termed the Madchester phase of the History of Manchester, narcotic trade in the city became "extremely lucrative" and in the early 1990s a gang war started between two groups vying for control of the market in Manchester city centre– the 'Cheetham hill gang and 'The Gooch Close Gang, in Cheetham Hill and Moss Side, respectively. There were several high-profile shootings associated with gangs and drugs in this area during the 1990s and into the 21st century. Aided by the work of Xcalibre, the Greater Manchester polices task force, founded in 2004, and the multiagency Integrated Gang Management Unit, gang related shootings in the area have fallen by about 90% in recent years. 

In April 1994, The Independent newspaper highlighted Moss Side as one of the most deprived areas on Britain, and as having some of the highest crime rates. Drug abuse was described as one of the area's biggest problems, with gun crime rates being so high that there had recently been 400 armed incidents reported within a 12-month period. Ambulance crews had resorted to wearing body armour after having to deal with a string of mostly drug-related shootings.  Several doctors had been robbed of medical bags at knife point after being called out to local patients. A number of police vehicles had been fire-bombed and there had been reports of attempted ambushes on police patrols. Unemployment stood at nearly 30% – up to three times the national average in the early 1990s. 

Many of the flats in neighbouring Hulme were demolished in the early 1990s to make way for new low rise homes. Housing on the Alexandra Park Estate in the west of Moss Side has been renovated and the streets redesigned to reduce the fear of crime. 

Story by Andrew Alan Matthews 

Closed shops in the Moss 

Seen better days 

But back in the day 

Victorian streets 

Grocery shops,

Hardware shops 

All types of shops 

on street corners 

no supermarkets back then 

community spirit 

on every street corner

a mainly white community 

to the 70s and 80s

where diverse community 

ruled the day 

black white and Asian 

a multi cultural mix 

brought a spice of life 

to a Moss side life 

also trouble and strife 

of gun toting gangs 

in the heartlands 

gave the Moss a Bad name 

mud sticks 

in the urban sticks 

to today 

Moss Side Story 

Trying to bring glory 

Back to the hearts 

Of the people 

Where alleyways 

Turn into a gardeners delight 

So Moss Siders 

make it a better place 

in yer face

https://youtu.be/vsNpLiNy2pA

Hi Everybody here is a painting and story of Princess Road bus depot and a story about My Dad. part of my Moss Side Nostalgia collection, hope you like it 

A3 Limited Edition print £40 contact me andrewalanmatthews.co.uk

A bit of History

Mass development in Moss Side occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when large numbers of red brick terraced houses were built, and soon attracted numerous Irish immigrants and other working people.

Manchester City FC moved to a new stadium on Maine Road on 25 August 1923, having moved from Hyde Road Ardwick on its opening it was one of the most capacious sports stadiums in the United Kingdom, capable of holding up to 85,000 spectators. The club would play there for the next 80 years. 

During the Manchester Blitz in the Secomnd World War many of the terraced houses were damaged by German bombing on the night of 22/23 December 1940. Migrants from the Indian Subcontinent and Carribvean settled in the locality during the 1950s and 1960s, and by the 1980s Moss Side was the hub of Manchester's Afro Caribbean Community During the 1960s and early 1970s, Manchester City Council demolished many of the Victorian and terraced houses to the west of Moss Side and replaced these with new council houses and flats. Most of the newer properties, built around the turn of the 20th century, were refurbished instead of demolished during the final two decades of the century.

In 1981, the Moss Side area was one of England's inner city areas affected by a series of riots Analysts trace the 1970s origins of Manchester's gang crime to social deprivation in the south-central part of the city – Hulme Longsight and Moss Side – where the activity of the underground economy encouraged a trade in illegal narcotics and firearms contributing to Manchester's later nickname of "Gunchester". "Turf wars" between rival drugs 'gangs', resulted in a high number of fatal shootings. During what has been termed the Madchester phase of the History of Manchester, narcotic trade in the city became "extremely lucrative" and in the early 1990s a gang war started between two groups vying for control of the market in Manchester city centre– the 'Cheetham hill gang and 'The Gooch Close Gang, in Cheetham Hill and Moss Side, respectively. There were several high-profile shootings associated with gangs and drugs in this area during the 1990s and into the 21st century. Aided by the work of Xcalibre, the Greater Manchester polices task force, founded in 2004, and the multiagency Integrated Gang Management Unit, gang related shootings in the area have fallen by about 90% in recent years. 

In April 1994, The Independent newspaper highlighted Moss Side as one of the most deprived areas on Britain, and as having some of the highest crime rates. Drug abuse was described as one of the area's biggest problems, with gun crime rates being so high that there had recently been 400 armed incidents reported within a 12-month period. Ambulance crews had resorted to wearing body armour after having to deal with a string of mostly drug-related shootings.  Several doctors had been robbed of medical bags at knife point after being called out to local patients. A number of police vehicles had been fire-bombed and there had been reports of attempted ambushes on police patrols. Unemployment stood at nearly 30% – up to three times the national average in the early 1990s. 

Many of the flats in neighbouring Hulme were demolished in the early 1990s to make way for new low rise homes. Housing on the Alexandra Park Estate in the west of Moss Side has been renovated and the streets redesigned to reduce the fear of crime. 

Story by Andrew Alan Matthews 

Princess Road Bus Depot

Trams used to come in and out 

Back in the day 1909

They made a scene 

A Moss side dream 

Then buses came on the scene 

Commuters like computers 

Buzzed about 

This way and that 

Me Dad 

always the joker 

60 a day smoker 

worked on GM buses 

Known as Big H 

conductor 

Then driver 

took ill 

GM buses kept him on

Worked in the cash rooms 

At the Depot 

always laughin 

Crackin jokes 

To all the blokes

They all loved Big H

He was a joker 

60 a day Smoker 

Drinker and thinker

passed out 

In the safe room

cut the doors off 

And pensioned him off 

He loved that job on the buses 

He cusses

Makin people laugh 

At his old gaff 

He was a character 

In the Moss of old 

Drinkin in the Claremont 

pubs and clubs

after a hard days work

worked 18 hour shifts 

back in the day 

people used to say 

no way 

So yeah 

Princess Road Bus Depot

Trams used to come in and out 

Back in the day 1909

They made a scene 

A Moss side dream 

buses came on the scene 

Commuters like computers 

Buzzed about 

This way and that 

Me Dad always the joker 

60 a day smoker 

https://youtu.be/UNW8U8dRncI

Hi everybody here is a painting of The Reno and Nile Club Moss Side Manchester part of my Moss side Nostalgia collection, hope you like it

A3 Limited Edition Print £40 contact me andrewalanmatthews.co.uk

A bit of History

Mass development in Moss Side occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when large numbers of red brick terraced houses were built, and soon attracted numerous Irish immigrants and other working people.

Manchester City FC moved to a new stadium on Maine Road on 25 August 1923, having moved from Hyde Road Ardwick on its opening it was one of the most capacious sports stadiums in the United Kingdom, capable of holding up to 85,000 spectators. The club would play there for the next 80 years. 

During the Manchester Blitz in the Secomnd World War many of the terraced houses were damaged by German bombing on the night of 22/23 December 1940. Migrants from the Indian Subcontinent and Carribvean settled in the locality during the 1950s and 1960s, and by the 1980s Moss Side was the hub of Manchester's Afro Caribbean Community During the 1960s and early 1970s, Manchester City Council demolished many of the Victorian and terraced houses to the west of Moss Side and replaced these with new council houses and flats. Most of the newer properties, built around the turn of the 20th century, were refurbished instead of demolished during the final two decades of the century.

In 1981, the Moss Side area was one of England's inner city areas affected by a series of riots Analysts trace the 1970s origins of Manchester's gang crime to social deprivation in the south-central part of the city – Hulme Longsight and Moss Side – where the activity of the underground economy encouraged a trade in illegal narcotics and firearms contributing to Manchester's later nickname of "Gunchester". "Turf wars" between rival drugs 'gangs', resulted in a high number of fatal shootings. During what has been termed the Madchester phase of the History of Manchester, narcotic trade in the city became "extremely lucrative" and in the early 1990s a gang war started between two groups vying for control of the market in Manchester city centre– the 'Cheetham hill gang and 'The Gooch Close Gang, in Cheetham Hill and Moss Side, respectively. There were several high-profile shootings associated with gangs and drugs in this area during the 1990s and into the 21st century. Aided by the work of Xcalibre, the Greater Manchester polices task force, founded in 2004, and the multiagency Integrated Gang Management Unit, gang related shootings in the area have fallen by about 90% in recent years. 

In April 1994, The Independent newspaper highlighted Moss Side as one of the most deprived areas on Britain, and as having some of the highest crime rates. Drug abuse was described as one of the area's biggest problems, with gun crime rates being so high that there had recently been 400 armed incidents reported within a 12-month period. Ambulance crews had resorted to wearing body armour after having to deal with a string of mostly drug-related shootings.  Several doctors had been robbed of medical bags at knife point after being called out to local patients. A number of police vehicles had been fire-bombed and there had been reports of attempted ambushes on police patrols. Unemployment stood at nearly 30% – up to three times the national average in the early 1990s. 

Many of the flats in neighbouring Hulme were demolished in the early 1990s to make way for new low rise homes. Housing on the Alexandra Park Estate in the west of Moss Side has been renovated and the streets redesigned to reduce the fear of crime. 

Story by Andrew Alan Matthews 

The Reno and Nile Club in the Moss 

It was boss 

my Dad said 

Used to go there 

With his best mate Alec

Back in the day 

On the corner of 

Moss Lane East and Princess Road 

It was old

Bold music 

On the Moss Side scene 

King and queen 

With a Black Market 

Park it

Bob Marley 

Mohammed Ali 

Went there 

Funk and Soul Music 

pounded out loud

vibed and tribed 

on the moss side street 

treat 

characters oozed from the place 

an iconic place 

in yer face 

mixed race accepted here 

beer and cheer 

in the reno and Nile club 

proper Moss Side Club 

its gone 

but not forgotten

yeah The Reno and Nile Club in the Moss 

It was boss 

my Dad said 

https://youtu.be/KSWPIVGI4ok

Hi everybody here is a painting of Arties Hairdressers Moss Side Manchester of old part of my Moss side Nostalgia collection, hope you like it

A3 Limited Edition Print £40 contact me andrewalanmatthews.co.uk

A bit of History

Mass development in Moss Side occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when large numbers of red brick terraced houses were built, and soon attracted numerous Irish immigrants and other working people.

Manchester City FC moved to a new stadium on Maine Road on 25 August 1923, having moved from Hyde Road Ardwick on its opening it was one of the most capacious sports stadiums in the United Kingdom, capable of holding up to 85,000 spectators. The club would play there for the next 80 years. 

During the Manchester Blitz in the Secomnd World War many of the terraced houses were damaged by German bombing on the night of 22/23 December 1940. Migrants from the Indian Subcontinent and Carribvean settled in the locality during the 1950s and 1960s, and by the 1980s Moss Side was the hub of Manchester's Afro Caribbean Community During the 1960s and early 1970s, Manchester City Council demolished many of the Victorian and terraced houses to the west of Moss Side and replaced these with new council houses and flats. Most of the newer properties, built around the turn of the 20th century, were refurbished instead of demolished during the final two decades of the century.

In 1981, the Moss Side area was one of England's inner city areas affected by a series of riots Analysts trace the 1970s origins of Manchester's gang crime to social deprivation in the south-central part of the city – Hulme Longsight and Moss Side – where the activity of the underground economy encouraged a trade in illegal narcotics and firearms contributing to Manchester's later nickname of "Gunchester". "Turf wars" between rival drugs 'gangs', resulted in a high number of fatal shootings. During what has been termed the Madchester phase of the History of Manchester, narcotic trade in the city became "extremely lucrative" and in the early 1990s a gang war started between two groups vying for control of the market in Manchester city centre– the 'Cheetham hill gang and 'The Gooch Close Gang, in Cheetham Hill and Moss Side, respectively. There were several high-profile shootings associated with gangs and drugs in this area during the 1990s and into the 21st century. Aided by the work of Xcalibre, the Greater Manchester polices task force, founded in 2004, and the multiagency Integrated Gang Management Unit, gang related shootings in the area have fallen by about 90% in recent years. 

In April 1994, The Independent newspaper highlighted Moss Side as one of the most deprived areas on Britain, and as having some of the highest crime rates. Drug abuse was described as one of the area's biggest problems, with gun crime rates being so high that there had recently been 400 armed incidents reported within a 12-month period. Ambulance crews had resorted to wearing body armour after having to deal with a string of mostly drug-related shootings.  Several doctors had been robbed of medical bags at knife point after being called out to local patients. A number of police vehicles had been fire-bombed and there had been reports of attempted ambushes on police patrols. Unemployment stood at nearly 30% – up to three times the national average in the early 1990s. 

Many of the flats in neighbouring Hulme were demolished in the early 1990s to make way for new low rise homes. Housing on the Alexandra Park Estate in the west of Moss Side has been renovated and the streets redesigned to reduce the fear of crime. 

Story by Andrew Alan Matthews 

Arties Hairdressers in the Moss 

Claremont Road 

Used to knock around outside 

When I was a kid 

Man City Footballers 

used to go in 

for a Trim 

kids used to see em 

on the Moss Side streets 

treats 

and one night 

as I was walking home 

a gunman in a car 

shooting down the road 

bullet whizzed over me head

shot the A 

out of the Arties sign 

just above me head 

thought I was dead 

instead 

legged it down an alleyway 

round the back 

heart attack 

Claremont road 

Was the place to be 

In the heart of the Moss 

People getting cross 

Yeah  

Arties Hairdressers in the Moss 

Claremont Road 

Used to knock around outside 

When I was a kid 

Man City Footballers 

used to go in 

for a Trim 

kids used to see em 

on the Moss Side streets 

treats 

on these mean streets

https://youtu.be/G3bYH7r_nH0

Hi everybody here is a painting of Asian shop owners in Moss Side and Manchester part of my Moss side Nostalgia collection, hope you like it

A3 Limited Edition Print £40 contact me andrewalanmatthews.co.uk

A bit of History

Mass development in Moss Side occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when large numbers of red brick terraced houses were built, and soon attracted numerous Irish immigrants and other working people.

Manchester City FC moved to a new stadium on Maine Road on 25 August 1923, having moved from Hyde Road Ardwick on its opening it was one of the most capacious sports stadiums in the United Kingdom, capable of holding up to 85,000 spectators. The club would play there for the next 80 years. 

During the Manchester Blitz in the Secomnd World War many of the terraced houses were damaged by German bombing on the night of 22/23 December 1940. Migrants from the Indian Subcontinent and Carribvean settled in the locality during the 1950s and 1960s, and by the 1980s Moss Side was the hub of Manchester's Afro Caribbean Community During the 1960s and early 1970s, Manchester City Council demolished many of the Victorian and terraced houses to the west of Moss Side and replaced these with new council houses and flats. Most of the newer properties, built around the turn of the 20th century, were refurbished instead of demolished during the final two decades of the century.

In 1981, the Moss Side area was one of England's inner city areas affected by a series of riots Analysts trace the 1970s origins of Manchester's gang crime to social deprivation in the south-central part of the city – Hulme Longsight and Moss Side – where the activity of the underground economy encouraged a trade in illegal narcotics and firearms contributing to Manchester's later nickname of "Gunchester". "Turf wars" between rival drugs 'gangs', resulted in a high number of fatal shootings. During what has been termed the Madchester phase of the History of Manchester, narcotic trade in the city became "extremely lucrative" and in the early 1990s a gang war started between two groups vying for control of the market in Manchester city centre– the 'Cheetham hill gang and 'The Gooch Close Gang, in Cheetham Hill and Moss Side, respectively. There were several high-profile shootings associated with gangs and drugs in this area during the 1990s and into the 21st century. Aided by the work of Xcalibre, the Greater Manchester polices task force, founded in 2004, and the multiagency Integrated Gang Management Unit, gang related shootings in the area have fallen by about 90% in recent years. 

In April 1994, The Independent newspaper highlighted Moss Side as one of the most deprived areas on Britain, and as having some of the highest crime rates. Drug abuse was described as one of the area's biggest problems, with gun crime rates being so high that there had recently been 400 armed incidents reported within a 12-month period. Ambulance crews had resorted to wearing body armour after having to deal with a string of mostly drug-related shootings.  Several doctors had been robbed of medical bags at knife point after being called out to local patients. A number of police vehicles had been fire-bombed and there had been reports of attempted ambushes on police patrols. Unemployment stood at nearly 30% – up to three times the national average in the early 1990s. 

Many of the flats in neighbouring Hulme were demolished in the early 1990s to make way for new low rise homes. Housing on the Alexandra Park Estate in the west of Moss Side has been renovated and the streets redesigned to reduce the fear of crime. 

Story by Andrew Alan Matthews 

Asian shop owners 

In Moss Side and Manchester 

Hard workers 

No shirkers 

Makin a life 

They Came From south Asia 

Punjab, Pakistan 

From 1911 

Students to shop owner’s 

And back in the Moss 

There was a cultural mix 

Asians Blacks and whites 

Getting on 

always respectful 

Not forgetful

Yeah they had there share 

Of racism 

On the streets of the moss 

They had it tough

But us kids 

who grew up back then

were brought up together 

getting on 

them times are gone 

a heady mix 

of black Asian and white 

coming together 

clever 

yeah we had our tribes 

Asian, black and white 

But it was the Irish gang

That gave me grief 

On the streets of the Moss 

We learned our hard knocks 

In the Moss

But it was a proper community 

Unity 

on the streets of the Moss 

made life long friends 

Yeah 

Asian shop owners 

In Moss Side and Manchester 

Hard workers 

No shirkers 

Makin a life

In a Moss Side Life 

https://youtu.be/cv8sSuhwmX4

Hi everybody here is a painting of Newsagent on the corner of a Moss Side street part of my Moss side Nostalgia collection, hope you like it

A3 Limited Edition Print £40 contact me andrewalanmatthews.co.uk

A bit of History

Mass development in Moss Side occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when large numbers of red brick terraced houses were built, and soon attracted numerous Irish immigrants and other working people.

Manchester City FC moved to a new stadium on Maine Road on 25 August 1923, having moved from Hyde Road Ardwick on its opening it was one of the most capacious sports stadiums in the United Kingdom, capable of holding up to 85,000 spectators. The club would play there for the next 80 years. 

During the Manchester Blitz in the Secomnd World War many of the terraced houses were damaged by German bombing on the night of 22/23 December 1940. Migrants from the Indian Subcontinent and Carribvean settled in the locality during the 1950s and 1960s, and by the 1980s Moss Side was the hub of Manchester's Afro Caribbean Community During the 1960s and early 1970s, Manchester City Council demolished many of the Victorian and terraced houses to the west of Moss Side and replaced these with new council houses and flats. Most of the newer properties, built around the turn of the 20th century, were refurbished instead of demolished during the final two decades of the century.

In 1981, the Moss Side area was one of England's inner city areas affected by a series of riots Analysts trace the 1970s origins of Manchester's gang crime to social deprivation in the south-central part of the city – Hulme Longsight and Moss Side – where the activity of the underground economy encouraged a trade in illegal narcotics and firearms contributing to Manchester's later nickname of "Gunchester". "Turf wars" between rival drugs 'gangs', resulted in a high number of fatal shootings. During what has been termed the Madchester phase of the History of Manchester, narcotic trade in the city became "extremely lucrative" and in the early 1990s a gang war started between two groups vying for control of the market in Manchester city centre– the 'Cheetham hill gang and 'The Gooch Close Gang, in Cheetham Hill and Moss Side, respectively. There were several high-profile shootings associated with gangs and drugs in this area during the 1990s and into the 21st century. Aided by the work of Xcalibre, the Greater Manchester polices task force, founded in 2004, and the multiagency Integrated Gang Management Unit, gang related shootings in the area have fallen by about 90% in recent years. 

In April 1994, The Independent newspaper highlighted Moss Side as one of the most deprived areas on Britain, and as having some of the highest crime rates. Drug abuse was described as one of the area's biggest problems, with gun crime rates being so high that there had recently been 400 armed incidents reported within a 12-month period. Ambulance crews had resorted to wearing body armour after having to deal with a string of mostly drug-related shootings.  Several doctors had been robbed of medical bags at knife point after being called out to local patients. A number of police vehicles had been fire-bombed and there had been reports of attempted ambushes on police patrols. Unemployment stood at nearly 30% – up to three times the national average in the early 1990s. 

Many of the flats in neighbouring Hulme were demolished in the early 1990s to make way for new low rise homes. Housing on the Alexandra Park Estate in the west of Moss Side has been renovated and the streets redesigned to reduce the fear of crime. 

Story by Andrew Alan Matthews 

Newsagent on the corner of the street 

A Moss side street 

Treat

Marvel comics 

Super heroes 

Come to life 

Young boys dream 

Spiderman 

Spins a web 

And saves the day 

Yeah this boy 

Draws in class 

A junior class 

Pay more attention 

Stop reading comics 

The teacher says 

Learn your lesson 

And learn it well 

get your schoolin 

Stop yer foolin 

Yer droolin over art 

Hes Young at heart 

This boys gotta heart 

Wants to be an Artist 

When he grows up 

dreams of a life 

in a Moss Side life 

Innocent and young 

He carries on 

mates look on 

from afar 

the doors a jar 

now hes grown 

with nostalgia in his eyes 

he paints a scene 

a Moss Side theme 

no longer a dream 

cos hes an Artist 

painting 

and hes been waitin 

all his life 

for his dream to come true 

so yeah

Newsagent on the corner of the street 

A Moss side street 

Treat

Marvel comics 

Super heroes 

Come to life 

A Young boys dream 

Come true

He knew

phew

https://youtu.be/4MkRE_Yx0YQ

Hi everybody here is a painting of Shebeens in the Moss side of old part of my Moss side Nostalgia collection, hope you like it

A3 Limited Edition Print £40 contact me andrewalanmatthews.co.uk

A bit of History

Mass development in Moss Side occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when large numbers of red brick terraced houses were built, and soon attracted numerous Irish immigrants and other working people.

Manchester City FC moved to a new stadium on Maine Road on 25 August 1923, having moved from Hyde Road Ardwick on its opening it was one of the most capacious sports stadiums in the United Kingdom, capable of holding up to 85,000 spectators. The club would play there for the next 80 years. 

During the Manchester Blitz in the Secomnd World War many of the terraced houses were damaged by German bombing on the night of 22/23 December 1940. Migrants from the Indian Subcontinent and Carribvean settled in the locality during the 1950s and 1960s, and by the 1980s Moss Side was the hub of Manchester's Afro Caribbean Community During the 1960s and early 1970s, Manchester City Council demolished many of the Victorian and terraced houses to the west of Moss Side and replaced these with new council houses and flats. Most of the newer properties, built around the turn of the 20th century, were refurbished instead of demolished during the final two decades of the century.

In 1981, the Moss Side area was one of England's inner city areas affected by a series of riots Analysts trace the 1970s origins of Manchester's gang crime to social deprivation in the south-central part of the city – Hulme Longsight and Moss Side – where the activity of the underground economy encouraged a trade in illegal narcotics and firearms contributing to Manchester's later nickname of "Gunchester". "Turf wars" between rival drugs 'gangs', resulted in a high number of fatal shootings. During what has been termed the Madchester phase of the History of Manchester, narcotic trade in the city became "extremely lucrative" and in the early 1990s a gang war started between two groups vying for control of the market in Manchester city centre– the 'Cheetham hill gang and 'The Gooch Close Gang, in Cheetham Hill and Moss Side, respectively. There were several high-profile shootings associated with gangs and drugs in this area during the 1990s and into the 21st century. Aided by the work of Xcalibre, the Greater Manchester polices task force, founded in 2004, and the multiagency Integrated Gang Management Unit, gang related shootings in the area have fallen by about 90% in recent years. 

In April 1994, The Independent newspaper highlighted Moss Side as one of the most deprived areas on Britain, and as having some of the highest crime rates. Drug abuse was described as one of the area's biggest problems, with gun crime rates being so high that there had recently been 400 armed incidents reported within a 12-month period. Ambulance crews had resorted to wearing body armour after having to deal with a string of mostly drug-related shootings.  Several doctors had been robbed of medical bags at knife point after being called out to local patients. A number of police vehicles had been fire-bombed and there had been reports of attempted ambushes on police patrols. Unemployment stood at nearly 30% – up to three times the national average in the early 1990s. 

Many of the flats in neighbouring Hulme were demolished in the early 1990s to make way for new low rise homes. Housing on the Alexandra Park Estate in the west of Moss Side has been renovated and the streets redesigned to reduce the fear of crime. 

Story by Andrew Alan Matthews 

Shebeens 

Illegal drinking houses 

in the Moss of old 

unsavoury characters 

frequent here 

drugs and beer 

cheer 

anything you want

be careful

be fearful

tearful

yeah

lookouts on the watch 

day and night 

alright 

smoke fills the room 

boom 

the main mans 

in the room 

gold teeth n chains 

drip from the man 

been in the can 

the soul man 

looks at you

gatherin his crew 

haven’t a clue 

what he can do for you 

breathin 

heavin 

acheivin 

steals your soul

in the middle of the night 

fright 

so lookout tonight 

so yeah

Shebeens 

Illegal drinking houses 

in the Moss of old 

unsavoury characters 

frequent here 

drugs and beer 

cheer 

anything you want

so be careful

and fearful

https://youtu.be/qxX1kvmOHAg

Hi everybody here is a painting of The Claremont Pub Moss Side Manchester part of my Moss side Nostalgia collection, a story about my dad, hope you like it

A3 Limited Edition Print £40 contact me andrewalanmatthews.co.uk

A bit of History

Mass development in Moss Side occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when large numbers of red brick terraced houses were built, and soon attracted numerous Irish immigrants and other working people.

Manchester City FC moved to a new stadium on Maine Road on 25 August 1923, having moved from Hyde Road Ardwick on its opening it was one of the most capacious sports stadiums in the United Kingdom, capable of holding up to 85,000 spectators. The club would play there for the next 80 years. 

During the Manchester Blitz in the Secomnd World War many of the terraced houses were damaged by German bombing on the night of 22/23 December 1940. Migrants from the Indian Subcontinent and Carribvean settled in the locality during the 1950s and 1960s, and by the 1980s Moss Side was the hub of Manchester's Afro Caribbean Community During the 1960s and early 1970s, Manchester City Council demolished many of the Victorian and terraced houses to the west of Moss Side and replaced these with new council houses and flats. Most of the newer properties, built around the turn of the 20th century, were refurbished instead of demolished during the final two decades of the century.

In 1981, the Moss Side area was one of England's inner city areas affected by a series of riots Analysts trace the 1970s origins of Manchester's gang crime to social deprivation in the south-central part of the city – Hulme Longsight and Moss Side – where the activity of the underground economy encouraged a trade in illegal narcotics and firearms contributing to Manchester's later nickname of "Gunchester". "Turf wars" between rival drugs 'gangs', resulted in a high number of fatal shootings. During what has been termed the Madchester phase of the History of Manchester, narcotic trade in the city became "extremely lucrative" and in the early 1990s a gang war started between two groups vying for control of the market in Manchester city centre– the 'Cheetham hill gang and 'The Gooch Close Gang, in Cheetham Hill and Moss Side, respectively. There were several high-profile shootings associated with gangs and drugs in this area during the 1990s and into the 21st century. Aided by the work of Xcalibre, the Greater Manchester polices task force, founded in 2004, and the multiagency Integrated Gang Management Unit, gang related shootings in the area have fallen by about 90% in recent years. 

In April 1994, The Independent newspaper highlighted Moss Side as one of the most deprived areas on Britain, and as having some of the highest crime rates. Drug abuse was described as one of the area's biggest problems, with gun crime rates being so high that there had recently been 400 armed incidents reported within a 12-month period. Ambulance crews had resorted to wearing body armour after having to deal with a string of mostly drug-related shootings.  Several doctors had been robbed of medical bags at knife point after being called out to local patients. A number of police vehicles had been fire-bombed and there had been reports of attempted ambushes on police patrols. Unemployment stood at nearly 30% – up to three times the national average in the early 1990s. 

Many of the flats in neighbouring Hulme were demolished in the early 1990s to make way for new low rise homes. Housing on the Alexandra Park Estate in the west of Moss Side has been renovated and the streets redesigned to reduce the fear of crime. 

Story by Andrew Alan Matthews 

The Claremont Pub Moss Side

My Dads local pub

Used to drink there 

After a long day 

On the buses 

He Cusses 

Holts beer 

Cheer 

He was a rum un 

Me Dad 

Always in the pub with his mates 

Till lates 

Mum got sick of it 

And walked to the pub 

Slammed his tea on the table 

“You live in the pub 

So you might as well 

eat in it as well” 

me dad looked at her 

and said 

“have you got any bread to mop it up”

he was dead 

that night 

mum gave him a fright

yeah the Claremont pubs alright 

full of characters 

my Dad was know as Big H

always laughin and jokin 

in the pubs and clubs 

of the Moss 

me Dad 

he was just boss 

https://youtu.be/rZBBlQWHH7o

Hi everybody here is a painting of The Beehive pub Moss Side Manchester part of my Moss side Nostalgia collection, hope you like it

A3 Limited Edition Print £40 contact me andrewalanmatthews.co.uk

A bit of History

Mass development in Moss Side occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when large numbers of red brick terraced houses were built, and soon attracted numerous Irish immigrants and other working people.

Manchester City FC moved to a new stadium on Maine Road on 25 August 1923, having moved from Hyde Road Ardwick on its opening it was one of the most capacious sports stadiums in the United Kingdom, capable of holding up to 85,000 spectators. The club would play there for the next 80 years. 

During the Manchester Blitz in the Secomnd World War many of the terraced houses were damaged by German bombing on the night of 22/23 December 1940. Migrants from the Indian Subcontinent and Carribvean settled in the locality during the 1950s and 1960s, and by the 1980s Moss Side was the hub of Manchester's Afro Caribbean Community During the 1960s and early 1970s, Manchester City Council demolished many of the Victorian and terraced houses to the west of Moss Side and replaced these with new council houses and flats. Most of the newer properties, built around the turn of the 20th century, were refurbished instead of demolished during the final two decades of the century.

In 1981, the Moss Side area was one of England's inner city areas affected by a series of riots Analysts trace the 1970s origins of Manchester's gang crime to social deprivation in the south-central part of the city – Hulme Longsight and Moss Side – where the activity of the underground economy encouraged a trade in illegal narcotics and firearms contributing to Manchester's later nickname of "Gunchester". "Turf wars" between rival drugs 'gangs', resulted in a high number of fatal shootings. During what has been termed the Madchester phase of the History of Manchester, narcotic trade in the city became "extremely lucrative" and in the early 1990s a gang war started between two groups vying for control of the market in Manchester city centre– the 'Cheetham hill gang and 'The Gooch Close Gang, in Cheetham Hill and Moss Side, respectively. There were several high-profile shootings associated with gangs and drugs in this area during the 1990s and into the 21st century. Aided by the work of Xcalibre, the Greater Manchester polices task force, founded in 2004, and the multiagency Integrated Gang Management Unit, gang related shootings in the area have fallen by about 90% in recent years. 

In April 1994, The Independent newspaper highlighted Moss Side as one of the most deprived areas on Britain, and as having some of the highest crime rates. Drug abuse was described as one of the area's biggest problems, with gun crime rates being so high that there had recently been 400 armed incidents reported within a 12-month period. Ambulance crews had resorted to wearing body armour after having to deal with a string of mostly drug-related shootings.  Several doctors had been robbed of medical bags at knife point after being called out to local patients. A number of police vehicles had been fire-bombed and there had been reports of attempted ambushes on police patrols. Unemployment stood at nearly 30% – up to three times the national average in the early 1990s. 

Many of the flats in neighbouring Hulme were demolished in the early 1990s to make way for new low rise homes. Housing on the Alexandra Park Estate in the west of Moss Side has been renovated and the streets redesigned to reduce the fear of crime. 

Story by Andrew Alan Matthews 

The Bee Hive pub Moss Side

On Claremont road 

Be told 

Cos me mum and Dad 

Went there one night 

They had a fright 

Dad standin at the bar 

Too far 

A big man 

Sits next to me mum 

Chattin her up 

Dad sits next to him 

The guy opens his jacket 

Gun in holster 

“im lookin for a man to kill”

Thrill, Chill 

Dad starts crackin a joke

Smoke 

Hes not gonna croak 

Relaxes the guy 

And buys him a drink 

He thinks, 

a few drinks

Says “have a good night”

“Your cool man” 

The Hit man says

fist pumps me dad 

And Walks out the pub 

Mum and dad

Legs it down the road 

Yeah The Bee Hive pub Moss Side

On Claremont road 

Be told 

Cos me mum and Dad 

Went there one night 

They had a fright

On a hot summers night

https://youtu.be/ffphiND9TIA

Hi everybody here is a painting of The Heineken Brewery Moss Side Manchester part of my Moss side Nostalgia collection, hope you like it

A3 Limited Edition Print £40 contact me andrewalanmatthews.co.uk

A bit of History

Mass development in Moss Side occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when large numbers of red brick terraced houses were built, and soon attracted numerous Irish immigrants and other working people.

Manchester City FC moved to a new stadium on Maine Road on 25 August 1923, having moved from Hyde Road Ardwick on its opening it was one of the most capacious sports stadiums in the United Kingdom, capable of holding up to 85,000 spectators. The club would play there for the next 80 years. 

During the Manchester Blitz in the Secomnd World War many of the terraced houses were damaged by German bombing on the night of 22/23 December 1940. Migrants from the Indian Subcontinent and Carribvean settled in the locality during the 1950s and 1960s, and by the 1980s Moss Side was the hub of Manchester's Afro Caribbean Community During the 1960s and early 1970s, Manchester City Council demolished many of the Victorian and terraced houses to the west of Moss Side and replaced these with new council houses and flats. Most of the newer properties, built around the turn of the 20th century, were refurbished instead of demolished during the final two decades of the century.

In 1981, the Moss Side area was one of England's inner city areas affected by a series of riots Analysts trace the 1970s origins of Manchester's gang crime to social deprivation in the south-central part of the city – Hulme Longsight and Moss Side – where the activity of the underground economy encouraged a trade in illegal narcotics and firearms contributing to Manchester's later nickname of "Gunchester". "Turf wars" between rival drugs 'gangs', resulted in a high number of fatal shootings. During what has been termed the Madchester phase of the History of Manchester, narcotic trade in the city became "extremely lucrative" and in the early 1990s a gang war started between two groups vying for control of the market in Manchester city centre– the 'Cheetham hill gang and 'The Gooch Close Gang, in Cheetham Hill and Moss Side, respectively. There were several high-profile shootings associated with gangs and drugs in this area during the 1990s and into the 21st century. Aided by the work of Xcalibre, the Greater Manchester polices task force, founded in 2004, and the multiagency Integrated Gang Management Unit, gang related shootings in the area have fallen by about 90% in recent years. 

In April 1994, The Independent newspaper highlighted Moss Side as one of the most deprived areas on Britain, and as having some of the highest crime rates. Drug abuse was described as one of the area's biggest problems, with gun crime rates being so high that there had recently been 400 armed incidents reported within a 12-month period. Ambulance crews had resorted to wearing body armour after having to deal with a string of mostly drug-related shootings.  Several doctors had been robbed of medical bags at knife point after being called out to local patients. A number of police vehicles had been fire-bombed and there had been reports of attempted ambushes on police patrols. Unemployment stood at nearly 30% – up to three times the national average in the early 1990s. 

Many of the flats in neighbouring Hulme were demolished in the early 1990s to make way for new low rise homes. Housing on the Alexandra Park Estate in the west of Moss Side has been renovated and the streets redesigned to reduce the fear of crime. 

Story by Andrew Alan Matthews 

The Heineken Brewery 

On Princess road Moss Side

You can smell it 

Before you can see it 

Smell of cornflakes and hot milk 

A lovely smell 

Wafting on down 

As I pass on by

Under a grey Mancunian sky

Opened in 1875

Albert Brewery

Belching out Steam 

They used horses back in the day 

Made Ales and Stouts

Royal Moss Side Brewery

The Lees company went bust

Then Harp Lager 

Heineken now 

make 

Fosters and Kronenbourg 

Amongst the brew

90 thousand cans an hour

Hurtle through the place 

Robots 

24 hours at pace

Makin the amber nectar 

For Moss Side 

Manchester and beyond

So Yeah 

The Heineken Brewery 

On Princess road Moss Side

You can smell it 

Before you can see it 

Smell of cornflakes and hot milk 

A lovely smell 

Wafting on down 

As I pass on by

Under a grey Mancunian sky

https://youtu.be/4tNCiLri06E

Hi everybody here is a painting of Man City Social Club Moss Side Manchester part of my Moss side Nostalgia collection, hope you like it

A3 Limited Edition Print £40 contact me andrewalanmatthews.co.uk

A bit of History

Mass development in Moss Side occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when large numbers of red brick terraced houses were built, and soon attracted numerous Irish immigrants and other working people.

Manchester City FC moved to a new stadium on Maine Road on 25 August 1923, having moved from Hyde Road Ardwick on its opening it was one of the most capacious sports stadiums in the United Kingdom, capable of holding up to 85,000 spectators. The club would play there for the next 80 years. 

During the Manchester Blitz in the Secomnd World War many of the terraced houses were damaged by German bombing on the night of 22/23 December 1940. Migrants from the Indian Subcontinent and Carribvean settled in the locality during the 1950s and 1960s, and by the 1980s Moss Side was the hub of Manchester's Afro Caribbean Community During the 1960s and early 1970s, Manchester City Council demolished many of the Victorian and terraced houses to the west of Moss Side and replaced these with new council houses and flats. Most of the newer properties, built around the turn of the 20th century, were refurbished instead of demolished during the final two decades of the century.

In 1981, the Moss Side area was one of England's inner city areas affected by a series of riots Analysts trace the 1970s origins of Manchester's gang crime to social deprivation in the south-central part of the city – Hulme Longsight and Moss Side – where the activity of the underground economy encouraged a trade in illegal narcotics and firearms contributing to Manchester's later nickname of "Gunchester". "Turf wars" between rival drugs 'gangs', resulted in a high number of fatal shootings. During what has been termed the Madchester phase of the History of Manchester, narcotic trade in the city became "extremely lucrative" and in the early 1990s a gang war started between two groups vying for control of the market in Manchester city centre– the 'Cheetham hill gang and 'The Gooch Close Gang, in Cheetham Hill and Moss Side, respectively. There were several high-profile shootings associated with gangs and drugs in this area during the 1990s and into the 21st century. Aided by the work of Xcalibre, the Greater Manchester polices task force, founded in 2004, and the multiagency Integrated Gang Management Unit, gang related shootings in the area have fallen by about 90% in recent years. 

In April 1994, The Independent newspaper highlighted Moss Side as one of the most deprived areas on Britain, and as having some of the highest crime rates. Drug abuse was described as one of the area's biggest problems, with gun crime rates being so high that there had recently been 400 armed incidents reported within a 12-month period. Ambulance crews had resorted to wearing body armour after having to deal with a string of mostly drug-related shootings.  Several doctors had been robbed of medical bags at knife point after being called out to local patients. A number of police vehicles had been fire-bombed and there had been reports of attempted ambushes on police patrols. Unemployment stood at nearly 30% – up to three times the national average in the early 1990s. 

Many of the flats in neighbouring Hulme were demolished in the early 1990s to make way for new low rise homes. Housing on the Alexandra Park Estate in the west of Moss Side has been renovated and the streets redesigned to reduce the fear of crime. 

Story by Andrew Alan Matthews 

Man City Social Club 

in Moss Side

Mam and dad used to go there 

On a Saturday night 

And one night 

Mum was all dolled up 

With a blond wig 

She was like a twig

And a model 

Back in the day 

On a cold wet windy night 

They walked to the club 

From 222 princess road 

Down Claremont road 

A long road 

Holdin onto each other 

Starting to quiver 

And Shiver 

The Wind picks up 

And blew off the wig 

Lands in a puddle of water 

She aughta go home 

But no 

she plops on the wig 

And goes to the city club 

In a huff

dad laughin his head off 

Drenched and soaked to the skin 

in the moss side rain 

Again 

Yeah 

Man City Social Club in Moss Side

Mam and dad used to go there 

On a Saturday night 

Mum and dad were laughin that night

https://youtu.be/Pqo0aqz53Yc

Hi everybody here is a painting of Under the shadow of Man City Maine Road Moss Side Manchester part of my Moss side Nostalgia collection, hope you like it

A3 Limited Edition Print £40 contact me andrewalanmatthews.co.uk

A bit of History

Mass development in Moss Side occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when large numbers of red brick terraced houses were built, and soon attracted numerous Irish immigrants and other working people.

Manchester City FC moved to a new stadium on Maine Road on 25 August 1923, having moved from Hyde Road Ardwick on its opening it was one of the most capacious sports stadiums in the United Kingdom, capable of holding up to 85,000 spectators. The club would play there for the next 80 years. 

During the Manchester Blitz in the Secomnd World War many of the terraced houses were damaged by German bombing on the night of 22/23 December 1940. Migrants from the Indian Subcontinent and Carribvean settled in the locality during the 1950s and 1960s, and by the 1980s Moss Side was the hub of Manchester's Afro Caribbean Community During the 1960s and early 1970s, Manchester City Council demolished many of the Victorian and terraced houses to the west of Moss Side and replaced these with new council houses and flats. Most of the newer properties, built around the turn of the 20th century, were refurbished instead of demolished during the final two decades of the century.

In 1981, the Moss Side area was one of England's inner city areas affected by a series of riots Analysts trace the 1970s origins of Manchester's gang crime to social deprivation in the south-central part of the city – Hulme Longsight and Moss Side – where the activity of the underground economy encouraged a trade in illegal narcotics and firearms contributing to Manchester's later nickname of "Gunchester". "Turf wars" between rival drugs 'gangs', resulted in a high number of fatal shootings. During what has been termed the Madchester phase of the History of Manchester, narcotic trade in the city became "extremely lucrative" and in the early 1990s a gang war started between two groups vying for control of the market in Manchester city centre– the 'Cheetham hill gang and 'The Gooch Close Gang, in Cheetham Hill and Moss Side, respectively. There were several high-profile shootings associated with gangs and drugs in this area during the 1990s and into the 21st century. Aided by the work of Xcalibre, the Greater Manchester polices task force, founded in 2004, and the multiagency Integrated Gang Management Unit, gang related shootings in the area have fallen by about 90% in recent years. 

In April 1994, The Independent newspaper highlighted Moss Side as one of the most deprived areas on Britain, and as having some of the highest crime rates. Drug abuse was described as one of the area's biggest problems, with gun crime rates being so high that there had recently been 400 armed incidents reported within a 12-month period. Ambulance crews had resorted to wearing body armour after having to deal with a string of mostly drug-related shootings.  Several doctors had been robbed of medical bags at knife point after being called out to local patients. A number of police vehicles had been fire-bombed and there had been reports of attempted ambushes on police patrols. Unemployment stood at nearly 30% – up to three times the national average in the early 1990s. 

Many of the flats in neighbouring Hulme were demolished in the early 1990s to make way for new low rise homes. Housing on the Alexandra Park Estate in the west of Moss Side has been renovated and the streets redesigned to reduce the fear of crime. 

Story by Andrew Alan Matthews 

Under the Shadow of Man City Maine Road

The kids played footy 

Across the road 

Street kids 

And goal posts made of coats 

Knockin the ball 

on the wall 

and now and again 

we Played on the croft

where the brown gang 

And our gang 

had competitions 

Missions 

With no Permissions 

we all dream of match day 

Saturday 

A Happy day 

Where you earnt your money 

For fireworks jubblys, bubblys 

and sweets 

Feet pound the streets 

to a Man City beat

Of a mind yer car mr 

Treat 

in the summer heat 

So lend us an ear 

And Come here today 

Reminisce 

Of the good old days 

In the Moss 

Cos It was Boss

Under the shadow 

Of Man City Maine Road 

https://youtu.be/sGdSCSwlQ0M

Claremont Road Junior School 

An innocent boy existed 

Used to Walk there 

In the wind and the rain 

Playin in the school yard 

Innocent and young

Dreams of being an Artist one day  

sung Nativity songs 

Sat on the old wooden floor

Hymns Galore 

Yeah he was the Monkey 

In the school Nativity 

Cheeky Monkey you might say

Why was he there

People stop and stare 

Dressed up and

all out of place 

In a Moss Side place

I guess he always felt outta place 

Is it his race 

That’s in yer face 

Theres a time and place 

To understand why 

He’s here 

From Claremont Road Junior school 

This lad existed 

Histories misted 

Through sands of time 

Is it time 

He woke up from his slumber 

Cos now hes grown 

Into an Artist 

Storyteller 

Peacekeeper 

No sleeper 

Hes a keeper 

Fogs of the mind 

Keep him Blind 

To the truth 

Kept hidden

God given 

But all he can do 

Is carry on 

walkin the path of life 

With no trouble and strife 

So yeah 

Claremont Road Junior School 

An innocent boy existed 

Used to Walk there 

In the wind and the rain 

Playin in the school yard 

Innocent and young

Hes grown now, 

an Artist

Storyteller 

Peacekeeper 

No sleeper 

He’s a keeper 

https://youtu.be/_eEaj63UzR8

Give customers a reason to do business with you.

 Original Painting £450 or A3 Limited Edition Print £40  contact me

Manchester City, Maine Road, A cityscape / landscape painting looking back on past times when I was a child, remembering when I used to live and play in Moss Side, City used to open the gates at half time allowing the local kids to watch the second half of the game for free. We had great fun running down the tunnels and watching the game. My favorite player was Colin Bell. Painted in Acrylic with pallette Knife and ink outline using the croquis method to bring the characters to life, showing a bustling crowd going to a game. 

Limited Edition Signed prints available on this artwork, 

Limited to 250 prints Signed by the Artist and comes with certificate of authenticity. 

Fine Art Giclee Print on Fine at Paper 

Maximum A3 size print 11.69 x 16.53 inches price =£35incl postage & packaging in the UK

Maximum A2 size print 16.53 x 23.39 inches, price =£50 incl postage & Packaging in the UK

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