The Making of Manchester

by Mike Fletcher

A concise history of the Northern English city from its Roman origins to today’s metropolitan hub. In The Making of Manchester, author Mike Fletcher shows how this thriving city has made and re-made itself through the centuries. Beginning as a Roman settlement anchored by the fort of Mancunium, it was later conquered by the Anglo-Saxons, who renamed the region Manchester, meaning “Men of the Fort.” In the Medieval and Early Modern periods, Manchester survived hostile forces of all kinds, from the English Civil Wars to the rising of the Jacobites. Yet Manchester changed its image during the Industrial Revolution, becoming Cottonpolis, and the center of the canal and railway network. Yet along with prosperity, the city faced hardship and poverty which lingered well into the twentieth century.

260 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2003

Reviews

[valerie barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learnt a lot about the city of my birth.Made me proud to be a Mancunian.

I liked this book it held my interest from the beginning. I found the history interesting although as I grew up and went to school in Manchester I already knew a lot.never the less made me feel proud. Hope my Grandchildren who all live in the surrounding areas have the advantages that this great city can give them as I am sure they will.

[Priscilla · Rating 1 out of 5]

Interesting though very narrow history of a major city, but I just couldn't get over the typos and grammos throughout the book. Someone needs to tell Mike that the past tense of the verb "to lead" is "led" not "lead." The Manchester Canal got numerous pages but Emmeline Pankhurst got two paragraphs. A fascinating history and so much left to learn about it.