Manchester Then and Now - book by Jonathan Schofield photos by Aidan O'Rourke

Written by Aidan O'Rourke
2009-03-29

Manchester Then and Now is a book written by Jonathan Schofield presenting archive images of Manchester placed side by side with contemporary scenes - captured by yours truly Aidan O'Rourke! The book was published in May 2009 by Batsford (144 pages, £12.99).

Manchester Then and Now features archive and contemporary photographs placed side by side, along with descriptions written by Jonathan Schofield.

The archive images were chosen by Jonathan mostly from the collection of the Local Studies Unit at Manchester Central Library, a favourite browsing haunt of mine. I was commissioned to take contemporary images of the same scenes today. I tried to match the camera angle as closely as possible to the viewpoint used in the archive image.

As well as being Manchester's most high profile tour guide, Jonathan Schofield is an experienced journalist, writer and after-dinner speaker. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of Manchester, and is full of facts, figures and quirky anecdotes.

Motifs include many of Manchester's most famous buildings and streets: The Town Hall and Albert Square, Cross Street, with the former Manchester Evening News building, Manchester University Sackville Building, the River Irwell and Sackville Park, Manchester Airport and most spectacularly, a view from the CIS building overlooking Victoria Station and Boddingtons Brewery chimney.

You'll have to buy a copy of the book to see the archive images - or browse for them on the Local Studies Unit archive at http://images.manchester.gov.uk. However I'm presenting a selection of the images I've taken for the book here in this article and in the aidan.co.uk photo portfolio.

The book was published on 10 May 2009 by Batsford, price £12.99.

See the details for Manchester Then and Now on Amazon

2009-03-29