Www.kersalflats.co.uk

I do not know if this is outside of your remit but here goes.

I run a local history website devoted to the Kersal Area of Salford and in particular Kersal Flats.

There are 750+ photos of this area from various periods and nearly 2 hours of old film footage.

You might find it interesting

kersalflats.co.uk

[Ashtonian]

A great amount of work has gone into this website. A thorough job!
A comprehensive piece of social history.

[Phil Blinkhorn]

Thanks Truefan, excellent link.

Thanks. It is a real labour of love.

I am a professional academic (legal historian) so I thought I would make the effort.

These social/housing experiments are an important part of the social history of the 20th century and should not be forgotten.

[aidanorourke]

This is absolutely fascinating stuff about Kersal Flats. As I write this I am working in the car parked next to the flats along Oldham Road, which are undergoing gradual renovation: The Apple Building being the only one so far.

I lived in Thorn Court Pendlebury, on the 19th floor, during 1986, but didn't last long there!

Aidan, I assume that you mean Thorn Court, Pendleton.

I think that is now owned by Salford University.


If you or anyone else has any new or old pictures of Kersal please email them to kersalflats@hotmail.co.uk and I would love to put them on the site

[Phil Blinkhorn]

I never lived in the area but in 1967 got to know the area and many of the shops - some still recognisable - very well. I started as a rep with United Biscuits in 1967 and their Manchester training area encompassed a vast swathe from Glossop through to Leigh via Stalybridge, Ashton, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Salford, Swinton and Bolton taking in mainly corner shops and small grocers with the odd supermarket and wholesaler to gain experience.

The Kersal/Lower Broughton/Littleton Rd area had many shops who would still prefer to "order from the rep" rather than go to a cash and carry as they got credit and, given their size, only had a visit every eight weeks. This meant they would order £10 worth of stock (£5 in some instances) and not have to pay until the next visit).

Eventually UB decided eight weeks waiting for cash was too long. The way we organised our visits was that though individual units may only have had an eight weekly visit, we were in the area at least every two weeks and we were told to spend at least two hours a day collecting cash from any shop that had received goods at least two weeks previously.

Within the year, the number of accounts "lost" to cash and carries skyrocketed but UB were happy as though there was less of a margin with wholesalers, shopkeepers who would resist any attempt a rep might make to increase an order were found to pick up more product when left to select it themselves in a warehouse.

Just another aspect of traditional life that changed in the latter part of the last century.

It is strange just how short a life span the flats had. Poorly thought out possibly, not suited to the English temperament maybe, but for such a large investment, the useful life was pathetically short and the adventure into vertical living must surely be one of the greatest faux pas ever made by local and national government.

[anthony99]

great social commentry/local history!

the plight of one salford estate being repeated as we speak all over the north west!

there are so many estates in the middle of this process

You might want to check out these videos on Pendleton flats that I posted on youtube

YouTube - Salford Tower Blocks : Minimal Entry

YouTube - ITN Story- Salford Flats 1988

I was recently sent pictures of an LP that was recorded in the Castle pub on Kersal Flats in 1975. It features pub singers (and one semi-famous guitarist) and the landlord etc. The front of the album contains pictures of the pub regulars to boost sales.

I assume this type of thing was not unheard of pubs in the 1970s.

Anyone come across any others?