Manchester Angel Meadow walking tour with historian Dean Kirby

Step back in time to the rain-lashed streets of Angel Meadow – the Victorian Manchester slum so vile it was dubbed ‘Hell upon Earth’ by Friedrich Engels.

In the shadow of one of the world’s first cotton mills, 30,000 souls trapped by poverty are fighting for survival as the Industrial Revolution is built upon their backs.

Mancunian families are struggling to keep body and soul together in overcrowded lodging houses and deep cellars on the banks of the River Irk as gangs of scuttlers stalk the pavements outside.

In this new tour by me, family historian and writer Dr Dean Kirby, the author of the bestselling book Angel Meadow: Victorian Britain's Most Savage Slum and with a PhD in Angel Meadow's history, you will hear the hidden story of how the district and its people shaped one of the world’s greatest cities.

Whether, like me, you are a descendant of Angel Meadow ancestors or have a burning passion to explore the history of Manchester, this tour is for you.

The price of your ticket includes:

• A 90 minute guided walk through the streets of Angel Meadow with Dean Kirby, the leading authority on the area’s history.

• Walk alongside the River Irk, through the tree-lined Angel Meadow park and along streets where new apartments rub shoulders with former ragged schools.

• Regular stops where you’ll hear about the unusual characters who called this place home and historic incidents that took place right where you are standing.
• Personalise your tour: If you tell me beforehand about your Angel Meadow ancestors, I'll do my best to mention them on the walk.

• Small group sizes so you can ask questions and have plenty of time to take photographs.

I also run private tours of Angel Meadow for families researching their ancestors. For details of these tours and the research I can do for you beforehand, showing where and how your ancestors lived, please contact me directly at [email protected].

If you're interested in Manchester history, please consider subscribing to my Manchester History Club newsletter, www.manchesterhistory.uk.

In each edition, you'll hear stories from the streets of the world's first industrial city. By subscribing, you'll also be helping to keep the newsletter sustainable.

If you've hit a brick wall in your Manchester family history research, I also provide professional genealogy services in Greater Manchester and Lancashire. Find out about the services I offer, included research and separate, bespoke tours for Angel Meadow descendants, by visiting www.manchesterfamilyhistory.com.

*** The walk is around 1.6 miles/2.6 kilometers and includes a descent down a long flight of steps, some shorter steps and an uphill climb. The steps mean that unfortunately the walk is not wheelchair friendly or suitable for people with limited mobility. Please dress for the weather and bring a brolly. Manchester is known as the rainy city and the walk will go ahead come rain or shine.***

Christine Radford: "It really was the best of days. Even with the poor souls buried there, you brought those streets to life Dean with rich and informative history and I could feel we were walking the streets of our ancestors. As the sun shone on us, there was a tranquil beauty and quietness over St Michael's Flags and it felt like coming home, bringing the new and the old together. You made it memorable for us. It was a day to remember for us all. For anyone going in the future, it is worth every penny in the company of like-minded people, with Dean sharing so much with you. Enjoy - you won't for get it."

Alison Barton-Simmons: "Dean's tour of Angel Meadow was superb. It brought the history of the area to life and took you through places you wouldn't even know were there. Dean even made the tour personal to the group by pointing out streets and houses that their family members had lived in. Would definitely recommend to anyone familiar with that area, or anyone interested in the rich history of Manchester."

Janice Wilson: "Dean's tour was superb. I was one of the group members for whom Dean did additional research from what I had known about my Irish ancestors. I cannot thank him enough. I have recommended this tour to friends and will certainly be looking out for further tours of our wonderful city."

Nicola Simpson Mills: "Dean is extremely knowledgeable on the subject and surrounding history of the area. Cannot recommend it enough. Fascinating subject. Great way to pass the time, exercise and a history lesson. Wonderful."

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Sadler's Yard, Hanover Street, Manchester, United Kingdom