A meander through the north

by Mike Garry
performance poet

Mike Garry: finding Manchester's northern soul

After Mancunian Meander was published in 2006, I felt as if I had only done half a job really.

I'd written about an East South Central Manchester, an area I grew up in and had a deep affection for.

But I always knew there was another side of town that was fundamentally different in character and personality - north Manchester.

I was born in Chorlton-on-Medlock on the next street to Elizabeth Gaskell. I had a large extended family that extended around the surrounding ten streets - it was very tight knit.

Mam worked in St. Patrick's and my two sisters went to St Margaret Clitheroe. My granddad, John Nash (cool name or what?) was the landlord at the Plough on Redhill Street in the 1950s and my Auntie Maureen has fond memories of the pub and working at Ancoats Hospital.

Some of my family weren't always my family: they became my family by the love and care that they showed me. That was the nature of the place.

I moved to Fallowfield as part of the slum clearance and, from the age of six, spent much of my time around south Manchester.

Heading north

MANCUNIAN MEANDER Gorton girls know all the words To songs by Chaka Khan They dance and sing And point and grin At all the boys covered in tattoos Trainers gleaming Faded denim Twisting a sleeper in one ear Driving XR3s and growing home-grown weed Following the Kippax cheer by Mike Garry (2006)

More recently, I've been lucky enough to have spent time with a group of mates in places like Crumpsall, Moston, Blackley, Beswick, Harpurhey and Miles Platting.

North Manchester is different to the south; the people, the places, the views are fundamentally different.

I could never put my finger on what it was and why. But I've always wanted to know the answer and, in some way, this is how this whole project started.

So, when I was approached by the BBC and the Arts Council to continue the 'Mancunian Meander' northwards as part of their Made in England project, I said 'yes' without the slightest hesitation.

For the last four months. I've been spending lots of time in north Manchester getting to know its geography, people, history, culture and the very DNA of the area.

I have been working with a number of groups of all ages, asking them what their knowledge of the area is, what it is they like or dislike about the place. I have sat in cafés, libraries, pubs and parks taking in its aura.

'Unique'

Made in England is a project dedicated to exploring how England, the place and the people, is expressed through creative and artistic forms. This is a joint venture between the BBC and Arts Council England

I've been to places I have never visited before like Clayton: I never knew it at all, didn't even know exactly where it was 'til June.

So, I spoke to people at the Wells Centre, Friends of Clayton Hall, I've been to fun days in the park, chatted with the brilliant library staff, stood with bus drivers and lollipop ladies and just chatted.

I've photographed, videoed, sketched, written poems and short stories that aim to capture the essence of the north of Manchester.

One thing I do know is that Moston is different to Harpurhey, Crumpsall is not like Blackley and Newton Heath is no Miles Platting.

They're all unique entities with their own histories and voice and what I'm trying to do with this project is capture the nature of each area in the form of poetry.

Mike Garry will be performing his North Mancunian Meander on BBC Radio Manchester on Sunday 18 October, 9am - 12 noon.