Seeing for myself

[LizzieW]

I would think the area has changed a lot.  When I was a child, Ancoats, Moss Side, and places nearby were considered really bad places to live, now I've read that they are the places to live in the Manchester area.  A bit like Bethnal Green etc. in London which used to be terrible places, now they're full of very expensive housing - lots of it original but done up and worth 100s of thousands of pounds.

[BumbleB]

To get an idea of the changes in an area, a good place to start is :

http://maps.nls.uk/geo/find/#zoom=5&lat=56.0000&lon=-4.0000&layers=102&b=1&point=0,0

Enter a place name, select 'side by side' view from the top panel, and select different maps from the selection on the left. Some show much more detail than others. You can zoom and scroll and if aligned correctly, use your cursor to trace where streets and houses used to be.

For example, this is a fairly detailed map:
http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=15.117745740587637&lat=53.4872&lon=-2.2307&layers=168&right=BingHyb

You will probably also find some town plans which show even more detail.

In general, the more urban areas have seen more changes, and in some cases entire streets and houses have been obliterated, but some villages remain virtually untouched.

Love it, that on the second map "Sanitary Street" (historical map) has now been renamed as "Anita Street" (modern map)   

[Top-of-the-hill]

  Those side-by-side maps are great. I was using one the other day of a rural area near here, and an old chalk pit on one showed up as a crop mark on the other. Also some now unused tracks were still visible on the aerial map.

[Ruskie]

It is interestig to see  the name changes, sometimes for no obvious reason, and some for very obvious reasons, like Sanitary Street. 

The side by side maps are a wonderful resouce. It amazes me how some field boundaries remain the same, you can sometimes find newer housing built within boundaries.

[Flowed]

I was reading the other day about the general conditions people of the area lived in during those milling days and I recall the words "unsanitary conditions". So it does make you wonder about Sanitary Street, doesn't it. MUST be a story there somewhere!!

It would be a good thing from my perspective if there are quite a few houses left as they generally were, but upgraded. I would then get a feel for days gone by.

I haven't had a chance for a concentrated look at the Side by Side site since your adviseof it was received the other day...but I SHALL...and aren't I looking forward to it!

Thanks again all.

[Ruskie]

Flowed, if you manage to find a good detailed map (some of them even show the outlines of houses and yards or gardens) you can see the differences in size between the more well to do residences and the working class housing.

Even if the particular house or street where you ancestors lived no longer stands, sometimes it is possible to look to similar neighbouring streets which may have survived to give you an idea of how yours may have looked.

Definitely have a look on google streetview. Sometimes in country areas particularly, trees and other obstacles block out the house you want to have a look at but you shouldn't have that problem in a city. 

Something else you can do through looking at your family in each census, is look at the neighbours and their occupations to get an idea of the class of people in the area. Also look to see if some houses are multi occupancy or have lodgers (even very small houses with few rooms took in paying lodgers). In the 1911 census householders were asked how many rooms their house had.

[Flowed]

Thanks to Ruskie for that brilliant Side by Side maps advise. It IS A FANTASTIC resource!! Poured over it for ages.....and will A LOT, no doubt about it.
My worst fears are a reality though. I see that the whole area I was keen to visit is altered massively. Very nice and green now, much nicer living conditions without a doubt. And I think I'll still "go walkabout", as the Aussies say, along the roads which remain from the 19th century. I'll just need to use my imagination to fill in the gaps.

Thanks again for the wonderful help received.

[Ruskie]

I'm sure it will be a great experience Flowed, even if you do have to use your imagination. 

[Flowed]

Yep, I agree. Very exciting. Great to honour " those who have gone before", those who've paved the way for the current generations and generally tried to do the best they can with tough living and work conditions. Makes me grateful for all we have in this modern society of ours.