Manchester the Great City

Manchester is a relatively new city. It was not until the eighteenth century that this once inconspicuous medieval settlement came to the world¿s attention for the manufacture of cotton earning it the colloquial name of `Cottonopolis¿. Its development at the forefront of the industrial revolution rapidly formed the foundations for the great city we see today. The wealth generated by Victorian industry tended to be re-invested locally as evidenced in the grand buildings with their magnificent interiors that still stand today. A number of cotton magnates also left financial legacies for the founding of colleges, libraries and galleries, which have enriched the lives of generations ever since. These historic structures rear proudly in and amongst the glass-clad buildings of more recent architectural styles. The City¿s `Coat Of Arms¿, granted in 1842, proclaims Manchester as `a city of global trade and industry, built on extreme courage, bravery, strength and discipline and filled with peace and harmony¿. This is no exaggerated boast as Mike Heath¿s photographic journey around the city proves. It includes images of Manchester¿s shiny new structures with their state-of-the-art architecture, rejuvenated Victorian buildings complete with their flamboyant interiors, nineteenth century institutions that have stood the test of time, road, rail and water transport past and present, and covers some the major annual events that bring this vibrant city to life all year round.