Archive: 2014

  1. Gertrude Neisen

    Sadly we had no response to our query last month asking for information about the mystery monkey woman at Belle Vue. This is a pity, as the prize was going...

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  2. Space monkey

    More slightly worrying fun from the halcyon days before the invention of health and safety… This wonderful photograph is from the Belle Vue collection of Brian Selby, which he is...

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  3. Worse ways to die…

      Among the items that we are getting ready for digitising as part of our Belle Vue project funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Collection Fund is a ledger containing reports...

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  4. Up the chimney

    Keeping priceless manuscripts up the chimney is certainly one of the less orthodox ways to archive material, but we’ll try anything once here at Chetham’s. Fortunately the private papers of...

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  5. A literary photoshoot

    We were delighted to welcome photographer Katie Dervin and author Katherine Clements to the Library recently, shooting publicity shots for Katherine’s recent novel The Crimson Ribbon. Both Katherine and the...

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  6. Laura’s blog post

    We are lucky to have a number of wonderful volunteers at the Library who come in week-in, week-out to do sterling work researching, cataloguing and assisting with the care of...

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  7. Creative Tourist

    Creative Tourist have written a lovely article about us which is well worth a look, see it here.

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  8. Belle Vue book published 90 years too late!

    To coincide with the Manchester Histories Festival, we are excited to announce the publication of a new ebook on the history of Belle Vue Zoological Gardens. Written nearly ninety years...

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  9. The mysterious monkey lady

    Does anyone know who this glamorous lady with three adorable monkeys is? The photo was taken at Belle Vue in Manchester in – probably – the 1940s, and is from...

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  10. Creative Threads

    We’ll be taking part in the Manchester Histories Festival ‘Creative Threads’ day on Sunday 23rd March, and you’re all invited! This is a brilliant opportunity to travel round the city...

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