Manchester was a Roman Settlement

Steven grew up in the northwest, and has spent much of his time in this area. He has always played an active role in politics, and now as a local Mayor, he shares some history, background and views on his much-loved Manchester.

What is your favourite thing about the city?

The people.

What can you tell us about Manchester and its history?

Manchester was a Roman settlement, and birthplace of the industrial revolution. Known as "Cottonopolis" due to textiles (linen is still known as Manchester in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa), the Manchester Ship Canal opened in 1894 and Manchester became one of the top 5 UK ports (despite being 35miles inland!).

It's a radical city, from Peterloo, to Emmeline Pankhurst and the Suffragettes, birthplace of the TUC, and the PFA. In 1909 when the FA threatened to ban players in the Union, Manchester United players stood firm, threatening strike action and forming Outcasts FC. The players won, and the Players' Union, the Professional Footballers Association has remained in Manchester to this day. More recently, in 2005, Manchester United supporters formed a new club, FC United of Manchester, in opposition to a different kind of challenge. The City is also the place where Marx met Engels, leading to the Communist Manifesto, one of the world's most influential political documents.

It's a city of firsts. At the University of Manchester, Ernest Rutherford first split the atom in 1917, Frederic C. Williams, Tom Kilburn and Geoff Tootill developed the world's first stored-program computer in 1948, and Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov isolated the first graphene in 2004. It's where Charles Rolls met Sir Henry Royce. It is the home of the world's first passenger railway terminus...You could say Manchester invented commuting. 😂

It's a city of music, from Madchester to modern indie, from Stone Roses, Happy Mondays to Oasis, to Courteeners.

What is your favourite restaurant?

Bundobust - 100% vegan (no I'm not vegan). Outstanding quality... And there are 2 of them.

Where should people visit?

Castlefield - The various years of history from Roman, to industrial revolution, to modern.

Could you share any interesting facts about Manchester?

There is a statue of President Abraham Lincoln in Manchester with the following inscription: " “The support that the working people of Manchester gave in their fight for the abolition of slavery during the American Civil War… By supporting the union under President Lincoln at a time when there was an economic blockade of the southern states the Lancashire cotton workers were denied access to raw cotton which caused considerable unemployment throughout the cotton industry.”