Bury, Greater Manchester

The name Bury (also earlier known as Buri and Byri) comes from an Old English word, meaning castle, stronghold or fort, an early form of modern English borough[3] (German burg).

Bury was formed around the ancient market place but there is evidence of activity dating back to the period of Roman occupation. Bury Museum has a Roman urn containing a number of small bronze coins dated for AD 253–282 and found north of what is now the town centre.[4] Under Agricola the road–building programme included a route from the fort at Manchester (Mamucium) to the fort at Ribchester (Bremetennacum) which ran through Radcliffe and Affetside. The modern Watling Street, which serves the Seddons Farm estate on the west side of town, follows the approximate line of the Roman road.

Before the River Irwell was diverted to its present course it flowed by the foot of the rock, from which the road 'The Rock' takes its name, which provided the platform for the fortified manor house, parish church and a few houses nestling around the village square.

The most imposing building in the early town would have been Bury Castle,[5][6] a medieval manor house built in 1469. It sat in a good defensive position on high ground overlooking the Irwell Valley.[6]

Bury Parish Church and War Memorial

The Pilkington family suffered badly in the Wars of the Roses when, despite geography, they supported the House of York. When Richard III was killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, Thomas Pilkington was captured and later executed. The outcome of the battle was the Lancastrian Duke of Richmond being crowned Henry VII by Sir William Stanley. As a reward for the support of his family, Thomas Stanley was created Earl of Derby and, amongst other lands, the confiscated Pilkington estate in Bury was presented to him.[4]

The ancestral home of the Earls of Derby is Knowsley Hall on the outskirts of Liverpool. The family maintains a connection with Bury in various ways—the Derby High School is named after them. When the school opened in 1959 the 18th Earl of Derby was patron and the school's badge is based on the Earl's coat of arms. The 15th and 16th Earls were both supporters of Bury Grammar School, both financially and in terms of land, and one of the school houses is named Derby in their honour.[7] The town was formerly home to the Derby Hall and the Derby Hotel.

The castle remains were buried beneath the streets outside the Castle Armoury until properly excavated for the first time in the 1970s.[6]

Between 1801 and 1830, the population of the town more than doubled from 7,072 to 15,086. This was the time when the factories, mines and foundries, with their spinning machines and steam engines, began to dominate the landscape. In 1822 Bury Savings Bank[8] opened on Silver Street established under government control and later became TSB.

Probate evidence from the 17th century and the remains of 18th century weavers' cottages in Elton, on the west side of Bury, indicate that domestic textile production was an important factor in the local economy at a time when Bury's textile industry was dominated by woollens, and based upon the domestic production of yarn and cloth, as well as water-powered fulling mills.[9][10]

Development was swift in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The establishment in 1773 by the family of Sir Robert Peel of Brooksbottom Mill in Summerseat, north of the town, as a calico printing works marked the beginning of the cotton industry in Bury. By the early 19th century, cotton was the predominant textile industry, with the Rivers Roch and Irwell providing power for spinning mills and processing water for the finishing trades. Development was further promoted when the town was linked to the national canal network by the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal, fully opened in 1808. The canal was provided with water from Elton Reservoir, fed by aqueducts from a weir on the Irwell, north of what is now the Burrs Country Park. The Burrs is also the site of another mill developed by the Peel family, first founded in 1790. The remains are displayed for the public. There were seven cotton mills in Bury by 1818 and the population grew from 9,152 in 1801, to 20,710 in 1841, and then to 58,029 in 1901.

Following this, railways were opened, linking the town from Bury Bolton Street railway station to Manchester (via Prestwich and Radcliffe, to Rawtenstall and to Accrington. From the Knowsley Street railway station there were connections to the neighbouring mill towns of Bolton, Heywood and Rochdale. As well as the many cotton mills, other industries which thrived included paper–making, calico printing and some light engineering. The town expanded to incorporate the former townships of Elton, Walmersley and Heap, and rows of terraced houses encircled the town centre by the turn of the 19th century. Districts such as Freetown, Fishpool and Pimhole were transformed from farmers' fields to rows of terraces beside the factories and mills.

The houses were of the most limited kind, without basic facilities, sewers or proper streets. The result was the rapid spread of disease and high mortality rates in crowded areas. In 1838, out of 1,058 working class houses in Bury investigated by the Manchester Statistical Society, 733 had 3–4 people in each bed, 207 had 4–5, and 76 had 5–6.[11] Social reformers locally and nationally were concerned about such issues, including Edwin Chadwick. One report that prepared the ground for the reform of public health matters, commissioned by then Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel, asked local doctors for information. King Street, Bury was highlighted. It had 10 houses, each with one bedroom, and a population of 69. The average age of death in Bury was 13.8 years. Towns like Bury were likened to 'camps'[12] where newcomers sought work in mill, mine or forge. Many, often from Ireland, found shelter in lodging houses. 38 in Bury were surveyed.[13] 73% had men and women sharing beds indiscriminately, 81% were filthy and the average was 5.5 persons to a bed.

Although Bury had few of the classic late 19th century spinning mills that were such a feature of other Lancashire towns, a group known as Peel Mills are still in use at Castlecroft Road. Immediately north of the town centre, their name is another reminder of the link with the Peel family.

Lancashire Fusiliers War Memorial at Whitehead Gardens

According to writer Geoffrey Moorhouse, no history of Bury is complete without reference to its role as the regimental town of the Lancashire Fusiliers.[14]

In 1688 Prince William of Orange (later King William III) landed at Brixham, Devon. He was met by a number of noblemen, who were then commissioned to raise regiments to help him oppose James II. Colonel Sir Robert Peyton raised a regiment containing six independent companies in the Exeter area. This regiment evolved to become the Lancashire Fusiliers: following successful recruiting a regimental depot was established at Wellington Barracks in 1881.[15]

Terraced housing in Bury 1958

The post-war period saw a major decline in the cotton industry and, in common with many neighbouring towns, Bury's skyline was soon very different, with countless factory chimneys being pulled down and the associated mills closing their doors for ever. The old shopping area around Princess Street and Union Square was demolished in the late 1960s, and a concrete precinct emerged to replace it. This development was replaced by the Mill Gate Shopping Centre in 1995.

On 23 November 1981, an F0/T1 tornado formed over Whitefield and subsequently moved through Bury town centre and surrounding areas.[16]

In 2010 a £350m large shopping area opened up around the Rock. The main street is populated mainly by independent shops and food outlets. At the top end of the street, though, is a shopping area with a multi screen cinema, bowling alley, and department stores including Marks & Spencer, Debenhams, Boots UK, Clark's, Poundland, the Body Shop and Warren James Jewellers.

Bury also benefited from other facilities in the early 2010s including a new medical centre and office accommodation close to Bury Town Hall. A decision by Marks and Spencer to vacate its store in the Mill Gate Shopping Centre and move into a new larger one on The Rock emphasised a change of clientele in the town.

The town centre is famous for the traditional market, with its "world famous" black pudding stalls. Bury Market was also once famous for its tripe, although this has declined in recent decades. The Bury Black Pudding Co, owned by the Chadwick family,[17] provides black pudding to retailers such as Harrods and other supermarkets, and the market is a destination for people from all over Greater Manchester and beyond. The last 30 years have seen the town develop into an important commuter town for neighbouring Manchester. Large scale housing development has taken place around Unsworth, Redvales, Sunnybank, Brandlesholme, Limefield, Chesham and Elton. The old railway line to Manchester Victoria closed in 1990 and was replaced by the light rapid transit system Metrolink in 1992. The town was also linked to the motorway network with the opening of the M66, accessed from the east side of the town, in 1978.

The Met arts centre, based in the Derby Hall on Market Street, is a small performing arts venue promoting a programme of theatre, music and comedy events.[40] The Met has hosted famous comedy acts such as Peter Kay, Jason Manford, Steve Coogan and Eddie Izzard in their days before fame.

Bury Art Museum on Moss Street, home to a fine collection of Victorian and 20th-century art, including works by Turner, Constable, and Landseer.

The Fusilier Museum, home to the collection of the Lancashire Fusiliers, commemorating over three hundred years of the regiment's history. The museum occupies the former School of Arts and Crafts on Broad Street.

The award-winning Bury Transport Museum, part of the East Lancashire Railway, holds a fine collection of vintage vehicles and interactive displays. It is housed in the Grade II listed, beautifully restored, 1848 Castlecroft Goods Shed. In 2011 Bury Transport Museum won a National Railway Heritage Award.

The 2008 Mercury Music Prize winning group Elbow, fronted by Guy Garvey, hails from Bury and in 2009 the group was awarded the Freedom of the Borough after their 2008 classic album Seldom Seen Kid won several accolades including a Brit Award and Mercury Prize.[41]

Bury hosts several music festivals yearly, including the 'Glaston-Bury' festival on the August bank holiday weekend, and the Ramsbottom Music Festival, closing the festival season in mid September. While Glaston-Bury hosts mainly local/upcoming bands, Ramsbottom Music Festival hosts a wider range of talent, including bands such as Soul 2 Soul and The Proclaimers. The festival also has a popular silent disco, where DJs battle for the larger audience. For the past two years, this battle has largely been dominated by the DJ team BABs, a brother and sister partnership from the local village of Edenfield.

Bury is known for its black puddings[42] so much so, that it is not uncommon to see it marketed as "Bury Black Pudding" on a menu. Bury simnel cake is a variant of the cake originating in Bury. The town was also notable for tripe, though there is little demand for this in modern times.

• Nicky Ajose, Charlton Athletic footballer player
• Andy Goram, Scottish international footballer.
• Barrie Kelly, sprinter who competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, the 1966 and 1970 Commonwealth Games in Jamaica and Edinburgh
• Gary Neville, former Manchester United F.C. captain.
• Phil Neville, former Everton F.C. midfielder and captain, and younger brother of Gary Neville.
• Tracey Neville, netball international and younger sister of Gary and Phil Neville.
• Gareth Parry (Gaz), one of Britain's most successful rock climbers. A former British champion in 1996 and 2002, he became British bouldering team coach.[49]
• Scott Quigg, the current British super-bantamweight boxing champion, he is also WBA Interim World Champion
• Lawrie Smith, yachtsman. He learnt to sail at Elton Sailing Club, Bury, and won a bronze medal at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, and the Fastnet Race.
• Kieran Trippier, footballer for Atlético Madrid and England international.
• Adam Yates, professional cyclist.
• Simon Yates, professional cyclist.

• Richmal Crompton, author, was born on Manchester Road, Bury; a blue plaque marks the house. Her father, Rev. Edward John Sewell Lamburn, taught Classics at Bury Grammar School.[50]
• Thomas Thompson, writer (1880-1951), author and broadcaster, born in Bury and lived there all his life

• Gemma Atkinson, actress and model
• Antony Cotton, actor and television host best known as Sean Tully in Coronation Street
• Helen Flanagan, actress best known as Rosie Webster in Coronation Street.
• Steve Halliwell, actor best known as Zak Dingle in Emmerdale.
• Matt Littler, actor best known as Max Cunningham in Hollyoaks a pupil of Elton High School.
• Jamie Lomas, actor best known as Warren Fox in Hollyoaks. He has a sister Charley Webb
• Jennie McAlpine, actress best known as Fiz in Coronation Street, a pupil of St Gabriel's Roman Catholic High School, Bury
• Christian McKay, actor. He studied piano as a youth and had performed the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 in concert at the age of 21. He played Orson Welles in the film Me and Orson Welles.
• Nigel Pilkington, actor, writer, and voiceover
• Lisa Riley, actress and television presenter best known as Mandy Dingle in Emmerdale
• Suzanne Shaw, originally famous for winning the show Popstars and being a member of Hear'say, Shaw became the star of West End shows as well as a singer, actress and television presenter.
• Charley Webb, actress best known for playing Debbie Dingle in Emmerdale. She has a brother Jamie Lomas

Statue of Victoria Wood, in Library Gardens, Bury, Greater Manchester.

• Victoria Wood, although from Prestwich, Bury has the honour of hosting a statue of the celebrated comedian and writer Victoria Wood which stands opposite Bury's central library [51]

• Guy Garvey, the lead singer of alternative rock band Elbow.
• Christian Savill, guitarist with Slowdive
• Peter Skellern, singer-songwriter and pianist
• Ian Wallace, rock drummer with King Crimson, Don Henley, Bob Dylan and others attended Bury Grammar School.
• Holy Cross College Choir

• Sir David Trippier (born 1945), former Member of Parliament for Rossendale and Darwen. Educated at Bury Grammar School.
• David Crausby (born 1946), Member of Parliament for Bolton North East was born in Bury. Educated at the Derby High School.
• David Chaytor (born 1949), former Member of Parliament for Bury North was born in Bury. Educated at Bury Grammar School.[52]
• Alistair Burt (born 1955), former Member of Parliament 2001-2019 for North East Bedfordshire was born in Bury and was School Captain of Bury Grammar School. Prior to losing his seat to David Chaytor in 1997 he represented his hometown as MP for Bury North from 1983.

• Aaron Bell
• Liam Robinson