Students from Denmark arrived in Salford this week to learn all about the city’s vast and astonishing history.
These college trips happen once a year when Danish teenagers travel to a foreign country to learn all about European history.
SalfordOnline.com were delighted to receive an request from the Ingrid Jespersens Gymnasieskole in Copenhagen asking if it would be possible for our Local History Editor, Tony Flynn to show a group of 25 upper secondary students around the city’s many historical sites.
We met at Manchester Victoria Station and moved straight on to Salford’s oldest chapel, the Grade II-listed Sacred Trinity Church.
Rev Andy Salmon kindly opened the doors for us to look around and proved incredibly knowledgable answering questions on the chapel’s history and the role that it provides in today’s world.
Read:Sacred Trinity to celebrate hero nurse Edith Cavell 100 years after execution
The students were amazed that Andy not only takes part in the normal ministry of the church but also hosts Samba classes, Viking re-enactment nights and even Goth music concerts.
All of this seemed anathema to their experience of churches in their homeland.
The Salford history walk took us to the site of the New Bailey Prison where the students were horrified to learn that public hangings were still taking place in Salford as late as April 1868.
Horrible History: The Last Hanging in Salford
We spoke about the Manchester Martrys, Allen, Larkin and O’Brien who were hanged here in November 1867 for the role in the murder of Sergeant Brett.
It came as quite a shock to them to hear that these barbaric spectacles were considered days out, with crowds of 10,000 people attending, mothers and fathers bringing children to watch and with food and drink available all day.
Horrible History: The Manchester Martyrs
We passed by and spoke about many of the fine buildings on Chapel Street, some of the students were keen football fans – of Manchester United I’m glad to report – and wanted to learn more about the late George Best and the numerous love trysts that he held at the now closed Brown Bull pub.
Read: 50 years ago in Salford: Irish ‘tinkers’ cause mayhem in Chapel Street pub fight
The Salford Cinema, which dates from 1912, was a favourite of the students with its marvellous terracotta frontage and cupola dome. Of some fine regard were the City of Salford Education offices which date from 1895 and are now sadly closed.
We paid a short visit to Salford Cathedral and they were especially interested in the names of the local soldiers that had fallen in the Great War, especially that of Private James Farrell who was killed in 1917 and left his entire army pay of £21, 19 shillings and threepence to be spent on treats for the children of the nearby St Anne’s school, Adelphi.
One student asked me (in his second or third language no less) of the significance of the red poppies on the war memorials, he said that he had seen them on footballers’ shirts and thought that they represented a bullet hole, with the red and black colouring.
It was good to be able to tell him about the poppies of Flanders Fields and the loss of the Salford Pals regiments in these horrific battles.
We had a quick peek at St Philips Church designed by Sir Robert Smirke in 1822, talked about the bombing of Salford Royal Hospital in June 1941 when 14 nurses were killed by German bombers, discussed the meaning of the Boer War ‘Shouting Fusilier’ statue on Chapel Street designed by George Frampton and unveiled by King Edward V11 on a visit to salford in 1905.
The students asked me why there was a heavy emphasis on war memorial to fallen soldiers on the walk; I explained that these young men who fell in the line of duty would always be remembered in Salford history and this was our way of showing our appreciation of them.
Denmark (wisely on reflection) didn’t get involved in the First World War and remained neutral, however they were invaded by the Germans in April 1940 and this lasted until May 1945, the country losing some 3,000 people as a result of this occupation.
Our walk took us along the Crescent where fine views of Peel Park were enjoyed, also the Salford Fire Station which opened in 1903, and Salford University where they happily posed for photographs at the ‘Ambition’ sign.
Our walk finshed at Salford Art Gallery and Museum which is normally closed on a Monday, however Ceri Horrocks the Heritage Development Manager kindly opened the Lark Hill Place Victorian street especialy for the students.
They had a marvellous time there with some dressing up in period clothing happily posing for photographs and being genuinely amazed that the artefacts in the shops were all genuine.
The final surprise came at the end of the walk when the soft drinks manufacturer Vimto who brewed their beverage on Chapel Street for some 20 years kindly donated two cases of Vimto, pens and sweets which went down a treat with our Danish friends.
Camilla Gyldendal Nystrøm a High School teacher at the Gymnasieskole told us that the students had, had a marvellous time and really enjoyed learning about the City of Salford and its proud heritage and even asked if they could come back in the near future!
SalfordOnline.com were more than happy to educate our Danish friends about Salford and we wish them well with their studies for the future.
I am considering holding these walks on a more frequent basis is any tourists or local groups would be interested. Please contact tonyflynn@salfordonline.com.
All images by SalfordOnline.com Community Photographer Albert. See the full image gallery here
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