A Video Alphabet - Hulme A-Z

From the collection of

North West Film Archive at Manchester Metropolitan University
Established in 1977, the North West Film Archive preserves moving images made in or about the North West of England for the education and enjoyment of the region’s people. Part of Manchester Metropolitan University Library’s Cultural Collections, and based within Manchester Central Library’s Archives+ partnership, we are a specialist resource dedicated to saving and growing our region’s rich filmed history.

A Video Alphabet - Hulme A-Z

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The new Hulme - better than before? A visual assessment of a changing inner-city area.

This short film is a critical look at Hulme in Manchester, beginning with the Hulme Arch bridge, and moving alphabetically through the inner-city area. Shot at a time of great change, with the last of the old deck-access flats standing as a stark reminder of urban redevelopment gone wrong, and the new housing rising on the wasteland, this is a frank and personal assessment of the latest incarnation of Hulme, featuring both good and bad aspects.

A look at Hulme in Manchester at a time of great change, as the old deck-access flats go, and the new housing rises on the wasteland. Community and cultural venues are also mentioned in this frank assessment.


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Hulme: Decline and Rebirth... But Always Community

Hulme has seen more than its fair share of challenges and changes over the years, but the area has always put community at its heart.
Hulme, in inner-city Manchester, was filled with rows of terraced houses built following the Industrial Revolution. But by the end of WWII, the housing that had survived was deemed unfit and demolished. In the late 1960s, Hulme's time for redevelopment had come, and at its heart were 'The Crescents' - four u-shaped blocks of flats, each seven storeys high. Opened in 1972, they offered a range of different accommodation, looked out onto communal gardens, and were linked by high-access decks - 'streets in the sky'. However, rushed construction, poor quality materials and serious design flaws meant that The Crescents were soon plagued by problems. Just three years after opening, 96.3% of residents wished to be rehoused, and by 1984 the Council decided to stop charging rents completely, attracting new residents from the fringes of society. In 1991, The Crescents' time was up and all four were gone by 1995. The area has been redeveloped once more (in consultation with residents), returning to more traditional-style mixed housing and the creation of a new park in the centre of the community. This collection gives a glimpse into life in Hulme during this time, showcasing the communities and the people who lived there.

9 videos in this collection

1

A-Z of Hulme

2

A Video Alphabet - Hulme A-Z

3

Deck Access Disaster - the Hulme Conference Report

4

Portrait of Hulme

5

Hulme - Community is Strength

6

The Last Days of Hulme

7

Zion Arts Centre

8

The Nia Centre - Arts with a Purpose

9

Catching it before it goes

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