Writing about Manchester( see the description) - Essay Example

This appeared very intriguing and prompted my interest to delve further into the history of Manchester. In the 16th century the city was important for wool trade, and then in the 18th century, with the onset of the industrial revolution, it became known for textile production (Answers.Com, 2008). In the second half of the 20th century, after being beset with urban and industrial problems, the city redeveloped, ushering in cultural renaissance. As the textile industry grew and large warehouses were built to store and display the spun yard and finished cloth, the population grew as well.

The population grew from 25,000 in 1772 to 90,000 in 1800 (Spartacus, n.d.). With the opening of the Railways in 1830 the population further increased. The population increased to 455,000 by 1851 and the housing conditions were appalling. Formal education started in the city in 1851 when a cotton merchant, John Owens, died in 1946 and left most of his wealth to establish a further education college for men. The nonconformist business community in Manchester supported this projected and helped raise further fund.

Manchester has always occupied a special place in the British culture. It has always displayed a sense of independence and fostered a do-it-yourself-spirit (Haslam, 2007). It has absorbed migrants from all over and draws energy from its surroundings. The city was primarily a warehouse city linked to the northern mill-towns like Blackburn Burnley and Rochdale. John Dalton and Samuel Arkwright helped create a thriving and vibrant economy during the Victorian times (Moss, 2002). With textiles and other trades a young dynamic city was created, whose symbol is the worker bee.

This emblem is repeated in mosaics all over the floor of the Town Hall in Manchester. The city also enjoys a cultural mix of people from various lands. In the Victorian era there was more of the Nonconformist, Liberal Class. While popular culture