wElcOMe To The eXHuLME Website
oLd Hulme Manchester

LifestYle

The Aaben Cinema

Otterburn Close

Punks and Party people - - Felix

In the 1970s many punks, musicians and artists took advantage of the cheap urban housing available in Hulme, and the area became homes to an increasing number of nurses, students and other single people, as families increasingly moved out. The rise of youth culture on the estate made it a very lively place, and a club on Royce Road called The Russell Club which was owned and run by Factory Records and featured the first ever performance of Joy Division, A Certain Ratio and other bands that would eventually become household names, such as Iggy Pop.

Joy Division chillin on Hulme footbridge 70's

Reports from locals suggest that however hard edged the neighbourhood seemed, residents appreciated the extensive creative mix that had settled in the neighbourhood. However, the problems of social and economic decline still continued. The large squatting community set up community newsletters, pirate radio stations, music and firework celebrations, and created a cultural vibrancy about the neighbourhood.

The pirate ship getting ready for the big street party early 90's

Hulme - The Late show

The Nautilus or the naughtybus as it was known was built over a 3 month period using a sherpa van, wood, steel and a lot of hardwork to turn it into this 25ft long ship, the Nautilus was fully functional but was sadly firebombed by local hoodlums, very few photos of it exist completed. Below is a photo of it flying about on Bonsall Street grass.

The PheoniX

Hulme - The Phoenix event

Ex-residents also suggest that the community also tried to prevent the City council's destruction of various community assets including the Victorian Turkish baths, and the independent local cinema. The area is seen by many as the powerhouse behind the Manchester music and creative scenes of the eighties, that in turn created a profound influence on the UK and World music and cultural scene. Unfortunately, the lawlessness and lack of community cohesion that went with the change in demographics in the area, meant that it was a no-go area for most outside observers. 1980s increase in rate of decline An increasing drugs, violent crime and prostitution problem in the area stretching on into the 1980s made Hulme increasingly dangerous. Racial and Social tensions in the area culminated in race riots involving the SLP and local youths. Various government initiatives, focused around the nearby Moss Side District Centre, attempted to promote economic growth through job provision, but were deemed by most as unsuccessful. Unemployment remained very high in the neighbourhood, and local residents note that "just saying you were from Hulme or Moss Side gave you a great disadvantage when job hunting. You could not get credit easily either with a Hulme postcode."

Bonsall Street

Otterburn Close