M&S Archive

I've done previous posts on Marks & Spencer. The link is tenuous and is based on the premise M&S used to refer to Manchester & Salford and the co-operative society of that name that built the Hardy Lane shop and rooms. There used to many organisations with Manchester & Salford in their title - e.g. Manchester & Salford Trustee Savings Bank. But the city names have fallen out of favour and the term Greater Manchester has become more widely used.

But if you are interested in the history of shopping, retail and food then the Marks & Spencer archive will be of interest. Based in Leeds where trading started on a market stall in 1884. There are pictures, a timeline and themes to explore online. I visited the exhibition when it opened a few years back. It had a cafe serving Marks & Spencer teas and snacks as well. It is a short way out of town in the university district. A day trip to Leeds is well worth a visit. Some good architecture, marvellous Victorian shopping arcades and plenty of places to obtain a decent meal.

Marks & Spencer Archive
Other posts about M&S

http://marksintime.marksandspencer.com/

No longer a wide road

The end of an era for Hardy Lane, a big wide road to nowhere is now reduced to single line traffic running east and west. Mark the date as Sunday 6th January when the first barriers were installed. Now inside those barriers the road is being hacked away for the foundations of the new tram track. If the progress is anything like the development of the tramway extensions in the other parts of Manchester then expect the barriers to be still there in twelve months time.