"The Lungs of the City": A Historical Walking Tour of Manchester's Air

There is so much air in Manchester- but what is its history? How have humans interacted with this strange and ephemeral element?

Come on this tour to have a think about how air has shaped the city of Manchester, and how the city of Manchester has shaped air. There'll be smog, wind, weather, birds, transport, and a chat about how air moves through our bodies and what this means.

We'll gaze at some air vents, we'll look out for pigeons, we'll stand outside some of the Northern Quarter's old weaver's houses. I'll even throw in a story about a hot air balloon and a cat.

The Admin

We start in front of that statue of Queen Victoria in Piccadilly Gardens; we end in Mayfield Park. [Iconic]

Attendance free for kids under 12. [Educational]

We cover about 1.5 mile over 2 hours. [With stops along the way]

A walking tour with a difference- come and learn theories and fancy words. [Edifying]

The Guide

I am Dr. Charlotte Coull [history PhD from the University of Manchester] and I run a project called The Material City where I collect bits of the city in jars, sometimes update a website, and lead walking tours. My aim is to give you something different: a new way of looking at the city of Manchester that focuses on what it is made of. This is history with a material twist. I want to get you to think about what you otherwise don't notice, and my favourite thing is explaining the influence materials like stone, water, and air have over humans.

This is part environmental history, part heritage, part philosophy, and part art project. Join a tour- find out what materials mean.