The best of Manchester, all in one place.

Manchester Stories

The following stories were submitted to our sister website, toowrite.com. They were written by people from Manchester or are about Manchester itself.

Beaten Track

Author: Richie Nimmo of Manchester

My greatest worry arose from the fact that on top of my exhaustion I had gone from verging on sunstroke, to having cause to be concerned about hypothermia, in the space of three hours; the rocks were slippy, and I thought that if I stopped then I might not be able to start walking again and my legs would just buckle.

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The Woman Question

Author: Grace Green of Manchester

My mum stayed at home taking care of my two bigger sisters and me. An intelligent and talented woman herself, who at times must have been bone tired, frustrated and despairing, looking after a house and three kids.

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Teatime In The Forties

Author: Edith Ward of Manchester

After a while Dad came in to the kitchen, bright red in the face. He stood leaning on the sink, wiping his face: "The toilets blocked now. I'm going to have to dig up the drains." The concrete flags were prised up and soil was piled high on either side. Walter was helping but the tea was swelling by the minute.

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Backpacking Adventure 1997

Author: Sue Rush of Manchester

Eventually the landlord arrived and showed us into the warehouse. It was a derelict building, filthy, smelly and with an air of menace about it. On inspection it became apparent that the hostel housed prostitutes and drug dealers. We opted for the safety of a double room.

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Working For The ''Romanian Challenge Appeal'' In The Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Siret July - September 1999

Author: Rebecca Hughes of Manchester

The youngest children live on the top floor. A small number of them attend the school, but the other children almost never leave their rooms. About 20 children live in each room, sitting around a table all day every day, not communicating, even with each other.

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Picking Oranges With Aunt Kit

Author: Bea Sheftel of Manchester

In a way she was like a little girl happy with her life and the world without a care to mar her existence. I stayed with her a week and we spent many happy hours reminiscing. At times, she seemed more her old self and I ached to stay longer, but my son had to return to work.

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The Long Weekend

Author: Sylvia Rowley of Manchester

We walked down the holly lined gravelled drive to the doctors. Outside the door with the brass knob and the plate that said Dr Fairweather, I began to scream. I had never seen a doctor or his surgery and I was not prepared to find out what was behind that door.

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The Time Of Fish And Exotic Dancers

Author: Peter Bradley of Manchester

The music began. The quartertones and drumbeats of Arabic/Persian tradition. Tunes and rhythms, which stir and excite me. Perhaps it was the escalating power of the music, which wrought the miracle of transformation, which now unfolded before my eyes.

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Memories Of convalescence

Author: Regina Grannell of Manchester

There was a big rocking horse in the middle of the room and I used to watch the nurses giving the other children rides on it, but when I asked could I have a go the answer was always no.

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Letting Go

Author: Marion Riley of Manchester

The sun was shining and I looked forward to sitting on the patio. But my mother was not there. She was going from the room upstairs and I was searching for her on the patio. The white plastic chair was empty. The sundial she bought me was there, the barbecue with the earth beneath and the bulbs starting to come through.

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