For our summer Greater Manchester Histories & Heritage Social Network we’re hopping aboard The Danny, a lovingly restored 100 year old stream boat, and exploring The Quays and Media City.
Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Greater Manchester Histories & Heritage Social Network is for anyone interested or involved in histories and heritage, and who wants to develop and build new relationships with individuals and organisations, and share skills and experience.
From enthusiasts and historians, cultural venues, community groups and volunteers, academics and students, school teachers, librarians, curators and more, the Network offers an opportunity to meet, chat and build new connections with people and groups who are all passionate about Greater Manchester histories and heritage.
Our summer event will begin with an optional guided tour around Salford Quays featuring locations such as Media City, the working Docks and the Imperial War Museum.
We’ll then be welcomed aboard the restored vessel for refreshments and light snacks before having a chance to look around the boat.
The Danny, officially named the Daniel Adamson, is believed to be the only surviving steam powered tug boat built on the Mersey in the world. The Daniel Adamson, a small but incredibly powerful canal tug, was built in 1903 to tow barges laden with goods from the inland towns of Cheshire and the Potteries to the great seaport of Liverpool and later going on to carry passengers. In 1936 she underwent a technical upgrade, but more intriguingly her interior was transformed in the Art Deco fashion to resemble the Atlantic Ocean liners of the day. After reaching the end of service and after decades of neglect and vandalism a campaign was spearheaded by Mersey tug skipper Dan Cross, who formed the Daniel Adamson Preservation Society (DAPS). He purchased her for £1. In 2015 the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded £3.8m to restore the Daniel Adamson to full working order and after the hard work and dedication of hundreds of volunteers she launched again in 2016 for a new generation of visitors to enjoy her unexpected Art Deco interior. Find out more at http://www.thedanny.co.uk/unique-story
During the networking session there will be a series of structured discussions where you will have the opportunity to give opinions on what you think makes a good network, what a ‘Festival’ means to you, and to help inform Manchester Histories Festival 2018.
We also welcome contributions from any of the network that wish to share with the group news about their own historical projects. Please email Charlie Booth at charlie@manchesterhistories.co.uk to discuss this further.
Unfortunately, The Danny is unable to offer wheelchair access to the boat and the boat may be difficult to access for people with mobility issues. We will however help in any way if we can, please let us know if you may need assistance. To find out more about The Danny please visit the website here.
The meeting point for both the walking tour at 4pm and the network event at 6pm is near to the entrance of the the Lowry Gallery and Theatre.
The Danny will be docked at a private quay and can only be accessed with supervision from the Manchester Histories team.
Image courtesy Len Grant
