The Northern Quarter's gambling hells

Manchester's trendiest quarter was once awash with backstreet betting houses. When 400 police officers carried out a raid in 1885, it caused chaos.

The Northern Quarter is one of Manchester’s trendiest districts today but in the Victorian era it was awash with secret gambling clubs.

Thomas Street was the “headquarters” of the betting nuisance in the city, according to the great Manchester detective Jerome Caminada.

At a place called Tattersall’s, just off the street, a “great concourse” of people gat…