The scuttlers of Ancoats, Collyhurst, Miles Platting, Beswick and Bradford were among the most feared street fighters in the Victorian city. Can you help find them?
Re the scuttlers Richard they were not really criminal gangs like the Peaky Blinders turned out to be but were more like street gangs who would gang around a favoured street corner looking for trouble, but they did have leaders. There was one called Callaghan who was known as the King of the Scuttlers.
There was another play I went to called Angel Meadow that was staged in a derelict pub in Ancoats. It was one of those audience participation things where I think the idea was to make you feel threatened. They sent me down into the cellar. I took my dad and he got a bit annoyed had told off the producer at the end!
The Royal Exchange is a great place isn’t it. I missed the Scuttlers play sadly. Glad you enjoyed it Nicola. You can buy the script on Amazon Richard. It was by Rona Munrow.
I loved the Royal Exchange! It opened up the world to my teenage brain, and showed me the possibilities that were out there if I just cared to explore them. I seriously credit it with making me who I am today, along with Manchester Central Library 🙂
My grandad told me
that the scuttlers sharpened the edges of Thier clogs on the kerbstones to make them razor sharp 😳
Re the scuttlers Richard they were not really criminal gangs like the Peaky Blinders turned out to be but were more like street gangs who would gang around a favoured street corner looking for trouble, but they did have leaders. There was one called Callaghan who was known as the King of the Scuttlers.
There was another play I went to called Angel Meadow that was staged in a derelict pub in Ancoats. It was one of those audience participation things where I think the idea was to make you feel threatened. They sent me down into the cellar. I took my dad and he got a bit annoyed had told off the producer at the end!
The Royal Exchange is a great place isn’t it. I missed the Scuttlers play sadly. Glad you enjoyed it Nicola. You can buy the script on Amazon Richard. It was by Rona Munrow.
I’ll check out.
I just found out that there was a play at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester that premiered in February 2015 called ‘Scuttlers.’
Did anyone go to see it?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scuttlers_(play)
Yes I went to see it. It was very good.
I loved the Royal Exchange! It opened up the world to my teenage brain, and showed me the possibilities that were out there if I just cared to explore them. I seriously credit it with making me who I am today, along with Manchester Central Library 🙂
Were scuttlers organised like the Birmingham ‘Peaky Blinders,’ and if so, did they have a central leadership, or were they individual operators?
For a born and bred Manc I am utterly ashamed to say it was the first time I’d ever visited it but it was an amazing introduction.