7 Comments
User's avatar
Harry Main's avatar

This article contains a great action scene, with some nice characterisation, like Henry removing his brass-tipped clogs to run quietly over the cobbles. Thanks for writing this Dean.

Expand full comment
Emma - Journeys into Genealogy's avatar

Dangerous times in Manchester!

Expand full comment
Jonathan Sidaway's avatar

Thanks again. 'The Red King': had always wondered abt Graham Duff's conceit of the murderous gingers in 'Ideal'!

Expand full comment
Susan Newstead's avatar

Thank you Dean for this info on the Scuttlers. Manchester was certainly not somewhere you would just walk around in. during the 19th century. What brave police officers as well.

Expand full comment
Dean Kirby's avatar

Very true. Thanks Susan

Expand full comment
Anne Forster's avatar

Fascinating learning about the origins of the name 'scuttlers' . The sight of these men scuttling about armed to the teeth must have been terrifying to ordinary law abiding people. Did they only scuttle about under cover of darkness though? Thanks Dean, I hope you enjoyed your break.

Expand full comment
Dean Kirby's avatar

Thanks Anne. It was mostly weekend ‘entertainment’ so Saturday afternoon and evening - so you would have lads working alongside each other all week in the mills and then fighting each other at the weekends. It was partly when professional football matches started on Saturday afternoons that the scuttling stopped.

Expand full comment