Sale The Way We Were

A new DVD takes a fascinating look back at life in Sale and Ashton upon Mersey in times gone by.
At the dawn of the 19th century the combined population of Sale and Ashton upon Mersey was just 1800. The river Mersey formed the northern boundary of the townships and the wilderness of Sale Moor dominated the east of the region. A century later the joint population had rocketed 12 fold to more than 22,000 and was still growing rapidly. The catalyst for this transformation was the coming of the railway: Manchester was now just a half-hour train ride away and people who worked in the city could live in the leafy surroundings of Cheshire and commute to their place of work.
The popularity of Sale and Ashton as a place to live has seen them spread far beyond their ancient borders, but, with the help of old maps and photographs, we can get a unique insight into the region before the changes, witness many of the changes as they happened, and discover that some parts of Sale have hardly changed at all.
The DVD also reveals the hidden stories behind some of the district’s well-known features, such as, why Ashton and Sale were often at loggerheads; why local people once had to pay to cross the Mersey; how Brooklands was the result of one man’s vision; why the Buck Inn once served as Ashton’s gaol; why Carrington Moss was once a dumping ground for the contents of Manchester’s toilets; and how Trafford Water Park was a result of construction of the M60 motorway.
Last but not least, in a feature on Sale at war the DVD recalls Sale’s tragic loss in the First World War; relives its most dramatic incident of the Second World War; and remembers how Sale and Ashton celebrated the coming of peace.
This entertaining journey through time is produced exclusively for the Sale & Altrincham Messenger and is narrated by Roger Wilson. The running time is approximately 50 minutes.
To see an excerpt from the DVD go to our ‘Film Clips’ page.

SPECIAL OFFER
Included with ‘Sale The Way We Were’ is a free bonus film – ‘The Way We Were in the 1950s’, which takes a nostalgic look back at life in 1950s Britain.