Panel 6: “Before” (1879-1912) The Wythenshawe Area in the Edwardian Era

In November 1931 Shena took the lead in developing Wythenshawe, replacing William Turner Jackson as chair of the Wythenshawe Estate Special Committee. In February 1932 Princess road was extended with a new bridge over the Mersey into Wythenshawe where it became the Princess parkway. This arterial connection allowed the construction of new houses to properly begin. The construction of hundreds of new houses began in several different neighbourhoods: Northern Moor, Royal Oak, and the Benchill and Sharston area.

The rate of construction was impressive with the council building over 4,600 new houses by 1934. Wythenshawe’s population subsequently skyrocketed from 7,000 in 1931 to 25,000 by the mid 1930s. Private developers began to lease plots in Wythenshawe too. In February 1933 Shena took part in the ceremonial digging of the fi rst sod on the site where the fi rst privately constructed homes would be built in Northenden. It was intended that the estate would have a range of owneroccupiers as well as rented homes to provide a social mix that was part of the garden city ethos. In July 1933 Shena along with other leading council fi gures welcomed the Prince of Wales, future King Edward VIII. Throngs of local people came to greet the royal visitor, who toured the estate and spoke to residents in their newly built houses. Impressed by their homes and well-kept gardens he reportedly said that “Wythenshawe is a magnifi cent possession for the city”.

In 1933, however, in a shock defeat, Shena lost her seat to the chairman of the Manchester Ratepayers Council. Accusations of extravagant expenditure in developing Wythenshawe and claims that Shena had been unable to pay suffi cient attention to her own ward due to her Wythenshawe work resulted in Shena losing her seat. This setback ended Shena’s formal role in planning Wythenshawe, but it did not end her close involvement with its early development however.

Shena was elected Chairman of the [Wythenshawe Committee] in November. The most interesting municipal committee in England. To build, on virgin fi elds, a model city of 100,000 persons… She is tackling the job excellently; very keen, thorough, in close touch with the leading offi cials, inspiring them to united effort – tactful, a fi ghter, a persuasive actor in the council. I fi nd it diffi cult to think of anybody doing the job better’.

Ernest Simon’s diary, 2nd April 1932

Source: Ernest Simon Papers, Manchester Archives+

New houses completed around Haveley Road in the Benchill neighbourhood (1933). Source: Historic England, ref. EPW041648.

(Above) A detailed plan of dwellings in the Northern Moor neighbourhood (1933). Generous amounts of land is allocated for several churches, schools and a local shopping parade. Source: Shena Simon Papers, Manchester Archives+.

(Above) A zoning plan from the early 1930s. Source: Shena Simon Papers, Manchester Archives+.

(Above) Source: Evening Chronicle, 16th February 1933. Shena Simon Papers, Manchester Archives+.

(Below) Early housing development featuring tile hung mansard-roofed cottages designed by Barry Parker in liaison with town hall architects. Source: Manchester Archives+. The fi rst tenants to move to Wythenshawe were mainly young families wishing to start a new life in Manchester’s model settlement. The fi rst inhabitants came from all over Manchester, but most were from neighbouring districts such as Didsbury and Chorlton-cum-Hardy or from predominantly working-class areas such as Moss Side and Hulme. A 1935 survey by the Manchester and Salford Better Housing Council found that the vast majority of new residents liked the rural surroundings and their homes, and took pride in their gardens. Despite the new inhabitants’ satisfaction with Wythenshawe and the rapid building of houses, Wythenshawe’s early development was not without problems. In the initial years it proved hard to attract new fi rms to the area to provide local employment, in part because the smoke-control policy limited them to light manufacturing and more generally due to the economic depression. There was also an immediate lack of amenities and shops for its pioneer residents. When people fi rst moved to Wythenshawe there were no new churches or libraries, and new mothers complained about the lack of child welfare clinics. Transport links were poor too. Buses were irregular and expensive, and there was no rail connection to the city centre. Moreover, renting houses in Wythenshawe was markedly more expensive than in inner Manchester, a signifi cant deterrence for those considering moving from the slums.

(Above) Example of advertising to attract new fi rms to Wythenshawe. Source: Invitation to Industry, Manchester Development Committee, 1932.

(Above) Source: Memories of Wythenshawe from the 1930s to the 1960s, by Bryant A. Hill (1997).

(Left) Shena with the former owner of Wythenshawe hall and estate R.H.G. Tatton in 1934 at Wythenshawe’s fi rst fl ower show. Source: Manchester Guardian, 20th August 1934. Shena Simon Papers, Manchester Archives+. Shena encouraged the cultivation of community spirit in Wythenshawe and opened the fi rst public meeting in September 1933 of the Wythenshawe Residents Association, with the Simons later donating a pianola for its members. Shena also took an active role in community events in Wythenshawe. In 1934 she laid the foundation stone at the fi rst Methodist church and gave out prizes at the children’s gala. Shena also opened Wythenshawe’s inaugural fl ower show, which she attended with Ernest and R.H.G. Tatton. The event was popular with over 800 entries. Shena emphasised the public service well-kept private gardens provided in keeping the garden city nature of Wythenshawe.

(Above) Source: Radio Times, 15th February 1933. Shena Simon Papers, Manchester Archives+.

(Above) Part of Shena’s 1934 election leafl et to voters in Wythenshawe. Source: Shena Simon Papers, Manchester Archives+. Eager to return to the council, Shena stood as an independent candidate for the Wythenshawe ward in November 1934: ‘You have shown your faith in Wythenshawe by coming to live in it, to work for it. I ask nothing better than to be given the opportunity of cooperating with you’.

Shena was unable to campaign in person, however, as she was recovering from an operation in London and Ernest took charge of running her campaign. Narrowly losing by 180 votes, she was, however, to return to the council as a co-opted member of the Education Committee in 1936.