Fun Facts About Manchester
Manchester is the third largest city in the UK. It often attracts a number of students from across the world to its city. The city is also home to the industrial revolution from the history books as well as has a great impact on music, science, and industry. Manchester has many beautiful aspects and just as many hidden mysteries – we have identified the most intriguing facts about this amazing city that you may not have heard of. If you’re considering studying in Manchester, this may just push you to do so. These fun facts about Manchester will certainly fascinate you whether you are a tourist, an international student, a native of the city, or simply a fan of the culture.
#1 Did Your Know? Peaky Blinders & Manchester City Are Connected
You may argue that the show Peaky Blinders was staged in Birmingham, which rose to prominence shortly after the series debuted. The truth is that some scenes from this popular show were filmed in Manchester and Liverpool. The city served as an ideal setting for the show thanks to its stunning industrial background and this most certainly makes it one of the lesser-known yet fun facts about Manchester.
#2 Manchester Witnessed The First Atom Split
Manchester is renowned for its universities and for providing a supportive setting for learning, researching, and discovering. Ernest Rutherford realised the first time the atom was split at Manchester University. He was a university professor and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1908 and made the first atomic split in 1917. As a result of this significant achievement, nuclear energy and radiation for the treatment of cancer have both revolutionised the world in several ways.
#3 The Rolls Royce Story Began Here
We are familiar with or have at least heard about the brand ‘Rolls-Royce! Who would have guessed that such legendary identities would come together in Manchester? They met on May 4, 1904, in Manchester (that we know of), when Charles Rolls saw Henry Royce’s classic 10hp automobile, the first motor car Royce had developed and constructed himself, and realised immediately that he had discovered what he had been looking for.
#4 Over 200 Languages Are Spoken In The City
One of the most interesting facts about Manchester is that it is the most multilingual city in the UK. With a population of 510,000+ people, Manchester is considered to be one of the most linguistically diverse cities in the world. There are over 200 languages spoken in Manchester every day. The Curry Mile is famous for its delicious Indian food, as well as a variety of other cuisines such as Lebanese, Arabic, Turkish and Persian. Half the adult population in Manchester are believed to be multilingual. Four out of every 10 young people in the city speak at least one language.
#5 Largest Factory Of Kellog’s’ Is In Manchester
Kellogg’s largest headquarters is in Trafford, Greater Manchester, where it also has its main UK headquarters. This Kellog’s plant was first founded in 1938 and has been producing most of the cereals that are consumed across the world. The brand includes products like Coco Pops Corn Flakes, among others. One unique fact about this is that Kellogg’s is an American business with its headquarters in Michigan, but the Trafford mill is the largest factory in the country.
#6 The City Prides Itself In Being The Home Of Football
We all know Manchester City and Manchester United are the two biggest football clubs in the English Premier League. But did you know that Manchester also hosted the world’s first professional football league in 1888? The inaugural season of the ‘Football League’ started on September 8th, 1888, with a total of 12 teams taking part.
#7 Manchester Uni Boasts 25 Noble Laureates
The University of Manchester is the 3rd best university in the UK after Oxford and Cambridge. Manchester University has 25 Nobel Prize winners on its faculty, staff and students. The list goes from James Chadwick to Ernest Rutherford to Joseph John Thomson.
#8 The Industry Revolution Began In Manchester
The most famous thing about Manchester is that it is where the Industrial Revolution began. It all began in 1761 when the Bridgewater Canal was opened. As steam power developed, so did the demand for cotton. As a result, Manchester became the main centre of the textile industry.
#9 The City Is Home To The First Free Public Library Ever
One of Manchester’s more interesting facts is that it is home to the world’s oldest public library. Located in Chetham, just a stone’s throw from Victoria Station, it’s the first public library in England and one of the oldest in the world. With over 100,000 volumes (including 60,000 pre-1851 books), it’s one of the oldest public libraries in the world. The library has been in operation since 1653 and is open Monday to Friday, in addition to offering around-the-clock open tours. It is a beautiful building and well worth a visit.
#10 Textile Departments In Australia Are Known As Manchester Departments
If you visit Australia and are shopping for textiles such as bed linens or similar things, you will be sent to the store’s ‘Manchester department’. This is because the textile would reach Australia by ship, and all of the containers and crates would have “Manchester” inscribed on them. As a result, the word Manchester has become synonymous with produced cotton.
#11 Salford, Manchester Birthed The Concept Of A ‘Vegetarian Diet’
It is a little-known truth that more than 200 years ago, Reverend William Cowherd advocated the benefits of a vegetarian diet. In Salford in 1847, the vegetarian movement was first established. The Beefsteak Chapel in Salford was both the first long-standing modern vegetarian organisation and the first vegetarian church in the UK.
FAQs
Q1. What are the 4 main facts about Manchester?
Ans: The 4 main facts about Manchester are that Peaky Blinders and Manchester do share a bond, the first time an atom was split was in Manchester, the Rolls Royce story began here, and over 200 languages are spoken in the city.
Q2. What is Manchester famous for?
Ans: Manchester was at the heart of the Revolution and became Britain’s leading cotton and textile manufacturer. Manchester is widely regarded as the first industrialised city in the world. The first railway line in Britain was built in Manchester in the early 19th century and the first canal in Britain in 1761.
Q3. What is the old name of Manchester?
Ans: The name was changed in 1086 by the English, who took over the settlement from the Romans. The name is derived from Old English, meaning “ceaster”, meaning “town or city of Rome”.
Q4. What is Manchester nickname?
Ans: Manchester is frequently referred to as “Rainy City” because of the wet climate. Due to the abundance of warehouses built (1,819 by 1815), particularly concentrated in a square mile surrounding the city centre, “Warehouse city” also became a nickname in the 19th century.
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