Manningham

Book excerpt: This book raises awareness of the wide range and varied character of the historic landscape and buildings which constitute Manningham, and the forces and trends which have contributed to its appearance over time. It tells the story, through its buildings and landscape, of Manningham's development from a thinly populated rural township to a fully developed, mostly middle-class, fashionable, 19th-century city suburb full of self-assurance, civic pride and high-quality architecture. It examines how successfully and in what ways the suburb and its buildings have subsequently continued to function, following the decline and disappearance of the traditional industries on which its success was originally based and a substantially changed cultural and demographic profile. The publication will appeal to all of those with an interest in Bradford and its buildings. In addition, by supplementing the research project and literary work with a major outreach and film project, the fruits of which help to inform the publication text and are incorporated into the book as a DVD insert, the publication will be extremely effective in engaging and developing new audiences amongst the people living and working in Manningham. It gives them a 'voice', allowing them to share their memories and put forward their own views and opinions on the district which has become increasingly known to outsiders only for its problems of economic out-migration, increasing levels of crime and headline-making outbreaks of civil unrest. The publication also serves as a response to recently growing nation-wide development pressure on historic suburbs and this will increase understanding of historical suburban development and modern adaptation, and appeal to those with an interest in social, urban and industrial history.