In 1974, photographer Chris Hunt documented the lives of working-class families in Beeton Grove, Longsight – a small terraced street just a couple of miles from Manchester city centre.
Chris was fascinated by his neighbours – a diverse mix of English, Irish, Pakistani, and Cypriot families. After a year of living on Beeton Grove, Chris approached everyone on the street with a request to photograph and interview them about their everyday lives.
Photo © Chris Hunt.
Chris “I was refused entry into four houses. One belonged to an Irishman who was drunk when I asked him and wasn’t interested. Two others, belonging to an Irish and Pakistani family, felt I would be too much of an intrusion. An old man lived in the fourth house but he didn’t open the door or let anyone in, unless he was so drunk that he had to be carried home from the pub.”
Irish Community
Of the houses I was allowed entry to, there were three Irishmen, Mr. Kielty, Mr. Killeen, and Mr. Guilfoyle. They did not want to be photographed or interviewed for reasons they kept to themselves, but were happy for me to photograph and talk to other members of their households.
Photo © Chris Hunt.
Warmth
“I was surprised to discover the different ways in which everyone lived. In some of the houses, I could feel the warmth and affection within the family. The children were happy, and everyone was interested in what I was doing. In others, I felt more like a stranger and was never really accepted. Possibly, having a tape recorder did not help, but the feeling was still there after three or four visits. Generally speaking, the interviews were more like discussions. After my first visit to each household, I gave each family some free photographs, which made subsequent visits easier.”
Photo © Chris Hunt.
All the houses needed some sort of repair, and as many were rented, the tenants rightly felt that the landlords should carry out the work. In turn, the landlords were reluctant to carry out repairs with the threat of demolition looming over the street.
Community
“I left Manchester soon after, thinking that the small community would soon disappear. Everyone was already dreaming of the day they could afford to buy their own house and move away from Beeton Grove once it had been demolished. As it happened, the plan was abandoned, and Beeton Grove survives to this day, little different on the outside from forty years ago, although all but one of the families appears to have moved on.”
Social Record
Chris created an important social record when he not only photographed members of the families, but also recorded them talking honestly about their lives within the close-knit community and their hopes and worries for the future.
Photo © Chris Hunt.
Mrs. Keegan and her husband are both from Ireland. In 1961, they moved to Manchester and bought a grocery shop just around the corner from Beeton Grove for £2000. Mrs. Keegan built the shop up, and it became more of a local meeting place than a store. People would stay in her shop, often for hours, gossiping about neighbours and local affairs.
Gallery
Photo © Chris Hunt.
Photo © Chris Hunt.
Photo © Chris Hunt.
Photo © Chris Hunt.
Photo © Chris Hunt.
Photo © Chris Hunt.
Photo © Chris Hunt.
All photos © Chris Hunt, all rights reserved.
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- Article first published
- December 7, 2020
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