Manchester is a city located in northwestern England, in the county of Lancashire,
and it is known as the largest metropolitan area in the north.1 The 19th century is considered to be Manchester's “golden age” as it was the city
at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution. By 1800, Manchester was described as steam mill mad as it had expanded to 99 cotton mills by the 1830s. At this time, Manchester had also developed the first modern railway.2
It was not until 1838, however, that Manchester set up an elected council and a system of local government. By the second half of the 19th century, Manchester became the centre for trade in
which products included: steam engines, locomotives, armaments, and machine tools.
At this time, the city was known for its economic, political, cultural, and intellectual
life.3 Manchester then led the nation in the push for parliamentary reform and free trade.
While being known as the hub of the Industrial Revolution, it was also characterized,
in this century and later, by polluted air, water, and unsanitary conditions. Today
the air conditions have improved and Manchester is known, not only for its industrialization,
but in conjunction with Friedrich Engels who wrote his influential book: Conditions of the Working Class in England (1845) in and about Manchester.4