The Pump House, Manchester

Image: © David Dixon Taken: 24 Apr 2013

The red-brick building at the centre of the photograph is “The Pump House” situated in Bridge Street on the banks of the River Irwell. It is now the only surviving Edwardian pumping station in the city and is surrounded by modern buildings. The pump house opened in 1909 and was the third and last station of the hydraulic pumping network in Manchester. The other two stations were situated on Whitworth Street and Pott Street. The station used to supply power to the mills and warehouses that dominated the city at the beginning of the 20th century. Legend has it that staff at the Pump House kept fish and swam in the large water tanks on the roof of the building. In 1972 the station closed when hydraulic power was superseded by electricity. It is designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building. Since 1994, the pump house has been the home of the People's History Museum. The modern extension to the left of the pump house is also part of the museum.

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