England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Manchester St John

The Parish

The city of Manchester lies in southeastern Lancashire forming part of the border with both neighbouring Cheshire and with Derbyshire. Manchester lies 186 miles northwest of London and 31 miles east of the port of Liverpool. Manchester is one of the largest cities in England having grown from a large market town to metropolis on the backs of industry. From relatively small beginnings Manchester has grown engulfing neighbouring towns and villages into a metropolis which spreads for almost 20 miles from east to west and probably nearer 30 from north to south. Much of that growth came during the period of this transcript, as a result the new parish of St John was extracted from that of the collegiate church which is nowadays Manchester Cathedral. Manchester is known as "cottonopolis" as this was the basis of its growth, the fast running Pennine streams powering the mills that were a feature of the landscape. Industries grew off the back of this weaving industry and folk poured in to the growing conurbation looking for work. Manchester was at the heart of most modern developments, the first canal and first passenger railway being connected with the city. Today Manchester is vast and heavily populated, a major industrial centre and with a growing and flourishing diversification of employment, connected to the other major cities of the north and to the capital by excellent road and rail infrastructure. St John's parish was carved from the western side of the cathedral parish in the late 18th century and remained separate until the church was demolished in 1931. The River Irwell drains Manchester westwards flowing into the Mersey and thence through Liverpool into the Irish Sea. Manchester centre is sited at around 30 metres above the sea but to the east of the city land rises steadily on to the Pennines at over 500 metres. St John's parish covered a tiny acreage but its population was close to 3,000. In Domesday Book the manor which grew to become Manchester is a holding of Roger of Poitou but its assets are not specifically detailed, not uncommon for northern England.

The Church

St John's church was built in 1769, it was not licensed for marriages until 1804 and was demolished in 1931, the site is now that of St John's Gardens, a welcome space within the urban setting. The church was one of the first public buildings in Manchester to utilise the Gothic Revival style of architecture. Sadly neglect and accident marred the church and with declining congregations a decision was taken to demolish. A stone marks the graveyard but otherwise nothing remains other than art-work depicting what we have lost.