Book recommendation: The Gangs of Manchester

[littlewren]

I do not usually read crime books, and I just happened to see this book in the library. As I am interested in Salford I thought I would try it. I think it should be called the Gangs of Manchester and Salford. Well I am really enjoying reading it. It is by Andrew Davies and published 2008.

The book begins in the early 1800s and traces the development of gang culture. It has explained to me about the different areas. It is also very topical as it is about children and young people fighting (including knives) and the reaction of society. The relationship between the police and the public is described. Much background information is included. I am about half way through and so far I do not think Mr. Davies has glamorized the violence (which is what I was wary of). In fact I think I will be buying this for my bookshelf.

[cathaldus]

An interesting topic,  which shows that society never really improves!  I remember my old Dad telling me about the Napoo gang in Hulme Manchester during the 1920's.  Apparently these guys didn't fight with knives,  they fought with coal grids!

Bill

[griz]

How fascinating.

 The Napoo gang too, what a weapon!  or maybe they were used as shields !  How did they even lift them up?  they must have been very heavy!

 Recently I was reading about the Stockport riots, ( online). I had never heard of those troubles  before either.

Nowadays, I suppose the hostility of one group to another is harmlessly( well most of the time)    channeled into football :-))

[andydavies]

Thanks, littlewren, much appreciated. If anyone is interested, there is a blog with more details of the book, plus a couple of short extracts and links to features on BBC Manchester Online and the Guardian Online:
http://gangsofmanchester.com

A play (loosely) based on the book will be performed at the Library Theatre in Manchester in August 2009. As littlewren points out, there is a danger of glamourising gangs and violence - we are working hard to avoid this, and one of the questions asked in the play is: why is this still happening more than 100 years later?

Andy (author of The Gangs of Manchester).

[cathaldus]

andydavies,
the "coal grid" I referred to,  was the domestic variety,  that covered the "coal hole" in terraced streethouses.  They were some 14 inches in diameter and depending upon how "house proud" the tenant was,  they could have been "black leaded".  Not too heavy and being made from "cast" iron would break apart fairly easily if struck.  As a weapon against the human skull,  of course,  devastating!

Bill

[andydavies]

Thanks, Bill. I'd heard of the Napoo in Ancoats, and at Belle Vue, in the 1920s - but not in Hulme. I'd assumed that the Napoo referred to a single gang, based somewhere round Oldham Road. But after reading your post, it sounds like there might have been separate "Napoo" gangs from different parts of Manchester. I think the word 'Napoo' comes from soldiers' slang of the First World War. My research covers the earlier period (1870-1900), so it goes a generation further back.

Best wishes,
Andy

[frankray]

James Stanhop Brown's book "Angel's from the Meadow" available at the Manchester Library and the site below links to the Scuttlers Gang who knew a thing or two about bashing in heads.
 
Their turf wars waged by gangs such as the Bengal Tigers and the She Battery Mob  are described in detail in the book: 'The Gangs of Manchester: The Story of The Scuttlers.'

..don't have nightmares.


 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/articles/2008/10/20/201008_scuttlers_interview_feature.shtml

[manmack]

NAPOO was a WW1 slang word,that meant,NO MORE or NEVER AGAIN.

mack

[kalasira]

hi read your message about the book you mention and saw it on poster,s at manchester libray and decided i must have it,as i like reading books like that,got it saturday but not read it yet,i have just read Ross Kemp on gang,s and mad dog,about johnny Adrir in Belfast just started it,and have read Charles Bronson,not the actor,the guy who is in prison his book,s are good. from Jacquie