Wool Pack, Deansgate

Wool Pack, Deansgate. (c) Geesnmore blog [1].

The Wool Pack, depicted here and here in the 1800s, was an ancient alehouse on the site of the old Victoria Buildings and the Victoria Hotel, the latter seen here in 1901.  The top end of Deansgate used to be triangular with a statue of Oliver Cromwell at the northern end (commemorating Manchester's support for parliament during the English Civil War) as seen here in the 1920s with Victoria Buildings in the background.  The Victoria buildings were ruined during WWII, as shown in this 1941 photo, with Cromwell still standing proudly nearby in the middle of the road (for that reason the statue was known as "the pedestrian's friend" [1]).  He now stands in Wythenshawe Park having been moved in the 1980s.

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Oliver Cromwell statue, Deansgate and Wythenshawe Park. (c) olivercromwell & seentwistle at flickr.

1. www.olivercromwell.net/exhibition/ex13.htm.