The Blackbird Café is shown here in May 1959 on the east side of Tib Street off Market Street. Its name doesn't suggest a public house but 'codger' at the Man Mates forum (a forum for Mancunians who remember Manchester in the 1950s, '60s and '70s) recalls the Blackbird Café at the back of Litttlewoods for a crafty drink on a Sunday afternoon.
1. http://manmates.proboards.com.
The Blackbird cafe was a huge basement canteen style cafe serving pies peas veg gravy etc and proper cups of tea .A bit like a military canteen. You had a job hearing over the sheer rattling of plates and cutlery.All the women staff wore cream coloured "pinnies" like a scene from a fifties b movie in black and white.I dont recall the front entrance but you entered the cafe down some very steep stairs down the side st near the back of c and a.
ReplyDeleteBlackbird Cafe brings back fantastic memories...I had a Saturday job 1975/76 ish. From memory it was owned by Greeks. It was hughly popular especially with footie fans on way to the match...We rotated duties my favourite task was making the pies using a press machine, yes they were homemade ! Cash in hand £2.50 at the end of the day, the start of my independance ! ..I also seem to remember a small upstairs soda / icecreme palour with the stairs to the basement leading off this .....great times and carefree
DeleteWould you remember mick of the barrows then
DeleteI well remember the Blackbird as my aunty, May Wright was the manager there. Her sister Lily also worked in the kitchens. George Dennis was the owner and May later married him. In the late 60s I worked there as a Saturday job although not very often as I wasn't allowed to do the jobs I liked ie. making milk shakes or using the till! Also think I was only tolerated there because I was family.I preferred to work at Littlewoods. There was an upstairs flat there which was very posh where George lived mostly. I never saw any alcohol myself but it does not surprise me if there was drinking as said, Other than that it is well described and was always very busy. We still have parts of one of the formica topped cafe tables from down there which we used as a kitchen table for years. George and May also took on the Cafe Royal Restaurant which was opposite the Free Trade Hall. I think I only went there once on their opening night. Not sure if that venture lasted very long. I do have one of the original ashtrays from there though which is a lovely thick red glass with bubbles in. Think they were such nice objects that they were always being pinches.
ReplyDeleteA great accurate description....Opposite C and A
ReplyDeleteSo pleased to have found this page. I was beginning to think I had imagined the Blackbird as a youngster, in the 60s !!
ReplyDeleteIt was always alleged, in the family, that having been taken to a very nice restaurant, I was heard to comment in a fairly loud voice, "It's not as nice as the Blackbird"
Fond memories of descending the steps after being dragged around C&A, Afflecks (for shoes) or Littlewoods (for knitting wool).
Happy days !!
Do you remember mick of the barrows
DeleteBlackbird Cafe brings back fantastic memories...I had a Saturday job 1975/76 ish. From memory it was owned by Greeks. It was hughly popular especially with footie fans on way to the match...We rotated duties my favourite task was making the pies using a press machine, yes they were homemade ! Cash in hand £2.50 at the end of the day, the start of my independance ! ..I also seem to remember a small upstairs soda / icecreme palour with the stairs to the basement leading off this .....great times and carefree
ReplyDeleteDo u remember mick of the barrows
ReplyDelete