7. A Salford Venice
The Canal is Open for Business
The opening of the Manchester Ship Canal in 1894 was a prestigious event, one that called for great celebration and royal attendance. Since then Salford Quays has had more than its fair share of royal visits…
Map: The route and port facilities on the Manchester Ship Canal - from A Salford Venice: Manchester Docks in Edwardian Times.
Salford Docks entered the 20th Century with a bang!
It was a period of impressive prosperity and growth for the Manchester Ship Canal. The development of Dock No.9, on what had been the site of the Manchester Racecourse, created further capacity for the docks and enabled even greater scope for international trade, at scale.
At half a mile in length and 250ft wide, Dock No.9 claimed to be the largest inland dock in the world. Just over a decade after Queen Victoria’s official opening of the Manchester Ship Canal on 21 May 1894, this new dock aimed to cement the global success of the canal.
Illustration: The opening of Manchester Ship Canal by the yacht ‘Norseman’ in 1894. Owner Mr. Platt with the Director's on board, painting by James Mudd.
The opening of Dock No.9 on 13 July 1905, by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, put Salford Docks on the world stage.
A proud moment for both the Manchester Ship Canal, its shareholders and the people of Salford as they celebrated a new era of prosperity, connectivity and global recognition.
Photograph: Shareholders watching the first two steamers sailing into the new Dock No.9 in July 1905 (credit Manchester Postcards).
Manchester Ship Canal captured in Edwardian etchings
In 1905, the Manchester Guardian commissioned illustrator, Frank L. Emanuel, to produce a set of illustrations to mark these royal visits.
Illustration: A Salford Venice illustration from 1905 by Frank L Emanuel, marking the opening of Dock No.9.
Wood Pulp from Sweden illustration by Frank L Emanuel in 1905, from A Salford Venice.
These illustrations, along with a large perspective of the docks drawn by H.P. Templar, were featured in a special supplement to celebrate the opening of Dock No.9.
Manchester Sketches by Frank L Emanuel in 1905.
These exquisite etchings and sketches today feature in a new publication, A Salford Venice, curated by Martin Dodge, capturing the atmosphere and activity at the Salford and Manchester Docks in Edwardian times.
Cover of ‘A Salford Venice: Manchester Docks in Edwardian Times’ - curated by Martin Dodge.
Another royal visit tool place in 2012 when Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, officially opened MediaCity.
The moment marked the transition for Salford Quays from an industrial wasteland to a rejuvenated centre for not only living, working and leisure but also creativity and innovation.
MediaCity is the UK’s home of creative content, a leading place for tech, media and collaboration, where start-ups and global corporations work side by side.
