Firswood
| Firswood | |
 The Quadrant |
|
  Firswood Firswood shown within Greater Manchester | |
| OS grid reference | SJ814951 |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan borough | Trafford |
| Metropolitan county | Greater Manchester |
| Region | North West |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MANCHESTER |
| Postcode district | M16 |
| Dialling code | 0161 |
| Police | Greater Manchester |
| Fire | Greater Manchester |
| Ambulance | North West |
| EU Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament | Stretford and Urmston |
| |
Firswood is an area of Stretford in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester, England.
Geography
Firswood borders Old Trafford and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. It was largely occupied by Firs Farm, which remained in a reduced form until 1930 when social housing was built along Rye Bank Road and Warwick Road. Before being drained, it was largely a peat bog, which explains the lack of development before the 20th century.
The oldest residential part of the area is Darley Park, which shares many characteristics with neighbouring Whalley Range.
Landmarks
The Quadrant
The Quadrant road junction on King's Road is the most recognisable place in the area. In the centre are public gardens, surrounded by Quadrant public house, a disused public library now a Beacon Centre, and a number of shops.
Transport
Firswood had a disused railway running through the area, which goes as far as Didsbury and starts in nearby Old Trafford. As of July 2011, Firswood Metrolink station has been opened at Rye Bank Road. The existing disused track was cleared and new Metrolink depot constructed as part of the Manchester Metrolink's Big Bang Extension. Manchester Metrolink have also been given permission to extend the line as far as Didsbury as part of Phase 3b of the Big Bang extension, this however is due for completion in 2013.
Old Trafford Metrolink station, Firswood Metrolink station, and the number 15 bus, serve the Firswood area.
Public services
Stretford Memorial Hospital, originally known as Basford House, was converted into a cottage hospital as a memorial to those who lost their lives in the First World War. On opening it had a children's ward, a maternity unity and a geriatric ward.[1] Today it is managed by Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and provides a range of services including geriatric medicine, ophthalmology and pain management.[ 1]
Notable residents
John Alcock, who along with Arthur Whitten Brown was the first man to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, was born in the lodge of Basford House on Seymour Grove, where his father was the coachman.[1]
References
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hayes (1999), p. 85
- ↑ "Stretford Memorial Hospital: Our Departments and Services", NHS Choices, retrieved 18 September 2013
Bibliography
- Hayes, Cliff (1999), Chorlton-cum-Hardy: Britain in Old Photographs, Sutton Publishing, ISBN 0-7509-2065-3
External links
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