CLEANSING DEPARTMENT, MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL

M595/1 MINUTES

M595/1/1. Health Committee, 1868-1875

M595/2/1-2 ANNUAL REPORTS AND ACCOUNTS

M595/2/2. Cleansing Dept. 1891, 1949-1968 (incomplete)

M595/3/1-4 ESTATE PAPERS

M595/3/1. Carrington Estate General Time Book, 1886-1889

M595/3/2. Copies of Chat Moss Deeds, 1805-1920

M595/3/3. Tenancy Plan, Chat Moss and Carrington, 1957

M595/3/4. Wayleave Agreements, 1965-1966

M595/4/1-8 DIRECTORS' PAPERS

M595/4/1. Estate, 1956-1964

M595/4/2. Refuse Collection and Disposal in Manchester, 1947-1966

M595/4/3. Staff Wages and Departmental Reorganisation, 1953-1972

M595/4/4. Publications of the Cleansing Dept., 1929-1972

M595/4/5. Photographs, 1906-1978

M595/4/6. Historical Notes and Articles, 1957-1985

M595/4/7. Reports on other Towns' and Cities' Cleansing Depts. and Notes on Waste Disposal, 1957-1970

M595/4/8. Miscellaneous City of Manchester Publications, 1951-1974

The following records apart from the Health Committee Minutes, 1868-1875, were deposited in the Library in April 1992 by John Jones, Assistant Director of Operational Services.

On 1 April 1868 the City Council established a Health Committee, consisting of the Chairmen of the Committees for Watch, Nuisance, Building and Sanitary Regulations, Lamp and Scavenging, Paving, Sewering and Highways, Markets and Gas, for the townships of Chorlton upon Medlock, Hulme, Ardwick and Cheetham, together with the Mayor and other Manchester councillors.

On 9 November 1890 when the townships of Blackley, Clayton, Crumpsall, Kirkmanshulme, Moston, Newton Heath and West Gorton were added to the City, the Health Department was replaced by the Cleansing Department with responsibility for the enlarged City.

It remained the Cleansing Department until 1990, when it became the Department of Operational Services.

The nineteenth century expansion of the City and its growth in population caused a major problem in the disposal of sewage or night soil.

The townships of Bradford, Harpurhey and Rusholme were added to the City in 1885. This led to the purchase of Carrington Moss in 1886 as a place for the disposal of refuse, at the same time reclaiming the land for agricultural purposes.

Because of the success of this scheme, and the further expansion of the City in 1890, Chat Moss was purchased in 1895.

The waste was conveyed to the Mosses by light railway. The Carrington Moss light railway was built in 1886-1887, and the Chat Moss light railway in 1897-1898.

The opening in 1894 of the Manchester Ship Canal, which ran between the Mosses, facilitated the transport of the waste. The Boysnope Wharf, Liverpool Rd., Barton Moss, the operational centre for the Chat Moss Estate, was in use from 14 December 1898.

By the late 1930s, however, the extensive use of the water closet meant that the Mosses were no longer used for the disposal of sewage, and the light railways were sold in 1940.

The Cleansing Department became mainly responsible for the collection and disposal of household and trade refuse.