Manchester Evening News features our exhibition
Our showcase exhibition at People’s History Museum has been featured in an article in the Manchester Evening News.
The article concentrates on some newly discovered images from the Manchester Ice Palace in Cheetham Hill. They show skaters at the venue on Derby Street, which was once one of the finest ice skating rinks in the world. It closed in 1967 but the building still remains, now used as a clothing warehouse.
Click here to see the MEN article.
Click here to see a second MEN article about our exhibition.
If these images bring back any memories for you of the famous Manchester Ice Palace, we would love to hear them. Please go to our Memory Book and add them to our collection.
The exhibition runs from 25th November to 4th February at People’s History Museum in Manchester and features over 60 new images from our collection.
Comments *
Comment Category: General memories
I used to go ice skating there every Saturday morning. I’d save up my pocket money to have a lesson. It cost 2s.6p to dance with an instructor at the interval. I loved it.
Comment Category: General memories
I was assistant manager at the Ice Rink 1965 -1966. A beautiful old ice rink. Ruined by Mecca who refused to shut in the summer ror 3 weeks to allow the ground to thaw out. Thus causing the centre to rise and the pipes being raised. They knew nothing of the science of ice rinks. Only money.
Comment Category: Cheetham Hill and Hightown
Well recollect the ice palace in the late fifties to early sixties. We lived in Oldham do the bus ride took quite some time! Went there several times in school hols or occasionally Friday evening, with my Mother and her friend, who had a daughter my age. We would rent skates (which weren’t very good) but we always went home laughing, usually wet and bruised with falling. Particularly recollect there being a theatre organ playing music, (think it might have been a Hammond organ) as the ice was cleared of kids etc for a few minutes once an hour for the competent adults to do skating dancing to the music. Lovely memories. Pity it closed.
Loved it there,we used to go from 1964 to 1966,there was a good skater called Doreen Compston,she could spin like a top and wore all the proper skating attire,took her out a few times,lovely girl. enjoyed watching the speed skating team practicing.
Comment Category: General memories
I used to go skating at Silver Blades, as it was known in the 60s. There used to be a disco night, I think it was Friday. The DJ used to throw records out and if you caught one you could keep it
Comment Category: Cheetham Hill and Hightown
Used to go on Saturday mornings with my mum.
Had to set off early on the bus from Oldham.
Was the highlight of my week and so sad when it closed.
I now live in Canada and my ice skating skills are still with me.. lots of ice in the winter!
Comment Category: Cheetham Hill and Hightown
I remember going there Saturday mornings, often with my cousin. It was called the Silver Blades, I think, back then. I think I was about 7 years old when I started going, in 1959. My Mum used to take me on 2 buses, from Moss Side, where I lived. As I got a bit older, I used to go with my cousin. I spent most of my time outside school wearing roller skates, but always loved ice skating. I never had my own boots, just wore the ones that you could hire at the rink. People didn’t have much money in those days, and the boots were expensive. We moved to Brooklands near Sale when I was 10, and so it was too far for me to travel to. I started going to Altrincham Ice rink then.
Comment Category: Cheetham Hill and Hightown
This brings back marvellous memories of my childhood, loving local to the Ice palace and going to cheetwood primary school and made class visits regularly to the ice palace to learn how to ice skate and nearly 50 years on I can still ice skate today.