The Barlick History Society site is precise and to the point. Sometimes you can get bogged down with too much info.

There's a place for all sorts of formats on the Web. Some folk like just the facts, others like more interactive sites. Barlick is lucky to have a good mix which cater for all tastes and requirements.

It's all grist to t'mill.

Thanks Callunna. The website is a point of contact and information and serves the purpose well.

I will continue to use this website to advertise any events.

As time was limited to one hour, Dennis Cairns concentrated on the Albert Road/Frank Street/Rainhall Road/Newtown area, pointing out premises which had been listed in trade directories from about 1910 to the 1930s.

We learned that originally Barlick's trade was centred on Church Street, with Albert Road (where the Town Square is today) only emerging as a shopping area after the railway station was built in the 1870s. Most of the premises on Albert Road started out as private houses, but as the Co-op (built in 1907) would have dominated the street, they began to be converted into shops.

There used to be a wide variety of trades, including shoemakers (we'd now consider it a luxury to have footwear specially made to our own specifications but that used to be the norm!) fried fish dealers (what we'd now call 'chippies' - seems there were just as many takeaways as now!), ironmongers (no need to traipse round B&Q in total confusion - or is that just me?) women's and men's clothing (are there any shops in Barlick today catering for men of all ages?) pawnbrokers, butchers, grocers and so on. It must have been a lively place where you could get all you needed in one place. Trafford Centre/Meadowhall, eat yer heart out

There was even someone in King Street who made artificial teeth!

Bernard Ecclestone (no, not the Formula 1 sponsor - I think he was a stationer if I remember rightly) and of particular interest to me, Tizzie Dent, one of my ancestors, were just two of the many shop owners mentioned.

People on the walk also chipped in with their memories and recollections and it was great to actually see and feel the history, rather than simply read about it.

The walk also provided the opportunity to stand and look at the facades - very impressive building work which you tend to miss as you dash into Healds (or whatever it's called now) for that emergency bottle of milk which you forgot to buy at Asda. Look above the shop signs and you'll see beautiful stonework, from the 1817 era's cottagey feel to the grandeur of pre-WWI architecture. With the exception of Healds, Yorkshire and Barclays banks and the Post Office of course. I'm sure they'd never get planning permission these days for such bland, ugly buildings.

All in all, a very pleasant and informative 90 minutes.