A once bustling shopping district described as a place where people could "buy everything on one street" is now just a distant memory for many Mancunians.
East of Manchester city centre, Cross Street in Gorton was once filled with busy shoppers. Not to be confused with Cross Lane in Gorton, you won't find any trace of Cross Street on a modern map.
In the past, people also flocked to Gorton to visit Belle Vue's now lost zoological gardens, stadium and amusement park. And it was on a Facebook group dedicated to Belle Vue that a recently uploaded image of Cross Street sparked some fantastic memories.
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In the comments, many remembered Cross Street as a "friendly place", where people "came from all over to shop". Others described it as a place where "you could buy everything you needed in one street."
A street full of independent shops, it was a place where parents went for their big weekly food shop or to browse the many clothes stores, haberdashers and toy shops. For teenagers, it was a place to explore coffee shops and listen to the latest records in its music shop.
So why won't you find Cross Street in Gorton on a map? Sadly, many of the streets off Hyde Road were cleared and demolished, including the main shopping street, Cross Street, alongside Wood and Lord Street which ran parallel.
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A large Tesco Extra, which opened in 2006, now stands where many of the old streets once where, with no trace of Cross Street to be found, as the heart of Gorton's shopping area has been remodelled over the decades.
But whenever images of Cross Street appear on the popular 'We Grew Up In Manchester' Facebook group, many take to the comments section to share their personal memories.
Barbara Nuttall Ormiston said: "Cross street was the main shopping area when l was a kid living in Chatsworth Road in the 1940s. Every shop you needed."
Barbara Taylor, posted: "I remember going to Gorton Cross Street with my grandma. I was very small but I remember she always used to buy me the delicious egg custard tarts from the bakers shop."
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Lynn Brooked said she "loved this place as a kid", with memories of going with her mum and grandma. Similarly, Deborah Whitney had fond memories of visiting with her family, commenting: "[I] used to go to Cross Street with my mum and sister. I remember the toy shop, Hanfords cake shop, Stand arcade and Harry Boxes [sp?] cafe."
Memories of a fantastic sounding bakery have stayed with Gina Macmillan, who said: "My Mum used to clean in Richardson's the bakers. I think it was partially because they used to allow her to take me with her when I was very small.
"I was fascinated by the back of the premises, must've been two shops knocked together as there were two parallel staircases at the back. Remember the pie machines which crimped the pastry and their wonderful Wimberry Charlottes and eclairs. Happy days!"
For Chris Collins, it was the sheer amount of shopping choice on the street that stood out, posting: "Fantastic shopping area. Every shop you could want in one street from bikes, records, clothes, fish, butchers, greengrocers, shoes, electrical, furniture, an Aladdin's cave toy shop, and who could forget Sivori's café?"
Does Gorton Cross Street awaken any memories for you? Let us know in the comments section below.
Julie Yates described Cross Street as "like Christmas" while Gary Buckley said we'll "never see the likes of a community like that again." For others, it was a particular memory from their childhoods that stood out.
Margaret Harrison remembered the butcher on Cross Street giving her "a chicken foot to play with." Karen O'Rourke, who used to go with her grandma, said: "It was a proper treat, she would buy a roast chicken and let me eat all the crispy skin whilst it was still hot."
Meanwhile, David Barker shared a story he will never forget, posting: "My sister left me in my pram outside a shop on Cross Street. She had been home a couple of hours, my mum commented that I was quiet. Cue sister breaking the one mile distance running record!"
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