White City, Greater Manchester facts for kids
White City is an area in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. Today, part of this area is a retail park located next to Chester Road. This spot was once home to the Manchester Botanic Gardens. It was also near the docks and Manchester United's football ground. The old gateway from the Botanic Gardens still stands at the edge of the retail park.
Over the years, White City has changed a lot. It has been a beautiful botanical garden, a fun amusement park, and even a busy sports stadium. The stadium hosted events like athletics, greyhound racing, and motorsports.
Contents
What's in a Name?
Why is it Called White City?
The area got its name from a company called White City Limited. This company opened a big amusement park here in 1907. That's how the name "White City" stuck!
A Journey Through Time
The Beautiful Botanic Gardens
In 1827, a group in Manchester started the Botanical and Horticultural Society. Their goal was to help people learn about botany (the study of plants) and horticulture (the art of growing plants). The society built a large botanical garden on a 16-acre site.
A famous scientist named John Dalton helped choose the location. He picked it because it was away from the city's pollution. The land belonged to Thomas de Trafford, who leased it to the society for a very low price.
The gardens featured many plant houses and a huge conservatory. This building was 321 feet long, and its main dome reached 40 feet high! Hot water flowing through pipes kept the buildings warm for the plants. The grand gateway you can still see on Chester Road was the main entrance to these gardens. It is now a Grade II listed building, meaning it's an important historical structure.
Famous Exhibitions at the Gardens
The gardens hosted two very important events. In 1857, the Art Treasures Exhibition took place here. Prince Albert himself opened the exhibition. Over 1.3 million people visited it in just 142 days!
Later, in 1887, another big event happened. This was the Royal Jubilee Exhibition, celebrating Queen Victoria's 50 years as queen. This exhibition was even more popular, attracting 4.74 million visitors over 192 days.
From Gardens to Fun Park
By the late 1800s, fewer people were visiting the gardens. Wealthy families were moving out of Manchester city centre. So, in 1907, part of the garden's land was leased to White City Limited. This company created the "White City Amusement Park," which opened on May 20, 1907. It was a place for rides and entertainment!
Later, in 1927, the remaining 11 acres of the garden's site were sold. A company called Canine Sports Ltd bought the land to build the White City Stadium.
The White City Stadium Era
White City Stadium became a hub for sports. The first motorcycle speedway race happened there on July 16, 1928. Greyhound racing started in 1930. In 1953, a special 6-lane cinder track was added for athletics events.
The stadium was busy for many years. It hosted greyhound races from 1927 to 1982. Speedway races took place from 1928 to 1932, and stock car races from 1972 to 1982. At the end of 1981, a developer bought the stadium. It was left empty, fell apart, and finally closed in 1982.
White City Today: A Retail Park
After the stadium closed, it was eventually torn down. The site was then redeveloped into what we see today: the White City Retail Park. This shopping area has many stores and places to eat, along with plenty of parking.
See also
- Art Treasures Exhibition, Manchester 1857
- Botanical Gardens Cricket Ground
- Royal Jubilee Exhibition, Manchester 1887
